Digital Commons Network^™

Repeating Patterns: Does Emotional Child Abuse Lead To Intimate Partner Abuse?, Kathryn R. Henry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Childhood abuse and intimate partner abuse (IPA) are serious issues in the United States This study examines the correlation between emotional childhood abuse and IPA. Anyone regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status may be a victim of childhood abuse or IPA. One in seven children are victims of childhood abuse, which results in a lifetime cost of $428 billion. The costs of IPA are even higher and estimated by the CDC (2020) to be near $3.6 trillion as 25% of women and 20% of men have been victims of IPA. Previous research has found a connection between childhood maltreatment …

Formal And Informal Labeling Of Adolescents: The Consequences Of Cumulative Disadvantage On Deviance During Emerging Adulthood, Chijioke Onyekonwu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite the recent developments in labeling theory, there are still a lot of gaps in research on this theory. To begin with, studies continue to attach too much attention to the effects of formal labeling to the neglect of informal labeling. Secondly, prior research has not paid full attention to a variety of mediating factors involved in the relationship between informal labeling, formal labeling and delinquency.

This study seeks to address these limitations by investigating the overall effects that formal and informal labeling has on young people while considering the differential impact of mediating variables. The data for the study …

Court Actor Decision-Making: The Influence Of Victim Characteristics On Legal Outcomes In Cases Of Bias Homicide, Taylor June

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While most states in America have passed laws permitting harsher punishments for those convicted of hate (or bias) crimes, there has been no research to date on the adjudication of these defendants, including how legal and extralegal attributes of bias crime shape prosecutorial and judicial decision-making. This gap in research is likely due in part to the limitations of official data on bias crimes. Fortunately, new data on legal outcomes for bias homicide offenders who target victims because of their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or homed status have become available from the open-source database known as …

Mock Jurors' Recommended Sentences For Perpetrators Who Have Traumatic Experiences, Katherine West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Experiencing trauma can result in neurological and biological changes, precipitating long-term damage to the brain and body. A considerable proportion of incarcerated persons have reported that they have experienced some type of trauma (Stensrud, Gilbride, & Bruinekool, 2018). Using scenarios of hypothetical crimes of varying degrees of seriousness, this study explores whether disclosure of the perpetrator’s traumatic childhood experiences has an influence on the severity of the sentence that mock jurors would recommend for that perpetrator. The mock jurors’ trait empathy, Belief in a Just World, and their own traumatic experiences were assessed to determine whether these characteristics could account …

What You See You Perceive: Public Opinions Of Potential Negative Consequences And Support For Officer Body-Worn Cameras, Jordyn Marian Sanders

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Officer-body worn cameras (BWCs) are used in policing to provide visuals from the perspective of the officer during interactions with the community. BWCs are often promoted for the ability to improve the relationship between the community and police by providing accurate and transparent accounts of the interactions. Millions of dollars have been spent to distribute BWCs to police departments across the Unites States, with an estimated 80% of departments implementing the devices through various policies and procedures (White & Malm, 2020). Most studies on BWCs have provided empirical evidence showing the potential benefits of the devices in policing (Lum et …

Review Of The Little Book Of Police Youth Dialogue: A Restorative Path Toward Justice, Robert Brenneman

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Volume I | Issue Iv | 2022, Dujpew Editorial Board

Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Politics, Economics and World Affairs

No abstract provided.

Bias In The Jury Box: The Sociological Determinants Of Jury Selection For Capital Cases In North Carolina, Alessandra Quattrocchi

Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Politics, Economics and World Affairs

An evaluation of four Wake County capital cases from 2014-2018 reveals the disparate effects that the jury selection process had on Black and female potential jurors and especially on Black female potential jurors. The requirement that capital jurors be willing and able to sentence death systematically excluded Blacks and females, with Black females excused for this reason at a rate over three times higher than White males. Black potential jurors not struck for death qualification were disproportionately excluded by prosecutorial peremptory strikes at a rate nearly two times greater than Whites. Final analyses conclude that Black females had significantly lower …

The Religious Seculars: How Does Yom Kippur Impact Electoral Turnout?, Gall Sigler

Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Politics, Economics and World Affairs

Does Yom Kippur impact electoral turnout in religious and secular Jewish communities in Israel? By collecting data on electoral behavior in elections to local councils from 1983 to 2018 in Jewish-secular, Jewish-religious and non-Jewish municipalities, this research attempts to elucidate the relationship between the communal Yom Kippur experience and electoral turnout. This research finds that the Yom Kippur experience appears to decrease turnout in secular municipalities, while no statistically significant impact was observed in religious municipalities. Research on the psychological significance of novelty and religious events, as well as ethnographic analysis of Israel, suggests that the Yom Kippur experience undermines …

