Digital Commons Network^™

Death By A Thousand Duck Bites In A No-Man’S Land: Navigating Section 230’S Scope And Impact In A Changing Internet And World, Val Rigodon

City University of New York Law Review

Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, colloquially known as Section 230, is hailed by many as the law that created the internet. It was conceived to promote the growth of the internet by protecting internet platforms from liability for third-party speech that was out of their control. However, while the internet has changed and grown more intrusive in everyday life, Section 230 has not grown to reflect that. It has been broadened in a way that allows internet platforms to escape liability. People are not generally able to hold internet platforms accountable for harms that were …

Domestic Violence And Leave Laws: How New York Can Improve Its Leave Policies Based On The Laws Of Washington, D.C. And New Jersey, Nusrat J. Khan

City University of New York Law Review

Although intimate partner violence often starts in the privacy of one’s home, its impact spills over in almost all aspects of the victim’s life. The effects of violence are tangible – physical and emotional harm to the person and their dependents, loss of educational or employment opportunities, financial problems, interactions with the criminal justice system, and ongoing legal issues. To address the loss of employment, federal and state governments have implemented leave laws to offer job protection for victims of intimate partner violence. Leave laws are an essential aspect of employment as the ability to take leave from work provides …

The Morning After The Rockefeller Drug Laws: Carey And Cuomo Implement Mass Incarceration In New York, Lebwah-Taliah Sykes

Theses and Dissertations

After Rockefeller Drug Laws passed in New York in 1973, the proportion of drug-related incarcerations remained steady for the following decade, despite overall incarceration numbers doubling. Fiscal constraints prevented Governor Hugh Carey from fully implementing drug laws, but he reallocated resources, increased the pool of people who were subject to longer sentences, made policy changes and contributed to a climate that laid the groundwork for prison expansions under Mario Cuomo. When fiscal constraints in New York State changed, Mario Cuomo’s criminal justice policy focused on implementing Rockefeller Drug Laws, resulting in mass incarceration in New York.

What Role Does Prior Religious Beliefs Play In Cult Susceptibility: A Descriptive Study, Yasmin Ali

Student Theses

Research on cults has explored susceptibility related to seeking membership, but not the role of an individual’s prior religious beliefs in cult involvement (Almendros et al., 2007). This study aims to understand the role of prior religious beliefs to cult susceptibility—specifically, joining and remaining in a cult. This study explored participants’ prior and subsequent religious affiliations and spirituality. In addition, it investigated the relationship between prior religion type and the cult type joined, including age of induction, time involved, and gender differences.

Former cult members (N=103) of a variety of Christian and non-Christian groups were interviewed using a semi-structured interview …

Individuals Who Have Been Convicted Of A Sex Offense: Attitudes On Legislation And Policy, Brenna L. Scott

Student Theses

Sex offender legislation, both at the state and federal level, was designed to keep communities safer. However research suggests that many of these laws do not decrease recidivism and in some cases may increase risk for reoffending. Despite this there has been little movement to repeal these laws. As such, it is important to understand how the current legislation impacts individuals who have committed a sex offense and their ability to successfully reintegrate into communities post-incarceration and what if anything can be done to improve existing laws. The current study surveyed 46 individuals convicted of sex offenses about their opinions …

Making The Case For Addressing Second-Generation Gender Bias In Public Administration, Helisse Levine, Maria J. D’Agostino, Meghna Sabharwal

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Youth Musicians’ Executive Functioning And Its Impact On Emotional And Behavioral Health, Michael A. Tate

Dissertations and Theses

A growing body of neuroscience literature shows that music promotes brain development, as learning a music instrument involves multiple brain regions and neurocognitive systems. In partnership with a non-profit organization with a mission to strengthen New York City communities through music education programs, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of music training on children’s executive functioning (EF), as well as emotional and behavioral outcomes. We hypothesized that (i) children’s EF would develop more rapidly with exposure to the program; (ii) the intensity of practice would be associated with rate of growth of children’s EF, emotion regulation and behavior; (iii) …

Examining The Effect Of Object Relations And Defense Mechanisms On Interpersonal Relations In Adults With Adhd Symptoms, Cherise White

Dissertations and Theses

Impaired interpersonal functioning, often persistent from childhood through adulthood, is common in ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD such as restlessness and impulsivity may result in behaviors such as being overly talkative, interrupting or intruding on others already engaged in activities, while inattentive symptoms may result in a person being perceived as aloof, indifferent, and/or uncaring (APA, 2013; Friedman et al., 2003). As compared to adults without a history of elevated ADHD symptoms, more impaired interpersonal functioning has been found among young adults with ADHD, and this increased impairment in adults with ADHD is often a primary reason they pursue therapy (Horowitz …

