Digital Commons Network^™

Non-Destructive Dry Vacuum Recovery Of Dna From Fabric, Emily Sam-Zee-Moi

Student Theses

Trace DNA has proved to be a reliable forensic tool when investigating crimes. Current methods of trace DNA recovery from fabric include cutting, swabbing, scraping, and tape lifting. A dry vacuum collection method originally developed for paper evidence is an alternative nondestructive option for DNA collection from fabric. This research evaluated the success of the dry vacuum technique on pieces of cotton fabric that had been briefly touched as well as the effectiveness of different moistening agents and filters. The samples were designed to simulate an assault with the suspect grabbing the clothing of their victim. Volunteers created samples by …

Understanding Anti-Racism In Counselor Education: A Narratology Of Anti-Racist Pedagogy In Sociocultural Courses, Danielle G. Rodgers

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselors have the privilege to join children, adolescents, and adults from all walks of life in a journey of working towards mental and emotional wellness. Our code of ethics outlines “honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of people within their social and cultural contexts” (p.3) and promoting social justice as two of our core professional values (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2014). The ACA also stated in their Antiracist Statement in 2020 that “we have a moral and professional obligation to deconstruct institutions which have historically been designed to benefit White …

Belonging Against The Odds: Exploring Restorative Justice Practices As Pathways To Foster Belonging In New York City Transfer Schools, Miguel Rodriguez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The U.S. education system perpetuates structural inequities that disproportionately affect Black students with the School-to-Prison Pipeline (STPPL) criminalizing them through Zero-Tolerance policies. Transfer schools are often a last resort for students pushed out of traditional schools provide a lens to examine the impact of Restorative Justice Practices (RJP) and Black student representation on belonging. This quantitative dissertation study analyzes secondary data from the NYC Department of Education using multivariate models to explore the relationship between RJPs and sense of belonging (SOB). Model 1 found that discussing feelings and emotions at school (Tier 1 RJP) had the strongest association with SOB …

The Long Arm Of The Law: The Far-Reaching Effects Of The Carceral State On Families, Madison Squiers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis investigates the extended consequences of mass incarceration in the United States, focusing on the social, economic, and psychological impacts on the nuclear families of incarcerated individuals. Through a comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024, this study highlights how female partners and children of imprisoned men face significant hardships, including emotional trauma, financial instability, and social stigma. These burdens are most acutely experienced by low-income families and communities of color, reflecting broader patterns of structural inequality. The findings underscore how punitive criminal justice policies—especially mandatory minimum sentencing and the War on Drugs—have created ripple …

Moving The Needle: The Policy Of Change On Syringe Access, New York City And State, 1988–2023, Joyce Rivera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

By the mid-1980s, the HIV/AIDS epidemic breached a longstanding consensus between the political class and its bureaucratic alliances that had relied for decades on attitudes and orientations that championed punitive prohibition toward drugs as a bedrock principle of policy making. This ‘focusing event’ created an opening for HIV/AIDS activists to build a movement that offered an alternative, a more effective and just approach to how government policies and practices can manage illegal drugs and the persons who use drugs.

The dissertation uses several theoretical and methodological tools to address the central research objective that highlights the critical role played by …

Black Incarcerated Veterans And Va Service Access, Kimona S. Spencer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigates racial disparities in access to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services among incarcerated Veterans, with a specific focus on Black incarcerated Veterans. Drawing from critical race theory and the minority stress model, the study explores how race, discharge status, military experiences, and mental health conditions intersect to affect potential eligibility for and receipt of VA healthcare and benefits. Utilizing a secondary analysis of data from the Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI), the research employs quantitative methods to examine whether disparities exist in discharge characterizations, potential eligibility for VA care, and service utilization by race. Findings highlight …

Menstrual Math: The Price Of Bleeding, Gabrielle Langston

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This project examines the landscape of menstrual equity in the United States through a data storytelling lens, focusing on state-level policies regarding taxation and access to menstrual products. The analysis explores which states impose sales tax on menstrual products, if state schools provide free menstrual products, and which states ensure access for incarcerated individuals using publicly available datasets from advocacy groups. Additionally, there is an investigation into potential correlations between the gender wage gap and states that tax menstrual products, shedding light on economic and policy disparities.

