Digital Commons Network^™

Remixing Oer Assignment: "Advantges And Disadvantages Of State-Level Policies", Katie Zuber

Open Educational Resources

This assignment, created by Katie Zuber, uses OER readings to help students understand how federalism impacts their everyday lives. Using the United States’ response to the Coronavirus as a case study, students will see firsthand that where decisions get made (i.e., the state or federal level) often dictates who gets what, when, and how. This assignment was made as part of a workshop on remixing OERs at John Jay College in 2025.

Remixing Oer Assignment: Incarceration And Homicide Trends, Veronica Michel

Open Educational Resources

In this assignment, Professor Veronica Michel asks students to look for data in two different open access sources and combine them into a new, remixed dataset that they will use to conduct analysis and write a report. The assignment encourages students to play an active role in selecting, formatting and interpreting openly available data. This assignment was created as part of a seminar on remixing OER that ran in 2025.

Internal Or External: An Exploration Of The United States Police Chief Hiring Process, Kayleigh Walker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper explores the hiring processes of police chiefs across the United States, focusing on internal versus external hiring practices. The goal of this research was to identify common trends, legislative barriers, and the impact of leadership on the hiring process through historical context, legal analysis, and case studies. The findings suggest that internal hires dominate chief appointments, though external hires are often sought during crises. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research and highlights the need to more fully understand this phenomenon. Understanding the processes and limitations surrounding the appointment of new leadership is critical to reform and …

Solving The National Security Threat Of The United States Drug Crisis, Anna B. Freehafer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis analyzes the current drug crisis in the United States with the intention of forming a sound National Security Report and Strategy to equip current and future administrations with the necessary tools and information to adapt to the modern crisis. The number of drug induced and related deaths are rising in the U.S., which arguably is cause for alarm at the federal level. With the country divided on how to properly attack this crisis, which affects hundreds of thousands of lives across the nation, this thesis aims to provide a solution to a drug crisis that is unlike any …

The Life Of Or Measure 110: Evolution, Implementation, And Impact, Matthew D. Albertson

Anthós

In 2020, Oregon voters approved Measure 110, a groundbreaking policy that decriminalized possession of small quantities of controlled substances and redirected cannabis tax revenues to treatment and recovery centers. This article examines the passage, implementation, and rollback of Measure 110 with HB 4002, enacted in 2024. Drawing on state audits, legislative records, and public health data to contextualize Measure 110 within broader debates on public health, criminal justice reform, and policy-making, Albertson analyzes the progressive policy’s aspirational, reform-minded goals and the practical shortcomings in its enactment. Albertson argues that while Measure 110 has faced justified criticism and partial reversal, it …

What Is Success? How Peer Support Workers In Ontario See Addiction & Recovery, Ngaire Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The drug crisis in Canada has high mortality rates, especially in remote and rural communities, but there are significant barriers to accessing healthcare to which peer support may represent a partial solution, (Eddie et al., 2019; Englander et al., 2020; The Government of Canada, 2023; Kourgiantakis et al., 2023; Lavalley et al., 2020; Lennox et al., 202; Russell et al., 2021). Research how peer support workers define success in their work with adults experiencing addiction in Ontario, Canada is lacking, but important to understanding the crisis and implementing peer programs. Grounded in Marxist theory, the following exploratory research investigated the …

Examining Drug Policy In Portugal And Greece, Collin Fernandes

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines the divergent drug policies implemented in Portugal and Greece, analyzing why Portugal's comprehensive decriminalization model has been more successful than Greece's partial approach. Since 2001, Portugal has pioneered a drug policy that decriminalizes all drugs for personal use while investing in harm reduction services, rehabilitation, and social reintegration. In contrast, Greece maintained criminalization while implementing more limited harm reduction measures, particularly through OKANA (the Organization Against Drugs). The research highlights how economic factors, particularly the 2008 financial crisis and austerity measures, negatively affected both countries' programs but hit Greece's initiatives with greater severity. Portugal's programs have remained …

What Is Reasonable? Effects Of Different Jury Instructions In A Fatal Police Use Of Force Case, Katherine M. Kaylor