Identification Of Adhd And Comorbid Disorders In Children: The Potential Role Of Minority Group Membership, Rachel H. Tayler

Dissertations and Theses

Identification of ADHD and Comorbid Disorders in Children: The potential role of minority group membership

by

Rachel Tayler, MSc, MA

Advisor: Sarah O’Neill, PhD

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects six million US children. Females, Latinx, and possibly Black children have lower rates of diagnosis than their Male and White non-Latinx peers. ADHD is behaviorally defined, and as such, clinicians' perceptions of symptoms and determination of diagnoses may be influenced by demographic factors such as race, ethnicity and sex.

This vignette study examined whether clinicians' implicit ethnic, racial, and sex biases affect diagnosis of ADHD and comorbid conditions. Psychiatry trainees and pediatricians …

Rainbow Research: Challenges And Recommendations For Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity And Expression (Sogie) Survey Design, Seth J. Meyer, Nicole M. Elias

Publications and Research

A growing number of people around the world identify, in some way, as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+); yet, these voices are noticeably absent from nonprofit research. To address issues of equity and the historic marginalization of LGBTQ+ people both societally and in the nonprofit sector, this manuscript seeks to answer the following questions: Why is it important to include sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) survey questions in nonprofit surveys? What are best practices for including SOGIE survey questions in nonprofit research? We present LGBTQ+ inclusive research strategies and suggested questions for inclusive SOGIE survey …

Organizational Practices And Second-Generation Gender Bias: A Qualitative Inquiry Into The Career Progression Of Us State-Level Managers, Maria J. D’Agostino, Helisse Levine, Meghna Sabharwal, Ai C. Johnson-Manning

Publications and Research

Ely and Meyerson’s gendered organizations framework reconceptualizes traditional gender differences defined by biology and lack of structural opportunities, to a complex set of social relations in the workplace. We apply this framework to second-generation gender bias to further understand impediments to women’s career progression in the public sector workplace. In-depth interviews of state-level administrators in U.S. public sector agencies indicate that “narratives” perpetuate second-generation gender bias that is deeply ingrained in organizational practices and policies, especially for women and women of color. This framework can be applied to future studies examining the gendered nature of organizations in different workplace settings. …

Enhancing Police Accountability And Legitimacy, Daniel L. Stageman

Publications and Research

As the institution responsible for exercising the state monopoly on violence within U.S. borders, the legitimacy of policing depends on its accountability through the democratic process. Ideally, police in a democracy are authorized by the voting public to use force in a manner that is limited, justifiable, and clearly in service of the aims of public safety and law enforcement - in other words to prevent the social harms associated with criminal behavior. A combination of factors including structural inequality, historical associations with white supremacy, and hyperlocal oversight structures present significant challenges to police legitimacy, especially in highly policed communities …

Religion As A Micro And Macro Property: Investigating The Multilevel Relationship Between Religion And Abortion Attitudes Across The Globe, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

In many countries abortion is the most contested issue being publicly discussed, in part, because it has implications for gender equality, health, family formation, and politics. Personal religious beliefs are often seen as having an important role in shaping disapproving attitudes. However, little attention has been given to the country religious context for understanding public opinion about abortion. Drawing on ideas from cultural sociology, the anti-ascetic hypothesis, and moral communities hypothesis, this study investigates the individual and country religious associations with abortion attitudes. Using hierarchical modeling techniques and survey data from over 70 nations, representing the majority of the world’s …

Using Internet-Derived Data To Measure Religion: Understanding How Google Can Provide Insight Into Cross-National Religious Differences, Amy Adamczyk, Jacqueline Scott, Steven Hitlin

Publications and Research

Internet and social media data provide new sources of information for examining social issues, but their potential for scholars interested in religion remains unclear. Focusing on cross-national religion data, we test the validity of measures drawn from Google and Twitter against well-known existing data. We find that Google Trend (GT) searches for the dominant religions’ major holidays, along with “Buddhism,” can be validated against traditional sources. We also find that GT and traditional measures account for similar amounts of variation, and the GT measures do not differ substantially from established ones for explaining several cross-national outcomes (e.g., fertility, circumcision, and …

Assessing The Benefits Of College Internships At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Amy Adamczyk, Katheryn Crawford, Yuna Kim

Publications and Research

Few studies have investigated the usefulness of internships at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). Focusing on a 4-year public university (HSI), this study examined differences between the internship and the non-internship students, and changes across the semester for development. A structured internship appears to have some value; including increased interaction with faculty outside the classroom, confidence in verbally expressing ideas, and class presentations.

