Digital Commons Network^™

Central Park 5~ Rape, Racism, & False Confessions, Harleigh D. Smith

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Racism is a predominant factor that has been induced and intertwined within the criminal justice system for decades. Racism also played a critical in many historical movements and protests throughout time, about the criminal justice system. “Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to physical appearance and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against others because they are of a different race or ethnicity.” Racism can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone, and that is what was used to falsely …

April 2025 General Education Council Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney General Education Council

General Education Council

No abstract provided.

“When Black Women Whisper”: An Exploration Of Why Black Women Stay In K-12 Education, Chelsea Lynne Murry

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

From low retention rates to race and gender biases to being overworked and undervalued in the classroom, Black women leave education at higher rates than any other demographic. This study highlighted the experiences of Black women in K-12 education settings, the role of support systems in their retention and advancement, and why they stay in K-12 education. The study used Counter-storytelling in Critical Race Theory, Black Feminist Thought, and Womanism to examine the race and gender inequities that Black women face and to highlight their lived experiences. Through the use of Sista Circles/focus groups and one-on-one interviews, the research …

Swosu Fact Book Spring 2025, Joel Harrel Kendall, Diane Fitzsimmons, Kelsi Burghardt

Fact Books

The 2nd annual Southwestern Oklahoma State University Spring Fact Book provides a ready source of information to answer frequently asked questions about the University and its operations. The Spring Fact Book is compiled annually by the Office of Institutional Research to assist the university with strategic planning, academic program reviews, grant writing, accreditation, and institutional information to help guide decision-making. The report uses data collected from 2016 to 2025 and is designed to help faculty, staff, administrators, and external stakeholders better understand the student body and university trends.

Gender-Responsive Treatment For Girls And Women Within The Criminal Justice System, Kylie R. Huelsmann

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

There is a need for improved gender-responsive approaches for women and girls in the criminal justice system, especially for women of color and transgender individuals. Traditional programs built around men often neglect the unique challenges faced by these populations, such as substance use disorders, mental health conditions, trauma histories, and acting as caregivers. Women, in particular, experience higher rates of recidivism and barriers to successful reintegration. Trauma-informed and evidence-based programs that address mental health, addiction, and family support, ultimately lead to more effective rehabilitation and reduce recidivism for women and girls after adjudication.

Incrimination Of Carlton Lewis, Kaia L. Fox

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

On February 7, 1990, Cheryl Coleman was found dead in her apartment, sexually assaulted and beaten to death with a 2x4 piece of wood. Carlton Lewis became one the of few suspects in the case. Despite providing a statement that he was at his home at the time of the murder and the word of his wife, a suspect named William McKee was interviewed and said he saw Lewis go to a house on the corner of the street with Coleman. After McKee was interviewed, Lewis, who was illiterate at the time, was forced into a false confession by being …

25 Years For A Crime He Didn’T Commit: Anthony Wright, Caleb D. Purvis

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Anthony Wright was found guilty of the rape and murder of an elderly woman in 1991 in Philadelphia. He was then convicted in 1993 (Kaur, 2020). Anthony Wright spent the next 25 years in prison before becoming the 344th person to be exonerated by DNA in the US (Innocence Project, 2025). Upon the re-examination of the evidence found at the crime scene, a new suspect was identified, but had already passed away, preventing any criminal charges from being filed against them. Anthony Wright also filed a civil lawsuit on January 17, 2017, after his exoneration (Wright v. Philadelphia, 2017).

Examining The Evidence: The Case Of Marcellus Williams And The Pursuit Of Justice, Star Parham

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The case of Marcellus Williams, the case of a Missouri man killed on death row, has sparked many legal and ethical concerns. Those concerns are wrongful convictions, forensic evidence, and the orchestration of the death penalty in the United States. Willimas was convicted in 2001 for the murder of Felicia Gayle based on evidence of circumstances and testimony from informants. Despite all of that Missouri officials pursued the execution, and he was killed.

2025 Commencement Program - Spring, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Commencement Programs

2025 Spring Commencement program for Morehead State University.

Casey Anthony Case, Shelby L. Woodyard

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Casey Anthony is the mother of Caylee Anthony who went missing in 2008. Her mother called the police to report her missing 31 days after her last sighting. During the investigation, Anthony lied to police on multiple occasions which lead them to arrest her for the murder of her daughter. Anthony was then charged with first degree murder along with aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child. Caylee’s body was found shortly after the missing person's report, wrapped in a blanket near the Anthony’s home. Florida wanted the death penalty in the case against Casey Anthony with mostly …

