Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Antitrafficking Initiatives Through An Interagency Collaboration Framework, Robert Louis Baxter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The challenges individual agencies face in addressing the complex issue of human trafficking and how interagency collaboration can strengthen survivor-centered support are largely unknown. Organizations often lack formal alliances that combine expertise and resources to deliver more comprehensive care. The absence of such partnerships represents a missed opportunity to provide the essential services necessary for survivors’ recovery, empowerment, and social reintegration. The purpose of the study was to use interagency collaboration to address the question: How can education, law enforcement, public health, and community-based organizations assess the barriers and benefits of interagency collaboration to create a more seamless support network …

What Lies Beneath The Mask Of Sanity: A Comparison Of Ted Bundy And Charles Manson’S Rorschachs, Carl B. Gacono, Jason M. Smith, Tod A. Roy

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Once psychopathy level (PCL-R ≥ 30 = psychopathy) is determined, data beyond what is offered by the PCL-R is needed to fully understand the dynamics which underlie an individual’s overt criminal behavior. As we have empirically demonstrated (Gacono, 2016; Gacono & Evans, 2008; Gacono & Meloy, 1994; Smith et al., 2021), the Rorschach is ideally suited for this task. In this article we demonstrate the utility of the Rorschach Comprehensive System method (Exner, 2003; CS-R, Exner et al. 2022) in ferreting out the dynamics that underlie Ted Bundy and Charles Manson’s masks of sanity (Cleckley, 1941). Ted Bundy’s Rorschach reveals …

Trump’S Lasting Impact On The U.S. Presidency, Imer Kj Cespedes-Alvarado

Political Science Student Research

The first presidency of Donald J. Trump had a lasting impact on the American Presidency, expanding executive power through robust assertions of constitutional power, unconventional communications, and an unprecedented disregard for political norms. The two terms further blurred the line between governance and personal branding, cultivating this new model of leadership that depends on constant public exposure and polarization among the American people. This research examines how Trump's executive power and political tactics during both of his presidencies redefined expectations of presidential behavior and accountability by consolidating executive authority, reorganizing federal institutions, and placing even greater emphasis on loyalty and …

The Experience Of Modern Day Marriages For Women Who Identify As Strong Black Women, Arielle Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema has been explored during the past two decades; however, limited research has been conducted on the phenomenological experiences of Black women who identify with the characteristics of the SBW schema and their impact on Black and African American marriages. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of married African American women in modern day marriages who endorse the characteristics of the superwoman schema. This qualitative study was an interpretative phenomenological analysis and focused on the lived experiences of this population. Individual interviews of 12 married African American women who identified …

"We Blink With One Eye Open. They Sleep With One Eye Close": A Qualitative Analysis Of Conflict And Resolution From The Perspective Of Correctional Staff, Staci M. Richardson

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Staci M. Richardson on November 17, 2025.

Force And Fallout: Experimental Evidence From A National Test Of The Community Expectations Standard, Christopher J. Marier, Conor Goodwin

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

A persistent ``reasonableness divide'' exists between the legal standards governing police use of force and the public’s expectations, producing ``lawful but awful'' uses of force. This study empirically tests the ``Community Expectations Standard'' (CES), a model that identifies five criteria the public uses to evaluate force: underlying governmental interest, avoidability, officer motivation, subject resistance, and the presence of a ``highly dangerous'' environment. Using a factorial survey experiment with a national sample of nearly 2,000 U.S. adults, we analyzed responses to a hypothetical vignette depicting non-lethal force using t-tests and Bayesian linear regression models. The results show that underlying governmental interest …

Beyond The Headlines: Exploring The Mental Health Impacts Of Police Brutality On Social Media In Black Americans, Kai'annica Walters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies show Black Americans face high police brutality, leading to mental health issues like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of Black Americans who have been exposed to police brutality on social media and how it impacts their racial identity and emotional well-being. This study employed critical race theory as both a theoretical lens and a conceptual framework to examine how race and systemic inequalities shape legal systems and societal narratives. I used IPA to explore how people interpret their experiences and the meanings they assign. This study …

Fighting Death: A Critique Of Kentucky's Death Penalty System, Pamela R. Goodwine

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Life After Prison: Exploring Gendered Differences In The Impact Of Social Support On The Ease Of Reintegration For Previously Incarcerated Men And Women, Joy Ferdinand