Assessing Variation And Change In Newspaper Portrayals Of Muslims: The Influence Of The Trump Election And Differences Across The United States In Local And National Papers, Amy Adamczyk, Emily Greene-Colozzi, Senahan Kiyal Keles, Aida Murati

Publications and Research

Since Donald Trump’s political campaign, Americans have appeared increasingly divided over public opinion issues and US policies with the media seemingly reflecting these divisions. One of Trump’s early initiatives was the “Muslim ban,” which restricted visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries. Focusing on the portrayal of Muslims in over 900 hand coded articles, our study uses multilevel modeling techniques to examine how newspapers changed their frames and claimsmakers in discussions about Muslims before and after Trump was elected. After the election, newspapers were more likely to include government claimsmakers and an immigration frame, and were less likely to mention a radical …

Unpacking The Influence Of Islamic Religious Culture And Individual Religious Affiliation On Testing Hiv-Positive, Brittany Hayes, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

The distribution of HIV cases varies cross-nationally. We separate the influences of Islam at the macro-and micro-levels to understand the role of religion in shaping the spread of HIV. Drawing on biomarker data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, we construct a multilevel database (Individual N= 568,476; Country N= 30). We examine a series of national-and individual-level predictors that may mediate the relationship between Islam and testing HIV-positive. Individual religious affiliation and proportion Muslim retained their risk-reducing effects even when accounting for a range of mediators and suppressors. Islam has a sui generis effect on testing HIV-positive.

When And How Does Anti-Semitism Occur? The Different Trigger Mechanisms Associated With Different Types Of Criminal And Non-Criminal Hate Incidents, Matteo Vergani, Dan Goodhard, Rouven Link, Amy Adamczyk, Joshua D. Freilich, Steven Chermak

Publications and Research

We used data from an Australian community register to build a database containing 673 incidents, including both criminal and non-criminal anti-Semitic acts that occurred between October 2013 and September 2017. We conducted bivariate and multivariate analyses to explore the differences in the types of incidents associated with different trigger events. Using time series methods, we found a significant increase in criminal (but not in non-criminal) incidents during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict. During Jewish religious festivals, we found a significant decrease in criminal incidents, and a significant increase in non-criminal incidents. After the establishment of the neo-nazi group Antipodean Resistance, we …

Which Libraries Are Open?: How To Quickly Map Library Reopening Statuses And Service Updates Using Carto, Karen Okamoto

Publications and Research

This article outlines how libraries can quickly map library information such as location and service updates using the free version of CARTO, an online mapping platform that provides both free and subscription-based accounts. Institutions with multiple library locations and different COVID-19 site reopening statuses can quickly map which library locations are open, partially opened, or closed and indicate what services are currently available. Mapping this data requires minimal technical expertise and time. The map itself can be helpful for patrons, librarians, and staff .

The Invisible Us Fire Problem, Danielle Antonellis, Sandra Vaiciulyte, Brian Meacham, Charles R. Jennings

Publications and Research

The report addresses the problem of fire safety across various housing types and the market dynamics of housing quality, regulation, and availability. The report also addresses the issue of substandard housing, ranging from rough sleeping through poorly maintained housing, including illicit and informal housing arrangements.

Statistics on the magnitude of the problem are difficult to acquire, but anecdotal evidence appears across many settings. The report explores the relationship between regulatory blind spots, ambiguous application of existing fire safety regimes, and informality.

These conditions create a population at high risk of fire -- insecurely and vulnerably sheltered population -- the invisible …

The Survey That Was Used For The Study “Possible Causes Of Leaks In The Transfer Pipeline: Student Views At The 19 Colleges Of The City University Of New York”, Alexandra Logue, Yoshiko Oka, David Wutchiett, Kerstin Gentsch, Stephanie Abbeyquaye

Publications and Research

Survey used for the study resulting in this article: Logue, A. W., Oka, Y., Wutchiett, D., Gentsch, K., & Abbeyquaye, S. (2022). Possible causes of leaks in the transfer pipeline: Student views at the 19 colleges of The City University of New York. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice.

