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Quantifying Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Via Alkalinity Enhancement Across Circulation Regimes Using Ecco-Darwin And 1d Models, Kay Suselj, Dustin Carroll, Daniel Whitt, Bridget Samuels, Dimitris Menemenlis, Hong Zhang, Nate Beatty, Anna Savage Jul 2025

Quantifying Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Via Alkalinity Enhancement Across Circulation Regimes Using Ecco-Darwin And 1d Models, Kay Suselj, Dustin Carroll, Daniel Whitt, Bridget Samuels, Dimitris Menemenlis, Hong Zhang, Nate Beatty, Anna Savage

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) is emerging as a viable method for removing anthropogenic (Formula presented.) emissions from the atmosphere to mitigate climate change. To achieve substantial carbon reductions, OAE would need to be deployed at scale across the global ocean. Hence, there is a need to quantify how the efficiency of OAE varies globally across a range of space-time scales in preparation for field deployments. Here we develop a marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) efficiency evaluation framework based on the data-assimilative ECCO-Darwin ocean biogeochemistry model, which separates and quantifies two key factors over seasonal to multi-annual timescales: (a) mCDR potential, …

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Data And Ai Mystification: Ownership, Control, And Financialization In The Platform, Andrew W. Alexander Jul 2025

Data And Ai Mystification: Ownership, Control, And Financialization In The Platform, Andrew W. Alexander

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The social relation between the platform and its users is defined by engagement with digital infrastructures and the rendition of this engagement into data. User-data, however, are surrounded by regulatory and legal ambiguities as they are not accounted for as intangible assets and their ownership and control are not transparent. I investigate how platforms rectify these ambiguities to realize user-data value as codified capital through an intensive case study of two major platforms. I use qualitative content analysis (QCA) to analyze annual and earnings reports, terms of service (ToS) agreements, and internal documents from 2017 through 2023 with qualitative data …

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Santa, Socials, And Secrets: Hard Cases For Epistemic Rights, Étienne Brown, Rebecca Chan Jun 2025

Santa, Socials, And Secrets: Hard Cases For Epistemic Rights, Étienne Brown, Rebecca Chan

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In The Right to Know, Lani Watson forcefully argues in favor of recognizing epistemic rights to all humans. In this paper, we apply Watson’s framework to three hard cases. First, we consider interpersonal relationships and suggest that there is room to explore how epistemic rights bear on, e.g., whether parents can permissibly lie to or mislead their children by asserting the existence of Santa Claus. Second, we turn to social media platforms and contend that Watson’s framework is compatible with contrasting moderation policies and transparency requirements. Third, we examine a foundational case of legal ethics—the buried bodies case—which raises the …

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The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Ecojustice And Ethics, Vishnu S. Pendyala Jun 2025

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Ecojustice And Ethics, Vishnu S. Pendyala

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has attained human-level performance in tasks like text summarization, machine translation, and code generation while handling multimodal data. Despite these advances, AI poses challenges such as generating false or biased outputs, causing discrimination, and exhibiting opaque decision-making processes that hinder bias mitigation. Additionally, training large language models (LLMs) for AI consumes substantial energy and can enable autonomous warfare, posing a threat to eco-justice, and raising sustainability concerns. Their ability to create realistic content poses the risk of misuse and perpetuating misinformation. This article addresses these ethical issues and presents solutions through regulation and technology, with examples of …

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Orientation-Independent Bubble Trap With Internal Partition For Robust Operation Of Microfluidic Systems, Bhavagyna Vegunta, Charmaine Lui, Max Kim, Joshua Tran, Maya Papez, Anand K. Ramasubramanian, Sang Joon John Lee Jun 2025

Orientation-Independent Bubble Trap With Internal Partition For Robust Operation Of Microfluidic Systems, Bhavagyna Vegunta, Charmaine Lui, Max Kim, Joshua Tran, Maya Papez, Anand K. Ramasubramanian, Sang Joon John Lee

