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The Progression Of Deinstitutionalization And Its Effects On The American South: A Judicial Analysis Of 20th-Century United States Supreme Court Decisions, Eva-Marie V. Jones

Honors College Theses

This thesis explores the effects of four landmark Supreme Court cases on the deinstitutionalization movement in the American south. Previous literature frequently discusses the legislative implications of this era; however, no law is applicable without the interpretation and application of the judiciary, which so often contextualizes the greater public perspective. Rarely has an analysis of judicial decisions involving psychiatric care merged with regional focus, and certainly not in a format accessible to the average individual.

From unmarked graves to abandoned infrastructure, the legacy of historic psychiatric care in the United States has been largely obscured – yet its consequences continue …

Examining Public Opinion On Endorsed Punishments For Illegal Abortion By Abortion Legality And Abortion-Restrictive States Before Dobbs V. Jackson, Lucretia Mena-Melendez, Kristen N. Jozkowski, Brandon L. Crawford, Ronna C. Turner, Wen-Juo Lo

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research SummaryAs a result of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers can and have enacted abortion restrictions, including criminal penalties targeting those who seek, provide, or assist with abortion. Given the current legal landscape, it is imperative to assess public opinion regarding the endorsement of punishments for illegal abortion. We conducted multivariate analyses to assess factors associated with punishment endorsements for an illegal abortion for the pregnant woman and healthcare provider. We also evaluated whether individual beliefs (i.e., abortion legality) and contextual factors (i.e., living in an abortion-restrictive state) may …

The Advocacy Pipeline: High School Debate Topics As Mirrors Of Contemporary Justice Systems, Larrisha Mcdonnough

Dissertations (2016-Present)

High school debate, often regarded as a rigorous academic and extracurricular activity, is widely recognized for cultivating students’ critical thinking, research, and argumentation skills; however, limited research explores its role in shaping students’ perceptions of justice systems, fairness, and systemic equity. This study examines how high school debate serves as an intellectual and civic pipeline, fostering student engagement with legal, ethical, and policy-related issues that define contemporary justice systems. More specifically, this research investigates how participation in debate shapes students’ understandings of fairness, systemic bias, and the administration of justice by tracing the evolution of justice-related debate topics over time. …

Youth Attitudes And Perceptions Regarding Police, Courts, And Political Engagement: A Texas Study, Marika Dawkins-Cavazos, Camille Gibson, Yudu Li

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Youth are often perceived as disengaged from civic and political processes, yet their potential to influence elections is receiving increasing attention. This study examined how differences in race, ethnicity, sex, and age shape youth civic engagement, particularly their willingness to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Through surveys of college students in the diverse southern region of the United States, the research explored the relationship between perceptions of law enforcement, trust in the justice system, and civic participation. Specifically, it hypothesized that Black and Hispanic youth would report lower trust in law enforcement, which may influence their willingness to engage …

Recommendations From Multi-Disciplinary Professionals For Survivor-Informed And Comprehensive Care For Human Trafficking Survivors, Christina Tsoi, Timothy B. Smith, Elizabeth Cutrer-Párraga, Devan Clayton, Joshua M. Marshall, Jamila Mastny

Faculty Publications

Background: Human trafficking affects millions of people worldwide with multiple adverse outcomes including psychopathology. Although research on human trafficking has become abundant in other academic disciplines (e.g., public health, criminology, social work), healthcare research specific to the mental health treatment of survivors remains limited. Objective: The purpose of this study was to gather recommendations from professionals about mental health treatment of trafficking survivors. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 multidisciplinary professionals working with trafficking survivors. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis methodology. Results: An overarching theme derived from the data concerned the recommendation to implement trafficking survivor-informed care, …

Understanding Behavioral Patterns: A Case Study Of Emirati Ex-Offenders In United Arab Emirates, Salim Ali Al Naqbi

Theses

Research on desistance has helped criminologists to better understand how people change their criminal identity and exercise personal choice. Yet in the UAE, these ideas has not often been applied to prisoners serving one or multiple offenses, even though incarceration and reoffending remain important social concerns. Because of this, desistance theory has not been fully used to study how rehabilitation is managed in UAE prisons, which means that some useful lessons may be missed. This study begins to close that gap by looking at the personal stories of 15 Emirati participants that were formerly incarcerated by adapting a qualitative and …

Reforming Abolition, Daniel Fryer

Michigan Law Review

Abolition is an elusive concept, which allows people with various political views to identify with the idea. This Article unpacks some of the conceptual features that lead to its elusiveness. This imprecision has empowered some to point out the diverse—if not inconsistent—positions that self-identified abolitionists take when articulating the contemporary abolition movement’s demands. The question then becomes whether the movement could protect itself from being a rootless position with insufficient tools to guide change. I suggest that it can. Rather than getting caught up in debates about abolition’s ends, I propose that more attention be paid to abolition’s grounds. By …

