Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Separate And Unequal Risks For Victimization? An Examination Of The Relationship Between City-Level Conditions And Risks For Non-Fatal Victimization, Toya Z. Like

Dissertations

This investigation is an exploratory study of the relationship between city-level conditions and risks for non-fatal victimization. Specifically, city characteristics including residential segregation and economic equality between whites and minorities, the proportion of female-headed households, person unemployed and impoverished and the proportion of residents below age eighteen and their relation to non-fatal victimization is studied. Furthermore, individual and neighborhood correlates of non-fatal victimization are examined in addition to city conditions. Also of importance to the current study is examining these risks across racial and ethnic groups and across cities. The primary data is derived from the National Crime Victimization Survey …

Police Use Of Force: Does Gender Make A Difference, Lorene Sandifer

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

This study addresses the perception of the use of force and some differences that exist between males and females within law enforcement. A survey was distributed to five average sized police departments across the United States to survey the perceptions of the men and women in blue. The hypothesis is that women officers use less force to successfully accomplish the same desired outcomes in police/citizen contacts. At the time of this study, there have been no formal surveys on this subject. The survey response rate was 50% and the responses were tabulated to determine officers' perceptions on the use of …

Al-Qaeda And The Aryan Nations A Foucauldian Perspective, Hunter Ross Dell

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

Using Foucauldian qualitative research methods, this study will compare al-Qaeda and the Aryan Nations for similarities while attempting to uncover new insights from preexisting information. Little or no research had been conducted comparing these two organizations. The underlying theory is that these two organizations share similar rhetoric, enemies and goals and that these similarities will have implications in the fields of politics, law enforcement, education, research and United States national security.

The Social Development Model And Delinquent Behavior : A Case Study., Jessica Noel Mullikin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to examine the impact that extreme economic deprivation has on adolescent social development. Data for this study was collected from the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau. This study uses the Developmental Prevention model as a theoretical basis, a theory which posits that extreme economic deprivation, as measured by income, poverty, crime rates, racial composition of neighborhoods, and prevalence of mothers and grandparents as sole caregivers, is a risk factor for all delinquent behaviors. The specific delinquent behaviors examined in this study were teen pregnancy, school dropout, poor school attendance, and criminality. A study was conducted to compare …

Inductive Theoretical Integration: Approaching A General Theory Of Crime, Mark Christopher Saber

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

The purpose of this study is to discuss and use theoretical integration in an attempt to better explain criminal behavior. Data for this study was obtained through a random power sample of undergraduate college students enrolled in criminology and criminal justice classes. Respondents chose a criminal behavior from a typology of drug, property, or violent criminal acts, and then chose theories which could aid in the explanation of that criminal behavior. The respondents were also asked the same concerning self-reported criminal activity. Analysis of the data showed that theoretical integration was used, by the respondents, to explain drug-related crimes committed …

Law Enforcement Grants, A Comparison Of Funded Grant Awards, Kenneth Myers

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

The research focuses on 48 federally funded / awarded grants from the United States Department of Justice, Community Oriented Police Services Office and the Department of Homeland Security. A measurement instrument was developed to extract data from the grants for the purpose of determining if similarities existed among the awarded grants. The grants chosen came from jurisdictions of all types, sizes and demographics and represent a cross-section of American law enforcement. Once the data was collected, it was analyzed and examined for similarities. The data is presented in a manner that allows the reader determine if the information presented can …

The Death Penalty Through The Lenses Of Criminology/Criminal Justice Students And Non-Crcj Students, Shirley Ann Hamblet

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the possible relationship between level of knowledge and perception regarding capital punishment among criminology/criminal justice (CRCJ) students in comparison with non-CRCJ majors. The data for this study were obtained from a sample of CRCJ and non-CRCJ majors enrolled at the University of Texas at Arlington. While CRCJ majors appeared to be more knowledgeable regarding capital punishment, there was little significant difference of opinion (perception) among CRCJ and non-CRCJ majors.

