Digital Commons Network^™

The Applicability Of Understanding Hypervigilance In Law Enforcement, Garrett Ingram

Senior Honors Theses

Hypervigilance is a condition characterized by a state of heightened awareness in the absence of a threat. Hypervigilance can occur for many reasons, ranging from stressful events or scenarios, to training, to personality. Because of the nature of law enforcement, hypervigilance is an issue that affects law enforcement officers as well as the people with whom they interact on a regular basis. It is important to gain a full understanding of hypervigilance and how it affects decision making, interactions, and quality of life, which has its own effects. By understanding these issues, law enforcement officers can overcome the issues associated …

Criminal Mental Health, Tabitha Oliver

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to assess and address the prevalence of mental health issues among incarcerated individuals in America. There are multiple internal and external contributing factors to the disproportionately high numbers of mentally ill inmates. Comparing the United States prison system with other countries such as Norway allows for possible paths to improving the mental health crisis that we are currently experiencing. This thesis looks at the principles and practices used in Norway's prisons as well as how they affect inmate's mental health. By comparing Norway's prison policies and design, this thesis will suggest changes in staff …

The Ineffectiveness Of The Reid Technique In Law Enforcement Interrogations And How A Non-Accusatory Model Of Interview Can Be Applied In Law Enforcement Interviews In The United States, Angie Chen

Honors College Theses

The research questions that this thesis explored were “Why the Reid Technique is Ineffective for Law Enforcement Interrogations?” and “How a Non-Accusatory Model of Interview Can Be Applied in Law Enforcement Interviews in the United States.” In recent years, the harmful effects of using a confrontational, adversarial interrogation method, such as the Reid technique, have emerged. These interrogation methods are based on pseudoscience. The effects of these types of interrogation methods can include psychological harm and false confessions. Professionals and officials in the law enforcement field are exploring new options for interviewing including non-accusatory methods such as the PEACE model. …

Indigenous Peoples' Trust In Police: Multi-Jurisdictional Issues And The Effect On Reporting, Anna R. Doering

Honors Thesis

The crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) has occurred for centuries. The current structure of the criminal justice system relies on trust and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and citizens to combat such crises. The purpose of this research project is to assess how, if at all, Indigenous peoples’ trust in police and willingness to report at the tribal, state, and federal levels impact MMIP. These two dependent variables were assessed using survey results from Indigenous peoples 18 and older. Discussion will focus on how these variables impact MMIP moving forward.

To What Extent Is The Death Penalty A Tool Of Racial Terror In America, And How Can We Fix It?, Gabrielle Boileau

Honors Projects

In this project, I seek to answer the question: To what extent is the death penalty a tool of racial terror in America, and how can we fix it? America has long been plagued by the legacy of slavery and white supremacy. In the reconstruction era, when slavery was no longer legal, angry white citizens would simply round up African-Americans and lynch them if they felt they had done something “wrong”. However, in the modern era, such blatant displays of racism are illegal, and the racist views of society are subverted into the court system. Black men are disproportionately arrested …

The “Innocence Penalty”: Is It More Pronounced For Juveniles?, Nilam A. Sanghvi, Elizabeth A. Delosa

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Despite the presumption of innocence, we know that individuals accused of crimes are punished for maintaining their innocence in ways both tangible and intangible as they make their way through our criminal justice system. For example, even if instructed not to, jurors may infer guilt from a defendant’s failure to testify; defendants who exercise their right to go to trial receive lengthier sentences if convicted than those who plead guilty; and, once convicted, defendants who maintain their innocence are often denied opportunities for parole or clemency. This article explores whether these “innocence penalties” are even greater for children who are …

A Macro Analysis Of Illegal Hunting And Fishing Across Texas Counties: Using An Economic Structural Approach, Leo J. Genco Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this disseration is to examine the distribution of illegal hunting and fishing violations across Texas counties in respect to the economic structure. Illegal hunting plays a part in the extraction of resources that are overly withdrawn, and criminologists have ignored this form of deviancy that has large ramifications for the environment. To view this criminal phenomenon, the study uses the Treadmill of Production theory to determine economic structural factors and whether those factors explain the distribution of illegal hunting and fishing. Using regression analyses and SatScan, the findings suggested that while there are significant factors related to …

Calls For Accountability: Redefining The Culture Of Policing In Las Vegas, Olivia Cheche