The Key To Acquiring The Language Of Law, Science, And Technology In The Esl College Classroom, Patricia George-Hunter

Journal of English Learner Education

Since vocabulary plays a significant role in second language acquisition, expansive vocabulary targets should be set and pursued. This paper explores the results of introducing affixes to develop vocabulary and increase motivation for beginner to intermediate-level English language learners (ELLs) pursuing academic disciplines in law, science, and technology at a New York City community college. Participants included 23 ELLs with diverse linguistic, educational, and sociocultural backgrounds enrolled in an online synchronous Integrative Language Seminar (ILS) designed to develop all areas of English language proficiency. Pre‑, post‑, delayed tests, questionnaires, and post‑intervention interviews were conducted and analyzed to establish the language …

Media Framing Of Sexual And Gender-Based Violence And Femicide: An Analysis Of News Stories In Select Kenyan, Ugandan And Tanzanian Media, Nancy Achieng' Booker, Hesbon Hansen Owilla, George Nyabuga, Olivia Sayani, Liz Awino, Rose Kimani

Graduate School of Media and Communications

This study explored how femicide and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) are framed in the media across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda between January 2024 and April 2025. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combined quantitative content analysis with qualitative interviews to uncover both coverage patterns and the contextual factors shaping them. The codebook for content analysis was developed from existing literature and grounded in media framing theory, drawing on the works of Goffman, Entman, Iyengar, Tuchman, and Van Zoonen. The analysis focused on frame types (episodic and thematic), framing attributes, main actors, and story treatment, while interviews with journalists, editors, …

E-Cigarette Use And Its Associated Factors Among Pregnant Individuals Who Currently Or Formerly Smoked Cigarettes From Romania, Rana Jaber Phd, Oana M. Blaga, Marina Dascal, Cristian Meghea

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Abstract

Background and objective: Electronic cigarettes use among pregnant individuals who currently or formerly smoked cigarettes was not previously examined in Romania. This study aimed at measuring the prevalence of ever using e-cigarette and its associated factors in a sample of pregnant individuals in Romania who currently or formerly smoked cigarettes. Design: Cross sectional study from formative and baseline phases of a randomized control trial. Methods: This study utilized data from a Randomized control trial (RCT) that was conducted between 2016 and 2019 in Romania. Data was collected via structured questionnaire at formative stage and was self-administered through the study …

A Descriptive Study Of Black College Students’ Perceptions Of Law Enforcement After Police Brutality, Alisia L. Collins

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Police brutality is a social issue that has tormented the mental health of the Black community for decades. Seeing brethren battered and bruised countless times has taken an emotional toll on the relationship of the Black community with the American justice system and the officers meant to uphold it. Previous research has shown that the Black community primarily has a negative perception of law enforcement because of factors like police brutality, unjustified shootings, and legal policies within the justice system. Compounding experiences can occur for people with disabilities within the Black community. Specifically, autistic people have a higher risk of …

The Repeal Of Welfare Lifetime Ban, Sympathy Sutton Huggins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Welfare Lifetime Ban imposed severe restrictions on women’s access to essential resources during the critical period following incarceration. By denying housing assistance, food aid, and employment services, the policy created significant barriers to reintegration and undermines both criminal justice and social welfare reform. Little is known about the long-term impacts of the ban or the absence of effective rehabilitative policy alternatives. Few studies have examined its outcomes within the framework of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). The findings within (PRWORA) enactment briefly stabilized a decline in welfare recipients, and employment rates increased temporarily for single …

Probation Officers' Experiences Working With Individuals Who Have Antisocial Personality Traits, Katherine Ore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In fulfilling their role of monitoring individuals outside of a prison setting, probation officers may encounter individuals who have antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or antisocial personality (ASP) traits. Individuals who have ASP traits and are not diagnosed with ASPD are still impacted by recommendations of punishment, higher recidivism rates, and a lack of treatment resources provided. Individuals in the criminal justice system with ASP traits are not a new phenomenon, but there is a lack of research on the probation officers' experience working with these individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine and explore the experiences of probation …

Clinicians’ Perceptions Of Restorative Justice And Community-Based Intervention Programs For Juvenile Offenders, Jacque Timberlake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The main goals of restorative justice and community-based intervention programs include reducing reoffending behavior, successful reintegration, and yielding greater satisfaction among participants. Although clinicians play a vital role in conducting rehabilitation methods for youth offenders, the problem was a lack of literature that explored clinicians’ perceptions of implementing more effective alternatives such as restorative justice and community-based intervention programs. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore clinicians’ perceptions of administering rehabilitative interventions for youth offenders, specifically in reducing recidivism, adequately addressing mental health concerns, and evaluating overall program effectiveness. The risk-need responsivity model and the good lives …

