Digital Commons Network^™

Hidden In Plain Sight: A Machine Learning Approach For Detecting Prostitution Activity In Phoenix, Arizona, Edward Helderop, Jessica Huff, Fred Morstatter, Anthony Grubesic, Danielle Wallace

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Prostitution has been a topic of study for decades, yet many questions remain about where prostitution occurs. Difficulty in identifying prostitution activity is often attributed to the hidden and seemingly victimless nature of the crime. Despite numerous challenges associated with policing street prostitution, these encounters become more difficult to identify when they take place indoors, especially in locations away from public view, such as hotels. The purpose of this paper is to develop a strategy for identifying hotel facilities and surrounding areas that may be experiencing elevated levels of prostitution activity using high-volume, user-generated data, namely hotel reviews written by …

Annual Report Fy 16-17, Lindsey Wylie, Anne M. Hobbs, Erin Wasserburger, Marijana Kotlaja, Chelsea W. Harris, Juvenile Justice Institute, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Reports

Evidence-Based Nebraska

Recognizing that unnecessary formal involvement in the juvenile justice system may be contrary to the best interests and well-being of juveniles, the state of Nebraska established funds through the Community-based Juvenile Services Aid (CBA) Program for counties and tribes to use for developing programs and services (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-2404.02). The purpose of the CBA fund is to assist counties with developing intervention and prevention activities “designed to serve juveniles and deter involvement in the formal juvenile justice system” (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-2404.02 (b)). A total of 71 counties and two tribes in Nebraska received funding …

Political Action As A Function Of Grievances, Risk, And Social Identity: An Experimental Approach, Erin M. Kearns, Victor Asal, James Igoe Walsh, Christopher Federico, Anthony F. Lemieux

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Why would individuals engage in or support contentious politics? This question is challenging to answer with observational data where causal factors are correlated and difficult to measure. Using a survey-embedded experiment, we focus on three situational factors: grievances, risk, and identity. We also explore how individual differences in sociopolitical orientations—social dominance orientation (SDO) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA)—impact action. Grievances influence engagement in and support for protests. Risk influences engagement in protest, but not support for it. Regardless of condition, SDO and RWA help explain why some people engage in protest while others do not, particularly within the same context.

Faculty Senate Minutes October 2018, Uno Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

These are the official minutes of the Faculty Senate Meetings at the University of Nebraska - Omaha (UNO) for Academic year 2018-2019. The Faculty Senate supports faculty governance and believes that shared governance is essential to creating productive and rewarding environment for faculty and students. The Faculty Senate is a representative body of members elected by the faculty of the various academic departments and units of UNO. The Faculty Senate features representation from each academic college, Criss Library , and Omaha-base University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) colleges.

Executive Committee & Cabinet Minutes October 2018, Uno Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

These are the official minutes of the Faculty Senate Executive Council Meetings at the University of Nebraska - Omaha (UNO) for Academic year 2018-2019. Minutes are not posted until officially approved by the Executive Council at the following meeting. Minutes are archived yearly within the UNO Library Archives.

2018 Evaluation Report For Omaha Girls Rock – A Youth Empowerment Organization, Rachel Lubischer, Tova Hettinger, Jessica Groeneweg, Jeanette Harder

Reports

The STEPs evaluation team partnered with Omaha Girls Rock to complete an outcome evaluation of Omaha Girls Rock camps held in the summer of 2018. To accomplish the evaluation, STEPs used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The results and program recommendations are outlined below.

External Funding Bulletin, July - December 2018, Uno Office Of Research And Creative Activity

Sponsored Programs Bulletins

This bulletin features recent award recipients.

Family Separations: What Science Tells Us About Family Separations And Why All Nebraskans Should Care: Blog Post, Lissette Aliaga-Linares, Jonathan B. Santo, Juan F. Casas

Latino/Latin American Studies Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Absenteeism Interventions: An Approach For Common Definitions In Statewide Program Evaluations, Anne M. Hobbs, Marijana Kotlaja, Lindsey Wylie

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Chronic absenteeism is related to poor academic performance, delinquency, and other high-risk behaviors. Although research has found some promising interventions to reduce absenteeism, the literature lacks clarity on operationalizing absenteeism and when programs should intervene with youth who have varying absenteeism patterns. Using the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework to classify youth into tiers based on their degree of absenteeism, the present study evaluated 12 absenteeism programs, across 137 schools, with a sample of 1,606 youth as part of a statewide evaluation in which programs provided attendance data using a common measurement system. The findings indicated that youth …

Resiliency And Adolescent Motherhood In The Context Of Residential Foster Care, Autumn M. Bermea, Brad Forenxa, Heidi Adams Rueda, Michelle L. Toews