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

A new monolithic bubble trap has been developed with a unique, orientation-independent design. The bubble trap has a spherical cavity and a central partition with internal passages that eliminate air bubbles effectively for extended periods of time. Flow testing was performed in a closed-loop microfluidic system to demonstrate effectiveness and robustness of the bubble trap. Flow rate was continually monitored on a stationary benchtop and also in simulated microgravity conditions on a 3-D random positioning machine. Data collected from flow sensors placed fore and aft of the bubble trap confirmed that randomly occurring bubbles were effectively eliminated by the trap …

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Candidate Dark Galaxy-2: Validation And Analysis Of An Almost Dark Galaxy In The Perseus Cluster, Dayi Li, Qing Liu, Gwendolyn M. Eadie, Roberto G. Abraham, Francine R. Marleau, William E. Harris, Pieter Van Dokkum, Aaron J. Romanowsky, Shany Danieli, Patrick E. Brown, Alex Stringer Jun 2025

Candidate Dark Galaxy-2: Validation And Analysis Of An Almost Dark Galaxy In The Perseus Cluster, Dayi Li, Qing Liu, Gwendolyn M. Eadie, Roberto G. Abraham, Francine R. Marleau, William E. Harris, Pieter Van Dokkum, Aaron J. Romanowsky, Shany Danieli, Patrick E. Brown, Alex Stringer

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Candidate Dark Galaxy-2 (CDG-2) is a potential dark galaxy consisting of four globular clusters (GCs) in the Perseus cluster, first identified in D. Li et al. through a sophisticated statistical method. The method searched for overdensities of GCs from a Hubble Space Telescope (HST) survey targeting Perseus. Using the same HST images and new imaging data from the Euclid survey, we report the detection of extremely faint but significant diffuse emission around the four GCs of CDG-2. We thus have exceptionally strong evidence that CDG-2 is a galaxy. This is the first galaxy detected purely through its GC population. Under …

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Large Language Models For Quantitative Analysis Of Statutory Stringency And Its Correlation With Sexual Assault Crime Rates, Samhita Konduri, Vishnu S. Pendyala Jun 2025

Large Language Models For Quantitative Analysis Of Statutory Stringency And Its Correlation With Sexual Assault Crime Rates, Samhita Konduri, Vishnu S. Pendyala

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Sexual assault (SA) crimes are among the most important issues for our current society to solve, with these crimes in particular having long-term consequences on victims and their communities. To solve this issue, one approach is to make laws and penalties for these crimes stricter. However, there have not been any studies on the relationship between stricter penalties and lower crime rates, especially about SA crimes, in a quantitative manner. The biggest barrier to conducting a quantitative study on the strictness of laws and statutes is the lack of a standardized measure of how strict a legal text is. This …

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Volume 151, Issue 151, 2018, Megan Alfaro, Ursula K. Le Guin, Ahmed Moneim, Keenan Norris, Meg Tinsley, T.C. Boyle, Willy Lizarraga, Sophie Anne Berti, Sativa January, Susan Lowell, Brian Barrientez Ii, Steve H. Vu, Ellen Bass, James K. Zimmerman, Cb Follett, Joyce Schmid, James Brasfield, Meredith Davies Hadaway, Gustavo Hernandez, Marin Nelson, Silvia Bonilla, Katherine Morgan, Tommy Mouton, Sally Ashton, Anna Bernstein, Genevieve Deguzman, Suzanne Rico, Peyton Harvey, William Finnegan, Margaret Mcmullan, Don George, Clare Frank, Grace Schaffer, Robert D. Kirvel, Kelly Grogan, Kelley Jhung, Marisa Murrow, Terry Phimister, Sharon Simonson, Susan Shillinglaw, Talia Adry, Noelle Brada-Williams Jun 2025