Publisher version of article: https://doi.org/10.1177/15210251221117276

Accepted manuscript version of article: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_pubs/901

Conceptualization, Implementation, And Management Of The New York City Mayor’S Action Plan For Neighborhood Safety, Wogod Alawlaqi, Nicole Alexander, Rebecca Balletto, Justice Banks, Jeffrey A. Butts, Patricia A. Cobar, Edda S. Fransdottir, Jason Szkola, Kathleen A. Tomberg, Anthony Vega

Publications and Research

This research report presents the findings from the implementation assessment of the NYC Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP). Researchers from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice relied on an assortment of evaluation data to identify outcome differences between MAP communities and the matched set of comparison communities. Using administrative and survey data, researchers tested relationships between the various efforts of MAP and key outcomes expected to result from those efforts. Information obtained through interviews and observations provided context to understand the evolution and implementation of MAP. The investigation provided policymakers with important information about the possible effectiveness …

Evaluating A Test For Shedding Propensity Using Tape Lifts From Different Skin Locations, Xiao M. Chen

Student Theses

The shedding propensity of a person can assist data interpretation in casework when assessing the possibility of passive transfer for DNA analysis. Past studies on shedding propensity evaluated palmar skin (washed and unwashed) deposits. This study compared different skin locations with respect to shedding propensity, and explored the potential of tape-lifts as a skin surface collection method. Eight different skin types and samples were collected with adhesive tape disks from 28 participants over three non-consecutive days; the washed and unwashed fingers from both hands, toe, and arm, neck below ear, and nape. Samples were extracted, quantified, amplified, genotyped, and evaluated …

Reproducibility Of Individual Dna Deposits Detected Through Cellular Fluorescence, Natalee Small-Davidson

Student Theses

Contact traces are an important part of DNA casework, but the probative value of any identified associations depends on the possibility of passive transfer. There is known individual variation in DNA left behind during contact, this DNA shedding propensity has an effect on whose DNA is detected. This study evaluated this variability using a cell staining approach. Volunteers were asked to deposit a fingerprint on a clean glass slide, then wash their hands and deposit a second fingerprint after a 30-minute wait without touching anything. Three sets of samples were collected over three consecutive weeks. Fingerprints were stained with a …

The Trial Of Anthony Sims, Jeff Winter

Capstones

This capstone is an investigation into the wrongful conviction of Anthony Sims.

Caught In A Whirlwind: How A 17-Year-Old Received 50-To-Life For An Arson He Claims He Did Not Commit, Anna Deen

Capstones

Shortly after turning 17, Robert Webster was arrested for firebombing a drug witness’s home in Jamaica, Queens at the height of the crack epidemic in 1987. Convicted as a juvenile, he was sentenced 50-to-life for causing minor burns and property damage after the arson was linked, in the public eye, to the subsequent assassination of a young police officer.

Having maintained his innocence since the day of his arrest, Webster is now seeking clemency.

https://annadeen2.github.io/capstone/

New York State Prison Visit Guide, Carla Canning

Capstones

Visiting a prison facility requires a person to know a lot of information and follow many rules, they must do this while navigating complex emotions around seeing their loved one and interacting with corrections officers.

This project is a website guide to visiting New York State prison facilities, drawing upon information from family members who visit loved ones frequently and have experience with the system and documents from the department of corrections.

www.nysprisonvisitguide.com

New York’S First Supervised Safe Injection Sites Are A First Of Its Kind In The United States, Jason Gonzalez

Capstones

During the 1980s, the HIV epidemic grew worse each year. The virus is easily spread through shared injection needles. In 1985, activists in New York learned of a solution utilized in Amsterdam, where the municipal health system established a needle exchange program that distributed more than 100,000 needles.

De La Discriminación A La Descriminalización: El Camino De Las Mujeres Transgénero De Queens Por Sus Derechos Laborales Como Trabajadoras Sexuales, Bruce Gil, Sara Herschander, Juanita Ramos

Capstones

Una mirada a la legislación propuesta que despenalizaría el trabajo sexual en la ciudad de Nueva York a través de las historias de las trabajadoras sexuales inmigrantes transgénero que se están organizando en Queens, Nueva York.

http://trabajadorxssexuales.tilda.ws

The Influence Of Comorbid Gad On Er Utilization In Urban Youth With Asthma, David A. Karpe

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature indicates a strong association between asthma and the early onset of comorbid generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in minors and their primary caregivers. Studies show that asthma prevalence increases with certain demographic factors, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and housing quality. Evidence also suggests that GAD influences decision-making, especially when deciding to utilize emergency room (ER) services for asthma-related concerns. This study analyzed the effect of comorbid GAD on minors with asthma and ER utilization. The data were provided by an earlier Stress & Justice Study (S&J) baseline survey, an investigation aimed at understanding the impact of parental criminal …