Social Work Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current study was to explore how adolescent mothers experienced pregnancy and parenthood within the context of residential foster care. Adolescent mothers in foster care are a vulnerable population although little research has explored their experiences, particularly from a resiliency framework. The present study begins to fill this gap by conducting focus group interviews with 39 adolescent mothers living in residential foster care. Using thematic analytic methodology, we uncovered themes that highlighted not only the mothers’ struggles, but also their capacities for resilience. Specifically, the mothers experienced societal stigma, parenting judgment, and challenging relationships with their child(ren)’s …

Policy Briefs Prepared For The Planning Committee Of The 105 Th Nebraska Legislature, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Presentations

Overview

1.Local Government

a.County Mergers: Evidence for Nebraska (2012)

b.City-County Consolidation: Implications for Nebraska (2012)

c.Pensions (2014)

2.Early Childhood Education for Children with All Parents in the Labor Force (2012)

3.Addressing the Long-Term Care Needs of Nebraska’s Aging Population

a.Addressing the Long-Term Care Needs of Nebraska’s Aging Population through Expanded Assistance to Caregivers (2012)

b.Cost Savings in Medical Care for the Elderly through Expanded Case Management (2012)

c.Addressing the Long-Term Care Needs of Nebraska’s Aging Population through Home and Community-Based Services (2014)

4.Water Quality

a.Challenges for Water Quality Policy in Nebraska: Short-and Long-Term (2014)

b.Policy Challenges for Drinking Water Quality …

Factors Influencing Law Enforcement Responses To Child To Parent Violence, Gaylene Armstrong, Lisa Muftic, Leana A. Bouffard

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A domestic violence incident perpetrated by a child toward his or her parent presents a challenging dynamic for law enforcement officers responding to these calls for service. To date, law enforcement responses to child to parent violence (CPV) have only been studied dichotomously (i.e., decision to arrest), and as a result, the associated complexities are not well understood. Here, we add to the understanding of individual, situational, and contextual factors that influence law enforcement response to CPV by examining 1,113 calls for service in a Midwestern state. In assessing the relative influence of these factors on responses using a multinomial …

Regulatory And Governance Impacts On Bank Risk-Taking, Karen Schnatterly, Brent B. Clark, John Howe, Michael L. Devaughn

Marketing and Management Faculty Publications

Risk in financial institutions is vitally important to regulators, policy makers, investors, and the stability of the financial system, yet some critical aspects of that risk remain poorly understood. In the case of U.S. startup banks, a critical choice that can influence risk-taking behavior is which of three regulators—with varying levels of stringency—to choose. The board of directors of the new bank makes this important decision, which may result in different risk implications, depending on board’s structure. Here, we examine banks’ risk behavior associated with the degree of board independence and the choice of regulator. We find that the regulatory …

Examining The Sources Of Violent Victimization Among Jail Inmates, Jared M. Ellison, Benjamin Steiner, Emily M. Wright

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study involves an examination of the individual- and jail-level predictors of violent victimization during short-term incarceration using data from the most recent Survey of Inmates in Local Jails and the corresponding National Jail Census. Findings suggest that individuals whose attributes make them appear more vulnerable or whose attributes antagonize others have a greater risk of violent victimization in jail. In addition, the findings suggest that jails with more stagnant inmate populations and older jails may have higher levels of violent victimization. Overall, the study results add validity to the opportunity framework as a general explanation for victimization risk regardless …

Black And Hispanic Trends In Omaha And Nebraska Panel Discussion, David J. Drozd, Lissette Aliaga-Linares, Willie Barney

CPAR Presents: A Data and Research Series for Community Impact

The demographic face of Nebraska is changing, as the population becomes more diverse. See the trends regarding educational attainment, unemployment, income/poverty, homeownership and other key factors for the state's two largest minority population groups. Learn how Omaha and Nebraska have recovered since the recession and how statistics for our local areas compare to minority population groups in other places. See the best way to calculate a state or top 100 metro area ranking on a specific measure and how you can easily compile figures by race to show disparities and how they have changed over time.