Volume 151, Issue 151, 2018, Megan Alfaro, Ursula K. Le Guin, Ahmed Moneim, Keenan Norris, Meg Tinsley, T.C. Boyle, Willy Lizarraga, Sophie Anne Berti, Sativa January, Susan Lowell, Brian Barrientez Ii, Steve H. Vu, Ellen Bass, James K. Zimmerman, Cb Follett, Joyce Schmid, James Brasfield, Meredith Davies Hadaway, Gustavo Hernandez, Marin Nelson, Silvia Bonilla, Katherine Morgan, Tommy Mouton, Sally Ashton, Anna Bernstein, Genevieve Deguzman, Suzanne Rico, Peyton Harvey, William Finnegan, Margaret Mcmullan, Don George, Clare Frank, Grace Schaffer, Robert D. Kirvel, Kelly Grogan, Kelley Jhung, Marisa Murrow, Terry Phimister, Sharon Simonson, Susan Shillinglaw, Talia Adry, Noelle Brada-Williams

Reed Magazine

No abstract provided.

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Using Presence Circles To Identify Strategies To Enhance Nurse Presence At Discharge: A Focus Group Study With Nursing Students, Marie C. Haverfield, Sara Nayeem, Meaghan Sterk, Stacy Demertzis, Deborah Szeto, Robin Whitney Jun 2025

Using Presence Circles To Identify Strategies To Enhance Nurse Presence At Discharge: A Focus Group Study With Nursing Students, Marie C. Haverfield, Sara Nayeem, Meaghan Sterk, Stacy Demertzis, Deborah Szeto, Robin Whitney

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background: Nurse communication of patient needs at discharge is critical to ongoing care, but system-level demands often prohibit comprehensive discharge conversations. Caregivers of discharged patients frequently report feeling underprepared to meet patient needs. Meaningful interpersonal encounters, or presence, are known to enhance clinical interactions amidst system-level demands, which could help improve caregiver preparedness and patient care. Purpose: To explore and synthesize examples of nurse presence during discharge conversations through Presence Circles (structured focus groups) to provide recommendations for enhancing high-quality information at discharge. Methods: In a secondary analysis of data from a larger study based on the Nurse Presence Framework, …

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In Vitro Comparison Of Two Python-Based Programs For The Automated Analysis Of Tight-Junction Phenotype In Brain Endothelium During Bacterial Infection, Henry D. Mauser, Janessa Caroza, Shane Nicole Homez, Alyssa S. Arnett, William D. Cutts, Daryl W. Lam, Justin Thornton, Walter Adams, Brandon J. Kim Jun 2025

In Vitro Comparison Of Two Python-Based Programs For The Automated Analysis Of Tight-Junction Phenotype In Brain Endothelium During Bacterial Infection, Henry D. Mauser, Janessa Caroza, Shane Nicole Homez, Alyssa S. Arnett, William D. Cutts, Daryl W. Lam, Justin Thornton, Walter Adams, Brandon J. Kim

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Tight junction complexes are crucial features of brain endothelial cells, as they restrict the paracellular route across the blood–brain barrier. Tight junction disruption has been observed in conjunction with numerous diseases of the CNS. In such cases, the organization or integrity of cell–cell junctions may be analyzed with a variety of automated computer programs that quantitatively assess junction images. Here, we directly compare two previously developed python-based programs—JAnaP and IJOQ— for the semi- or fully automated analysis of tight junctions in human stem cell-derived brain-like endothelial cells. Cells were infected with S. pneumoniae and S. agalactiae to initiate junction disruption, …

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The ‘Double-Exposure’ Of Riverine Communities In Northeast India To Dams And Climate Change, Costanza Rampini Jun 2025

The ‘Double-Exposure’ Of Riverine Communities In Northeast India To Dams And Climate Change, Costanza Rampini

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

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Development Of An Hplc-Light Scattering Method For The Quantification Of Dicyclohexylamine In Beeswax, Joseph J. Pesek, Maria T. Matyska-Pesek, Tanya Hiltz, Jason Hall Jun 2025