Theses and Dissertations

Successful reintegration into society remains a significant challenge for formerly incarcerated individuals, particularly in securing stable housing and employment. This study examines the gendered impact of social support on reintegration outcomes, specifically assessing how peer instrumental support, familial instrumental support, and familial emotional support influence housing stability and employment within three months of release. Using data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI), this study employs logistic regression models to explore whether gender moderates the relationship between social support and reentry success. Findings indicate that peer instrumental support significantly affects housing stability, but its impact varies by gender. …

School Discipline And Its Negative Impact On Student Achievement Outcomes: An Evaluation Of Discipline Policy, Samantha L. Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community stakeholders raised issue with the lack of evaluative tools to measure the effectiveness of the implemented school discipline policy in the Metro Atlanta School district. These tools are important to implementing the appropriate interventions to referred students in the district. This professional administrative study evaluated how exclusionary discipline practices influence equity and student outcomes within a Metro Atlanta school district. The guiding research question asked: Is the currently implemented discipline policy effective in promoting equitable student outcomes and reducing exclusionary practices? The concept used for this study is grounded in a constructivist paradigm, the study applied the Centers for …

Analyzing Discipline Rates For Students In Grades 6-12 With Emotional Disturbances: A Comparative Study Of Four Years Before And After The Covid-19 Pandemic., Maegan N. Ramsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigated the trends in discipline rates for students in grades 6-12 with emotional disturbances. It compared data from the four years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (2016-2019) to the four years following its onset (2021-2024). Emotional disturbances can significantly affect students' behavior, often leading to higher rates of disciplinary actions within school settings. However, the impact of COVID-19 on these students, particularly in terms of remote learning, school closures, and shifts in behavioral norms, has yet to be fully explored. Using archival data from multiple middle and high schools, this study examined variations in suspensions and other disciplinary …

Black Men’S Experiences Of Intergenerational Trauma And Identity Development: A Phenomenological Study, Richard N. Tabb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how Black men exposed to intergenerational trauma describe their experiences of identity development. Grounded in Vivian Rakoff’s Intergenerational Trauma Theory and William Cross’s Nigrescence Theory, the study employed a transcendental phenomenological design to examine how trauma is transmitted across generations and its implications for Black male identity. This research addresses a critical gap in the mental health field, particularly regarding the historical roots of trauma and their impact on contemporary counseling practices. Findings revealed that the enduring legacy of historical trauma rooted in slavery, systemic racism, and ongoing forms of oppression continues to profoundly shape …

The Impact Of Access To Mental Health Services For Minority Offenders From The Perspective Of Mental Health Professionals, Quentin Eugne Mills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many reintegrating offenders residing in northwest Florida’s rural areas are negatively impacted by a lack of access to mental health professionals. Inaccessibility to treatment service providers impacts the offender’s physical, mental and economic well-being. While research studies focus on examining access barriers in metropolitan jurisdictions, a gap remains in understanding how this issue adversely impacts offenders in rural communities. This qualitative research study examined the impact of inaccessibility to treatment services related to minority offenders in rural jurisdictions. Grounded by the intersectional theory and the general strain theory, this study utilized interviews with six mental health professionals who counseled offenders …

Book Review: "Take Your Own Advice" By Jeffrey Marsh, Kristy Carlisle

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

This review examines Take Your Own Advice by Jeffrey Marsh as a teaching tool for cultivating ethical presence, mindfulness, and professional identity in human services and counseling education. Grounded in compassion-based, trauma-informed principles, Marsh’s eight guiding rules invite readers to shift from control and perfectionism toward authenticity, acceptance, and values-based living. These concepts directly reflect mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) practices and expound upon self-compassion, boundary awareness, and cultural humility. Through workbook activities, students find ways to practice emotional regulation and ethical reflection. Drawing connections to the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE) and Council for …

Brotherhood: Black Male Perception On The Impact Of Mentorship, Berinda Hollis-Sapp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the adolescent stage of development, identity is a foundational aspect of one’s development, and its absence leads to a negative outcome, characterized by role confusion. Positive interventions are necessary to develop a strong sense of self. The purpose of this generic qualitative project was to explore the perspectives of black males and the impact of mentorship on their identity during adolescence. The theoretical framework chosen for this study was Erikson’s identity versus role confusion, the fifth stage of his psychosocial development theory. Based on this concept, the research supported the idea that adolescent Black males should participate in culturally …