Racial Tension, Public Mistrust, And Policing: Insights From Police Leaders In The Rio Grande Valley (Rgv)- A Research Note, Marika Dawkins-Cavazos

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This paper presents preliminary insights from police leaders in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a southwestern border region of the United States. Perceptions among minority police leaders with respect to minority-police interactions have received little attention. To better understand the perceptions of minority police leaders, this study focused on whether police leaders in a predominantly Hispanic region of the country perceive that racial tensions influence police-community interactions. Using a purposive sample of 29 police leaders, preliminary results suggest that recent high-profile incidents have had some impact on how officers do their jobs. Implications for public policy and suggestions for future …

Relationships Between Self-Efficacy, Participation In Prison Programs, And Perceived Ability To Live Crime Free Upon Release From Prison, Beret Ravenscroft

Nursing ETDs

This study examined the relationships between self-efficacy, participation in prison programs, and perceived ability to live crime free among male prisoners in state-operated New Mexico prisons. Among the 589 study participants, those who reported having received assistance in changing criminal attitudes agreed they would be able to live crime free at a rate 8% higher than those who did not (p = .029). Those who agreed that they are able to accomplish any task (p = .001) or who disagreed with feeling helpless to deal with problems (p = .001) also scored significantly higher in perceived ability …

Mass Violence, Environmental Harm, And The Limits Of Transitional Justice, Rachel Killean, Lauren Dempster

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

The relationship between the environment and mass violence is complex and multi-faceted. The effects of environmental degradation can destabilize societies and cause conflict. Attacks on the environment can harm targeted groups, and both mass violence and subsequent transitions can have harmful environmental legacies. Given this backdrop, it is notable that the field of transitional justice has paid relatively little attention to the intersections between mass violence and environmental degradation. This article interrogates this inattention and explores the limitations and possibilities of transitional justice as a means of addressing the environmental harms associated with mass violence. The article makes four key …

Criminal Justice Update - July 2022, Autumn R. Chassie

Criminal Justice Updates

The Criminal Justice Update is a monthly newsletter created by the Adams County Bar Foundation Fellow providing updates in criminal justice policy coming from Pennsylvania's courts and legislature as well as the US Supreme Court.

Contents:

• Updates from PA Governor's Office (No new updates this month)
• Updates from the PA Legislature
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court (No new updates this month)
• PA Supreme Court
• PA Superior Court

Cities Of God Under Occupation: Settler Colonial Practices And Pacification In The Favelas Of Rio De Janeiro And The Occupied Palestinian Territories, Amanda Pimenta Da Silva

Theses and Dissertations

The 2002 film ‘City of God’ tells an anecdotal story of violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, and is a reminder that the societies we tend to take for granted can actually be a luxury. The film portrays the daily life of the peripheries of Rio and its relation with drug trafficking, crime, and poverty, and how it has deteriorated into a war zone so dangerous that anyone risk being shot to death. Thousands of miles away from the Brazilian slums there is another so-called city of God, or the city chosen by God to be the home’s …

Improving Coordination For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Lea Quam, Adam K. Matz, Roni Mayzer, Danielle Korsmo, Maria Kerzmann, Marcy Hilzendeger

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates about 10,000 children in North Dakota have experienced some form of parental incarceration. Compared to non-Hispanic Caucasians, Native American children are 2 to 5 times more likely to have an incarcerated parent. Based on national data, over 50% of all imprisoned individuals in state and federal prisons have minor children, with 64% of mothers and 47% of fathers living with their child prior to arrest or incarceration.

Hope 4 Boys: The Impact Of A Youth Diversion Program, Justine C. Connolly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is developing programs targeting first-time nonviolent offenders who might benefit from community-based treatment and positive youth development to prevent these individuals from becoming adult criminals. Thus, the DJJ seeks new and innovative ways to prevent juvenile delinquency and reduce recidivism among first-time nonviolent offenders. The present study aimed to evaluate the Hope 4 Boys program, a juvenile diversion program that addresses the academic and social-emotional needs of juvenile delinquents. The study examined how participation in the program is associated with changes in participants’ levels of hope for the future, life satisfaction, and resiliency …

The Apostrophic Impasse: Diacritical Remarks On The Stories Of International Law, Legal Decolonial Genealogy And Antony Anghie’S Historiography, Britt L.A.Q. (Haadiya) Hendrix