Murder On The Plains: The Murdock Farmhouse Slayings, Tatum L. Sander

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

On April 17, 2006, Wayne and Sharmon Stock were murdered in Murdock, Nebraska, shocking the community. The investigation was complicated by wrongful arrests and mishandled evidence. Initially, Matthew Livers, the victims’ nephew, and his cousin Nicholas Sampson were wrongfully accused after Livers gave a false confession during an 11-hour interrogation. There was no physical evidence linking them to the crime, and the case relied on a fabricated blood sample. However, forensic evidence later revealed that the real killers were Jessica Reid and Gregory Fester, two teenagers from Wisconsin. Livers' confession was deemed unreliable due to his low IQ and the …

True Self: A Curriculum Evaluation Aimed At Mitigating Internalizing And Externalizing Behaviors In At-Risk Middle School Youth, Lisa M. Dailey

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this mixed methods curriculum evaluation was to study the efficacy of a recently published curriculum, True Self, being piloted in a middle school to support students in a Tier 3 reengagement program. Given a healthy multitiered system has 5%–7% of students needing individualized support, the study consisted of three student participants. True Self offers schools a resource written by authors who have extensive experience working with at-risk youth. Moreover, using a research-based curriculum saves educators time on finding or creating material—time they should be using for case management and direct student support. Quantitative metrics to analyze the …

Mental Health First Aid With Criminal Justice Students, April N. Terry, Troy Terry

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Mental illness is a major contributor impacting overall health, affecting more than 1 billion people globally (Papish et al., 2013). Research suggests more than 80% of people who die by suicide had a mental illness with suicide being the second leading cause of death for those between the ages of 15-29 (Isometsä, 2001). Yet, many individuals do not seek professional treatment for a variety of factors, including lack of awareness of warning signs and symptoms, mental health stigma, and unavailable services (Baumann, 2007). One method for addressing barriers to mental health treatment includes targeted efforts to improve mental health literacy …

Christopher Tapp, Haley Schoenberger

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Christopher Tapp was wrongfully convicted for the murder and rape of 18-year-old Angie Dodge and the use of a deadly weapon in Idaho. This took place in 1996. This highlights the damages and dangers of coerced confessions and failures within the criminal justice system. Tapp was convicted even though there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime. He was sentenced to 30 years to life because of a confession extracted by the police’s interrogation and a false witness statement. The DNA at the scene did not match Chris but he was still imprisoned for 20 years. In 2019, …

22 Years Lost: The Story Of Paul House, Mariah A. Carrillo

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This project outlines the wrongful conviction of Paul House and his eventual exoneration after 22 years on death row in Tennessee. The murder of Carolyn Muncey occurred in 1985 in Luttrell, Tennessee and House was an immediate suspect with the finding of multiple pieces of forensic evidence. Namely, it was ABO serology testing that was used to tie House to the crime. Advancements in this form of testing showed that House was innocent. It was in 2006 that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of House’s exoneration due to the flaws in the original forensic evidence. This project exemplifies the …

Barry Gibbs' Wrongful Conviction And Exoneration, Gracie Rains

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Barry Gibbs was wrongfully convicted in the murder of Virginia Robertson in 1986 based primarily on forced testimony of a single witness. The witness had been tutored by NYPD detective Louis Eppolito, who possessed ties to organized crime. Gibbs was sentenced to life imprisonment but acquitted in 2005 based on forensic evaluation and evidence of corrupting witnesses. Forensic re-testimonies, in the form of inconsistencies in the witness’ statement and forensic evidence, were crucial for proving his innocence. Neither the judge nor the prosecutor questioned the testimony’s credibility, while the lawyer of the accused failed to forcefully object to the investigative …

Deadtime In The Vale Of Soul-Making: Hermeneutics, Humanization, And Higher Education In Prison, Dale Michael Brown

Dissertations

This body of work examines higher education with and for justice-involved people from a descriptive, theoretical, and empirical perspective—pulling together multiple disciplines and employing different methodologies from the humanities and social sciences. The investigation is written from a philosophical perspective via educational foundations and a social science perspective via qualitative research, including an examination of carceral higher education’s connections to teaching and experiential learning. This approach reflects the interdisciplinary nature of both the author’s degree program and the topic itself, which (as a field of academic inquiry) is part theoretical and part empirical (both qualitative and quantitative). The papers in …

Research Showcase Program, St. Mary's University

Program - 2025

No abstract provided.

Gold & Blue Law Edition, Spring 2025, St. Mary's University - San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue Law Edition

This is the Spring 2025 edition of Gold & Blue Law Edition which is St. Mary's University's official School of Law publication.

Navigating The Integration Of Ai Literacy In Library Instruction, Stephanie Ward

University Libraries Publications

As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes academia, librarians can play a crucial role in preparing students to navigate this evolving information landscape. This presentation will explore practical strategies for integrating AI literacy into library instruction that align with current trends in librarianship. We’ll delve into examples of lessons and activities on essential AI concepts, the variety of AI tools, critical evaluation, and ethical considerations. Join me as I share my journey of developing AI-focused instruction for both credit and course-embedded classes and how it has shaped my role as a campus resource on AI.

