Digital Commons Network^™

Reporting Sexual Violence: The Victim's Right To Protection And Justice, Nada Shehata

Theses and Dissertations

Incidents of sexual violence are still under-reported to legal institutions in Egypt despite the recent legal amendments. The reasons for under-reporting SV incidents to police stations appear to be the same that justifies victim’s non-reporting or resorting to various social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram as “Daftr Hekayat” and “AssaultPolice” which provided a safe space for them to reveal the assault incidents and warn potential victims from the shamed assailants. As successful as these accounts are, they have their drawbacks. It is not accessible to economically and educationally disadvantaged victims, and lately, the perpetrators started to file defamation lawsuits …

The Right To Truth In Transitional Justice, Nouran Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

Transitional justice is sought by nations suffering from legacies of human rights violations. The field of transitional justice stands on four main pillars: truth seeking, criminal justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence. It promotes utilizing legal and non-legal mechanisms to achieve a transition to democracy and the mechanisms employed must relate to, at least, one of its pillars. Truth is considered substantial for transitions to happen. Revealing the truth is believed to be essential for reconciliation and promoting peace. However, in various experiences the truth did not lead to reconciliation and was widely distorted. The approach of the transitional justice …

Factors Associated With Intimate Partner Violence Among Non-Binary Individuals Assigned Male At Birth (Nbamab), Ahmad Z. Mouazzen

Theses and Dissertations

One hundred-fifty partnered Nonbinary assigned male at birth (NBAMAB) people completed an online survey assessing experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV), and associated factors, including mental health, internalized and anticipated stigma, and relationship power and functioning. The results contribute to understanding of IPV among NBAMAB people, with further research suggested.

Testing Mediation Models Of Antisocial Behavior In The Context Of Parental Criminal Justice System Involvement, David Alfonso Tio

Theses and Dissertations

Parental criminal justice system involvement (CJSI) affects a significant portion of our children in a multitude of ways, including increasing the child’s risk for developing antisocial behaviors and, in doing so, perpetuating the intergenerational cycle of criminal offending that uniquely and unjustly afflicts marginalized communities of color and leaves behind what many have termed the ‘hidden victims’ of CJSI. This dissertation aimed to answer two research questions: 1. Does the division into two categories, the aggression, and rule breaking dimensions, provide a superior fitting model than the more commonly used unidimensional measure?; 2. Is it more accurate to model the …

From The Words Of Our Fathers: Black Paternal Perspectives On Literacy And Recommendations For Literacy Instruction For Black Males, Imani A. Irving

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the literacy experiences of Black fathers and their recommendations for enhancing literacy instruction for Black male children from birth through Grade 12. Grounded in African American Male Theory, the research aimed to address knowledge gaps in understanding Black male literacy experiences and provide insights for improving Black male literacy education. Using participatory action research with an initial modified Delphi approach, the study gathered potential areas of consensus among Black fathers on essential curricular revisions to promote positive Black male literacies. Participants included a purposive sample of 10 Black fathers with Black sons from birth to adulthood. Through …

Enhancing Emergency Response To The Active Shooter With Nims, Edwin A. Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the following study is to identify components of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) that can be used to improve first responder deployment in critical incidents, such as in the occurrence of an Active Shooter (AS) and Active Deadly Threat (ADT). The Incident Command System (ICS), a component of NIMS, is the on-scene emergency management organization designed to aid in managing resources during planned and unplanned catastrophic events. An AS/ADT incident is typically planned by the perpetrator and unexpected to first responders, leaving them with limited time to respond to and neutralize this type of threat effectively. …

Examining How Task Forces Utilize Intelligence Methods During Anti-Human Trafficking Operations: Mitigating The Threat Of Human Trafficking Among Native American Women And Girls, Jessica Shockness