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Since the Supreme Court case Graham v. Connor, police officers charged with misusing force on duty are judged against a hypothetical reasonable officer. Graham focuses on split-second decisions police officers must make and states police should not be judged with the benefit of hindsight. California goes beyond the subjective language of Graham and instructs jurors to look at the totality of circumstances, meaning they must consider all events and actions of an officer and citizen when assessing cases. The current study investigated whether type of instruction (Graham vs. California) affected mock jurors’ verdicts. Participants in the California condition …

Let's Talk About Sex: Investigating Radical Feminist Theories On Prostitution In The United States, Anna E. Peterson

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper explores the feminist debates surrounding prostitution through an analysis of Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin’s abolitionist theories, juxtaposed with critiques from Wendy Brown, Janet Halley, Susie Bright, and Marxist feminist abolitionist Esperanza Fonseca. The text examines the systemic forces of patriarchy and capitalism that commodify women’s bodies and the challenges of legislative approaches to the sex trade. While MacKinnon and Dworkin identify the structural inequalities underpinning prostitution, their legislative proposals often fail to address the stigma and systemic conditions that perpetuate the marginalization of prostituted people. Critics like Brown and Halley highlight the limitations of punitive measures, calling …

Juvenile Record Expungement Policy In Illinois, Emma Kudelka

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

This policy paper explores juvenile expungement policies and their broader social impact. Research suggests that lenient expungement laws help prevent discrimination in education, housing, and military service, aiding rehabilitation youth offenders' reintegration. The paper begins with a historical overview of Illinois juvenile law, highlighting its shift from punitive to rehabilitative approaches. It then examines key legislation, including the Juvenile Court Act, Juvenile Justice, and Delinquency Prevention Act, and Youth Opportunity and Fairness Act. Illinois's juvenile expungement laws are analyzed, covering eligibility, process, and timeline. A comparative analysis follows, contrasting Illinois' policies with those of California and Florida to emphasize differences …

Research Summaries: Access To Education, Erica Jensen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Access To Education, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Socio-Economic Justice As Solution To The Challenge Of Insecurity In Nigeria, Abdulkadir Salaudeen, Nurudeen Sola Ibrahim

Future Journal of Social Science

Insecurity in Nigeria has, no doubt, reached its crescendo. The affluent and the wretched, for the first time since the transition to democracy in 1999, have something terrible in common—threat to life and property. No one is safe. This study investigates the causes of general insecurity in Nigeria which reduce it to a terrorized country and one of the most dangerous place to live in the world. It examines how Nigeria got into this precarious situation of unprecedented insecurity with a view to proffering solutions. The study utilizes secondary source of data and argues from the perspective of the Social …

Clacls Reportage, Vol. 1, Fall 2024, Pierina Pighi Bel, Phoenix Paz, Ana María Granados Romero

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

This publication unites three compelling articles that offer diverse perspectives and a shared dedication to bridging the gap between academic research and public engagement.

Phoenix Paz presents a vivid ethnographic account of recent migrants in New York City, revealing how state inefficiencies marginalize a sector that contributes daily to the city’s economy.

Pierina Pighi Bel explores the growing appeal of the Republican Party among Latino voters in election cycles, delving into the complexities and inherent contradictions within this trend.

Ana María Granados Romero provides profound insights into migration, gender, and domestic work through her exploration of "La Parada"—a corner in …

The Personality Profile And Leadership Style Of U.S. Vice President And 2024 Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris, Aubrey Immelman, Anne Marie Griebie, Elise Vomacka

Psychology Faculty Publications

The paper presents the results of an indirect personality assessment of U.S. vice president Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data about Harris were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5-TR.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed in accordance with interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality …

Unveiling Transnational Organised Crimes Networks: Maritime Narcotics Trafficking And Smuggling In Kepulauan Riau, Sayed Fauzan Riyadi, Azhari Setiawan, Ardi Putra, Aspin Nur Arifin Rivai

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

Maritime routes in Kepulauan Riau Province, Indonesia, serve as pivotal entry points for narcotics trafficking and smuggling within the Southeast Asian region. This study delves into the establishment and evolution of these illicit networks by examining three key variables: demographic and socio-economic characteristics, operating structures and classifications, methods, means, and funding sources. Leveraging an analysis of 355 court rulings records, the authors constructed a comprehensive dataset encompassing these variables. The findings underscore the intricate nature of narcotics trafficking networks, spanning from production to distribution, with involvement at various levels across diverse demographics. Notably, the exorbitant earnings potential, with couriers fetching …