Development Of An Hplc-Light Scattering Method For The Quantification Of Dicyclohexylamine In Beeswax, Joseph J. Pesek, Maria T. Matyska-Pesek, Tanya Hiltz, Jason Hall

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

An excipient present in commercial formulations of fumagillin (an antibiotic used in apiculture for the control of Nosema disease) toxic dicyclohexylamine is found in beeswax samples. There is a need for a reliable analytical method without the use of MS for analysis of this compound. A reversed-phase gradient method was developed for the analysis using a simple extraction procedure followed by low temperature elimination of interfering compounds. Since dicyclohexylamine is lacking a chromophore, an evaporative light scatter detector was used in this analysis. Several challenges of quantitative analysis using an evaporative light scatter detector were addressed. The reported method was …

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Holotomographic Microscopy Reveals Label-Free Quantitative Dynamics Of Endothelial Cells During Endothelialization, William D. Leineweber, Gabriela Acevedo Munares, Christian Leycam, Raul Michael, Juliette Noyer, Patrick Jurney Jun 2025

Holotomographic Microscopy Reveals Label-Free Quantitative Dynamics Of Endothelial Cells During Endothelialization, William D. Leineweber, Gabriela Acevedo Munares, Christian Leycam, Raul Michael, Juliette Noyer, Patrick Jurney

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Holotomograhic microscopy (HTM) has emerged as a non-invasive imaging technique that offers high-resolution, quantitative 3D imaging of biological samples. This study explores the application of HTM in examining endothelial cells (ECs). HTM overcomes the limitations of traditional microscopy methods in capturing the real-time dynamics of ECs by leveraging the refractive index (RI) to map 3D distributions label-free. This work demonstrates the utility of HTM in visualizing key cellular processes during endothelialization, wherein ECs anchor, adhere, migrate, and proliferate. Leveraging the high resolution and quantitative power of HTM, we show that lipid droplets and mitochondria are readily visualized, enabling more comprehensive …

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Protecting Traditional Cultural Expressions: Law, Indigenous Protocols, Library Practices, Ulia Gosart, Valmaine Toki, Susan Townzen May 2025

Protecting Traditional Cultural Expressions: Law, Indigenous Protocols, Library Practices, Ulia Gosart, Valmaine Toki, Susan Townzen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study responds to contemporary international policy developments focused on protecting Indigenous creative work classified as Traditional Cultural Expressions. The study claims that states’ interests continue to guide policies in this area, compromising the relationship between regulations and the aspirations and needs of Indigenous communities. The study uses comparative methodology and content analysis to develop this argument. The study also highlights the significance of partnerships between Indigenous communities and cultural institutions that may function as alternative means to protect Indigenous creative works. The study explores cases from Indigenous communities and cultural institutions in New Zealand, the USA, and Mexico to …

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Variability In Undergraduate Academic Stress: The Role Of Ethnicity, Early Adverse Family Experiences, And Psychological Distress, Teresa Mejia, Elana B. Gordis, Mitch Earleywine, Li Shen Chong May 2025

Variability In Undergraduate Academic Stress: The Role Of Ethnicity, Early Adverse Family Experiences, And Psychological Distress, Teresa Mejia, Elana B. Gordis, Mitch Earleywine, Li Shen Chong

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Early adverse family experiences (e.g., abuse, neglect, and family conflict) can create vulnerabilities that can alter the association between psychological distress and academic stress, particularly for some ethnic groups. This study examined whether the link between psychological distress and academic stress varies in the presence of early adverse family experiences across ethnic groups. Participants (N = 284, 38.4% male, 59.5% female, 1% non-binary, and 0.7% transgender, 56.5% European American, 15.6% African American, 12.6% Hispanic and Latino, 8.5% Asian, 6.8% Mixed/Biracial) self-reported psychological distress, early adverse family experiences, and perception of academic stress. Regression analyses revealed a three-way interaction between adverse …

