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Examining The Impact Of Drug Court Participation For Moderate And High Risk Offenders, Kara Kobus

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of drug court participation among moderate and high risk offenders. While studies have found that intensive programs, such as drug courts, are more effective when focusing their services on high risk offenders, few studies have examined the relationship between offender risk and drug court effectiveness. Using the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) as a measure of offender risk, the study employed a quasi-experimental design to compare outcomes of drug court participants (n=228) and a matched sample of probationers (n=252). The analyses showed that drug court participants had lower rates of …

An Assessment Of Proposed Sex Offender Mobility And Residency Restrictions In Nevada, Samantha Dawn Beecher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research explores the impact of sex offender exclusion zones and residency restrictions proposed by Nevada Senate Bill 471. This law would prohibit sex offenders from being within 500 feet of places where children congregate and living within 1,000 feet of these places. Analyses conducted using Geographic Information Systems demonstrate the degree to which offender mobility, housing, employment, and access to social services may be restricted should the law be adopted and enforced. Data are also used to assess the potential impact of the law on victimization patterns. Policy implications, data limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Targeting Youth—Hit Or Miss? Juvenile Certification In Clark County, Nevada Examined, Brittnie Turquoise Watkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Juvenile certification is the method by which a juvenile may be removed from juvenile court jurisdiction and placed in the adult criminal court jurisdiction. In many cases, juvenile courts exercise judicial certifications, in which a judge determines if the case will be heard in juvenile or adult court. Many factors influence a judge's determination of certification outcomes. Legal factors include dangerousness, amenability, and maturity of the youth. Extra-legal factors include race and sex. Although judges are believed to be impartial, prior research has found that these bias factors may influence outcomes. This study assesses what factors are influential in one …

What Determines Leadership Style?, Apryl Silva

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

This project examines selected traits valued in friends by educated individuals, and it seeks to determine if these valued traits vary by gender, race, and generational cohort. A literature review reveals that variations in leadership attributes are evident among these traits. In order to test the broad applicability of this literature, data were taken from the General Social Survey (GSS). The key analyses center on correlations between gender, race, and cohort, on the one hand, and the selected valued traits identified with effective leadership on the other. In some cases, the literature yields weak hypotheses, and in other cases the …

The Socializer - Spring 2009, Department Of Sociology

The Socializer

No abstract provided.

Retention And Job Satisfaction Among Local Law Enforcement, Lisa N. Parron

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This thesis is an exploratory study which examines the retention of police officers in the Norfolk Police Department. Focus group interviews with nine police officers provided the data for this study. Participants described aspects of their job that they enjoy and aspects of their job that could be improved. Themes identified include working conditions, supervisor relationships, interpersonal relationships, pay, responsibility, achievement and recognition, and appeal of the job.

This research was aimed at revealing what officers like and dislike about their job in order to reduce voluntary turnover and increase retention.

The findings from this study indicate that job satisfaction …

Lessons From Cideci Las Casas : The Potential For Non-Directive Learning Spaces In The United States, Gideon Mausner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of my project was to observe the informal, non-directive and communal learning space of CIdeCI Las Casas in San Cristobal, Chiapas and consider its potential applications in the United States of America. The following paper presents the results of this project in five sections. In the first section I examine the meaning of modern education and its primary vessel, the school. In the second section I give a detailed background of CIdeCI: its history and purpose and its place within the cultural and political realities of Chiapas. In the third section I share my experiences and observations from …

A Quasi Experimental Evaluation Of Thinking For A Change: A Real-World" Application, Christopher T. Lowenkamp, Dana Jones Hubbard, Mathew D. Makarios, Edward J. Latessa

Sociology & Criminology Faculty Publications

Due to the popularity of cognitive behavioral interventions, programs that follow this model are often assumed to be effective. Yet evaluations of specific programs have been slow in coming. The current investigation seeks to bridge this gap by evaluating the effectiveness of Thinking for a Change (TFAC), a widely used cognitive behavioral curriculum for offenders. Furthermore, this evaluation provides a “real-world” test of TFAC, because it was implemented by line staff in a community corrections agency as opposed to being a pilot project implemented by program developers. The results of the analyses indicate that offenders participating in the TFAC program …

A Review Of Fta Section 5310 Program's State Management Plans: A Legacy Program In Transition, Alexandra Enders, Tom Seekins Ph.D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