Human Trafficking: A Comparative Analysis Of The Perceptions Of College Students And Police Officers, Maria Balderas

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the perception and knowledge of human trafficking in the United States. Specifically, the perception of college students at the University of Texas at Arlington and officers at the Arlington Police Department will be examined by survey. The scope of human trafficking varies depending on the degree of influence it has to a specific situation at a particular time (Seligson, 2005, p.59). Research addressing the deterrence of human trafficking and the response from various agencies will be reviewed (“UN Face Sheet”, 2006). Human trafficking will be reviewed from an international perspective to the …

"What's Your Fantasy?" The Sexual Objectification Of Women In Rap Videos, Dorothy E. Blue

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

For many African American youth, hip hop has been a part of their cultural identity since the 1970s (George 1998; Rose 1994). From its inception three decades ago, hip hop has grown from an urban (predominantly black and Latino youth) culture into an international youth phenomenon, transcending racial and ethnic lines. Prior research indicates that male artists tend to rule the video world. Furthermore, the portrayal of women in these videos produces an acceptance of violence and sexual objectification toward women. The purpose of this study is to look at the sexual objectification of women in rap videos. This study …

A Comparative Study Of Compliant And Non-Compliant Sexual Offenders In The State Of Tennessee, Nora Eliana Del Cul

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Sexual offenders have been identified as a group of criminals who must be monitored even after their release from prison or after completion of parole. This is accomplished by requiring sexual offenders to comply with registration requirements such as checking in with law enforcement agents on a regular basis, providing information on where they are living, working, and going to school, and being placed on a public registry for a period of at least ten years. Some offenders do comply with all of the registration requirements; unfortunately, many do not. The purpose of this research was to try and find …

Current Status Of Child Sexual Abuse In Chattanooga, Tn As Reflected In Treatment And Legal Systems: A View From The Experts, Julie F. Joy

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Child sexual abuse, a horrific and damaging crime against the most vulnerable of human beings, is decried by major religions and cultures around the world. And yet, it is flourishing today in various forms within every major society. Empirical research has been conducted in the areas of treatment and legal issues for victims of child sexual abuse. This research indicates a dichotomy of advocates in treatment systems and skeptics in legal systems that could conflict with each other in providing treatment and justice to abuse victims. This study offers a view of the status of child sexual abuse in one …

The Imapact Of In-Car Mobile Video System On Policing, Alan Hongchen Ma

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

This research examines education and police experience as they relate to police officers' perceptions on the use of in-car mobile video system. A sample of police officers from area police departments in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex was studied using a self-administered survey, which consisted of 27 items. The research suggests that there are indeed differences in the perceptions of in-car mobile video system as it relates to police experience.

The Effects Of Parental Incarceration On Children: An Examination Of Delinquency And Criminality, School Performance And Alcohol And Drug Usage, Dionne Peniston

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

This study investigates the effects of parental incarceration on children and youth. The main objectives of this study are to validate previous research on delinquency and criminality, and poor school performance of youth whose parents have been under correctional supervision (jail or/and probation). In addition, this study aims to examine the prevalence of drug and alcohol use in this population. This study utilizes the data set from the Children at Risk Program. This program was a drug and delinquency prevention program that was implemented in 1992 to 1996. The electronic data set was obtained from the National Archive of Criminal …

Assessing The Impact Of Ethical Training On Law Enforcement Personnel, Tina L. Lee

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the opinions of police officers in regards to satisfaction with ethics training. The participants in this study were police officers in city/municipal and county law enforcement agencies. Ethics training is very important in the field o f law enforcement because of the many temptations that officers face and the tremendous amount of authority that society gives to the police. In order to investigate officer’s satisfaction with ethics training, the Ethics Training Questionnaire (ETQ) was developed. This questionnaire contained two parts. The first part was completed by police administrators, and the second part …

Female Vs. Male Serial Killers: An Analysis Of Characteristic Traits And Typologies, Meyoshia Passion Ta' Sasha Powell

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This paper examines the various differences between female and male serial killers. The central research question considers whether males and females compare as to major characteristic traits and typologies of serial murder? To explore possible differences, a content analysis was conducted. The major characteristic traits and typologies of serial killers contained in the extant literature were compared to a sample of female and male serial murderers. Analyses reveal that male serial killers possess more generalized traits as compared to female killers. In sum, there is a need to advance more gender relevant models.

Gender Differences In Age Of Onset For Delinquency:Risk Factors And Consequences, Laura M. Gulledge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The age of onset of delinquency has long been viewed as a primary indicator for further delinquency and criminality. However, studies on the risk factors for onset, and future delinquency have focused predominantly on males. The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences and similarities in risk factors for onset and frequency of arrest. The data used in these analyses were from a longitudinal study, Pathways to Adulthood: A Three Generational Urban Study, 1960-1994. Sixty-six percent (N=1,758) of the eligible children completed the final survey. Of these children, only 515 were used in this particular study because they …

Evaluating American Correctional Association Accreditation Of Adult Correctional Institutions, David Ralphs

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses

This research study focuses on the impact that accreditation by the American Correctional Association has on violence, crowding, and educational and counseling offerings in adult correctional facilities. Data from the American Correctional Association and the 1995 and 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities are studied by joining databases and performing statistical analysis on the resulting data. The resulting analysis reveals negative relationships between ACA accreditation and violence and positive relationships between ACA Accreditation and educational and counseling program offerings in adult correctional institutions.

