Digital Commons Network^™

No More Blurred Lines: Tennesseans Deserve High Quality Sexual Assault Education, Sara Leach

Honors Theses

This study seeks to build on pre-existing literature about the impact that bystander intervention training has on deterring sexual assault from occurring on college campuses. Anderson and Whiston’s 2005 study revealed that sexual assault trainings were more effective if a bystander approach was taken and a good relationship among the presenters and recipients was established. The psychology department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga created a course dedicated to implementing the Empower the Bystander training (Johnson et al. 2015) for the undergraduate population in the fall of 2017. A peer led-program, this course educates participants on how to be …

Is Corporal Punishment The Best Punishment? A Millennial Perspective, Zachary Rush

Honors Theses

Corporal punishment, defined as “physical force resulting in pain or discomfort, but not significant injury…meant to alter a child’s unfavorable behavioral patterns,” remains a much debated topic of conversation in the United States (Straus & Donnelly, 2001, p. 4). Straus and Stewart (1999) reported that 94% of parents have spanked their children by the time of their fifth birthday. Moreover, the same study identified that 52% of parents continued to employ corporal punishment when their children were teenagers (twelve to thirteen years old) and 20% up until their children were seventeen years of age. However, spanking and similar forms of …

Rethinking Bail Reform, Wendy R. Calaway, Jennifer M. Kinsley

University of Richmond Law Review

The issue of pretrial detention is part of a larger, national conversation on criminal justice reform. However, no single issue permeates the landscape of criminal justice like the treatment of pretrial defendants. The policies and practices around pretrial detention have contributed to the country’s mass incarceration numbers; created a crisis for local jail management; generated unsustainable budgets; and raised important questions about race, class, and the constitutional implications of incarcerating people because they are too poor to pay a money bond. Legal scholars have written about the issue, highlighting the inequities and constitutional difficulties with such a system. Much of …

Rapid Dna Testing And Virginia's Rape Kit Backlog: A Double-Edged Sword Masquerading As A Miracle, Or The Future Of Forensic Analysis?, Emma C. Greger

University of Richmond Law Review

While Rapid DNA technology has the potential to revolutionize every aspect of the criminal justice system, from arrest to the postconviction appeals process, there has been particular excitement centered around its potential to reduce the rape kit backlog.

The #Metoo Movement: An Invitation For Feminist Critique Of Rape Crisis Framing, Jamie R. Abrams

University of Richmond Law Review

This article invites feminists to leverage the #MeToo Movement as a critical analytical tool to explore the longevity of the enduring rape crisis framing of victim services. Long before the #MeToo Movement, victim services in communities nationwide were framed around a crisis model. For nearly half a century, victims have visited rape crisis centers, called rape crisis hotlines, and mobilized rape crisis response teams to provide services and support. This enduring political and social framing around rape as a crisis is opaque, has prompted a political backlash, and risks distorting hard-fought feminist legal, social, and political battles. It has yielded …

Race, Speech, And Sports, Matthew J. Parlow

University of Richmond Law Review

Race, sports, and free speech rights intersected in a very controversial and public way during the 2016 and 2017 National Football League (“NFL”) seasons. On August 26, 2016, Colin Kaepernick spurred a national debate when he refused to stand during the playing of the national anthem before the NFL preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick’s team at the time.

The Interplay Of Intelligence, Education, And The Media In Western Counterterrorism Strategies, Lincoln Gimnich

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

Terrorist activity has increased and evolved in Western societies in the twenty-first century as terrorist organizations have sought new methods to further their ideologies and goals. Counterterrorism thus requires a similar evolution that undoubtedly reverses the historic trend wherein counterterrorism has been merely reactive. Through interviews with experts, qualitative analysis of governmental publications and documents, and review of existing literature, this project explores the institutions of intelligence, education, and the media and their work within the larger counterterrorism and anti-radicalization framework of Western states. The project focuses specifically on domestic intelligence operations, intelligence sharing agreements, the United Kingdom’s Prevent strategy, …