Excessive Expulsions And School Suspensions Of Black Children, Lasharee O. Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While national and state-level literature has documented racial inequities in school discipline, limited research has focused on how these policies are specifically implemented and perceived within the Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Region School. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine factors related to higher rate of expulsions and school suspensions of Black high school students in the CMSR Schools in comparison to their peers through the lens of the critical race theory. This research was used to engage teachers and administrators on current school suspension and expulsion policies while encouraging modifications to those policies that warranted equity and …

“From Bars To Becoming”: Exploring Identity Change Across Prison Programming, Evan W. Saunders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-identity plays a pivotal role in one’s day-to-day life, impacting their behaviors and ambitions, but what is conducive to a change in identity is often underdeveloped. Mechanisms that lead incarcerated individuals to both a shift in identity and desistance away from crime are both underdeveloped as well. The current study examines the impact of programming on identity and the relationship between identity and recidivism. A sample of individuals participating in a reentry prison program responded to 16 statements that evaluated their perceptions of their Overall Self-Identity, Current Self, Feared Self, and Positive Possible Self at the beginning and end of …

Exploring Mental Health Stigma Among Law Enforcement Officers, Nicholas D. Chestnut

FDLA Journal

This applied dissertation investigates the prevalence and impact of mental health stigma among law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the United States. Despite growing awareness of the importance of mental health in the law enforcement community, stigma surrounding mental illness remains a significant barrier to help-seeking behaviors among officers. The study employed a research design that examined attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to mental health stigma among LEOs.

Through online self-assessment surveys administered via a secure portal, participants provided insights into their attitudes toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and willingness to seek help for mental health concerns.

Data analysis revealed …

“The Best Laid Plans”: Evaluating How Housing Expectations Impact Prison Reentry, Vittoria A. Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses the expectations of housing stability pre-release and evaluates how closely these expectations align with actual housing outcomes. Additionally, this study examines how the alignment between pre-release housing expectations influences recidivism. The aim is to understand how individuals’ perceptions of their housing plans prior to release affect their reentry experiences and to offer insights that may inform policy and program design. Using data collected pre- and post- release within a prison reentry program from 115 individuals, results indicate that higher overall housing concern is associated with slightly higher odds of recidivism, and mismatches between expected and actualized housing …

Police Officers’ Perceptions Of The Cultural, Structural, And Potential Training Barriers That Prevent Police Agencies From Adopting An Effective Emergency Response System, Allan David Dunham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the proven efficacy of the incident command system (ICS), police agencies face obstacles in effective critical incident response. This qualitative study explored the cultural, structural, and potential training barriers that hinder the adoption of the ICS within police agencies. The purpose was to investigate how police can more effectively adopt this unified command structure designed for multiagency emergency response. Guided by the theory of planned behavior, the research question addressed how California police officers’ attitudes, perceived social norms, and sense of behavioral control influence their adoption of incident command system principles. Data were collected using semistructured Zoom interviews with …

Resources And Strategies Needed To Address The Problem Of Child Labor In Erbil, Kurdistan Region Of Iraq, Evan Faiq

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child labor is an international practice that has been on the rise in some parts of the world including Erbil, the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the different resources needed but not available for the victims, how child labor has impacted the community, and how the criminal justice system can better approach the child labor issue and reduce it in Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq. Social conflict theory was used to guide the study. Data were collected from 15 interviews with individuals from different areas of the criminal justice department, local organizations …

Exploring Ex-Offenders’ Perceptions Of Their Learning Experiences And The Shape Of Criminal Activity In Louisiana, Carla Buntyn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of 12 formerly incarcerated males in Louisiana between the ages of 18 and 25, with a focus on their perspectives related to schooling, social environments, and involvement in criminal activity. Guided by general strain theory, the research explored how participants described their learning experiences under Common Core standards and whether they perceived connections between those experiences and their criminal activity. The research question asked: How do American male ex-offenders between the ages of 18 and 25 in Louisiana describe the relationship between Common Core learning experiences and their criminal activity? Data were collected …

Comparing Parents' And School Officials' Perceptions Of School Safety In A Rural Community In North Texas, Gidget S. Pettibon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With different types and sizes of school districts across the United States, not all federal safety and security recommendations will work for every school district. The school district stakeholders are important components to help administrators understand whether the current policies are working and provide recommendations for change. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and compare the perceptions of parents and school officials on safety practices at a rural school district in North Texas. Using routine activity theory, this study provided information on how current practices were perceived by stakeholders in ensuring a safe school environment. Data were …

Cross-Cultural Perspectives On Psychological Research Practices And Opportunities: Do We All Have The (Same) Chance?, Irena Boskovic, Nisali Perera, Henry Otgaar