Theses and Dissertations

The (hi)stories of international law have strengthened the tentacles of coloniality in the legal regime as they continue to taunt the precarious lifeworlds of people, our planet and social imaginaries of an otherwise. The flow of coloniality has similarly rematerialized in decolonial legal theories and the postcolonial historiographical accounts of international law. I intend to demonstrate this colonial revival in the groundbreaking text of Antony Anghie Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Creation of International Law (2005) which challenged the (hi)stories of traditional jurisprudence. The latter was not necessarily a rejection nor negation of Western thought, because I argue that postcolonial historiography …

Snitch. Snake. Mole. Books.: Examining Responses To “Insider/ Outsider” Researchers In Corrections, Talisa J. Carter, Chelsea Thomson

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Qualitative researchers face unique challenges when conducting original data collection within facilities of confinement. These challenges are shaped by a range of factors including the study’s research design, researcher identity, and organizational climate of the facility. Although the barriers of data collection in corrections are known, literature providing context, nuance, and recommendations for overcoming these obstacles is sparse, especially for qualitative fieldwork. This work addresses this gap by examining responses of correctional employees to observational research. During data collection, correctional staff called the primary author “snitch,” “snake,” “mole,” and “Books.” This paper investigates these labels and offers suggestions on how …

“Leave Your Pain Here”: An Illustration Of Therapeutic Jurisprudence Through The Remarks Of Judge Rosemarie Aquilla From The State Of Michigan V. Larry Nassar, Leah Kaylor, Terri L. Weaver, Katherine Kelton

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Dr. Lawrence Nassar was the national medical coordinator of the United States of America Gymnastics (USAG), gymnastics team physician/assistant professor at Michigan State University, and the USAG artistic team physician who sexually abused many young women and children under the guise of medical treatments. In an unprecedented legal event, Judge Aquilina allowed anyone who had been impacted by Nassar’s abuse to participate in the pre-sentencing phase by reading a victim impact statement. Judge Aqualina listened to 156 impacted speakers and responded with personalized messages. This paper will examine Judge Aquilina’s responses to the victim impact statements through the lens of …

Using A Trauma-Informed Practice Framework To Examine How South Australian Judges Respond To Trauma In The Lives Of Aboriginal Defendants, Katherine J. Mclachlan

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

This article uses a trauma-informed practice framework to examine how South Australian superior court judges acknowledge defendant trauma when sentencing Aboriginal defendants. Trauma-informed sentencing requires that judges realise the presence of trauma, recognise its relevance, respond in a way that is informed by trauma and act to avoid re-traumatisation. By analysing sentencing remarks of 42 defendants identified as Aboriginal, the presence of trauma-informed practice was explored, in terms of judicial decision-making, the sentencing process and the sanction imposed. While not holistic summaries of judges’ reasoning, sentencing remarks are intended to enable the parties and the community to understand sentencing logic. …

White Supremacy And The Future Of Liberal Democracy: The Case Of The Nordic Resistance Movement, Ida Oesteraas

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

In 2015, the largest neo-Nazi organization in Scandinavia, The Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) registered as a political party and entered electoral politics in Sweden. Utilizing qualitative content analysis, the current work explores changes in NRM’s rhetoric from before the party entered politics in 2010 and five years later in 2018. Focus centers on NRM’s ideology, what or whom they frame as their threat, and their suggested solutions for constructed problems. Results show fascist rhetoric in both time periods. An argument is made that there is no actual moderation in NRM’s politics by liberal democracy. Rather, far-right extremism is a threat …

Defense, Disrespect, And #Deadly: A Qualitative Exploration Of Precursors To Youth Violence Informed Through Hospital-Based Violence Prevention Program Follow Up, Katherine B. Snyder, Ashley Raposo-Hadley, Charity Evans, Ashley Farrens, Jennifer Burt, Gaylene Armstrong, Julie Garman, Lindsey Wylie, Mark Foxall

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Success of youth violence intervention and prevention effects, particularly for gun violence, will be enhanced when efforts are appropriately informed by the antecedents and context of violence. Youth violence is guided by social and cultural norms that are shifting with the rise of technology. Bullying, gang violence, and self-directed violence is increasingly found to occur in the online space influencing peer groups across contexts. Through focus groups with youth at risk for violence and victimization, this study finds three themes emerge as common precursors to violence: defense of self or others, disrespect of self or family occurring in traditional community-based …

"I'M Very Enlightened:" Assisting Black Males Involved In The Criminal Justice System To Deal With And Heal From Racism, Darnell Jackie Strong

Dissertations and Theses

Black Males who have offended face major challenges stemming from their involvement in the Criminal Justice System. Once involved it is hard to get out, as exhibited by high recidivism rates and mass incarceration, issues that have plagued Black Males since slavery. There is little research on interventions to ameliorate the effects of racism on this population.