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

In summer 2020, national attention on racial injustice brought into focus the culture of policing as a critical area of policy exploration for the United States. The purpose of this study is to examine the culture of policing in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, and specifically within Las Vegas’s largest police force, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD). Through this case study analysis, the racial, social and fiscal aspects of the culture of policing are investigated between the years 2016 & 2020. The research here presents data on disparities within policing found at the national and local levels. The …

The Absence Or Misuse Of Statistics In Forensic Science As A Contributor To Wrongful Convictions: From Pattern Matching To Medical Opinions About Child Abuse, Keith A. Findley

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

The new scrutiny that has been applied to the forensic sciences since the emergence of DNA profiling as the gold standard three decades ago has identified numerous concerns about the absence of a solid scientific footing for most disciplines. This article examines one of the lesser-considered problems that afflicts virtually all of the pattern-matching (or “individualization”) disciplines (largely apart from DNA), and even undermines the validity of other forensic disciplines like forensic pathology and medical determinations about child abuse, particularly Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (SBS/AHT). That problem is the absence or misuse of statistics. This article begins by applying …

The Plan Starts Now: A Study Of Juvenile Delinquency And A Re-Entry Program Back Into The Community, Lynell Porch

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

African American youth are five times as likely as whites to be detained or committed to youth facilities; 1 out of 10 high school dropouts are institutionalized. $8–21 billion is spent locking up juvenile delinquents. The educational system has failed many African American youth, which can lead them into delinquency. These youth are disregarded in the educational system, placed in overcrowded classrooms, and often dismissed as unable to learn. The results of this are school to prison pipeline. Many youths have learning disabilities that are not addressed by teachers, so youth began acting out. These are acts of attention and …

The Challenges Of Identifying Dangers Online And Predictors Of Victimization, Catherine D. Marcum

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

This short paper will provide an overview of the impressive pieces included in this issue of the International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence and Cybercrime. This issue includes articles on the following pertinent topic, utilizing a range of approaches and methodologies: 1) online credibility; 2) cyberbullying; and 3) unauthorized access of information. An emphasis on the importance of policy development and better protection of potential victims is a common thread throughout the issue.

How To Get Away With Murder: The Effectiveness Of Blood Detectors On Surfaces Cleaned Of Blood, Grace Cavanaugh

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this experiment was to test blood detectors against household cleaners. Similar experiments have been run before, but not on the selected surfaces. It is important to understand what one is looking for at a crime scene, and what a cleaned surface may look like. Four surfaces were chosen for this experiment: ceramic tile as a control, concrete, laminated wood flooring, and drywall. For each surface, 0.5mL of pig’s blood was allowed to dry before being cleaned off with either Clorox bleach, Dawn soap and hot water, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, or Mrs. Meyer’s Multi-Purpose Concentrate. Bluestar …

A Descriptive Study Of Serial Killers And The Presence Of Macdonald Triad Symptoms, Vivian A. Zuniga

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an increased likelihood of the presence of Macdonald Triad symptoms (animal cruelty, bedwetting, and firesetting) based on different types of abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological) among serial killers. The sample of this study was of 149 serial killers, all of whom met the requirements of being male and having killed 3 or more victims. The results support the three hypotheses that serial killers who have faced physical, sexual, or psychological abuse were more likely to display Macdonald Triad symptoms compared to those who were not abused. In addition, the …

Self-Protection In Cyberspace: Assessing The Processual Relationship Between Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making, Protection Motivation Theory, Cyber Hygiene, And Victimization, C. Jordan Howell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current study, using structural equation modeling, assesses the processual relationship between thoughtfully reflective decision making (TRDM), theoretical constructs derived from protection motivation theory (PMT), cyber hygiene, and online victimization to determine the cognitive decision-making process that leads to the adoption of online self-protective behaviors, which reduces the occurrence of victimization experiences. Findings, derived from a general sample of Internet users in the United States, reveal: (1) engagement in cyber hygiene practices, as a form of target hardening, decreases Internet users’ experiences with online victimization; (2) thoughtfully reflective decision makers, in the face of cyber threats, develop higher threat appraisals …

Intergroup Images Mediate The Relationships Between Government Abuse, Sociopolitical Orientations, And Political Action, Erin M. Kearns, Christopher Federico, Victor Asal, James Igoe Walsh, Allison E. Betus, Anthony F. Lemieux