Transportation decisions can enhance or limit community participation and employment opportunities. Historically, the lack of transportation has been consistently reported as one of the most significant barriers to community participation, particularly by rural people with disabilities. A person with a disability affecting his or her mobility in the community may have to base housing and employment choices primarily on transportation connectivity. Lack of transportation may force an individual with a disability to relocate to an area with available transportation services, and/or never consider living in a location with inadequate transportation. The 1970 amendments to the 1964 Urban Mass Transportation Act …

A Miscarriage Of Juvenile Justice: A Modern Day Parable Of The Unintended Results Of Bad Lawmaking, Amy Vorenberg

Law Faculty Scholarship

Sensationalized cases increasingly create the context for public policy discussion. Stories about violent crime are a common feature of the local evening news and their emotional nature can often create the hook politicians need to showcase their “tough on crime” agendas. Often anecdotal and lurid, stories of criminal misdeeds are widely used to convince the public of a need to create or change laws. This article demonstrates the perils of making law by extrapolating from a few random, albeit attention-grabbing, events. Specifically, the article examines the impact of a 1995 change in New Hampshire state law that lowered the age …

Administrative Affairs Committee Annual Report 2009-2010, Indiana State University

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Well-Being In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska: Perceptions Of The Present And Views Of The Future, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Views of Community Life in Rural Nebraska

Working In Non–Metropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Perceptions of Well-being and Personal Finance Among Rural Nebraskans

Satisfaction With Community Life In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Working in Non–Metropolitan Nebraska

An Examination Of Delinquency And Victimization Using Social Bonding And Routine Activities, Everette B. Penn, Jennifer Tanner

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

The study examined the relationship between juvenile delinquency and juvenile victimization using an integration of social bond theory and routine activities perspectives. Data were obtained from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) series of surveys given annually to a nationally representative sample of students. The MTF survey is from the 2005 group of surveys given to tenth grade students. The version of the survey was administered to 5,577 tenth grade students. This research examined the link between a student's commitment to school and guardianship. Specifically, it determined the amount of delinquency to which a student is involved and the extent of …

Adapting To The Current Economic Climate In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Television Signal Changes and Rural Nebraskans

Satisfaction With Community Life In Non- Metropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bruce B. Johnson, Bradley D. Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Most of the smaller communities in rural Nebraska have experienced population decline since 2000 while most of the larger communities have experienced population growth. Most communities are also facing budget issues due to the economic recession. Given these conditions, how do rural Nebraskans feel about their community? Are they satisfied with the services provided? Are they planning to move from their community next year? Do their perceptions differ by community size, the region in which they live, or their occupation?

This report details 2,852 responses to the 2009 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fourteenth annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. …

Adapting To The Current Economic Climate In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bruce B. Johnson, Bradley D. Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

The national economy has faltered during the past year. While Nebraska’s economy has also faltered, it has not seen the level of job losses and mortgage foreclosures that have occurred in other parts of the country. Given these conditions, what do rural Nebraskans think about the current economic climate? How has their household been impacted during the past year? What changes have they made because of concerns about the economy? How concerned are they about financial matters? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions.

This report details 2,852 responses to the 2009 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fourteenth annual …

Working In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bruce B. Johnson, Bradley D. Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Self employment is the fastest growing part of the rural economy. Given this, what types of jobs do rural Nebraska households have? How many rural Nebraskans derive income from self employment? Are rural Nebraskans self employed out of necessity or because of personal preferences? How many rural Nebraskans have health insurance? Who owns agricultural land in the state and what are their future plans for it? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions.

This report details 2,852 responses to the 2009 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fourteenth annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series …

Well-Being In Non-Metropolitan Nebraska: Perceptions Of The Present And Views Of The Future, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bruce B. Johnson, Bradley D. Lubben

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska has experienced the effects of the recent recession. How do rural Nebraskans perceive their quality of life? Do their perceptions differ by community size, the region in which they live, or their occupation? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions.