Have Laws In America Been Effective In The Fight Against Sex Trafficking?, Justina Grosso

Theses & Dissertations

Human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking, has gone on from as far back as the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Thousands of vulnerable adults and children are traded yearly and coerced into various forms of exploitation. This paper focuses on the phenomenon of sex trafficking and its history in America. It analyzes the pandemic of trafficking regarding its victims and who their traffickers are, shining light on the trauma these victims endure. This paper delves into real life survivor stories and the social media influence on trafficking, federal and state legislation, economic impacts and rehabilitative services for victims. Most importantly, the question of …

Cv: Christie Billups (Theology, Peace And Justice Studies), Christie Billups

Theology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Microaggression Exposure On Emotional Reactivity And Distress Following An Emotionally Provocative Movie Scene, Gwendolyn Jefferson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study explored how past experiences with racial microaggressions affect emotional reactions to racially charged media and whether factors like age and gender influence that response. Using Minority Stress Theory as a guide, 183 African American adults completed the Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after watching a racially provocative film clip. The first analysis found no direct link between microaggression exposure and emotional change. However, further testing with analysis of variance showed that people with higher exposure reported much stronger emotional distress than those with lower exposure, F(1,180) = 38.12, p < .001, η² = .175. When demographic factors were added in a hierarchical regression, the model became significant, F(7,175) = 2.06, p = .036, R² = .076, showing that age (β = .086, p = .009) and gender (β = 1.505, p = .039) influenced emotional responses. Thus, older African American women showed the strongest distress, suggesting that the combined effects of race, gender, and age increase vulnerability to racial stress. These findings support the idea that racial trauma is complex and shaped by overlapping social identities. The study highlights the need for culturally sensitive mental health support, inclusive media portrayals, and greater awareness of generational and caregiving stress among African American women. By showing how overlapping identities shape emotional well-being, this research advances social change through empathy, reduced stigma, and institutional accountability, encouraging equity-driven practices that foster racial healing, fairness, and psychological resilience across communities.

Pathways To Second Chances: A Multidisciplinary Integrative Review Of 25 Years Of Research On The Employment Of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Tamanna K. Patel, C. Allen Gorman, Sarah C. Tucker, Joseph R. Himmler, Tanya F. Contreras

River Cities Industrial and Organizational Psychology Conference

In this paper, we present an integrative review of the research literature on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the employment of formerly incarcerated individuals (FIIs). Our primary aim is to integrate 25 years of multidisciplinary evidence into vocational behavior scholarship, offering an employment life-cycle framework that identifies research gaps and practical implications for employers. Grounded in a multidisciplinary approach, we synthesize research across various domains, including criminal justice, psychology, sociology, law, economics, and management, to provide a holistic understanding of the systemic barriers that hinder FIIs' reintegration into the workforce. We introduce an integrative framework that examines the employment life …

Examining Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Collaborating With Police Officers To Foster Community Trust In Oklahoma, Lashonda Lanette Dale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The current study was administered in order to examine Oklahoman social workers’ perception of collaborating with police officers to foster community trust. The goal was to determine whether the collaboration amongst social and police officer fostered trust when collaborating during services calls. The theory of planned behavior and policing (TPBP) studied by Ishoy and giving credit to Ajzen’s were the foundational theory used to support this study. Collaboration among social workers and police officers can foster community trust and benefit both parties. Such collaboration could also lead to joint training and education, as well as alleviating public fears and misconceptions. …

Intimate Partner Violence: Serving Heterosexual Male And Same-Sex Victims, David Welch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an ongoing social problem across nationalities, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, and genders. Historically, research into IPV has focused on the heterosexual female victim and male perpetrator paradigm, including identifying the root causes of this phenomenon and appropriate treatment models. There is a distinct gap in the current literature addressing how therapists in the psychological community approach working with heterosexual male and same-sex victims of IPV, beginning with case conceptualization. To explore the unique case conceptualization considerations of therapists as they encounter heterosexual male and same-sex IPV victims in their practice, a general phenomenological research …

Interest Convergence And The Racial Wealth Gap: Defusing Racism's Divide-And-Conquer Via Universal Basic Income, Palma Joy Strand, Nicholas A. Mirkay

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Wired Differently, Working Brilliantly: Understanding And Supporting Adhd & Audhd Employees, April Miller, Katherine Loving

Faculty Articles & Research

This paper explores the unique experiences, strengths, and challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals—particularly those diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as the overlapping condition often referred to as AuDHD—in both clinical and workplace settings. It begins by examining diagnostic criteria, comorbidities, and the evolving understanding of ADHD and ASD as intersecting neurodevelopmental conditions. The paper then highlights common cognitive, emotional, and sensory challenges, including time blindness, neurodivergent paralysis, masking, overstimulation, executive dysfunction, rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and auditory processing disorder (APD).

