Digital Commons Network^™

University Of Central Florida Libraries, Annual Report 2016-2017, University Libraries

Libraries' Documents

No abstract provided.

Ugh…Statistics! College Students’ Attitudes And Perceptions Toward Statistics, Drew A. Doyle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Statistics is a course that is required for a majority of undergraduate college students in a wide variety of majors. It is not just required for Statistics or Mathematics majors, but also for those undergraduate college students majoring in Biology, Engineering, Sociology, and countless other majors. It can often be seen as a daunting course, especially for those who feel that mathematics is not their strongest subject. Students begin to dislike the course before even starting and this can carry on throughout the entirety of the course. This thesis will focus primarily on students’ perceptions and attitudes toward their statistics …

Politics And The Application Of Law: Crime Construction And Police Power, Komysha Hassan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The shooting death of Michael Brown in June of 2014 by police in Ferguson, Missouri triggered massive public protests across the United States, calling attention to a wave of similar incidents thereafter, where unarmed black men have been killed at the hands of officers in a wide range of locales. The recent coverage has revealed the extent and dispersion of aggressive and, in many cases, fatal interactions between law enforcement and the public, particularly minorities. Actions by the Department of Justice and other state and local agencies have consistently focused on individual agencies and/or agents, as the cause of the …

Probation Officer Productivity: Using The Effort-Reward Imbalance Model, Brandon Presley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which workplace efforts and rewards are associated with probation officer stress, overcommitment, health, and productivity. This research uses the effort-reward imbalance model, which is an indicator of job stress, on a group of criminal justice probation officers. The probation officers completed questionnaires regarding their perceptions of health, perceived reward, perceived effort, perceptions of overcommitment, and perceived productivity. Afterward, the responses were collected, and analyses were conducted using correlation and multiple regression to determine the extent to which perceptions of effort, reward, and overcommitment effect probation officer productivity and health. …

Sexual Violence Victimization And Prescription Drug Misuse: An Analysis Using General Strain Theory, Corey Pomykacz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual violence among college women is a widespread and severe public health issue in the United States. When compared to women in the general public, collegiate women are at an increased risk of sexual violence. Sexual violence can result in damaging and long-term consequences for the victim. Consequences of sexual violence include physical injuries, psychological distress, social withdrawal, poor grades and participation in health risk behaviors. While a connection between sexual violence victimization and negative outcomes is well established, most of the research in this area is atheoretical. To address this gap in the literature this study relied on Robert …

Jail Mental Health Innovations: Factors Influencing Mental Health Services Innovations For Jails, Orville Clayton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. is recognized for uniquely high incarceration rates. Over recent decades, there has been a concurrent dramatic increase of jail detainees with mental disorders. Provision of adequate mental health services for jail inmates is constitutionally mandated, and has legal, ethical, quality of care, and fiscal implications for jails, families, communities, and detainees. Significant variation exists in the provision of mental health services across jails, and increased understanding of the factors that influence the adoption of such services may help guide jails to implement beneficial services, and ensure that such services reflect, reflect quality standards. This study used a mixed …

Intrinsic Factors Affecting Decomposition Changes In Archaeological Head Hair From Kellis 2 Cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Kathleen Cole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-mortem hair root degradation, and associated characteristics such as post-mortem root banding, brush-like ends, and hard keratin points, has remained a little understood phenomenon in the forensics discipline since its discovery in the 1800's. At present, the underlying causes of these characteristics are still unknown. In addition, there is no standardization for preparing samples for forensic or archaeological analysis. In this study, 1200 hairs from a total of 51 individuals (males, n = 22; females, n = 29) ranging in age from 16 to 60+ and interred at the Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt are examined microscopically …

Impacts Of Workplace Violence: The Role Of Inequality, Lindsey Singer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2011 the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) reported that of people who are employed and aged 16 and older, 24% of nonfatal violent incidents happened at work. To understand the magnitude of the problem, from 2005 to 2009, 572,000 nonfatal workplace crimes occurred against people aged 16 or older. Annually, the rate of workplace violence was about 5 victimizations per 1,000 employed persons aged 16 and older (Harrell 2011). The impact of crime on victims is a topic that deserves attention because it extends our understanding beyond descriptive rates of violence. Workplace victimization, like most other types of victimizations …

Black, White, And Read All Over: Exploring Racial Bias In Print Media Coverage Of Serial Rape Cases, Lauren Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The discussion of race and crime has been a long-standing interest of researchers, with statistics consistently showing an overrepresentation of non-white offenders compared to their white counterparts – specifically in relation to violent crimes such as murder and rape. Prior research has found that about 46 percent of serial rapists are black, a fact that correlates with other sensationalized violent crimes such as mass murder and serial murder. The news media are the primary sources of this kind of information for the general public, with previous studies acknowledging that the media primarily focus on discussing non-white offenders in their crime-based …