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Getting Boxed In: How Race And Gang Labeling Shape Solitary Confinement Use, Rebecca Tublitz, Keramet Reiter, Dallas Augustine, Melissa Barragan, Kelsie Chesnut, Gabriela Gonzalez, Natalie Pifer, Justin Strong May 2025

Getting Boxed In: How Race And Gang Labeling Shape Solitary Confinement Use, Rebecca Tublitz, Keramet Reiter, Dallas Augustine, Melissa Barragan, Kelsie Chesnut, Gabriela Gonzalez, Natalie Pifer, Justin Strong

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Restrictive housing imposes isolation in austere conditions on people who commit serious rule violations or are too dangerous (or endangered) to house in the general prison population. We contribute to a growing body of scholarship analyzing restrictive housing placements, asking how gang membership, race/ethnicity, and misconduct interact to predict placement and lengths of stay. We integrate analysis of qualitative interviews with a random sample of 106 people in long-term solitary confinement in 2017 with analysis of 15 years of administrative data, both from Washington state prisons. We find that official gang labels “stick” to people, amplifying their risk of solitary …

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San Jose Urban Forest – An Open-Source Tree Canopy Surveying And Assessment Tool, Martin Alvarez Lopez, Manan Choksi, Sai Yaaminie Ganda, Vaibhavi Hiteshkumar Savani, Bernardo Flores May 2025

San Jose Urban Forest – An Open-Source Tree Canopy Surveying And Assessment Tool, Martin Alvarez Lopez, Manan Choksi, Sai Yaaminie Ganda, Vaibhavi Hiteshkumar Savani, Bernardo Flores

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The accurate monitoring of tree canopy coverage is crucial for social and environmental studies as well as city planning. Our goal is to provide a solution that utilizes available resources like yearly aerial imagery to generate tree data to track all tree canopy within a city such as San Jose, CA. By utilizing open-source software and publicly available data, we streamlined the process by eliminating the need for expensive equipment and time-consuming manual efforts associated with traditional methods. The methodology involves the conversion of aerial imagery datasets into geo-referenced TIFF format through a resampling process. To optimize efficiency, we strategically …

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Domain-Specific Aspect Extraction For Product Design, Divyam Sobti, Mahima Agumbe Suresh, Cristina Tortora, Vimal Viswanathan May 2025

Domain-Specific Aspect Extraction For Product Design, Divyam Sobti, Mahima Agumbe Suresh, Cristina Tortora, Vimal Viswanathan

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

As technology advances, computers become increasingly proficient at interpreting and translating human language into machine-understandable text. With the help of algorithms in natural language processing (NLP), machines can now translate textual data. These algorithms help identify and extract specific text components known as aspects. The aspects represent specific attributes or topics within textual data. For instance, if a product review states, “This phone has good battery life but poor camera quality, " and attributes like 'battery life' and 'camera quality' represent aspects in the text. Aspect extraction is a pivotal process involving identifying and isolating key features or topics within …

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The Effectiveness Of Empowerment Versus Fear Messaging On Sugary Beverage Consumption Intentions Among Young Adult Latinas, Mi Zhou, A. Susana Ramírez, Dean Schillinger, Sandie Ha, Deepti Chittamuru May 2025

The Effectiveness Of Empowerment Versus Fear Messaging On Sugary Beverage Consumption Intentions Among Young Adult Latinas, Mi Zhou, A. Susana Ramírez, Dean Schillinger, Sandie Ha, Deepti Chittamuru

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Excessive sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption poses a significant public health concern, particularly among historically marginalized populations targeted by industry marketing. This study compares the effectiveness of empowerment-based versus fear-based messaging on individual sugary beverage consumption intention and critical health literacy among Latinas aged 18 to 29 years (N = 231). Participants were randomized online to view either an empowerment-based video highlighting the risks of sugary beverage consumption and the beverage industry’s manipulative practices or a usual care fear-based video centering on individual behaviors and risks. Between- and within-subject analyses were conducted using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and repeated ANOVA. Results …