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

What factors impact how people mobilize against state human rights abuses? Drawing on Image Theory, we examine how perceptions of an out-group, government abuse, and sociopolitical orientations impact political action. Using an online survey-embedded experiment with a sample of 2,932 U.S. adults, we manipulated two factors: (1) the level of government abuse and (2) the risk of punishment for taking action against the state, while also including social dominance orientation (SDO) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) as covariates. Participants indicated their propensity to engage in and justify both protest and violence. Participants rated the out-group as oppressive and evil. State abuse …

Mass Incarceration In Nebraska: Data And Historical Analysis Of Inmates From 1980-2020, Anna Krause

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This study examines Nebraska Department of Corrections inmate data from 1980-2020, looking specifically at inmate demographics and offense trends. State-of-the-art data analysis is conducted to collect, modify, and visualize the data sources. Inmates are organized by each decade they were incarcerated within. The current active prison population is also examined in their own research group. The demographic and offense trends are compared with previous local and national research. Historical context is given for evolving trends in offenses. Solutions for Nebraska prison overcrowding are presented from various interest groups. This study aims to enlighten all interested Nebraskans on who inhabits their …

Pornography: Social, Emotional And Mental Implications Among Adolescents, William Kelly Canady

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation will explain the historical development of pornography. It will highlight four segments: 1- Porn’s impact on brain development of reward pathways, ultimately increasing the appetite for more porn. 2- Porn can be a false substitute for real intimacy, resulting in decreased sexual satisfaction with a real person and increased verbal and physical aggression. 3- Porn promotes sex trafficking, promotes multiple sex partners and reduced STD prevention. 4- A review of interventions available to assist clients in navigating a lifestyle away from pornography.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: The Queensland Police Service As A Model For Sustainable Policing Reform, Geoffrey P. Alpert, Kyle Mclean

Faculty Publications

Police departments are consistently challenged to serve their communities by reducing misconduct and being held accountable. In the United States, policing reform is best described as déjà vu or Groundhog Day, with high-profile groups organising every few years to list the same recommendations for improving the police. Additionally, reform suggestions are too often countered by the comment, “we have always done it this way.” By stark contrast, through the Fitzgerald Inquiry and the work of scholars such as David Bayley, the Queensland Police Service stands as a model for creating sustainable change in policing. In this paper, we compare the …

Understanding Disrespectful Behavior Through A Gendered Lens: Race And Power In A Women’S Prison, Timbre Wulf, Rebecca Trammell

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Seventy-four incarcerated women in a Midwestern prison were interviewed to explore their experience with disrespect between inmates and staff in a prison setting. Nonwhite women experienced disrespect and conflict differently than their white peers. While the women generally described disrespect as staff members expressing their power inappropriately, non-white women were quick to describe disrespect as tied to racist behaviors. Further, African-American women in our study were more likely to believe that few people, inmates or employees, show respect to others on a regular basis in prison. White women tend to be more positive in their evaluations of interactions with staff …

The Politics Of Being An "Expert": A Critical Realist Auto-Ethnography Of Drug Policy Advisory Panels In The Uk, Alex Stevens

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"The work of ‘experts’ with policy advisory panels plays an important part in the making of illicit drug and other policies. This article explores what is involved in this work. It uses critical realist auto-ethnography of the author’s experience over five years of working with the UK’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee. It analyses: how some people become recognised as a ‘suitable’ expert through relational networks of esteem, while others are excluded; how bureaucratic processes and scientific modes of discourse select some types of information rather than others …

Who Wears The Maga Hat? Racial Beliefs And Faith In Trump, Amanda K. Graham, Francis T. Cullen, Leah C. Butler, Alexander L. Burton, Velmer S. Burton Jr.

Criminal Justice & Criminology: Faculty Publications

On the basis of a 2019 YouGov survey of white respondents (n = 734), the impact of racial beliefs on support for Donald Trump was explored. The analysis revealed that in addition to racial resentment, white nationalism—a desire to keep the United States white demographically and culturally—was strongly related to faith in Trump. Analyses based on a 2019 Amazon Mechanical Turk survey yielded similar results and also showed that white nationalism increased willingness to wear a MAGA hat. Future research on the political consequences of racial beliefs should focus on what whites think not only of blacks but also …

Ex-Felon - The Un-Spoken And Un-Counted, Jeanetta Lindo

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Felon disenfranchisement in Florida. This article needs to be updated. In the U.S. state of Florida, people convicted of a felony lose their right to vote during their incarceration. Before January 8, 2019, felons effectively lost their right to vote for life, as it could only be restored by the governor's action, which rarely occurred.