"Does It Take One To Know One?" A Comparison Of Police Recruits' And Sergeants' Perceptions Of A Good Police Officer, Kara K. Hoofnagle

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Police departments strive to hire good officers. However, there is difficulty in defining what constitutes a good police officer. The literature is rife in defining what constitutes a good police officer and characteristics indicative of a good officer. Past research suggests that characteristics of a good police officer may be more than the characteristic itself and that officers' may form their perception of what characteristics good officers harbor based on socialization, the police subculture, and the official police organization.

As such, this study sought to explore the following research question: What differences, if any, exist between police recruits' and sergeants' …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of A Leisure Education Curriculum On Deliquents' Motivation, Knowledge, And Behavior Changes Related To Boredom, Paul Finn Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents today have more unsupervised and unstructured free time than ever before. Poor decisions by youth during periods of free time may lead to substance abuse, teen pregnancy and juvenile delinquency. The highest frequency of juvenile crime, a major social problem, occurs during the 2-4 hours following the end of the school day. Research has demonstrated the benefits of engaging adolecents in prosocial leisure activity. However, no research has studied the issues of free time and leisure education with a delinquent population. This paper documents the impact of a leisure education curriculum on a population of delinquent youth in a …

Factors Influencing User-Level Success In Police Informationsharing: An Examination Of Florida's Finder System, Jr Ernest Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An important post-9/11 objective has been to connect law enforcement agencies so they can share information that is routinely collected by police. This low-level information, gathered from sources such as traffic tickets, calls for service, incident reports and field contacts, is not widely shared but might account for as much as 97% of the data held in police records systems. U.S. policy and law assume that access to this information advances crime control and counterterrorism efforts. The scarcity of functioning systems has limited research opportunities to test this assumption or offer guidance to police leaders considering investments in information sharing. …

Assessing The Impact Of The Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction Aftercare Program In San Bernardino, California, Araseli De La Rosa

Theses Digitization Project

This study examines the San Bernardino Partners Aftercare Network (SPAN). This grant funded program provides intensive mental health aftercare, planning and linkage for inmates housed in West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

Motivations Of Professional Strippers, Lisa Monchalin

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research studied 470 different strippers across the globe through a content analysis of messages exchanged in a stripper-oriented discussion group. Stripping literature has primarily focused on the external rewards of stripping and has found that the primary motivation for engaging in stripping is the economic gain. This research revealed that there are other motivations to stripping beside just economic. Nonmonetary motivations were significantly important to the strippers; and were discussed more than monetary motivations.

Significant unexpected findings included the fact that strippers feel that their job is similar to service type jobs. Multivariate analyses revealed that strippers who discuss …

Avl And Response Time Reduction: Image And Reality, Charles Russo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Automatic vehicle locator (AVL) systems, utilizing military's global positioning system, may impact response time to law enforcement calls for service. In order to evaluate the impacts of AVL on response time to calls for service at the Altamonte Springs Police Department (ASPD), computer aided dispatch (CAD) data from years 1999 to 2003 were analyzed. The analysis of each of the data sets consisted of an initial sequence chart, an analysis of variance (ANOVA), a means plot and a linear regression. Interviews of ASPD personnel were conducted to understand user perceptions of AVL. Based on the ANOVA results, trends indicate that …

Insulating Effects Of Early Childhood Education, William Anthony Kull

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if formal early childhood education was related to the likelihood of later criminal activity. The secondary data analysis within this study did support inferences for four specific crime factors. This study found that preschool attendance lessened the incurrence of future criminal activity in crime categories of total numbers of damage offenses, total numbers of theft offenses, total numbers of damage alone offenses, and total numbers of injury and theft offenses.

Police Organizational Performance In The State Of Florida:Confirmatory Analysis Of The Relationship Of The Environment And Design Structure To Performance, Jeffrey Goltz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, police organizations have not been rigorously analyzed by organizational scholars and most analysis of these organizations has been captured through a single construct. The purpose of this study is to develop confirmatory police organizational analysis by validating a multi-dimensional conceptual framework that explains the relationships among three constructs: environmental constraints, the design structures of police organizations, and organizational performance indicators. The modeling is deeply rooted in contingency theory, and the influence of isomorphism and institutional theory on the covariance structure model are investigated. One hundred and thirteen local police organizations from the State of Florida are included in …