The aim of this research was to: a) create a training to help Black Males who have been involved in the Criminal Justice System deal with racism and b) evaluate the intervention. This mixed methods research utilized Constructivist Grounded Theory and Afrocentric theory …

Utilizing Organizational Theory To Improve Education Opportunities In Correctional Facilities, Kelly Sullenberger

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

With 2.3 million people incarcerated, the United States is one of the most highly concentrated prison systems in the world (Sawyer & Wagner, 2020). In order to be in a position to improve that, the system of incarceration needs to genuinely care and invest in the lives of the inmates living in these facilities. The opportunity to receive an education is one way that allows for true rehabilitation and often can give an inmate a greater sense of purpose. This paper examines current programs in California that allow inmates to work towards and/or receive a bachelor’s degree while serving their …

Criminal Justice Update - June 2022, Autumn R. Chassie

Criminal Justice Updates

The Criminal Justice Update is a monthly newsletter created by the Adams County Bar Foundation Fellow providing updates in criminal justice policy coming from Pennsylvania's courts and legislature as well as the US Supreme Court.

Contents:

• Updates from PA Governor's Office
• Updates from the PA Legislature
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court
• PA Supreme Court
• PA Superior Court

Examining The Effects Of Legalizing Marijuana In Colorado And Washington On Clearance Rates: A Quasi-Experimental Design, Cody Jorgensen, Alexis J. Harper

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective This study follows the lead of Makin et al. (Police Quarterly 22(1): 31–55, 2019) who found that marijuana legalization is associated with a marginal increase in clearance rates for some crimes but not for others.

Methods We build on their work attempting to replicate their findings by using the synthetic control method and fixed-effects models. A 50-state panel data set was constructed and analyzed. The dependent variables were aggregated violence and property crime rates. The independent variable was dichotomously measured recreational marijuana legislation.

Results Marijuana legalization is not a meaningful avenue of increasing clearance rates.

Conclusion The synthetic …

Elements Of Social Disorganization And Environmental Criminology: A Spatial Analysis Of Homicides In Villa Nueva, Guatemala, David J. Topel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study seeks to integrate the main spatial theories of crime, social disorganization, and routine activities theories while investigating the spatial dimension of homicides in Villa Nueva, Guatemala. Empirical relationships at a small unit of analysis, the natural cadaster blocks as defined by the municipality offer a more appropriate unit of analysis for the context of the city. While there is a robust body of work in developed nations synthetizing social disorganization and routine activities theories, the exploration of criminological theory integration and the use of the smallest unit of analysis still needs the addition of empirical research in Latin …

The Cop In Your Head: Criminal Justice Education, Liberalism, And The Carceral State, Nicole Haiber

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis centers policing ideology in higher education and the way it is constructed and fortified through criminal justice programs. In 1968, the Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) made funds available to police officers to attend college and awarded grants to universities to create criminal justice programs. The program effectively funneled federal money into the project of professionalizing the police and developed criminal justice as a field devoted to conducting crime research, as defined by the federal government. Criminal justice programs exploded across the country with the availability of LEEP funding, and the City University of New York’s (CUNY) John …

The Economic And Demographic Dynamics Of Pretrial Justice, Christopher Thomas

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Scholars since Rusche (1978 [1933]) have tried to explain the observed relationship between changes in punishment patterns and changes in local labor markets, most recently framing the criminal justice system as a racialized labor market institution. In an era of bail and jail reform, this dissertation contributes to the literature on the causes and consequences of changes in one especially salient form of punishment, pretrial detention. In particular, it focuses on the macro relationship between pretrial detention and local labor markets. Prior research in this tradition has examined how changes in labor markets lead to changes in penality, as reflected …

The Trends And Patterns Of Crime In Ghana: The Case Of Robbery, Joseph Appiahene-Gyamfi

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The study utilized the official police data that included the robbery incident addresses/spots to explore the incidence, volume, trends, and patterns of robbery in Ghana from 2014 to 2017. There were 5696 robbery cases of which the highest, 1772 cases, were recorded in 2017, and the lowest cases, 1116 recorded in 2014 reported to the police during this period. The daily average robberies were 3 cases in 2014, 4 cases each in 2015 and 2016, and 5 cases in 2017. The robbery per 100,000 of population in 2014 was 4.1 persons. In 2015, the rate was 5 persons, in 2016 …