Theses and Dissertations

Native American women and girls, including First Nations people, have been disproportionately targeted due to centuries of marginalization, severe maltreatment, and gender inequality. To mitigate these violent acts, law enforcement and intelligence agencies should use various intelligence methods to identify and locate traffickers, victims, and high-risk locations. The intelligence methods that are analyzed in this study include open-source, geospatial and human intelligence. The lack of utilizing these methods can hinder the ability to mitigate human trafficking effectively. According to a study conducted through Northwestern University, Farrell et al. (2019) provided evidence showing that the Uniform Crime Reporting program continuously displays …

Lost In The System: Child Sex Trafficking In Foster Care, Jennifer L. Monaghan

Theses and Dissertations

“The true character of society is revealed in how it treats its children.” – Nelson Mandela Human trafficking has always existed. It spans the globe and has always been an epidemic. It is often referred to as a crime hidden in plain sight. The sexual exploitation of children in foster care is a topic within the field of sex trafficking that has not been explored enough in research. This research study focuses on the question, “How can placing a child in foster care make them susceptible to becoming a victim of child sex trafficking?” This research study has 132 female …

Facets Of Self-Efficacy As Potential Mediators Of Interpersonal Relationships And Job Satisfaction With Teachers In Vietnam, Justin Meas Lazu

Theses and Dissertations

Job satisfaction is a critical factor influencing teacher retention, well-being, and self-efficacy. Interpersonal relationships within the workplace—including those with students, colleagues, and principals—have been shown to be key contributors to job satisfaction. Although research has extensively explored job satisfaction in a Western educational context, few studies have examined its predictors in a Southeast Asian context, particularly in Vietnam. Given Vietnam’s collectivist culture and Confucian-influenced education system, where workplace harmony and hierarchical relationships are emphasized over individual autonomy, the factors influencing teacher job satisfaction may differ significantly from those in Western contexts. Further, the mechanisms through which workplace relationships influence job …

Undergraduate Student Decision-Making: Pursuing Graduate Studies At The Same Institution That Granted The Undergraduate Degree, Anthony C. Marziliano

Theses and Dissertations

Colleges and universities are under pressure to increase enrollment and avoid attrition. It is clear that institutions need to increase efforts to work against decreasing graduate enrollment trends and focusing on students already in-place on campus may be an avenue to do so. Research is lacking concerning factors that may be related to the decision by undergraduate students to pursue graduate studies at the same institution that granted the undergraduate degree. Understanding key characteristics of the group that remains at the institution allows us to identify a student profile to focus on to increase graduate enrollment, especially in light of …

Extracurricular Activity Involvement As A Protective Factor For Adolescent Delinquency For Youth Exposed To Parental Alcohol And/Or Drug Dependency, Faith Ippoliti

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated whether extracurricular involvement in adolescence serves as a protective factor against adolescent delinquency for youth exposed to parental alcohol and/or drug dependency in early childhood. While previous research has established parental substance use as a risk factor for adolescent delinquency, less is known about whether extracurricular activities moderate this association. The present study included a subsample of 3,251 youth (n = 1,662 boys, 1,589 girls) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a probability sample of births in large US cities (> 200,000) between 1998 and 2000. Parental alcohol and/or drug dependency was …

The Role Of Ethnic-Racial Centrality On Exposure To Microaggressions And The Mental Health And Academic Success Of Second-Generation Latiné Adolescents, Lisette Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

People holding racially minoritized identities are frequently subjected to racial-ethnic microaggressions, a form of everyday racism and discrimination. Acculturative stress and microaggressions have a direct impact on immigrants' mental health (Gee et al., 2007; Finch & Vega, 2003; Hovey, 2000). The increase in conservative immigration policies has led to increased anti-immigrant sentiments and microaggressions (Sissoko & Nadal, 2021). The impact of microaggressions can detrimentally affect psychological and physiological wellbeing, as well as academic performance and cognitive function (Solórzano & Pérez Huber, 2020). Because of their experiences with discrimination, Latino children may become more aware of biases in their social interactions …

“You’Re Only As Good As Your Resources”: Exploring Virginia Police Chiefs’ And Sheriffs’ Decisions As Public Administrators To Engage In Community Collaborations With Domestic And Sexual Violence Agencies, Christine E. Wengloski

