Digital Commons Network^™

When It's So Hard To Relate: Can The Legal System Mitigate The Trauma Of Victim-Offender Relationships?, Jody L. Madeira

Articles by Maurer Faculty

This article argues that, in the aftermath of violent crime, a relationship that is both negative and involuntary can form between crime victims and offenders. This relationship fetters the victim to the crime and the criminal, rendering it difficult to recover from the transgression. To illustrate how such a relationship may form and what consequences it may have for victims, this article uses the Oklahoma City bombing as a case study, documenting through the use of original interviews an involuntary relationship in which victims' family members and survivors perceived they were tethered to Timothy McVeigh. This perceived relationship with McVeigh …

Honoring Margaret Berger With A Sensible Idea: Insisting That Judges Employ A Balancing Test Before Admitting The Accused's Convictions Under Federal Rule Of Evidence 609(A)(2), Aviva A. Orenstein

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Change In Racial And Ethnic Classifications Is Here: Proposal To Address Race And Ethnic Ancestry Of Blacks For Affirmative Action Admissions Purposes, Kevin D. Brown

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

African American Disproportionality In School Discipline: The Divide Between Best Evidence And Legal Remedy, Kevin D. Brown, Russell J. Skiba, Suzanne E. Eckes

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

A Humanistic View Of Satan: The Role Of Satan In Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot, Yohance Myles

LSU Master's Theses

The role of Satan, in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, was selected as the topic of this thesis in acting to be submitted to the Graduate School of Louisiana State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation with the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theater. The thesis includes an introduction; discussions of acting methods: the Art of Being, logical thinking, rhythmic sounds, the rehearsal process, journal notes, photos, research, and a conclusion. It details my role/character from a theatrical and humanistic point of view. I will highlight points that will reveal my daily discoveries of this …

United States Propaganda In Iran: 1951-1953, Hakimeh Saghaye-Biria

LSU Master's Theses

Using Jowett and O’Donnell’s system of propaganda analysis, the present case study concentrates on America’s dominant propaganda messages, techniques, and media channels used in Iran during the time period between 1951 and 1953. The chosen period is of historical significance since it entails the Iranian nationalization of oil crisis and the 1953 coup against the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq. The coup was the first CIA-sponsored covert operation against a foreign government and served as a model for subsequent operations elsewhere. An examination of the official correspondence of the major U.S. actors involved, as documented in the tenth volume …

Hearing Assessment Of Forest Loggers, Antonio A. Fonseca

LSU Master's Theses

Forest logging is the process in which trees are cut down for forest management and/or timber harvest. According to OSHA, logging is the most dangerous occupation in the United States. It consistently represents one of the most hazardous industries, with a fatality rate more than 21 times higher than the rate for all workers in the United States. Yet, little research has been performed to determine the long term effect of noise on forest loggers. OSHA regulations state that the maximum permissible hearing in an 8 hour shift should not exceed 90 dB. Occupational noise exposure is recognized as a …

Predicting Performance On High Stakes Testing: Validity And Accuracy Of Curriculum-Based Measurement Of Reading And Writing, Marie Young Henderson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the current investigation was to determine which curriculum-based measures of written expression demonstrated adequate technical characteristics and provided useful information towards predicting performance on a state-standardized assessment. Data collected from 124 third grade students was used for the study. Curriculum-based measures of reading and writing collected three times within the school year were utilized as the independent variables for predicting the dependent variables. Writing samples were scored using 9 indices of writing. Results from a state standardized assessment (iLEAP) were used as the dependent variables. The study found reliability coefficients for writing indices to be consistent with …

Interrogation And Silence: A Comparative Study, Craig M. Bradley

Articles by Maurer Faculty

This article examines interrogation practices in detail in three systems: the American, the English (and Welsh), and the Canadian while also discussing rules from various other countries. It considers when the Miranda-type warnings (required in all three systems) must be given and when suspects will be deemed to have waived their rights. This article further discusses how reliability and voluntariness of confession is assured. Finally, a particular emphasis is placed on the issue of when a suspect's silence during interrogation may be used against him in court. The article concludes that American courts have not done enough to ensure reliability …

The Effects Of Being Placed In Special Education Classes Versus General Education Classes And Teacher Certification On Students' High-Stakes Testing Scores, Bethany Ann Porter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The introduction of new laws such as the amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1997) and the No Child Left Behind Act have changed education for special education students in the United States. Students with disabilities are now more frequently being held to the same standards as those students without disabilities. These federal laws are designed to help close the achievement gap among all students regardless of race, gender, poverty, or disability status. Special education students are now required to participate in statewide high-stakes testing programs alongside their nondisabled peers. Another movement involves including students with disabilities …

Second Amendment Limitations And Criminological Considerations, Don B. Kates, Clayton E. Cramer

UC Law Journal

Criminological studies which identify perpetrator characteristics are unanimous in finding that almost all murderers fall into three categories: (i) the mentally disturbed, and/or (2) adults with criminal records, and/or (3) juveniles with juvenile records. Many murder perpetrators exhibit two or all three characteristics. Thus laws such as the ones Heller invalidated that seek to disarm the general population have minimal value and deprive victims of the means of self-defense.

