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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Psychopathy And Adolescent Females: Does Gender Alter The Relation Between Childhood Trauma And Pcl:Yv Scores?, Trevor Barese Jul 2008

Psychopathy And Adolescent Females: Does Gender Alter The Relation Between Childhood Trauma And Pcl:Yv Scores?, Trevor Barese

Psychology Theses

A growing rate of violence among adolescent females has led to an increased interest in gender differences associated with the assessment and development of psychopathy. This study utilized a sample of 100 youthful offenders, to examine the role of gender in the relation between various forms of childhood trauma and scores on the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV). Correlations were found between certain forms of childhood abuse and elevated PCL:YV scores. Furthermore, gender appeared to alter the predictive power of proposed developmental risk factors commonly associated with psychopathy. The findings indicate possible discrepancies in developmental risk factors between genders. Implications …


The Evidence And The Expert: Judgments Of Their Relative Importance In Confession Adjudication, Morgan S. Moffa May 2008

The Evidence And The Expert: Judgments Of Their Relative Importance In Confession Adjudication, Morgan S. Moffa

Psychology Theses

Forensic evidence is gaining prominence in both the media and in courts. As a result, the role of expert witness testimony in cases involving a disputed confession is unclear. The current study examined the effects of expert witness testimony, commonly-used interrogation tactics, and equivocal forensic evidence, on perceptions both the expert and the evidence. Results indicated perceptions of forensic evidence were a function of expert witness testimony, suggesting the influence of expert testimony on confessions is not limited to perceptions of the interrogation. In addition, evaluations of reliability and probative validity of forensic-type evidence indicated participants’ difficulty in distinguishing between …


Us Academic Libraries: Today’S Learning Commons Model, Susan Mcmullen Apr 2008

Us Academic Libraries: Today’S Learning Commons Model, Susan Mcmullen

Library Faculty Publications

In 2007, the author examined existing academic libraries in the United States to determine best practices for the design, implementation and service of learning commons facilities. A primary objective of this study was to discover how to create a higher education learning environment that sustains scholarship encourages collaboration and empowers student learning. This article explains how to plan for a modern learning commons and presents the various components that comprise the space.


Police Criminal Charging Decisions: An Examination Of Post-Arrest Decision-Making, Scott W. Phillips, Sean P. Varano Jan 2008

Police Criminal Charging Decisions: An Examination Of Post-Arrest Decision-Making, Scott W. Phillips, Sean P. Varano

Justice Studies Faculty Publications

Scholars have encouraged studies of police decision-making to move beyond the arrest decision into research that broadens the understanding of police behavior. The criminal charge placed by officers against offenders is largely an untouched area of study. Examining criminal charging decisions goes beyond simple dichotomous decisions, such as arrest, but instead explores the area of police leniency or punitiveness. Randomly constructed vignettes describing a domestic violence incident were given to officers from four agencies. Officers indicated the criminal charges they would likely list against an offender if they were to make an arrest. Serious criminal charges were often supported by …


Street Outreach Workers: Best Practices And Lessons Learned, Scott H. Decker, Tim S. Bynum, Jack Mcdevitt, Amy Farrell, Sean P. Varano Jan 2008

Street Outreach Workers: Best Practices And Lessons Learned, Scott H. Decker, Tim S. Bynum, Jack Mcdevitt, Amy Farrell, Sean P. Varano

Justice Studies Faculty Publications

Street outreach workers are an important part of the Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative (CSI) comprehensive gang and youth violence reduction strategy in Massachusetts1. Street outreach involves the use of individuals to “work the streets,” making contact with youth in neighborhoods with high levels of gang activity. These individuals are generally not employed by the criminal justice system agencies but rather are based in community service organizations or other non- governmental agencies. Street outreach workers provide an important bridge between the community, gang-involved youth, and the agencies (whether social service or law enforcement) that respond to the …


The Confluence Of Psychopathic Traits, Violence, And Mental Health Needs In Adolescent Females: Theoretical And Treatment Implications, Nathan Cook Jan 2008

The Confluence Of Psychopathic Traits, Violence, And Mental Health Needs In Adolescent Females: Theoretical And Treatment Implications, Nathan Cook

Psychology Theses

The relation among psychopathic traits, violence, and mental health needs was investigated in a sample of male and female juvenile offenders to test for the presence of gender differences. Demographic, offense, and mental health information was gathered from 100 youth offenders, 50 female and 50 male, committed to a state juvenile justice agency. Case file information was used to score the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version and additional archival data was used to code offense and mental health variables. Female and male juvenile offenders differed on PCL:YV scores as a function of proactive violence and mental health needs. The results are …


From Obsession To Confession: A False Confession Paradigm In The Murder Of Jon Benet Ramsey, Morgan Moffa, Judith Platania Jan 2008

From Obsession To Confession: A False Confession Paradigm In The Murder Of Jon Benet Ramsey, Morgan Moffa, Judith Platania

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

In this study, we used a fact pattern similar to the John Mark Karr scenario to examine perceptions of DNA and confession evidence. Specifically, we hypothesized that DNA evidence, confessor level of psychopathology, and presence or absence of Miranda protections would affect participants’ perceptions of guilt and attitudes towards the interrogation process. One hundred nine undergraduates read a two-page summary based on John Mark Karr’s confession. Summaries varied based on psychopathology of confessor, the presence or absence of DNA evidence, and the provision of Miranda warnings prior to confession. The DNA manipulation explained participants’ attitudes towards specific aspects of the …