This report details 2,852 responses to the 2009 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fourteenth annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their individual well-being. Trends for these questions are examined by comparing data from the thirteen previous polls to this year’s results. In addition, comparisons are made among different respondent …

Community-Engaged Scholarship In Ffigher Education: An Expanding Experience, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

Higher education in this country has always been expected to serve the public good. Sometimes, the emphasis is on preparing educated citizens or practitioners in especially critical fields and how public service can deepen and enrich learning and prepare students to lead purposeful, responsible, and creative lives. Sometimes the focus is upon institutions themselves as major intellectual and cultural resources for a community. In this paper, based on the keynote presentation at the Community Engaged Scholarship for Health Collaborative's invitational symposium, the author explores four levels of engagement: the individual, the academic community and its concepts of scholarship, the institution …

The Unjust Selection Of Justice Professionals: Balancing Fairness For Police Officer Applicants And The Potential Citizens They Will Serve, Robert W. Boyle

Master's Theses

This paper examines the effects on the community when its police officers are held to different physical standards based upon their sex. Through a Platonic analysis of the modern day "guardians of the city," it can be seen that the community is deprived of the strongest and best police force when the department compensates individuals based upon a "weakness" that thier class of applicants possesses. This process proves to be unfair to both the applicants and to the citizens they may subsequently serve.

Social Movements And Judging: An Essay On Institutional Reform Litigation And Desegregation In Dallas, Texas, Darren L. Hutchinson

Faculty Articles

This Article discusses the political and legal barriers that have surfaced to undermine the ability of courts to fashion remedies that offer justice to aggrieved individuals and to render rights-based institutional reform liti­gation a judicial relic. Part II examines the historical development of in­stitutional reform litigation and examines the political factors that created the opportunity for dramatic changes in legal approaches to the issue of racial inequality. Part III examines litigation challenging segregation in Dallas public schools. It also discusses cases filed in the immediate post­-Brown era and contrasts those cases with Judge Sanders's rulings on the subject. In …

When Gender Meets Sex: An Exploratory Study Of Women Who Seduce Adolescent Boys, Kay L. Levine

Faculty Articles

This article describes the origins, design, and implications of a new study exploring female-perpetrated statutory rape against ado­lescent boys in the United States. In contrast to both legal frame­works, which typically regard statutory rape as a male-on-female phenomenon, and existing literature from the fields of psychology and psychiatry derived from clinical samples and sex offender reg­istries, this study examines the incidence of female-perpetrated stat­utory rape using data from electronic news reports covering the period 1990-2008. In this short article, the author explains the ad­vantages of her approach over those taken by prior scholars, in terms of the size of the …

Democratic Institutions Create Civic Health: How Local Jurisdictions Can Enhance Their Problem-Solving Capacities Through Inclusive Governance, Including A Case Study Of Newark, Delaware, Ezra Temko

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Civic health is a community’s economic, civic, and social infrastructure – its capacity to solve its problems. This paper explores how contemporary local governments address the opportunities and challenges facing their communities and how local governments could utilize civic engagement to enhance civic health. It also evaluates the status of Newark, Delaware’s civic health and offers pragmatic steps Newark’s government can take to enhance the community’s civic health. Democratic governance is the 21st century engine for communities like Newark, Delaware to enhance their civic health. Collaborative and inclusive governance can improve a community’s abilities to solve problems. The Newark community …

The Manly Sports: The Problematic Use Of Criminal Law To Regulate Sports Violence, Jeffrey Standen

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

No abstract provided.

Adolescent Transfer, Developmental Maturity, And Adjudicative Competence: An Ethical And Justice Policy Inquiry , Brian G. Sellers, Bruce A. Arrigo

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

No abstract provided.

The Criminalization Of Poverty, Kaaryn Gustafson

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

No abstract provided.

The Psychology Of Amber Alert: Unresolved Issues And Implications, Monica K. Miller, Timothy Griffin, Samantha S. Clinkinbeard, Rebecca M. Thomas

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The AMBER alert system is likely affected by a number of psychological processes, yet remains understudied. The system assumes people will remember Alert information accurately and notify police, but psychological research on related phenomena (e.g., memory, willingness to help) indicates that people may not be able or willing to act in ways the promote the success of the system. In addition, the system is intended to deter child abductions, however, the system could prompt copycat crimes from perpetrators seeking publicity. The system could also cause a precipitation effect in which a perpetrator who sees the Alert could decide to murder …

A Validation Study Of Risk Management Systems, Bridget Kelly

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive validity of Risk Management Systems (RMS) as a risk assessment instrument. To date, a published validation study does not exist for the RMS. The study employs secondary data analysis to examine the predictive validity of RMS recidivism and violence scores on three outcomes: arrest, unsuccessful termination from supervision, and technical violations. The study sample consisted of 830 probationers from the United States Probation Office, District of Nevada. The analyses showed that RMS recidivism and violence scores were moderately predictive of all three outcomes.