Theses and Dissertations

The collaborations between domestic and sexual violence victim-serving agencies (DSVAs) and law enforcement agencies help connect victims of crime to needed services. To maximize the benefits of these victim-serving initiatives in Virginia, it is imperative that victim-serving agencies understand the perceptions and factors that influence the decision-making of law enforcement administrators. In this study, I first present a theoretical framework of Herbert Simon’s Decision-Making Theory as a guide to understanding police chiefs and sheriffs as public administrators. A review of the literature demonstrates gaps in existing scholarship around chiefs’ and sheriffs’ decision-making about domestic and sexual violence victim-serving initiatives. Next, …

An Intersectional Exploration And Analogue Investigation Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Bi+ Women’S Preferences For Sexual Violence Vulnerability Reduction Interventions, Sara K. Kuhn

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) bisexual+ (bi+, e.g., pansexual, polysexual) women disproportionately experience sexual violence victimization and their acceptability of applicable interventions is under-researched. Online self-report data was collected from 240 ethnoracially diverse bi+ adult American women, who identified as TGD (n = 69) or cisgender (cis; n = 171), and who read standardized descriptions of interventions. TGD bi+ women found intervention descriptions inclusive of their sexual and gender identities—and those including in-person active resistance strategy instruction (bystander/self-defense)—more acceptable. Intervention descriptions with alcohol use and/or sexual activity reduction components were largely found to be less acceptable. Intervention elements of importance …

Student Participation In Informal Resolution: Examination Of Impact Factors On Recidivism And Student Perceptions Of Institutional Care And Fairness, Linnea Rose Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory case study, conducted at the University of North Dakota (UND), examined factors influencing recidivism and student perceptions of institutional care and fairness among participants in the piloted Informal Resolution (IR) option. A restorative justice (RJ)-informed alternative to the traditional student conduct process, the IR is offered to students charged with first-time, low-level violations of UND’s code of conduct. This study aimed not only to evaluate the new process but also to respond to recent calls from scholars and practitioners for more extensive research on the intersection of RJ and student conduct outcomes. Sherman’s (1993) defiance theory provided the …

Exploring How Political Affiliations Influence Trust In Ai Applications, Md Imran Ahsan

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the impact of partisanship on public trust in the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by private and public institutions. This study utilizes data from the “Artificial Intelligence: American Attitudes and Trends” survey (Zhang & Dafoe, 2019). Survey-weighted OLS regression models are employed to examine the variations in trust levels across different private and public institutions. This study hypothesizes that H1: Compared to Republicans, Democrats will report higher levels of confidence in public institutions to develop AI in the best interests of the public. H2: Compared to Democrats, Republicans will report higher levels of confidence in private institutions …

What’S Age Got To Do With It? The Cognitive Effects Of Racial And Gendered Microaggressions Among Black Women And The Role Of Age, Colorblindness And Racial Identity, Jazsmine Towner

Theses and Dissertations

Racial microaggressions are brief, everyday derogatory interactions in the form of subtle insults, gestures, or slights (Sue et al., 2007). Microaggressions often are intentional or unintentional interactions that communicate denigrating messages to individuals holding marginalized identities. Previous research suggests that exposure to microaggressions directly results in cognitive depletion (Banks & Landau, 2021). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of exposure to racial and gendered microaggressions on Black women’s cognitive functioning and the role of racial centrality, age, and colorblind attitudes. I hypothesized that (a) condition assignment would predict changes in cognitive functioning for Black women, (b) …

Normalizing Delinquency And Risky Behaviors In Adolescents: An Application Of Neutralization Theory To Parents, Audrey Cheatham

Theses and Dissertations

Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization theory (1957) was originally developed to explain juvenile involvement in delinquency, with extensions of this theory being used to understand crime in other offending groups. Although neutralization theory has been widely applied to offenders, far less research has examined how neutralizations may be used by non-offending groups. This study applies Sykes and Matza’s framework to parents to explore whether neutralizations are being employed to justify risk taking or delinquent behavior among their adolescent children. This study also examines how parents differentiate risky behavior from delinquent behavior, as well as their attitude towards seven major risk factors …