Through its data visualizations, this project aims to provide a clear, although not …

The Invisible Hand Of Networked Repression, Thuy Anh Tran

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

U.S. history is awash with contentious episodes involving a legion of governmental and non-governmental actors operating through an array of means and arenas to destroy the political opposition. Yet, there has been little systematic examination in the repression literature of how and why repressive efforts proliferate so far beyond the police, military, and intelligence agencies tasked and equipped to preserve the existing order. This dissertation presents a novel framework for studying the relational basis of repression—particularly as it is organized, mobilized, and extended through a networked social structure. Social network analysis and interpretive case studies are conducted on two historical …

From Australian Influence To Rohingya Refugees: A Systematic Literature Review Of Asylum Seekers And Refugees In Indonesia, Bilal Dewansyah

The Indonesian Journal of Socio-Legal Studies

The fact that Indonesia hosts asylum seekers and refugees attracted not only policy debate and media attention but also academic research. However, no systematic review has been conducted to assess the scholarly literature on this topic. This article is intended to fill this gap by presenting a systematic literature review (SLR) on asylum seekers and refugees in Indonesia. As a result, I found five major themes in the reviewed literature: (1) the focus on the Indonesia – Australia relationship; (2) people smuggling; (3) refugees’ journey and living conditions in Indonesia; (4) Rohingya refugees; (5) legal protection and refugee status. However, …

Functional And Cultural Values Of Shame: A Motivator To Seek Help For Suicidal Ideation, Yu-Chin Lin

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a global issue with rates continuing to rise despite decades of research and prevention efforts. The role of shame in the development of suicidal ideation, especially within non-Western contexts, remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study explored the relationships among shame, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking intentions in a Taiwanese sample, focusing on four culturally distinct Mandarin terms for shame—diu lian, can kui, xiu kui, and xiu chi. A total of 101 participants who has experiences of suicide-related thoughts or behaviors responded to an online survey. Quantitative analyses revealed that all shame terms were strongly correlated …

Traditional Institutions As Change Agents: Understanding Cultural Norms And Practices Promoting Gender-Based Violence In Nigerian Communities, Titilayo Ogunbambi

Dissertations

Traditional institutions in Nigerian communities hold a strong cultural foundation and significantly influence cultural norms and practices. Due to the increasing need for effective community-based approaches in addressing social and health problems on a global scale, we explore the attitudes and behaviors of traditional institutions as custodians of cultural customs and norms related to gender-based violence (GBV) and examine their potential role in ensuring community safety. By addressing harmful gendered norms and practices, traditional institutions could become key agents of change, promoting meaningful social transformations. This study explores the dynamics cultural norms and practices play in community safety, emphasizing the …

The Premature Loss Of The Black Male And Its Implications On The Black Family System And Community: A Proposed 12-Step Grief Support Group Model, Alicia Smith

Dissertations

Premature deaths, ages 15–44, and loss of Black males through homicide, along with suicide and systemic violence, and incarceration, create lifelong emotional and psychological trauma for those who remain behind in Black family settings and society. U.S. social injustices against Black communities and multigenerational losses and racial harm create specific population-based challenges, such as questioning care, lack of accessibility to competent resources, and Black identity issues, which traditional grief recovery programs struggle to help adequately. Even though approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, complicated grief treatment, present-centered therapy, trauma-focused therapy, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and forgiveness therapy …

Community Safety Innovations: New York State Initiatives To Strengthen Public Safety, Justice D. Evans, Elia Del Carmen Solano-Patricio, Rebecca Balletto, Kathleen A. Tomberg, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