Determinants Of Terrorist Target Selection: A Quantitative Analysis, Taylor Haywood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Existing research on the subject of terrorism is vast, spanning causes of terrorism, the membership of terrorist groups, types of terrorist attacks, and more. One area of terrorism research, though, has received only limited consideration: terrorist target selection. What research does exist explains target selection almost exclusively as a function of ideology (Asal et al. 2009, 270 and 274; Drake 1998b, 54-56 and 58). However, such a limited causal focus obscures other possible, and probable, explanations of terrorist target selection. This paper proposes an alternative explanation of terrorist target selection that includes ideological and terrorist group capability variables, as well …

Planting Seeds: Life Stories Of Awakening Self-Awareness, Aixa Mendez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using real-life stories written by female offenders, Planting seeds - Life Stories of Awakening Self-Awareness seeks to identify the systematic challenges these females may have faced, that in most cases, are the root-causes of their derailment from the societal norms of conduct. Applying the concepts of community and social justice and equality as a lens, this work will attempt to corroborate, as a universal postulate, that the process of sharing life stories can have transformative effects on the individuals and that theatre techniques, such as theatre games and scripting can help identify those impediments to restoring lives. Key to the …

Illuminations Talks To Tom Cavanagh

Illuminations

Thomas B. Cavanagh, Ph.D. is Associate Vice President of Distributed Learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF). In this role he oversees UCF’s distance learning strategy, policies, and practices, including program and course design, development, and assessment. In his career, Tom has administered e-learning development for both academic (public and private) and industrial (Fortune 500, government/military) audiences. Tom’s research interests include e-learning, technical communication, and the societal influence of technology on education, training, culture, and commerce. He is also an award-winning author of several mystery novels.

The Subject Librarian Newsletter, Criminal Justice, Fall 2016, Corinne Bishop

Libraries' Newsletters

No abstract provided.

University Of Central Florida Undergraduate Catalog, 2016 - 2017, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

University Of Central Florida Graduate Catalog, 2016 - 2017, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Preventing Reincarceration Of Women With Mental Illness, Anne M. Dolmovich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Since deinstitutionalization of state hospitals began almost 50 years ago, there has been an increase in the population with mental illness seen in the prison system. A combination of factors were looked at when studying causes behind incarceration, including active symptoms of mental illness, socioeconomic status, social support systems, history of trauma, history of drug abuse, police education on mental illness, and public perspective on mental illness. This study is a literature review focusing on people with mental illness in the prison system, with particular attention to women.

It is costly to house inmates for any extended period of time. …

The Transformation And Demise Of Terrorist Organizations: Causes And Categories, Devyani M. Mehta

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the recent years, the world has experienced devastating losses due to terrorist attacks. Research in the fields of causes of terrorism is abundant, but the amount of research on the end of terrorism does not equally measure up. This paper aims to add to the research focused on analyzing the factors which cause terrorist groups to transition away from violence.

This paper introduces an original categorization of the factors which generate this transition. Factors belong to two categories: internal --decisions made by the terrorist organization, and external--actions or features pertaining to organization outside of non-terrorist organizations. These factors will …

Development Of A Definition And Measure For The Study Of Violent Mass Victimization, Mindy Weller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For decades there has been a growing body of literature and research on the topic of mass murder with no attention paid to incidents of mass violence whose death toll falls just short of the minimum three body requirement. The purpose of this study is to address this gap and develop a valid and reliable definitional measure for the future study of violent mass victimization events. A mixed methods approach was employed and consisted of assessing 1,118 news articles collected from 42 U.S. states for the years of 2009 through 2012. These articles were collapsed into a sample size of …

The Study Of The Adverse Effects Of Childhood Maltreatment, Katie A. Kennie

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the link between the presence of childhood trauma and adult criminal behavior. In this study, four distinct categories of childhood trauma (physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect) were examined. In addition, this study conducts a comparative analysis of the United States crime rate with that of Switzerland and Japan. This study examines and compares the policies utilized in ensuring the protection of child welfare. The ultimate goal is to provide research which may build a foundation that will assist in creating and improving policies which will ensure a child's psychological health.

The United Nations: The Syrian Refugee Crisis, Zahra R. Syed

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The main objective of this research paper is to analyze the international effects the Syrian Conflict has had to the global community. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has declared this conflict to be the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Millions of Syrians have fled their home country to avoid unjust persecution and are looking to not only neighboring countries, but the European Union for assistance in resettlement.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Syria in 2011, more than 220,000 people have been massacred, leaving fifty percent of the population in unrest due to home displacement. According …

The Female Human Trafficker In The Criminal Justice System: A Test Of The Chivalry Hypothesis, Brielle Francis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The involvement of women in human trafficking within the United States has received limited research attention. Human trafficking encompasses labor, sex, and organ trafficking (Roberts, 2012). In 2009 the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that women play a significant role in human trafficking. Nagel and Johnson (1994) conclude that, historically, female offenders have stayed at the edge of the criminal justice system. Generally, theories about prosecution and conviction outcomes derive from the study of male offenders. Women can be involved in all aspects of the human trafficking organizations, from the recruitment, to the supervision of prostitutes …

Early Intervention Systems: An Evaluative Review Of Their History And Use, Matthew A. Ceriale