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Chains Of Equity: How Nationwide Injunctions Are Unconstitutional, Irfan Mohamed May 2025

Chains Of Equity: How Nationwide Injunctions Are Unconstitutional, Irfan Mohamed

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Since the early judicial beginnings in the English Courts of Chancery, the principles of equity have guided judicial remedies for centuries. Modern American courts inherited these principles through reception statutes passed by newly independent states, which adopted English common law, including the concept of equity as a means of providing narrowly tailored remedies to resolve specific injuries. This paper examines the historical foundations of equity and argues that nationwide injunctions, which extend beyond the immediate litigants to affect the general public, are inconsistent with these principles and, therefore, unconstitutional. A historical and doctrinal analysis of the English Court of Chancery, …

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The Case Against Police Militarization: Stop Turning Police Into Soldiers, Kenia A. Silva Garcia May 2025

The Case Against Police Militarization: Stop Turning Police Into Soldiers, Kenia A. Silva Garcia

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This paper will critically explore police militarization in the United States, highlighting its origins, implications, and the urgent need to demilitarize them. The rise of militarized police forces began in the 1960s—the War on Drugs and federal programs that allowed military equipment to be transferred to local police departments made their expansion even more possible. Due to this expansion, this paper discusses that police should not be militarized because it increases violence, disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly racial minorities, and ultimately fails to reduce crime. Evidence suggests that militarized police forces foster systemic inequalities that are rooted in historical racism—a …

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Understanding Deviance Through General Strain Theory: A Study Of The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping, Yazmin Robles May 2025

Understanding Deviance Through General Strain Theory: A Study Of The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping, Yazmin Robles

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The following paper demonstrates the validity of Robert Agnew’s general strain theory. In particular, the paper thoroughly examines empirical support for general strain theory, applies the theory to the infamous 1976 Chowchilla bus kidnapping, and introduces policy recommendations. The paper finds support, limitations, and suggestions for general strain theory through qualitative literature analysis. Clear connections are made between the empirical findings of the theory and the motivation behind the kidnapping. In particular, the paper highlights the significance of financial strain, emotions, and opportunity as motivators in the Chowchilla case. Policy recommendations are made in connection with the theory application to …

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How Mass Incarceration Has Destroyed African American Communities, Angeliki Karvounis May 2025

How Mass Incarceration Has Destroyed African American Communities, Angeliki Karvounis

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Beginning with the “Tough on Crime” movement of the 1970s, policies such as mandatory minimums, the War on Drugs, and the Three Strikes law have reinforced racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Multiple historical and systemic factors have contributed to the disproportionate imprisonment of African American individuals. This paper explores the long-term consequences of incarceration, including the erosion of family structures, the economic marginalization of affected communities, and the perpetuation of poverty and crime. The repercussions of parental incarceration on children and the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals seeking reintegration into society are examples of the long-term consequences …

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Human Trafficking: An Examination Of Policies And The Impact Of Trafficking On Victims, Hannah Lyons May 2025

Human Trafficking: An Examination Of Policies And The Impact Of Trafficking On Victims, Hannah Lyons

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Human trafficking is a pervasive and complex global issue that involves the exploitation of individuals. While there is also the trafficking of objects, this study solely focuses on sexual exploitation and forced labor of humans. This paper defines trafficking and examines the impact that trafficking has on victims’ physical and mental health. This paper also examines the intersection of human trafficking and policies designed to combat it, focusing on the effectiveness of legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms. By analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of current anti-trafficking laws and initiatives, the paper explores how policies can be improved to better address …

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The Rape Kit Backlog: Problems And Solutions, Tracey Cao May 2025