This report presents findings from researchers at the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College (JohnJayREC) regarding the impact of state investments in community safety. The report highlights key initiatives such as the SNUG program, Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE), Project RISE, and Crime Analysis Centers (CACs). Through interviews with State agency staff and initiative leaders, the research team gathered valuable insights into the goals, challenges, and implementation of these programs. The findings suggest that these efforts may contribute to reduced violence and enhanced neighborhood safety, though further, more robust evaluation could help refine and expand these efforts for …

Unwarranted Warrants?: An Empirical Analysis Of Judicial Review In Search And Seizure, Brett James Hashimoto, Miguel F.P. De Figueiredo, Dane Thorley

Faculty Publications

Every year, police perform searches governed by the Fourth Amendment on hundreds of thousands of individuals and their property throughout the United States. Many of the academy’s most decorated scholars have focused on the genesis and jurisprudential nature of the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement. Surprisingly, we know almost nothing about how the Fourth Amendment regulates searches and how searches actually work in practice.

In this Article, we pull back the curtain on the search and seizure process by presenting the largest quantitative study of warrants of any kind. We analyze over 33,000 warrant applications filed through Utah’s “e-Warrants” system over …

A Meso-Structure Reading Of Duterte’S Drug War As A Human Rights And Communicative Crisis, Augustus Ceasar D. Latosa

Social Transformations Journal of the Global South

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte launched the drug war in 2016 to address alleged rising criminality. His directive to kill those who resisted arrest became a symbolic articulation of a policy that led to the deaths of alleged drug offenders, particularly among marginalized urban poor communities. While the drug war has been extensively examined in relation to public policy and governance, few studies have approached it through the lens of communication, particularly crisis communication. Using the culture-centered approach (CCA) as its theoretical anchor, this paper investigated how human rights non-government organizations (NGOs) as meso-structural actors made sense of Duterte’s “war …

#Protestpolicing: Intersecting Race And Social Media Activism In The Mile High City, Nancy Rios-Contreras

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Demonstrations addressing police use of force stress the importance of revisiting the organization strategies of social movements. Fatal use of force against individuals of color continues to tarnish police-community relations. Social media helps elevate the political movement addressing police use of force, but understanding social media as an activist resource remains underdeveloped. Resource mobilization theory is applied to the conceptualization of protest activities to describe how activists use social media as a resource to initiate and create local community change. This exploratory study consists of 20 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with activists over 18 years old and fieldwork observation. While social …

Health Care In Women’S Carceral Spaces, Kate Gouveia Pereira

Culture, Society, and Praxis

Canada has had a long history of mistreating incarcerated women in their jails. The carceral system was built to fit around the needs of men, neglecting to consider the various health issues that only women face. For many years. federally imprisoned women were held in one deteriorated prison, the Prison for Women (P4W), and were held in abhorrent conditions and experienced many acts of violence. Despite the opening of five more prisons and funding for various programs for women, incarcerated women continue to experience violence and health crises, leaving imprisoned women extremely vulnerable to mental and physical distress. In particular, …

Upward Mobility Of First-Generation Low-Income Dartmouth Students, Robin T. Frye

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The most promising way for young people to achieve upward mobility, which at the most basic level means making more money than their parents, is to attend the best college possible. From its inception, Dartmouth College has been an institution set up to educate the children of the wealthiest and most powerful families. Over the last few decades, more and more promising students have come from families whose parents and grandparents did not attend college. When First-Generation Low-Income (FGLI) students arrive at Dartmouth, they encounter an institution set up for wealthy students. I aimed to discover how well Dartmouth supports …

Is A Dog A Female Offender’S Best Friend? Prison-Based Dog Program Implications, Lavinia Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The existing literature on female offender prison-based dog program (PBDP) experiences and their effect and influence on female offender reentry, rehabilitation, and transition into society following incarceration is limited at best. Despite mixed evidence on prison-based animal programs, human–animal interaction research suggests positive psychological effects. With a 56% chance of reoffending a year after release, understanding the effects of PBDPs may aid reentry/transition support that lowers recidivism rates. Grounded by Broidy and Agnew’s gendered general strain theory, through basic qualitative inquiry, this research study aimed to understand female offender PBDP participants' reentry and transition experiences. Twenty-seven semistructured interviews were conducted …