Despite these challenges, many neurodivergent individuals possess exceptional strengths such as creativity, adaptability, rapid …

Experiences Of Child Welfare Workers In Ohio Serving Justice-Involved Youth Who Exhibit Aggressive Behaviors, Charnella Boykins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers with high work demands and low resources are likely to experience burnout. The specific social work practice-focused research problems that were addressed in this project were job demands, available resources, and perceptions of burnout in child welfare social workers. The focus was on burnout in social work practice from the perspectives of child welfare social workers providing services to justice-involved children with aggressive behaviors. The practice-focused research questions for this project concerned the participants’ descriptions of job demands and employer-provided resources and their feelings of burnout when working with justice-involved youth who have aggressive behaviors. Bakker and Demerouti’s …

What Fuels The Badge: College Students’ Beliefs On What Motivates Officers, Riya N. Patel

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Today, a large, increasing gap in trust exists between law enforcement officers and civilians. Although law enforcement officers may possess a “rescue personality” (e.g., being a highly dedicated risk-taker with a desire to help), they are feared by some civilians (Salters-Pedneault et al., 2010; Wynveen et al., 2007). Still, many officers choose more positive motivators for pursuing their career, including factors such as job security, benefits, and the desire to help others (Schuck, 2020). To better understand this, this study surveyed 198 undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida who completed a survey measuring their perceptions of the motivators …

Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress And Moral Injury In Adult Male Incarcerated Individuals, Cyrelah Jeanee Raynor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Underutilizing trauma-informed approaches in correctional rehabilitation has had detrimental consequences, particularly for gang-involved populations. Theories of personality, responsivity, and stress suggest that gang-affiliated individuals, shaped by coercive environments, may develop psychological reactions such as fear, guilt, and moral shame that contribute to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral injury (MI). This study examined whether gang role, psychopathy, and perpetration predicted PTSD and MI among 70 incarcerated adult males. Participants completed the Moral Injury Outcome Scale (MIOS), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP). Two hierarchical regressions were conducted. In the PTSD model, only education …

Healing Through Acknowledgment: The Role Of Naturalistic Restorative Justice And Twentieth Century Genocide Recovery, Julia R. Swirbalus

The Graduate Review

This article defines and explores the application of restorative justice principles in the context of twentieth century genocide acknowledgments. The genocides used as case studies in this article include the Holocaust, Cambodian genocide, and Rwandan genocide. This article examines how survivors have utilized restorative practices to facilitate healing, the importance of historical site preservation, and governments acknowledging their wrongdoings. The importance of acknowledgment and making amends to facilitate healing is highlighted throughout the article. The findings underscore the complexity of applying restorative justice to genocide and the necessity of proper acknowledgment for true reconciliation and healing to occur. This article …

Examining Emergent Patterns Of Behavior In White Female Sexual Homicide Offenders, Kristin Bemis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of studies on sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) have been conducted on male sexual homicide offenders (MSHOs). In many aspects, this is due to society’s reluctance to view women as capable of sexual murder. There have only been a handful of studies conducted on female sexual homicide offenders (FSHOs). However, these studies found substantial differences between MSHOs and FSHOs, as well as between White FSHOs and Black FSHOs. Since prior studies on FSHOs have all been quantitative, this study employed a qualitative case study approach to analyze FSHOs. Using rational choice theory, 12 White FSHO cases were examined, using …

Introduction To The Criminal Justice System, Courtney A. Crittenden

Open Textbooks

Introduction to the Criminal Justice System is an open educational resource that explores the history, concepts, and foundational knowledge of the contemporary criminal justice system in the United States. The text includes examinations of current events and includes coverage of some controversial topics that may be commonly excluded from introductory texts. Institutional memory, best practices in public safety, and statistical data are incorporated in ways intended to provide an unbiased viewpoint of the current status of the criminal legal system today in order to provide students with a clear picture of the system.

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 …