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Perceived Safety For Collegiate Student-Athletes: Race, Gender, And Mental Health Outcomes, Macey L. Arnold, Hunter P. Williams, Justin Harker, Heather Kiefer, Julian Yoon, Trent A. Petrie

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Inadequate levels of perceived safety on campuses have been reported by college students (e.g., Maffini & Dillard, 2021) and connected to college students' mental health concerns (e.g., sleep disturbances; Etopio et al., 2019). Little is known about student-athletes’ (SA) perceptions of safety, particularly related to their racial and gender identities, and how their perception of safety is related to their mental health. We surveyed 213 SAs regarding their safety perceptions on campus, athletic department, and teams, along with anxiety (GAD-2), depression (PHQ-2), and sleep disturbances (PROMIS-SD). White SAs reported higher levels of safety than Black SAs for all three environments …

Separating And Identifying Delta-8-Thc And Delta-9-Thc On Gc/Ms, Ann Schmidt

Honors Projects

Delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC are two psychoactive compounds found in marijuana products which are only distinguishable from each other by alternating the location of a single double bond.  This makes them a challenge to separate and identify as different compounds using the GC/MS.  These isomers are legally recognized as the different compounds, so being able to identify delta-8 and delta-9 THC separately is crucial to forensic analysis. The goal of this research project is to optimize an Intuvo 9000 GC connected to a standard MS to be able to separately and prominently identify delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC in a sample.  This was …

Harm Reduction Strategies In Addiction Recovery: Effectiveness, Barriers, And The Role Of Social Stigma, Julia J. Amlin

Honors Projects

Substance use disorders (SUDs) present a major global public health crisis. An estimated 46.3 million individuals are affected in the United States, with only a small fraction receiving any form of treatment. While abstinence-based models have historically dominated addiction treatment methods, harm reduction approaches have emerged as evidence-based alternatives that reduce overdose mortality, improve treatment engagement, and decrease the transmission of infectious diseases. Despite strong empirical support harm reduction interventions continue to face significant social, political, and structural resistance. These harm reduction interventions include supervised consumption sites, overdose prevention centers, medication-assisted treatment, naloxone distribution, and drug checking technologies. This resistance …

Service Providers’ Perceptions Of Mckinney-Vento Implementation: Supporting Academic Performance And Attendance In K-12 Students’ Experiencing Homelessness, Darci Mcrae

Honors Projects

In Wood, Lucas, and Ottawa County, Ohio, approximately 2,508 students or 2.6% of total enrollment experience homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Act (MVA, 1987) aims to reduce educational barriers for these students by ensuring access to transportation, school enrollment, school supplies, and additional educational support. Despite these provisions, the effectiveness of MVA implementation varies among school districts due to differences in staff training, funding, procedures, and the diverse needs of students experiencing homelessness. This study examines service providers’ perceptions of how the MVA is implemented in public school districts and how it affects attendance and academic performance among K–12 students’ experiencing homelessness. …

Investigating Racial Bias And Attribution Error In Grading Student Performance, Tony Reibel, Rachel Roegman

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Standards-based grading (SBG) is a relatively recent alternative model of grading designed to increase the reliability of grading while reducing the influence of teacher biases that can distort student evaluations. This study investigated whether SBG mitigates race‑related bias and attribution errors through a mixed‑methods 3×2 factorial vignette experiment with in‑service teachers. A total of 219 teachers scored the same student essay using a common SBG rubric and provided a 1-4 proficiency score, a binary evaluation concerning success criteria and written feedback. “Learning profiles”– a description of the student’s current and past abilities – varied by tone (positive, negative, none: name-only) …

The Bg News April 08, 2026, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. April 08, 2026. Volume 105-Issue 24.

The Bg News January 14, 2026, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. January 14, 2026. Volume 105-Issue 13.

Capillary Electrophoresis Vs Massively Parallel Sequencing: A Cost-Benefit Analysis, Samia Williams

Honors Projects

Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) is a new Forensic Science field allowing multiple samples to be sequenced simultaneously. In contrast to CE, multiple types of genetic markers including those from different nucleic acids can be used in the same assay. Additionally, MPS has opened the doors to certain fields of Forensic DNA Analysis like Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy and Forensic Phenotyping assays containing upwards of 100 SNPs. While quite expensive and requiring a high cost for initiating, MPS has the potential to save time and greatly increase the throughput of Forensic DNA Analysis in crime labs.