Navigating Sovereignty And Human Rights: A Legal Analysis Of Palestinian Detention Under Israeli Jurisdiction In Comparison To International Law, Amani Nidal Odeh

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines whether Israeli detention practices of Palestinians conform to or contravene Israeli domestic legislation and international legal standards using a doctrinal legal analysis. This thesis evaluates six key areas through four hypotheses: the detention of minors, geographic disparities (particularly Gaza), administrative detention procedures, the use of military courts, due process violations, and detention conditions. While Israeli domestic law formally authorizes these practices, the analysis finds they routinely violate crucial international legal norms, including the ICCPR, CRC, CAT, and the Fourth Geneva Convention. The use of secret evidence, prolonged administrative detention without trial, and discriminatory legal frameworks undermines the …

Examining Nonprofit Organizations' Use Of Social Media To Reach Organizational Goals, Amanda L. Margiotta

Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the impact of social media on nonprofit organizations’(NPOs) efforts to reach their organizational goals. Focusing on a breast cancer organization, the Ellen Hermanson Foundation, and a domestic violence organization, Hope’s Door, and their social media use, this study analyzed their marketing and fundraising campaigns for breast cancer awareness and domestic violence awareness months, as well as Giving Tuesday. With the use of qualitative content analysis, this study identified the use of communicative strategies such as testimonials, reporting and statistics, storytelling through short videos, and call to action to make posts compelling and solicit engagement. It also identified …

The Effect Of Bullet Morphology And Intermediate Targets On Bullet Path, Natalia Aguilar

Student Theses

A key feature of shooting reconstruction is trajectory analysis. There are several different methods of assessing this from the bullet impact mark including: best-fit ellipse, lead-in, trajectory rod, 3D laser scanning, and machine learning. While these function in differently, many share a common fault. Few trajectory analysis techniques evaluate the difference in bullet path for bullet morphology. This raises the question: does the morphology of a bullet influence its degree of deviation when interacting with a target material? This study investigates the difference in bullet trajectories through drywall for 9mm full metal jacket (FMJ) and jacketed hollow point (JHP) ammunition …

"We Walk The Same Path But Have On Different Shoes: Wounded Healers And A Halfway House In Boston, Ma", Julie Labagnara

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores the processes, procedures, and relationships in a women’s reentry house, the New Hope Home (NHH), in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Boston, MA while also examining the evolution of the home and the relationships within the NHH.  This project is based on interview and participant observation data of the staff and residents of the home to ascertain multiple viewpoints and experiences of people critical to the home’s existence and success or struggles. The home opened in April 2022.  This research begins at the grand opening of the home and continues through early 2025.  Finally, neighborhood resident interviews …

Living In Action: A Critical Phenomenological Study Of School-Based Mental Health Counselors’ Engagement In Social Justice Practices, Kerry Whiterell

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This study argues that a problem facing school-based mental health counselors is that neither traditional counseling psychology practices nor the public educational system in the United States were designed to meet the needs of students experiencing intersectional oppression. This study therefore described and compared traditional counseling psychology theory and practices with that of liberation psychology, and outlined social justice frameworks that are applicable to school-based mental health counselors. The overarching research question for this study then asked, “What are the experiences of social justice-oriented mental health counselors who work within public schools in Massachusetts?” To answer this question, a critical …

Relations Among Racism-Related Stress, Anxiety, Spirituality And Mindfulness In Black Sexual Minority Men, Kainaat Anwar