The Impact Of Pre-Kindergarten Programs On Literacy Achievement In Primary Grades In Rural Southeast Alabama Title I Schools, Courtney Sonntonya Thorton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how pre-kindergarten impacts the literacy achievement of students in Alabama Title I schools. This quantitative study employed a causal-comparative (ex post facto) research design to examine the impact of Alabama’s First-Class Pre-K (FCPK) program on early literacy and school readiness, as measured by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and the Alabama Early Learning Inventory (AL ELI). The design was selected due to its appropriateness for studying naturally occurring groups and its capacity to explore potential cause-and-effect relationships without researcher-controlled intervention.

The independent variable was Pre-K attendance (attendee vs. …

Mental Health Trends Among African American High School Students, Alexis Heard

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent mental health is a major public health issue in the U.S., with African American high school students facing a rapidly worsening crisis. While all youth show increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality, African American adolescents are at greater risk due to systemic racism, socioeconomic inequality, community violence, and limited access to culturally responsive care. Few national studies have examined mental health trends among this group. This study (1) examines 2011–2021 trends in persistent sadness/hopelessness, suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts among African American high school students; (2) explores gender differences; and (3) compares these patterns to national …

The Role And Impact Of Forensic Evidence In The Prosecution Of Homicide Cases In The U.S., Afrah Dakhilallah A. Altubait

Theses and Dissertations

The role of forensic evidence in the criminal justice process is an important topic that is significant from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The present study is dedicated to a critical analysis of the role of this evidence in the U.S. criminal justice process with a focus on its significance in homicide cases. Specifically, this dissertation examines the implications of using DNA and fingerprint evidence for convictions in U.S. homicide cases by analyzing the role of DNA and fingerprint evidence in the prosecution of “hot” and “cold” homicide cases, discussing the main ways in which forensic evidence assists with prosecuting …

High School Counselor Perceptions Of Trauma-Informed Professional Development And Implementation Of Trauma-Informed Practices In Schools, Kimberly Faulkner-Camacho

Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental phenomenological study aimed to delve into school counselors’ perspectives on what motivates them to participate in trauma-informed professional development, the necessary supports for implementing trauma-informed practices in schools (TIPS), and the barriers that impede implementation. Drawing on situated learning theory and adult learning theory, this study sought to enhance the understanding of school counselors’ views on trauma-informed professional development and implementation. These frameworks offered valuable insights into how to support counselors and shed light on existing barriers. The study involved 10 traditional public high school counselors from non-charter schools in Los Angeles County, selected through snowball and purposive …

The Assessment Of Implicit Bias Among Police Personnel: A Systematic Review, Emily Deutsch

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the essential and powerful role police officers play within the communities they serve, systematic racism in law enforcement has become a key topic of public discourse, including increased demand for evidence-based changes in police selection. This includes recommendations or requirements to assess implicit bias in police candidates (e.g., California Assembly Bill 846). Implicit bias refers to the spontaneous/automatic associations or evaluations made of members of a particular group (Kim & Roberson, 2021). The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training’s (POST’s) Bias Assessment Framework provides recommendations to police psychologists on the assessment of implicit bias, but curiously …

High Throughput, Solid Sample Analysis With Cone-Based Mass Spectrometric Ionization Sources, Emily J. Wiggins

Theses and Dissertations

The widespread presence of environmental and consumer-product contaminants (e.g. trace metals, opium alkaloids) has underscored the need for rapid, reliable, and high-throughput analytical techniques that are capable of handling complex solid samples. While traditional mass spectrometric (MS) methods tend to have high sensitivity and accuracy, they often require labor-intensive and time-consuming sample preparation steps that limit throughput and field applicability. This thesis investigates the use of 3D-Printed Cone Spray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (3D-PCSI-MS) as an ambient ionization technique for the direct screening of contaminants from solid matrices, eliminating the need for traditional sample preparation and allowing for real-time analysis.