Understanding Undergraduate Aspirations For Law Enforcement Careers And Motivation In The Classroom, Gabriella N. Burt

Honors Thesis

This study investigates the factors shaping undergraduate student interest in law enforcement careers. By surveying students from various Midwestern universities, this research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between social influences, gender, and curricular exposure in shaping law enforcement career aspirations. Specifically, it examines how motivations for pursuing a public service career, external influences, and background characteristics shape career interest overall. The study also examines how these factors shape career interest between men and women and overall motivation to engage with specific law enforcement course topics. Findings inform policy and curriculum design.

Navigating Recovery: Community College Student Journeys Through Collegiate Recovery Programs, Eric Scott Klein

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

There is an inherent regional need to support students in recovery, and often their demographics and lived experiences coincide with the student body of a community college. This is particularly salient to the segments of this population which concurrently suffer maltreatment due to other intersectional biases implicit in many health care and education-based systems inside the United States (Cole, 2009; Mance et al., 2010; Rosenthal, 2016). Community colleges are not doing enough to equitably support students in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and help buoy their recovery capital (Appiah, 2021; Ashford, Curtis, et al., 2018; Association of Recovery in …

An Examination Of The Role Bureaucratic Discretion Plays In Public Education Policy And Administration: A Revelation Of How Discretionary Discipline Impacts Historically Marginalized Students, Regina Francine Turner

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

An under-researched area of public administration, bureaucratic discretionary practices regarding student discipline and resulting inequitable consequences are explored throughout this study from a theoretical perspective. The study examines student discipline outcomes for conduct violations in America’s schools. Further, research will determine if data supports the notion that school leaders’ administrative discretion contributes to inequitable student disciplinary practices. Evidenced by research and corresponding data regarding discriminatory student disciplinary actions, this study relies on Critical Race Theory (CRT) as its foundation and theoretical framework.

Using relevant literature, research questions were formed, hypotheses were crafted, and statistical analyses were performed to test means …

19th Annual Research In The Capitol [Program], March 31, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. University Honors Program. Iowa State University. Honors Program. University Of Iowa. Honors Program.

Research in the Capitol Programs

Program of research presentations given at the Capitol by students from the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Iowa.

Transformative Outcome Of Correctional Education On Ex-Offenders In Mzimba, Malawi, Rajab Philip Mota, Mavuto Tembo

Journal of Prison Education Research

Prison service offers correctional education programs to the incarcerated individuals as a vital component of crime fighting strategy. Although the role of correctional education is to fight crimes, relapse in criminal behaviour which results in the re-incarceration of ex-offenders continues to be a predicament, thereby questioning the relevance of correctional education programs after imprisonment. Therefore, this mixed methods study analysed the transformative outcome of correctional education programs on ex-offenders in Mzimba, Malawi using the empowerment theory. The study utilized questionnaires, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews as data collection tools, whereby quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 20 while …

Wrongful Convictions In The United States, Connor J. Schoenberger

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Wrongful convictions occur too frequently in the united states. A wrongful conviction occurs when a person is found guilty and sentenced for a crime that he or she did not commit. Wrongful convictions occur for a number of reasons including false confessions and prosecutorial misconduct, to name only two. This study considers how wrongful convictions affect society and consequences for those who are wrongfully convicted and then later exonerated. One cannot put a price tag on the harm done as a result of wrongful convictions.

Desistance, Emancipation, Empathy, And Pedagogy: The Incarcerated Teaching Artist’S Approach To Poetry, Ghostwrite Mike

Journal of Prison Education Research

The Art of Recovery and Therapy (ART) leisure time activity group at Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla, California, is a resident-led arts and humanities-based self-help forum that has been available to carceral state residents for more than a decade and is administered in collaboration with full-time, non-custody, civil servant facility staff (CDCR site, n.d.). ART is among the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) longest running and most autonomous creator habitats founded and facilitated entirely by resident practitioners. ART wields a codified state regulatory authority to function and fundraise (Cal. Code Regs. § 3233-3237, 3240) as well as …

Cost Modeling For State Longitudinal Data Systems, Benjamin Boer

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

A tool to support the development and scaling of longitudinal data supports in state policymaking.

Does Social Media Have An Impact On Inciting Violence?, Cora Thorne

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

What is social media? What comes to mind? What is if for? What is its purpose? Is it the variety of popular applications such as Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, Facebook? Or, is it the headlines that come across those apps? Headlines about crime and criminal justice, major events, and politics? Among all the different platforms and the many people on them there is one common theme, hate and violence.

The Effects Of Faith-Based Programs In Prison, Emmery Huber

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Faith based programs in prison is a cheaper way that the DOJ has found to be able to reduce recidivism rates. Studies show that these programs help inmates find purpose and joy during their situation. However, there is also a question to whether these programs break the establishment clause in the Constitution.