Honors Undergraduate Theses

It is the intention of this thesis to effectively describe what is known about EI systems to date. Many sources of information are used, beginning with peer reviewed journals such as Justice Quarterly, Police Quarterly, Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Police and Society and The American Journal of Criminal Justice. Also reports from criminal justice research affiliates will be used like the National Institute of Justice and the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. This thesis will work towards creating a comprehensive outline of the history of EI and future possibilities. With the …

To Catch A Terrorist: The Improper Use Of Profiling In U.S. Post-9/11 Counterterrorism, Kamillia Crawford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11) caused thousands of deaths, national and global panic, and immediate action by the federal government to protect the borders of the United States of America (USA) from terrorism. In response to these attacks, the United States (U.S.) government enacted laws for law enforcement agencies to protect against terrorist activities. Law enforcement agencies are effective in combating terrorism, but their measures contain a major flaw - the improper use of race in profiling to address national security and public safety concerns. Racial profiling is an ineffective measure for preventing terrorism. There are solutions to …

Study And Analysis Of Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms Among Students At The University Of Central Florida, Deberly M. Anzueto

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Upper gastrointestinal symptoms can be caused by many different diseases and can present themselves in many different forms and range in intensity depending on the person. In previous research, upper gastrointestinal symptoms have been correlated with stress, smoking, alcohol intake, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), among others. The purpose of this study will be focusing on finding any association between these risk factors mention and symptoms of upper gastrointestinal disease among college students. The study will utilize an Izumo scale questionnaire for the assessment of abdominal symptoms and Quality of Life (QOL). The questionnaire was built using Survey Monkey and …

No Ground To Stand Upon?: Exploring The Legal, Gender, And Racial Implications Of Stand Your Ground Laws In Cases Of Intimate Partner Violence., Denise Crisafi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within the past decade, the use of self-defense as defined under Stand Your Ground laws has been the subject of political and legal scrutiny. According to the American Bar Association (2015), twenty-three states have passed Stand Your Ground laws that eliminate the duty to retreat prior to using force in any place that an individual has the right to be. In addition, ten states allow individuals to use or threaten to use force in public or private spaces where they have a right to be under case law (not formal statute) but maintain stricter requirements for how self-defense must be …

Patient Violence And Aggression In Non-Institutional Health Care Settings: Predictors Of Reporting By Healthcare Providers, Colleen Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is conducted to examine the factors which contribute to the reporting of incidents of violence or aggression perpetrated by patients against health care providers in non-institutional health care settings. With a theoretical foundation grounded in community science, applying stress theory, broken windows theory and the theory of reasoned action, the following cross sectional study examines the contribution of characteristics of the healthcare provider, characteristics of the patient perpetrator and the form of violence to the providers' reporting or failing to report incidents. A self-administered survey was disseminated to a sample of non-institutional healthcare providers to test the research …

K-12 Transition Framework For Students With Disabilties, Clydia Delaney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of practice that this dissertation addressed was the post-secondary transition of students with disabilities, which has garnered national and international attention for decades. This dissertation was completed to inform the educational community regarding the potential for improvement in the post-secondary transition process of students with disabilities. Multiple factors were examined related to helping students with disabilities develop appropriate skills to transition through school into personally successful, post-secondary activities and environments. A pilot study was conducted to inform a potential transition framework. Invitations to participate in an anonymous survey were sent to 741 teachers in the district via email. …

Making The Invisible Visible: Exploring The Experiences Of Black Male Professionals In Postsecondary Education, Claudine Mclaren Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College student development literature discusses the challenges faced by historically under-represented groups in college and the role that university personnel play in retaining students from these groups (Brown 2009; Hairston 2013; Kuh et al 2005). Research reveals that Black male students are retained in greater numbers when connected with Black male professionals who: 1) hold them accountable for their choices; and 2) discuss and demonstrate effective coping techniques to deal with race-based challenges that seem to convey colleges and universities are not the appropriate space for young Black men (Bonner and Bailey 2006; Harper 2012; Wynn 2007; Cuyjet 2006). Research …

An Examination Of Domestic Violence Perpetration: A Further Look Into The Gender Symmetry Debate., Michelle Parra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The influences of certain social changes and social movements, such as the feminist movement, in society introduced a violence gendered stereotype model that promoted the social idea that males are more violent than females. From the limited research, it appears that domestic violence perpetration among women differs from male domestic violence perpetration; however, research has not clarified the extent of female domestic violence perpetration and the severity of their abusive behaviors. The current research examines gender-specific intimate partner violence perpetration to determine whether attitudes toward social gender role expectations, income contribution and production, and division of labor in the household …

Female Student Services Staff Perceptions Of Safety On A State College Campus: An Exploratory Study, Catherine Chimera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the perceptions of female student services staff members' perceptions of safety on a state college campus. Through the lens of social construction theory, six staff members were interviewed about their views of safety both on and off campus. The goal of this study was to better understand how female staff members formed their perceptions of safety on campus, through social, political and cultural processes. The results of this study were that although the informants all were aware of the same threats and dangers on campus, they each had differing views …