Library Resources In The Digital Age, Katie Springer, James T. Shaw, Lissette Aliaga-Linares

CPAR Presents: A Data and Research Series for Community Impact

When you need some information, your local library is a good place to start. Today's libraries may still have books and printed reference materials, but that's far from all they have to offer. From subscriptions to statistical databases, to tutorials and support in finding and accessing information, today's libraries offer a wealth of information in electronic and downloadable formats. This session, led by three experts in the field, will cover a powerful new program called Social Explorer, which allows users to access and map current and historical Census data (think American FactFinder but with data extending back further in time). …

Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Citizen Advisory Councils, Justin Nix, Scott E. Wolfe, Brandon Tregle

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the antecedents of sheriff deputies’ perceived legitimacy of their agency’s citizen advisory council (CAC).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors obtained survey data from 567 sheriff deputies in a southeastern state. The authors first asked whether respondents knew their agency had a CAC, and then asked those who responded affirmatively a series of questions about the legitimacy of the council. The authors then ran an ordinary least squares regression that included organizational justice, self-legitimacy and public scrutiny as independent variables predicting perceived legitimacy of the CAC.

Findings

Deputies who perceived greater organizational justice from …

Aboloshing 21st Century Enslavement: Capitalism's Pattern Of Labor Abuse During Economic Shifts And Restructuring (1840-Present), A Thematic Paper For The “Politics Of Getting Labor To Support The Abolition Of Capitalism” Session, R. K. Piper, Minshuai Ding

Past Publications

This paper re-examines and updates a controversial historical economic analysis, presented almost 45 years ago by Robert William Fogel1 and Stanley L. Engerman in their “Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery (1974).” The authors purported their work has two main objectives: 1) to revise an erroneous, “traditional” characterization of the slave economy and myths about black slaves themselves and 2) to apply rapid advances in economics, quantitative statistics, applied mathematics and the availability of high-speed computers to analyze large data sets, to re-examine and better understand the institution of slavery.

Prison Officer Legitimacy, Their Exercise Of Power, And Inmate Rule Breaking, Benjamin Steiner, John Wooldredge

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Prison officers are directly responsible for transmitting penal culture and prison policy to the confined, yet few studies of officers’ impact on inmate behavior have been conducted. We examined the effect of inmates’ perceptions of officer legitimacy on rule breaking within prisons, as well as the effects of officers’ reliance on different power bases on rates of rule breaking across prisons. The findings from bi-level analyses of data from inmates and officers from 33 prisons revealed that inmates who held stronger views regarding officer legitimacy committed fewer nonviolent infractions but that perceived legitimacy did not affect the number of violent …

Preventing Delinquency & Promoting Prosocial Activities, Juvenile Justice Institute, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Reports

Evidence-Based Practices Brief #2.

Recognizing the need to support youth before problem behaviors take shape, prevention programs emerged in the 1970s to address the needs of youth and families; however, these early programs were rarely rooted in either theory or research on childhood development. Consequently, programs began incorporating information gleaned from longitudinal studies to address specific risk factors identified as predictive of problem behaviors in youth. In the 1980s, prevention efforts often focused on a single problem behavior, however in the early 1990s, consensus emerged that programs should expand beyond focusing on a single problem behavior and instead examine co-occurrence …

Neighborhood Parks And Playgrounds: Risky Or Protective Contexts For Youth Substance Use?, Marijana Kotlaja, Emily M. Wright, Abigail A. Fagan

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Neighborhood parks and playgrounds are thought to reduce the stressors of disorganized urban environments by adding greenspace and fostering community cohesion, and, in doing so, may reduce crime and delinquency. Yet, they may also foster criminal behaviors, including substance use, as they can provide areas for would-be offenders to gather without surveillance or fear of being caught. This study provides one of the first examinations of the relationship between the number of parks and playgrounds in a neighborhood and adolescent substance use. To do so, we analyze data from 1,584 youth living in 76 neighborhoods in Chicago. Using multivariate, multilevel …

Examining The Association Between Massage Parlors And Neighborhood Crime, Jessica Huff, Danielle Wallace, Courtney Riggs, Charles M. Katz, David Choate

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Although massage parlors have been associated with illicit activities including prostitution, less is known about their association with neighborhood crime. Employing the Computer Automated Dispatch/Record Management System (CAD/RMS), online user review, licensing, Census, and zoning data, we examine the impact of massage parlors on crime in their surrounding neighborhoods. Using spatial autoregressive models, our results indicate the total number of massage parlors was associated with increased social disorder. The presence of illicit massage parlors in adjacent neighborhoods was associated with crime and physical disorder in the focal neighborhoods. This study has consequences for how police address crime associated with massage …

Understanding Police Officer Resistance To Body-Worn Cameras, Jessica Huff, Charles M. Katz, Vincent J. Webb

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

Body-worn cameras (BWCs) have been adopted in police agencies across the USA in efforts to increase police transparency and accountability. This widespread implementation has occurred despite some notable resistance to BWCs from police officers in some jurisdictions. This resistance poses a threat to the appropriate implementation of this technology and adherence to BWC policies. The purpose of this paper is to examine factors that could explain variation in officer receptivity to BWCs.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors assess differences between officers who volunteered to wear a BWC and officers who resisted wearing a BWC as part of a larger randomized controlled …