Revisiting Marcuse On Repressive Tolerance: A Twenty-First Century Retrospective, David Ingram

Philosophy: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Herbert Marcuse’s essay Repressive Tolerance (RP) has been praised by the Left and vilified by the Right for its alleged promotion of censorship targeting reactionary opinions and actions. I argue that this interpretation of the text is mistaken. According to my alternative reading of the text, RP should be understood as an exercise in provocation and irony aimed at defending civil disobedience and dissent. Marcuse’s defense of dissent, however, appeals to a critique of pure tolerance that exposes the unavoidably partisan practice of tolerance, which invariably favors the reigning undemocratic status quo. The choice whether to tolerate in a manner …

The Rise And Fall Of Caribbean Piracy: A Socio-Technical Analysis Of The War Of Spanish Succession, Maritime Innovation, And Edward Randolf’S Policy, Dominique M. Salinski

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper argues that the mode and historical context in which piracy ascended in the Caribbean after the War of the Spanish Succession, as well as the historical interrelation between maritime technology and pirate tactics, coalesced into a diachronic Damocles Sword that resulted in the downfall of piracy in the Golden Age. Sanctioning piratical enterprises as a subconventional maritime strategy displayed a geopolitical reliance on piracy by great powers. However, the depraved treatment conventional sailors received across all major European navies generated a social stratum that eventually bore the Golden Age of Piracy, while simultaneously contributing significantly to British naval …

The Race To Invest: What Is The Driving Cause Of The European Union's Increased Involvement In Latin America?, Bryson C. Frank, Soo Bin Im, Alyssa Powell

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

This article analyzes the rhetoric of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and high-level EU leaders who speak about the EU’s role in Latin America and the role of China in the region. To what extent are MEPs and other EU officials concerned about Chinese expansion and is China the reason why the EU seeks increased collaboration with Latin American partners? Our paper documents who in the EU is advocating for increased ties with Latin American countries, why they are doing so, and whether the influence of China is inducing rhetorical changes in EU foreign policy. Findings suggest that while …

Conceptualizing Great Power Perpetrators, Federica D'Alessandra

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

For over a decade, shifting geopolitics, a changed global security environment, and countless failures of diplomacy have raised important questions on how to collectively grapple with a widely-perceived “crisis of multilateralism,” and reignited debate on the fitness of the UN Security Council to deliver on its mandate under these circumstances. Among other issues, ongoing polarization when not outright “gridlock” among the Permanent Members (P5) has fueled the Council’s apparent inability to respond to threats to civilian life and to countless mass atrocities around the world. Even worse, as this article argues, some P5 today possess both the willingness and unprecedented …

2024 Quality Of Life Survey - Orleans And Jefferson Parishes, Edward E. Chervenak, Anthony Liciardi

Survey Research Center Publications

The University of New Orleans Survey Research Center (SRC) conducted a live interviewer telephone survey of active registered voters in Orleans Parish and Jefferson Parish. Four hundred and ninety-one randomly selected respondents from Orleans Parish and 487 randomly selected respondents from Jefferson Parish were interviewed from September 9th through October 1st, 2024. Each survey yields a margin of error of +/- 4.4% at a 95% confidence level.

Popular Justice Or Populist Justice? Penal Populism And Its Impact On Democracy, Kuan-Wu Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Populism, a pervasive phenomenon in contemporary politics, manifests as an anti-establishment, anti-pluralistic, morally charged framing that advocates for direct rule between leader and populace. Among its variants, penal populism emerges as a particularly concerning manifestation. It is characterized by a leader's deployment of panicking, punitive, and politically targeted rhetoric to enhance social control and accrue political capital rather than address crime prevention. This research argues that penal populism poses the most significant threat to democratic rule, as evidenced by theoretical, framing, and mobilization analyses. A novel categorization of populist variants is proposed based on dimensions of social categorization and exclusivity. …