The Rape Kit Backlog: Problems And Solutions, Tracey Cao

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This literature review examines the ongoing issue of rape kit backlog in the United States. Rape kits are a means of evidence collection from victims of sexual assault that can be used in court. Across the nation, many state jurisdictions have hundreds and thousands of rape kits left untested and locked away in storage facilities. Consent for testing, police bias, and funding issues are the main issues that will be addressed. Many victims choose not to have their kits tested. Other kits never get tested due to police choosing not to submit a kit due to their bias against some …

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Detection Canines: An Insight Into Investigative Working Dogs, Adriana Pliego May 2025

Detection Canines: An Insight Into Investigative Working Dogs, Adriana Pliego

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

In a comprehensive exploration of detection canines, this paper aims to research the depth of their utilization by many investigative agencies and fields. A relevant case is discussed to present the application of detection canines and how they are useful for investigative measures. Shedding light into the various components of detection canines, this paper will discuss desirable canine characteristics that are sought out. On the other hand, undesirable characteristics are also discussed to inform recruiters of which attributes they should opt out of. This paper continues to discuss the roles and capabilities of detection canines given their unique potential. Then, …

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Comparative Analysis Of Forensic Science Systems: Scotland Vs. America, Alec Noland May 2025

Comparative Analysis Of Forensic Science Systems: Scotland Vs. America, Alec Noland

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Forensic science plays an important role in the justice system of both the United States and Scotland, but the structure, application, and effectiveness differ significantly. This research paper presents a comparative analysis of forensic science in two different legal and institutional contexts, examining differences between the two forensic science systems. This includes forensic laboratories and services, education and training, policing, court procedures, legal framework, and crime scene investigation. The analysis highlights significant differences such as Scotland’s centralized system versus America’s decentralized system, which impacts resource allocation and standardization for forensic science. Despite major differences, both countries emphasize scientific reliability, standardized …

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The Lasting Effects Of Gun Violence On Victims And Communities, Anthony Do May 2025

The Lasting Effects Of Gun Violence On Victims And Communities, Anthony Do

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Gun violence is a pressing public health and criminal justice issue with lasting effects on victims, families, and communities in the United States. The psychological impact of gun violence can contribute to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and sleep deprivation. The issues are pronounced within marginalized or disadvantaged neighborhoods. The emergence of 3D-printed “ghost guns” presents further complications in the effort to regulate firearms. The United States stands out for its disproportionately high rates of firearm deaths. The findings in this paper highlight the urgent need for comprehensive prevention strategies that address both the current and future impacts …

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The Normalization Of Clandestine Graves In Mexico, Alejandra Vela May 2025

The Normalization Of Clandestine Graves In Mexico, Alejandra Vela

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Clandestine graves are increasing at an alarming rate in Mexico, as cartels fight for dominance over the wealthiest territories. Those who fall victim to cartels are brutally tortured into submission or are murdered and disposed of. These graves are the preferred method of body disposal by the cartels. By disposing of various victims in hidden locations, the cartels seek to erase the existence of these individuals. Victims are reduced to only bone fragments and ash. Friends and family of those who have gone missing have created a large search organization, Madres Buscadoras, to combat the helplessness of authorities. Madres Buscadoras …

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Incorporating Specialized Courses On The Prevention Of Sexual Misconduct In Policing Academies, Nina Nguyen May 2025

Incorporating Specialized Courses On The Prevention Of Sexual Misconduct In Policing Academies, Nina Nguyen

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

A major problem within law enforcement is police sexual misconduct (PSM), where law enforcement officers commit sexual offenses while using the power of their position. Bonds of loyalty and trust between fellow officers are strong enough that offenders have no worries about being reported, even if they are caught. Studies have shown that most offending officers were new to the field or recently completed their training at a policing academy. Since many of the officers committing PSM were fresh out of their training, it indicates that the academy is not training its recruits properly on topics of sexual assault and …

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