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Kainaat Anwar RELATIONS AMONG RACISM-RELATED STRESS, ANXIETY, SPIRITUALITY AND MINDFULNESS IN BLACK SEXUAL MINORITY MEN 2021-2022 Jonathan Mathias Lassiter, Ph.D. Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology Black sexual minority men’s experiences of racism and anxiety have not been documented extensively in the literature. There is also a paucity of research exploring protective factors that can mitigate the effects of racial stress on anxiety in BSMM. Therefore, this study looked at the potential moderating effects of spirituality and mindfulness on the relationship between racism-related stress and anxiety in BSMM. Participants completed measures regarding socio-demographics, racism-related stress, anxiety symptoms, mindfulness and …

Unpacking Violence: Examining Socioeconomic, Psychological, And Genetic Drivers Of Gun-Related Homicide And Potential Solutions, John Menezes, Kavita Batra

Department of Plastic Surgery Faculty Research

Background: Gun-related homicide remains a persistent public health crisis in the United States, with over 48,000 firearm-related deaths reported in 2022, including 19,651 homicides and 27,032 suicides. Despite frequent calls for tighter gun control, firearm access alone does not explain the complexity of violence. Objective: This commentary aims to unpack the socioeconomic, psychological, and biological drivers of gun-related homicide and propose integrative, evidence-based solutions that extend beyond legislative reform. Methods: We synthesized data from peer-reviewed literature, national crime and health databases (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Federal Bureau of Investigation), and international reports. We examined patterns related …

Experiences Of Group Support For Partners Of Sex Offenders, Monika Szabo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate relationships with individuals who have committed sex offenses significantly stigmatize and traumatize partners. Partners also face barriers to effective treatment, negatively impacting both themselves and their children affected by these offenses. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to gain an understanding of partners’ experiences with support groups in coping with trauma symptoms and stigma, thus addressing a gap in the literature. Grounded in theoretical concepts of trauma, mutual aid, and stigma, how social support dynamics facilitate healing by investigating coping strategies and support group stages to understand participants’ healing journeys were examined. Data were collected from 10 …

Crisis Without Cops: Trauma-Informed Mental Health Care For Bipoc Communities, Amanda Carson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

This policy paper advocates for a structural transformation in mental health crisis response, moving beyond police-led interventions toward trauma-informed, community-rooted models grounded in public health and equity. Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT), neuroscience, and program evaluations of models like CAHOOTS, 988, Denver’s STAR, and Durham’s HEART, it examines how systemic racism, institutional mistrust, and implicit bias contribute to disproportionate harm for BIPOC individuals. The paper highlights the effectiveness of peer-led, culturally responsive alternatives that reduce force, hospitalization, and disengagement from care. Using Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework, it proposes actionable, scalable policy strategies supported by recent federal momentum, including the …

Analyzing Florida’S Lgbtqia+ Censorship Laws And Their Anti-Democratic Attack On Education, Peyton Sibert

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

The past four years (2021-2024) have seen an increase in academic censorship laws and anti-LGTBQIA+ rhetoric across the United States. Florida, specifically, has established itself as a leader in discriminatory legislation. In this paper, the author analyzes four Florida laws: HB 1557, HB 1069, HB 7, and SB 266, along with the rise in book bans to consider both the pedagogical effects and negative impacts on the LGBTQIA+ community. These analyses will be juxtaposed with extant political rhetoric around these laws to expose a) the intent of the law b) the contradictions within and across laws and thereby c) the …

A Phenomenological Study Examining The Effects Of Restrictive Factors On Previously Incarcerated Individuals’ Chances Of Recidivism, Tawanda Shantell Heim-Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the effects of perpetual restrictions and stigmatization for previously incarcerated individual’s vulnerability and efforts to reduce recidivism in society. The theories guiding this study are Bandura’s (1986) social theory as it explains the relationship between the theory of self-efficacy and motivation, and Maslow’s (1954) hierarchy of needs accompanied by humanistic and existential theorists Viktor Frankl’s (1946) logotherapy and Carl Roger’s (1951) humanistic psychology as it emphasizes basic needs for human existence and success which are contradicted by hinderance of perpetual restrictions. Because of the mass stigmatization of people who have been …