Criminal Justice Update - March 2021, Haley B. Shultz

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 updates this month)
• Updates from the PA Legislature
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Superior Court: Criminal Law & Procedure

From Incarceration To Community: Criminal Justice Reform For People Affected By Mental Illness In Minnesota, Nancy Altmann, Paige Myrick

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Minnesota needs a new pathway approach in supporting people affected by mental illness. It is time we stop the practice of criminalizing mental illness, reform the probation and supervision systems, expand Medicaid and MinnesotaCare access, and fully invest in supports for people reintegrating back to their families and communities. Let’s take the millions of dollars spent annually on incarceration and invest in supportive services for people affected by mental illness. This approach invests in the health, hope, safety, and justice for all Minnesotans.

Estimating The Psychological Impact Of Mass Shooting And Terrorist Attacks On Remote Populations, Joseph W. Dule

Doctoral Works at the University of New Haven

Most research examining the psychological impact of public mass-shootings and terrorist attacks focuses on the immediate victims (i.e., those at/near the scene of the crime or living nearby). Research consistently demonstrates that these directly targeted individuals experience a wide-array of adverse mental health outcomes following these traumatic events (Lowe & Galea, 2017; Wilson, 2014). What remains less understood, however, is how these violent episodes afflict the broader public who are exposed to the trauma largely through indirect means, such as media and word of mouth. While prior scholarship in this area remains quite limited, it also tends to suffer from …

Japanese Criminal Justice: A Comparative Legal History Perspective, Koji Fujimoto

Japanese Society and Culture

The Carlos Ghosn case has focused the world’s attention on Japan’s criminal justice system. In particular, the system has been subject to intense criticism, condemning its reliance on confessions in investigation, and for proof of guilt. The investigative approach of using physical restraints on suspects and defendants to coerce confessions is critically referred to as “hostage justice”. While the Japanese Ministry of Justice and the Public Prosecutor’s Office have responded to such criticisms by arguing for the uniqueness of the legal system, the problematic nature of this aspect of Japanese criminal justice cannot be denied, as noted by past false …

Prostitution Decriminalization Campaigns In The United States: Libertarianism Or A "Decent Society", Jody Raphael

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Recently, legislative campaigns to totally decriminalize the sex trade industry in a handful of U.S. states and the District of Columbia failed, but a look at campaign supporters and their arguments demonstrates that libertarian principles are mainly guiding their efforts. This article explores how libertarianism principles, when applied to the sex trade, could bring about severe and lasting harm to others, including sellers of sex, potential victims of sex trafficking to meet the new demand, and the general community. Philosophic principles of liberty have been incorporated by courts, which find that liberty is never absolute and requires a balancing test …

The Scope Of The Death Penalty, Austin Bullock

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The problem I will explore in my paper is the death penalty’s role in the criminal justice system and the feasibility of it as a solution versus the current alternative of lifetime prison sentences. I will also address subtopics that fuel the death penalty versus life imprisonment debate including the effectiveness on recidivism and ethical considerations.

Implementing A Personal Wellness Program For Law Enforcement, Lee Schroeder

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Law enforcement is trained to handle any and every situation they may encounter when patrolling the streets. From civil cases, domestic, de-escalation, going hands-on with subjects, to having individuals at gunpoint. Law enforcement is in an occupation that can go from 0-100mph in a matter of seconds. With all the training that can make the outcomes more desirable, one aspect has been on the afterburner that is almost as important as other training. With the staggering statistic regarding law enforcement officers committing suicide, it would make sense that law enforcement should be given more training on coping abilities and even …

Legal Financial Obligations & Rehabilitation: How The Ability To Pay Fines And Fees Disproportionately Affects Citizens Based On Socioeconomic Status, Bailey R. Code

University Honors Theses

In the United States, legal financial obligations (LFO's), also known as monetary sanctions or criminal justice financial obligations, refer to the fines and fees that result from an individual’s involvement in the criminal justice system. Today, these fines and fees have become the most common form of punishment used by the United States' legal system. This paper answers the following research question: How can the ability to pay legal financial obligations shape the rehabilitation of incarcerated people in the United States?

Legal Financial Obligations are harmful to those entangled within the justice system, as shown by their cyclical nature and …