Winning And Losing At The Federal District Courts, Madison Shanks

Theses and Dissertations

The federal criminal courts are unique compared to the rest of the justice system. Cases in these courts pit a government backed prosecutor with an informational and first-moving advantage, against an often-disadvantaged defendant in an adversarial system that ultimately determines who wins and who loses. This asymmetry in criminal cases at the federal district courts presents a situation in which we can understand how courtroom actors matter for the justice process, and specifically if and how attorneys’ strategies differ and ultimately influence outcomes for their clients. This dissertation project builds on an existing data collection project that captures motion filings …

Mass Shootings In The United States, Sydney Livingston

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

High rates of mass shootings are becoming a uniquely American problem; the US makes up 73% of the world’s mass shootings, yet makes up only 4.25% of the world’s population. School shootings, in particular, have increased dramatically in the US since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, an event many perpetrators have since drawn upon as inspiration. There is a strong divide of opinions in the nation regarding how firearm deaths should be reduced, which has complicated and slowed progress in identifying effective solutions. Each mass shooting causes additional shootings to occur, and each one takes a toll on …

Effects Of Gerrymandering On State Social Policy, Gary D. Brinker

eJournal of Public Affairs

Partisan Bias occurs when an election results in a party gleaning a significantly different proportion of legislative seats than the proportion of votes cast for that party. It can be strategically produced via gerrymandering and is thought by many to threaten the basic principles of democracy. This research uses the 2022 state election results to compute statewide measures of Partisan Bias, then analyzes the correlation with controversial state social policies. Results showed that the redistricting method used and the percent of the party’s legislators were related to Partisan Bias. Analysis also showed that Partisan Bias explains significant levels of variance …

Selected U.S. Government Statistical Agencies And Their Data, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Provides introductory and detailed overview of U.S. Government agencies statistics. Includes examples of how an individual U.S. law authorizes government agencies to compile statistics for particular congressional committees and the general public. Statistics cover topics such as demography, defense, foreign assistance, economic growth, criminal justice, energy, Social Security, and Medicare.

Felony Disenfranchisement And Voter Turnout: Randomized Trials In Iowa And Washington, Alexander Billy, J.J. Naddeo, Neel U. Sukhatme

Northwestern University Law Review

Prior to the 2022 midterm elections, we conducted large-scale randomized controlled trials in Iowa and Washington aimed at increasing voter turnout among newly enfranchised individuals with past felony convictions. Alongside national and grassroots partners, we designed and implemented experiments to ascertain the effectiveness of alternative outreach mechanisms, including targeted mailers and digital ads. We did not detect statistically significant or economically meaningful effects on voter registration or turnout; most observed effects were precise nulls. The absence of measured impact is likely attributed to low digital engagement with our online ads as well as extensive voter outreach already conducted by our …

Exploring Strategy In India, Vinay Kaura

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

This review essay discusses Rajesh Basrur's Subcontinental Drift: Domestic Politics and India’s Foreign Policy and Feroz Hassan Khan's Subcontinent Adrift: Strategic Futures of South Asia and explores Indian strategy, especially concerning domestic issues and the relationship between Pakistan and India. The review concludes by noting that the two books agree on the oversized role of the Pakistani military in India’s national politics, where most security and foreign policy decisions are directed toward Pakistan.

Political Constructions Of People Who Use Drugs In The Philippines: A Qualitative Content Analysis, Gideon Lasco

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Background

This paper examines the political constructions of people who use drugs in the Philippines throughout the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte (2016–2022), during which the government engaged in a ‘war on drugs’ and promoted a punitive drug regime.

Methods

Building on and drawing inspiration from the global drug policy scholarship that has looked at the ways in which drugs are framed and problematised in various domains, this study used qualitative content analysis to review 96 documents from national government agencies - including strategic action plans, directives, memorandums, guidelines, annual reports, and legislative measures.

Results

Foremost, the study finds that various …

The Decline Of Republican Democracy And Rise Of The Techno-Authoritarian State: Reading Dystopian Novels In Hindi Literature, Manindra Nath Thakur

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

In the past few decades, the nature of capitalism has changed fast as it has lost its philosophical justification based on the principle of the common good. There have been many avatars of the idea of the “common good”: “white man’s burden to civilize the world,” “welfarism,” and “neoliberal concept of freedom of choice.” Capitalism now seems to have moved in a new direction, however, and it has failed to produce any further philosophical justification for its existence as a mode of production despite generating unprecedented economic inequality. Consequently, there is a rising tension between capitalism and democracy in societies …