In …

Perceptions And Treatment Decisions For A Drug Offender Based On Social Class, Cocaine Type, Personal Characteristics, And Compassionate Love: A Vignette Study, Yasmin A. Odeh

Theses and Dissertations

Problem: The shift from a focus on rehabilitation to the more punitive, “tough on crime” approach to illegal behavior in the U.S. has been enacted in no small way by policies connected to the use and abuse of drugs. The disparities between crack and powder cocaine—two chemically similar substances—have headlined this shift (Vagins and McCurdy 2006). However, research is scarce on laypeople’s approval of deterrence approaches for drug offenses, including as a function of types (e.g., powder vs. cocaine possession). This study examined people’s perceptions of prosecutorial decisions for drug offenders—whether they are punished, rehabilitated, or both—and whether people perceived …

Mindfulness And Modification Therapy (Mmt) Group Feasibility And Acceptability Among Prison Residents With Dysregulated Behaviors, Leslie Unger

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness and Modification Therapy (MMT; Wupperman, 2019) is a transdiagnostic therapy that systematically integrates aspects of six empirically supported treatments for impulsive and dysregulated behavior. As such, MMT may offer an efficient approach to addressing a variety of dysregulated behaviors, thereby supporting increased safety within carceral settings and enhancing goals of rehabilitation. To date, MMT has demonstrated positive results in community settings when treating substance misuse and anger/aggression, but it has not yet been examined in a prison setting. The present research examines the feasibility and acceptability of using a 14-session version of group MMT as a voluntary treatment option …

The Weapon Focus Effect On Memory For Male And Female Perpetrators, Faith Christel Aasen

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on the weapon focus effect suggests that weapon presence causes reduced memory accuracy for perpetrator details due to weapons being surprising and unexpected. The unusualness hypothesis suggests that a stronger weapon focus effect should occur when the perpetrator defies typical gender stereotypes, such as a woman holding a gun. The current study sought to examine how the weapon focus effect impacts eyewitness memory for male and female perpetrators, specifically exploring the magnitude of the effect on female perpetrators. The current study further investigated whether the own gender bias attenuates the weapon focus effect on memory for female perpetrators. …

Attributions Of Blame In Cases Of Stealthing, Shane William Knutson

Theses and Dissertations

Nonconsensual condom removal (NCCR), also known as “stealthing”, is a form of sexual abuse where an individual removes the condom without their sexual partner’s knowledge. While research regarding prevalence of NCCR has been conducted over the past decade, there are still aspects of previous research on other forms of sexual abuse that did not account for cases of NCCR. One such gap in the current literature are studies that investigate how individuals attribute blame to the victims of NCCR. Previous research has shown that there are differences in how individuals attribute blame towards victims of sexual abuse based on different …

Best Practices Of Vietnamese Catholic Priests Leading Vietnamese Community Parishes In Orange Diocese, Phuc Viet Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

The Catholic Church is the largest church all over the world and is also the largest one in the United States (Pew Research Center, 2013). Over the past decades, great crises inside the Catholic Church have raised significant concerns for its leadership practices, especially for its governance and administration on the diocese and parish level. Moreover, the issue of immigrants also compounds the problem when there are different ethnic communities inside one single parish. In some dioceses like Orange County, which is one of the most culturally diverse dioceses in the United States (Diocese of Orange, 2018), the urgency of …

News Mediated Reporting And Governmental Narratives About The Enforcement Of Elite Criminality: Exploring The Social Construction Of Financial Frauds And Discrepancies In Punishment, Dominic J. Zicari

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how financial crime enforcement decisions are socially constructed through a qualitative content analysis of news articles and government communications pertaining to two specific cases: the Enron scandal of 2001 and the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008. The study was guided by a theoretical framework that utilizes Barak’s (2017) theory of state-routinized crime control. The rigorous analysis of 394 news articles and government communication documents revealed that the media and the state rarely framed the subprime mortgage crisis as a criminal issue. Although the Enron scandal was frequently described as financial crime, journalists and government communicators were often …