Advancement Of Wrongful Conviction Prevention Strategies In Forensic Science, Isabella Pinto

Honors Projects

The National Registry of Exonerations (NRE) has identified 1,051 of its logged cases to involve forensic evidence in some way, nearly one-third of the total 3,600 exonerations in its database. Analysis of the NRE and Innocence Project databases revealed the most common factors in forensic-related wrongful convictions: expert testimony, flawed methodologies (most of which are no longer in use), and statistical misinterpretations of results. The majority of scholars agree that oversight in forensic casework must be improved in order to meaningfully resolve issues. Creation of commissions in each state would address all of the identified errors, though not a catch-all …

The Effects Of Artificial Intelligence On Trial Courts, Alexys Zellner

Honors Projects

Artificial Intelligence has quickly entered the realm of everyday life. Without extensive testing, there have been issues surrounding transparency, accountability, and biased decisions made by Artificial Intelligence decision-making algorithms. When a political institution—such as the courts—uses these types of tools, there is a chance that the negative attributes will impact the institutions and actors using them. The court system relies on legitimacy and public approval to enforce its laws and decisions. This study aimed to determine whether the use of Artificial Intelligence would lead to a decrease in public approval and legitimacy of the courts, as well as diminish perceptions …

The Bg News March 19, 2025, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. March 19, 2025. Volume 104-Issue 21.

Foundations Of Police Integrity: Data Collection And Methods For Tracking Police Crime, Logan Casey, Tyson Jackson, Molly A. Whetstone, Samantha Kopf Apple, Eric M. Cooke, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 2025 Annual Meeting in Denver, CO on March 13, 2025.

Rank And Responsibility: Examining The Influence Of Officer Hierarchy On Criminal Behavior In Law Enforcement, Logan Casey, Samantha Kopf Apple, Eric M. Cooke, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 2025 Annual Meeting in Denver, CO on March 13, 2025.

Identifying Patterns Of Violent Crime Recidivism Among Police Officers, Tyson Jackson, Eric M. Cooke, Samantha Kopf Apple, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 2025 Annual Meeting in Denver, CO on March 13, 2025.

Examining The Characteristics And Contexts Of Arrests For Animal Cruelty Among Police Officers, Molly A. Whetstone, Eric M. Cooke, Samantha Kopf Apple, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 2025 Annual Meeting in Denver, CO on March 13, 2025.

Stepping Up Ohio: 2024 Evaluation Report, Melissa Burek, Philip M. Stinson, Mackenzie Grace, Stephanie Decroix

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

What Is A School Shooting? An Analysis Of School Shooting Incidents From 1994 To 2025, Nevaeh Emerich

McNair Scholars Collection

School shootings are a hot topic in the media and an important discussion among citizens of the United States. Despite this, the government does not collect data on school shootings and has left it to lay people, reporters, and researchers to create their own data sources largely culled from media reports. In the present study, I compare two popular datasets, the K-12 School Shooting Database collected by Riedman (2025) and school shootings data collected by reporters at the Washington Post (2025), that claim vastly different numbers of school shooting incidents over time. I examine incidents since the Columbine shootings in …

Forecasting Crime Rates Utilizing Machine Learning And Economic Indicators, Owen Miller

Honors Projects

Abstract: The following project utilized the correlation between economic indicators and crime rates to build tree-based machine learning algorithms that predict monthly crime rates in Ohio. The goal of the study was to answer how economic variables could be used in forecasting county level crime rates. A sample of 9 counties were utilized in building regression trees, random forests and evolutionary random forest models. The study concluded that lagged crime rates provided the best predictive ability in forecasting models, while economic variables provided more accuracy to property crime. The study could be furthered by creating models at the department level …

The Bg News November 20, 2024, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. November 20, 2024. Volume 104-Issue 12.

The Bg News October 30, 2024, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. October 30, 2024. Volume 104-Issue 09.

The Bg News October 23, 2024, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. October 23, 2024. Volume 104-Issue 08.

Analyzing Criminal Case Disposition, Sentencing, And Employment Outcomes For Police Officers Arrested For Sexual Misconduct, Emma M. Butera, Evelyn M. Cook, Eric M. Cooke, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Previous literature has identified disparities in disposition, sentencing, and employment outcomes for officers convicted of various criminal offenses, yet research on disparities for sexual offenses is lacking. This study explores disparities in case disposition, sentencing, and employment outcomes for on- and off-duty sexual misconduct cases involving sworn law enforcement. Using data from the Henry A. Wallace Police Crime Database, this study examines disposition, sentencing, and employment outcomes in relation to individual officer characteristics among police officers arrested for sexual offenses. This research aims to uncover differences in case outcomes and has implications for equitable justice, accountability, and police reform.