Psychological Research on Urban Society

The dominance of "WEIRD" (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) authors might indicate significant differences in research practices between them and non-WEIRD researchers or highlight issues such as inequality and publishing bias. In this survey, using a convenience sample of researchers worldwide (N = 72), we examined current research practices and researchers' views on the feasibility of advancements in employed methodologies among and between researchers in both WEIRD and Non-WEIRD countries. Our results showed that research practices are fairly uniform across cultures, by researchers commonly relying on (student) convenience samples, using statistical packages such as SPSS and R, utilizing …

From Legislation To Lived Experience: Navigating The Expungement Process For Human Trafficking Survivors In Florida, Soriyah A. Khan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking is an inherently exploitative crime in which survivors are often coerced or forced into committing crimes. As a result, many carry criminal records that impede successful reintegration. To alleviate this issue, criminal record relief statutes have been enacted throughout the U.S. However, little research has examined the effectiveness of these statutes as well as the experiences of human trafficking survivors seeking criminal record relief and the professionals assisting them. Using semi-structured interviews with human trafficking survivors and criminal justice actors in Florida, this study sought to examine the awareness of criminal record relief, their experiences navigating the process, …

Exploring Challenges Of Parents With Disabilities Affecting Custody Of The Children, Kendyll King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 promoting equality for people with disabilities, parents with developmental and intellectual disabilities experience high rates of involvement with child welfare services due to outdated terminology, information about disabilities, and policies. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges of parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and determine if they differ from those of parents without a disability. This was a generic qualitative study grounded in intersectionality theory. Education, employment, health and safety concerns, independence, assistive technology, social services involvement, and supports or resources were examined through the perspective of the …

Adjudicating Atrocity: Reading Hitesh Verma V State Of Uttarakhand As A "Landmark" Case In The Judicial Discourse On Caste Violence, Tejaswi Chhatwal

Socio-Legal Review

This article critically examines the Supreme Court’s judgment in Hitesh Verma v State of Uttarakhand (2020) and argues for reading it as a “landmark trial” in the judicial undoing of reform—namely, the statutory changes introduced by the 2016 Amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Existing socio-legal scholarship on atrocity jurisprudence has shown that the judicial understanding of caste violence and doctrinally instituted evidentiary standards have historically operated to invisibilise caste from crime’s framework. As a result, most instances of caste-based discrimination and violence have not been named as offences of “atrocity” under the …

Soil Ph Analysis Of Pig Decomposition In Southeast Nebraska, Camryn Nelson, William Belcher

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

This study investigated the effects of a decomposing pig carcass on soil pH in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem of Southeast Nebraska, using pigs as proxies for human decomposition. The experiment spanned 171 days, encompassing decomposition stages from fresh to advanced decay. Soil samples were collected at regular intervals from four cardinal directions (north, east, south, west) and distances (0, 33, 66, and 100 cm) from the carcass to analyze changes in pH over time. Results indicated that decomposition significantly influenced soil pH, with the most dramatic changes occurring on the south side of the carcass, where the pig burst. pH …

Trauma As A Predictor Of Engagement Among Former Foster Youth Parents Involved With Child Welfare, Sarah Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The specific research problem addressed in this study is that the relationship between parent engagement with child safety personnel and the trauma histories of parents with transgenerational child welfare involvement is not well understood. Parent engagement is a critical component of child safety family outcomes. Although past research recognizes lower engagement for former foster youth (FFY) parents with child safety systems and the negative effects of trauma throughout a person’s life, there is no prior research that examines how trauma affects FFY parent engagement with child safety systems. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional …

System Barriers To Brokering School-Based Versus Community-Based Therapeutic Services From The Perceptions Of School Social Workers In Georgia, Jessica Ochei-Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Barriers to brokering therapeutic services cause challenges for school social workers to address their students’ mental health needs, especially in Georgia, where students’ mental health needs are high. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore school social workers’ perceptions of the system barriers related to brokering these services. The research questions explored school social workers’ perceptions of brokering on-site versus community-based therapeutic services in the state of Georgia. In addition, this study inquired about the system barriers that school social workers face when brokering these services. This study was grounded in the ecological systems theory, which argues that …

Police Officers’ Perception Of The Anti-Police Movement And How That Affects Officer Retention In Minnesota, Kimberly Wood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research aims to investigate the perceived mass exodus of police officer departures alongside police officer retention rates throughout Minnesota. The study investigates whether high-profile police officer prosecutions together with national news incidents directly cause police officers to leave their jobs along with the Ferguson Effect taking place. The profession of policing has become more challenging and dangerous for its practitioners. The combination of recruitment challenges and increased assaults on police officers without punishment for perpetrators and elevated arrest resistance from suspects has led to the perceived mass exodus of police officers. The number of officer shootings and assaults combined …