Exploring The Nature Of Resources And Relationships In A Multi-Stakeholder Collaborative Network, Tracie Evans Reding

Student Work

Multi-stakeholder collaborative networks (MSCNs) centered around innovative problem solving have become increasingly popular. These collaborations seek to pool the resources of the various stakeholders in order to address their common issue. The importance of the collaboration members’ awareness of one another’s resources is the basis for this study. This study developed a new analytical method in which to quantify the resource awareness of members of an MSCN and how that relates to features of the network. The MSCN that was the focal organization for this study was as STEM Ecosystem. A perceptual framework was built upon literature from diverse areas …

Risk Factor Profile Of Youth Incarcerated For Child To Parent Violence: A Nationally Representative Sample, Gaylene Armstrong, Calli Cain, Lindsey Wylie, Lisa Muftic, Leana A. Bouffard

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

Intra-familial violence occurs in many forms yet few researchers examine child to parent violence (CPV), which occurs in almost 20% of single parent homes. Studies have neither developed a risk factor profile for youth involved in the most severe cases of CPV resulting in incarceration, nor included a comparison of gender-specific correlates.

Methods

Data from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) 2003, a large-scale, nationally representative sample of justice-involved youth between the ages of 10 and 20 who were survey using a multi-stage cluster sampling procedure is utilized.

Results

Youth incarcerated for CPV are typically white and …

Organizational Correlates Of Police Deviance: A Statewide Analysis Of Misconduct In Arizona, 2000-2011, Jessica Huff, Michael D. White, Scott H. Decker

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

Many examinations of police misconduct involve case study methodologies applied to a single agency, or a handful of agencies. Consequently, there is little evidence regarding the types of misconduct across agencies, or the impact of department-level characteristics on the nature and prevalence of officer deviance. The purpose of this paper is to address this research gap using statewide data of over 1,500 charges of police misconduct filed with the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) from 2000 to 2011.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines variation in the prevalence and forms of misconduct across 100+ agencies based on agency …

Programming In Restrictive Housing: Considerations For Improving Outcome Evaluations, H. Daniel Butler, Starr Solomon, Ryan E. Spohn

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A number of studies have identified “what works” in regard to the successful implementation of correctional programming over the past several decades. Few studies, however, have examined the complexities associated with programming in restrictive housing. Using data from a Midwestern department of corrections, we examined whether the provision of programming in restrictive housing achieved desired outcomes (e.g., reductions in inmate misconduct). The findings revealed the amount of time served in restrictive housing and confinement in different types of restrictive housing may influence estimations of a treatment effect. As a growing number of states seek to reform the use of restrictive …

Opening Access: Increasing Scholarly Impact With Digitalcommons@Uno, K. M. Ehrig-Page, Yumi Ohira

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

DigitalCommons@UNO (https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/) is an Institutional Repository (IR) and an initiative implemented by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Libraries to support our UNO scholars through providing a Green Open Access solution. DigitalCommons@UNO disseminates a wide variety of scholarship including faculty papers, electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), conferences and journals. Since its launch in 2014, the UNO Libraries have been implementing and managing DigitalCommons@UNO through outreach to the UNO community in an effort to collect scholarly works into the IR.

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Is Critical For Helping Others Who Are Suffering, Janelle N. Beadle, Sergio Paradiso, Daniel Tranel

Gerontology Faculty Publications

Neurological patients with damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) are reported to display reduced empathy toward others in their daily lives in clinical case studies. However, the empathic behavior of patients with damage to the vmPFC has not been measured experimentally in response to an empathy-eliciting event. This is important because characterizing the degree to which patients with damage to the vmPFC have lower empathic behavior will allow for the development of targeted interventions to improve patients’ social skills and in turn will help family members to better understand their impairments so they can provide appropriate supports. For the …

The Society For Industrial And Organizational Psychology’S Guidelines For Education And Training: An Executive Summary Of The 2016/2017 Revision, Jennifer Lee Gibson, Stephanie C. Payne, Whitney Botsford Morgan, Joseph A. Allen

Psychology Faculty Publications

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP, Division 14 of the American Psychological Association [APA]) maintains Guidelines for Education and Training to provide guidance for the training of industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists. The 2016/2017 revision combines separate documents for master’s- and doctoral-level training into one document, because the competencies required for each degree are not very different. Instead, the degrees differ in breadth and depth. The updated Guidelines were approved as APA policy in August 2017. In this article, we briefly review the revision process and highlight the updates made in the latest version of the Guidelines. (PsycINFO Database Record …