Poster …

An Exploratory Analysis Of The Situational Contexts That Influence On-Duty Police Fatal Shootings, Aubrey L. Hill, Eric M. Cooke, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Examining the diverse scenarios and situations underlying fatal shootings by on-duty officers charged with murder and manslaughter is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies and policy recommendations. Previous studies focus on victim characteristics but often overlook motivations and situational contexts. To address this gap, this study uses data from the Henry A. Wallace Police Crime Database to examine situational contexts of on-duty fatal shootings. Specifically, we explore how the nature of the encounter, environment, weapons and bodycam presence, and officers’ perceptions influence these events. By analyzing these factors, we aim to understand the underlying causes of fatal shootings.

Poster presented …

Examining Officer, Agency, And Victim Characteristics In On-Duty Fatal Shootings, Molly A. Whetstone, Eric M. Cooke, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study examines the characteristics of officers, agencies, and victims involved in an on-duty fatal shooting. Previous research has identified that officer gender, experience level, and victim race influence incidents but has often overlooked agency characteristics. This study uses data from the Henry A. Wallace Police Crime Database to examine the relationship between officer, agency, and victim characteristics of officers charged with murder or manslaughter resulting from an on-duty fatal shooting. This analysis aims to inform discussions that could lead to new policies and implications for police agencies.

Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association …

Studying Police Crime, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Invited presentation given at the 2024 NIJ National Research Conference on September 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, PA. Part of the "Justice Starts with Accountability: NIJ Research on Eradicating Police Crime and Misconduct" panel. Sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

Final Master's Portfolio, Savannah Packman

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

This portfolio uses Marxist and feminist film theory to analyze various forms of visual media. It analyzes Mark Mylod's film The Menu (2022), Julie Taymor's film Across the Universe (2007), the historic V-J Day Kiss photograph, and popular TikTok videos. This portfolio focuses on the impact of capitalism in the political and economic sphere. It also analyzes images of women throughout history and critiques how these images have been used to formulate the American body politic.

Putting A Slam On Alcohol Violators Through Dram- How The State Of Ohio Can Improve The Day-To-Day Safety Of Its Residents Through Dram Laws, Steven Iwanek

Honors Projects

In the realm of legal frameworks governing the service and consumption of alcohol, Dram Shop Liability Laws play a pivotal role in holding establishments accountable for the consequences of alcohol-related incidents. These laws, known as dram laws, vary across states, delineating the responsibilities of alcohol servers and establishments in preventing the overconsumption of alcohol and the resultant harm. This examination delves into a comprehensive background of dram laws, particularly focusing on their historical evolution, their present implications, and the imperative need for refinement.

As societal dynamics and patterns of alcohol consumption evolve, so too must the legislative mechanisms designed to …

A Systematic Review Of The Literature On Sexual Assault And Dating Violence Prevention Programs For Middle Schoolers And High Schoolers, Lauren Gay

Honors Projects

Adolescent sexual abuse and dating violence are serious issues that have life-changing impacts on victims. Sex education in the United States does place an emphasis on sexual assault and dating violence prevention curriculum to be provided for students. These programs have the potential to equip students with the knowledge to lead healthy relationships and prevent violent acts from happening. This review details 25 studies that provided these prevention programs to students and the impacts they had. It was found that the programs had positive impacts on preventing sexual assault and dating violence victimization and perpetration, as well as promoting healthy …

The Role Of Investigative Genetic Genealogy In The Field Of Criminal Justice, Chloe Haas

Honors Projects

Investigative genetic genealogy is an investigative method used by law enforcement to solve crimes. It involves the uploading of DNA found at a crime scene to genealogy databases to narrow down the suspect pool. The research question for this study is: Is law enforcement’s use of investigative genetic genealogy ethical? I conducted ten interviews with individuals who had a background in the Criminal Justice field, the legal field, the forensics field, and the field of genealogy to see their opinions on this topic. A majority of the participants in this study stated that they believe that law enforcement should be …

Defendant Attractiveness And Gender: A Question Of Juror Bias, Genevieve Smiley

Honors Projects

Despite the United States’ punitive reputation, many perpetrators of sexual assault are often left unprosecuted. A reason for this, among many, may be the jury’s propensity for bias due to several extralegal factors. The current study examines the ways the extralegal factors of defendant attractiveness and gender affect juror decision-making in an acquaintance sexual assault case. Mock jurors read a short summary of a sexual assault case accompanied by a randomized photograph of a defendant manipulated by attractiveness and gender. Mock jurors were then asked to give determinations of guilt and sentencing length, their perceptions of the defendant, and responsibility …