The Second Amendment does not guarantee: (i) weapons of indiscriminate destructiveness such as cannons, (2) any right of violent felons or of other felons whom legislatures reasonably identify as likely to …

Second Amendment Decision Rules, Calvin Massey

UC Law Journal

In District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court determined that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to bear arms for self-defense. That right is a constitutional operative rule: We know it exists but we have little idea of its boundaries. Constitutional decision rules, whether they be tiered scrutiny, multi-factor analytical tests, categorical rules, or something else, function to enable courts, lawyers, and citizens to understand the dimensions of any given right. Because the Court has announced a new constitutional operative rule without providing much guidance concerning the applicable constitutional decision rules, this Essay is an effort to identify …

The Hangman's Noose And The Lynch Mob: Hate Speech And The Jena Six, Jeannine Bell

Articles by Maurer Faculty

Taking the hangman's noose hanging in Jena, Louisiana in 2006 as a starting point, this Article begins by placing the hanging of a noose in historical context. The Article then proceeds to explore contemporary manifestations of noose hanging in the workplace, in schools and other settings. The Article examines noose hangings that occurred around the country since the display in Jena to explore the social meaning of a noose. Also examined are media constructions of noose hanging and the perception that some Blacks targeted by noose hanging have had of these incidents. The article concludes with a victim based reasonable …

The Effects Of Increasing The Risk Perception Of High-Risk Behaviors On Decision Making Among College Daily Smokers And Never-Smokers, Scott Patterson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Participation in high-risk behaviors, such as substance use or dangerous driving practices, is widely reported by young adults and college students. Psychosocial theories explain participation in high-risk behaviors by the effects of risk perception on the outcome of behavior. Physiological researchers assert that biological factors (such as the role of the prefrontal cortex) better account for participation in high-risk behaviors based on impulsive decision-making patterns in substance users. The current study explored the relationship between impulsive decision-making and risk perception by assessing the impact of changes in high-risk perceptions on a measure of impulsive decision-making (delay discounting task). A sample …

Michael Martin And The Moral Argument For God's Existence, Robert Keith Loftin

LSU Master's Theses

Theism, that is, belief in the existence of God, has, over the last forty or so years, been making a quiet comeback. Whereas for several decades the “death of God” was heralded—culminating, perhaps, with Time magazine’s April 8, 1966, title: “Is God Dead?”—philosophers are once again vigorously debating the rationality of theistic belief. Emerging from amid this renaissance is an increasing number of publications treating the various so-called “theistic proofs” or arguments for God’s existence. These arguments are part of the project of natural theology, that is, the project of establishing the rationality of theistic belief apart from appeal to …

Team Task Interdependence Perceptions: Toward An Integrative Model Of Teamwork, Jared Ledoux

LSU Master's Theses

The present study examines perceptions of task interdependence and workflow at the individual- and team-levels to evaluate the degree to which team perceptions and homogeneity of perceptions predict team communication and performance in a military combat computer simulation. Team members who perceived higher levels of task interdependence and workflow performed better at both the individual and team levels of analysis. These teams also communicated more frequently, although communication was not significantly correlated with performance. The present findings provide support for the examination of task interdependence perceptions as a means to explain team performance and communication.

An Investigation Of Creative Potential In High School Musicians: Recognizing, Promoting, And Assessing Creative Ability Through Music Composition, Elizabeth Menard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Student attitudes and teacher perceptions regarding creativity, composition, and its assessment possibilities were investigated using mixed-method techniques in two differing high school music programs. A Talented Music Program, providing accelerated instruction to gifted musicians (with composition instruction) and a typical performance based band program (composition never taught) were examined. Students participated in a six-week composition program. Final compositions were evaluated by differing judging groups: teachers, students, and expert composers. Data were collected through interviews, observations, attitude surveys, student and teacher journals, and composition assessment. Analysis of teacher perceptions revealed themes indentifying challenges to creativity development in high school classrooms: tradition …

The Effect Of Interactive Homework On Dibels Performance, Shelley M. Scott

LSU Master's Theses

Homework is a common practice in most kindergarten classrooms. There are varying opinions on the purpose of homework, the frequency in which homework should be given, the duration of time kindergarten-aged students should spend on homework, and how the use of homework impacts student performance. The DIBELS (Good & Kamanski, 2003) is an assessment tool that measures student performance on early literacy skills and identifies students who are at-risk for failure to read. The proposed study will incorporate recommendations for creating developmentally appropriate homework that addresses skill deficiencies identified by the DIBELS to determine the impact of homework on DIBELS …

Motivating Middle School Students To Be Physically Active: The Role Of Supportive Environments, Tao Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is clearly documented that promoting regular physical activity participation at young ages increases the likelihood that school-aged students will lead active lifestyles as adults. Unfortunately, more than a third of school-aged students do not engage in sufficient amounts of physical activity necessary to produce significant health benefits (USDHHS, 2000, 2008). Public health officials and physical educators highlight the importance of promoting motivation for physical activity by creating a supportive physical activity environment that should positively influence students’ choices to be physically active. The major objective of this dissertation was to explore the roles of supportive social environments and physical …

Spot-Carp Symposium And Collective Dissent: A Cross-National And Sub-National Analysis, Swetasree Ghosh Roy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The main analytical concern of this dissertation is to develop theoretical and methodological tool to improve our understanding of collective violence, like civil wars, riots, etc. There are essentially two major problems in the existing literature: compartmentalization of focus on structure or action and inadequate systematic analysis of bridging this gap. This dissertation is an attempt to address these deficiencies in the literature. Using the opportunity-willingness framework of interstate conflicts, I propose a mid-range theoretical approach to the structure-action problem. I argue that structural and political opportunities lead to more collective action if willingness is present in the form of …

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Academic Success Among African American Students In The Minority Engineering Program At A Research Extensive University In The Southern Portion Of The United States, Sandra Latrice Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between the self-esteem and academic success of African American students in the Minority Engineering Program (MEP) at a research-extensive university in the Southern portion of the United States. The nature of the study required the use of descriptive, comparative, and correlational research methods. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory Adult Form (CSEI-A), a 25-item dichotomous self-report questionnaire was used to measure the level of self-esteem of all respondents. CSEI-A data was collected through the use of an on-line survey program, called Zoomerang©. Data on the specific demographic and academic variables …

Personality Type In Relation To College Alcohol Use Motive, Rachel M. Manley

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine In Physical Therapy, Kayla Anne Lahr

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Gender Biases In Hiring Practices, Heather Howe

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Alcohol As A Discriminative Stimulus On Gambling Behavior, Ellen Meier

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

What's For Lunch? : Summer Lunch Program 2008, Brieanna Siefken

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Study Of Male Body Image And Factors In The Development Of Eating Disorders In Fraternity And Non-Fraternity Males, Kylee K. Ferris

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Alcohol Advertising On Associative Memory And Consideration Sets, James Charles Smith

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Survey studies suggest that alcohol advertising influences attitudes and beliefs that promote alcohol use. Strategies from memory research and marketing were used to test the influence of beer advertising found in popular magazines. Effects on preference for alcohol and memory associations between alcohol and the positive outcomes of drinking were measured. One hundred eighty undergraduate women and men viewed 5 ads. A 2 x 2 + 1 (control group) factorial design simultaneously varied ad type (arousing or sedating messages) with processing type (selective attention or elaborative processing). Preferences for alcohol and memory associations did not differ between the control group …

Culture And Persuasion Online: Predicting Attitudes, Cognitions, And Behavioral Intentions In A Culturally Diverse Online Marketplace, Gennadi Gevorgyan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With an online experiment and a focus group, I examined the role of cultural appeals in online persuasive communication. The results of the study revealed that culturally oriented Web sites and online advertisements influence individual attitudes and behavioral intentions. These effects were particularly strong when cultural appeals were consistent across advertisements and their hosting Web sites. I observed the main effect of culture on persuasiveness of Web sites and advertisements both the American and the Chinese samples of participants. The results of the study did not, however, support the expectation that ethnic identity and need for cognition would interact with …

Community Social Capital And Suicide Rates, Anna Cutlip

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The integrating capacity of social institutions on community organization and the consequential benefits of community cohesion are well-known, i.e. lower crime rates, better health outcomes, economic and social stability. Drawing on the civil society and civic community literatures, this study applies the theory of social capital to study of suicide. Rather than focus on individual level data, macro-level data are analyzed to determine the relationship between the social capital of an area and the prevalence of suicide. Negative binomial regression is used to examine U.S. counties of 100,000 residents or more (urban) and counties of 1,000 to 25,000 residents (rural) …