Foreword And Acknowledgements, All Contributors

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Role Of United States Legal Discourse In Creating, Sustaining, And Disrupting Vestiges Of Slavery, Hanif M. Bey

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

This exploratory study starts from the proposition that the use of the racialized names “negro,” “colored,” “black,” and “white” represent vestiges of slavery that were socially and legally constructed, maintained, and perpetuated to validate a superior position for descendants of Europe in the United States, while assigning an inferior status to descendants of Africa in the United States. I further suggest that the use of these racialized names appear to resemble what Noonan (1976) described as a legal mask: a legal construct that veils the humanity of participants in the legal process. Informed by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Post-Colonialist …

Intimate Partner Violence: A Narrative Analysis Of The Jamaican Women Experience, Sonia M. Brown

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the nature and scope of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) experience by Jamaican women. In Jamaica, IPV cases are not documented under appropriate indices and as a result there is a lack of studies with qualitative and quantitative data. Jamaica has serious safety concerns; the majority of murders occur due to domestic violence. Sexual assault is a significant predictor and contributor to IPV, and it is the second most common cause of injury for women on the island. Women attending a religious institution located within the northeastern corridor of the United States were …

Increasing Awareness Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Law Enforcement In Hispanic Communities, Annette M. Cano

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study was to study autism awareness amongst law enforcement officers (LEO) and first responders (FR) serving the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). A 17-question survey was conducted to collect demographic data, knowledge, and level of training that officers and responders have when serving individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Role Of The Church In Restorative Justice : Sex Trafficking Of Children And Young Girls In Karnataka, Roopa Anand

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Whom Should We Punish, And How? Rational Incentives And Criminal Justice Reform, Keith N. Hylton

Faculty Scholarship

This Article sets out a comprehensive account of rational punishment theory and examines its implications for criminal law reform. Specifically, what offenses should be subjected to criminal punishment, and how should we punish? Should we use prison sentences or fines, and when should we use them? Should some conduct be left to a form of market punishment through private lawsuits? Should fines be used to fund the criminal justice system? The answers I offer address some of the most important public policy issues of the moment, such as mass incarceration and the use of fines to finance law enforcement. The …

A Case Study Analysis Of Elementary Teachers' Attitudes About Student Discipline And The Implementation Of Restorative Justice, Kaitlyn M. Spore

Education Dissertations

This study examined the attitudes of elementary school teachers regarding student discipline and the implementation of restorative justice practices. The present research was conducted at a public elementary school in the greater Seattle area. All participants were teachers at the public elementary school, and were purposefully selected based on their years of experience, age, gender, and grade level taught. The study utilized qualitative case study methods to analyze the participants’ attitudes regarding discipline, specifically the use of exclusionary discipline, and their views on implementing restorative justice practices as an alternative to exclusion.

Key Words: restorative justice, school discipline, exclusions, suspensions, …

The Life And Experiences Of The East German Woman, Mackenzie Elizabeth Sanderson

Honors College

After German reunification, the East German people were incorporated into the Western world and their old way of life under the Stalinist influence of the USSR was replaced by a capitalist open market, a democratic government, and an emphasis on individual freedoms. As the GDR was left in the past, the citizens of former East Germany—particularly East German women—had to adapt to a new way of life with cultures, values, and expectations unfamiliar to them. However, it is presumptuous to believe that their adaptation to West Germany meant forgetting their own past. In light of this, this paper is focused …

Enforcing Statutory Maximums: How Federal Supervised Release Violates The Sixth Amendment Rights Defined In Apprendi V. New Jersey, Danny Zemel

University of Richmond Law Review

The Sixth Amendment commands that “[i]n all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed.” Trial by a jury of one’s peers is a fundamental American legal right, existing in the earliest colonies before being codified in both Article III of the Constitution and the Sixth Amendment. The jury trial right derives from “the mass of the people,” ensuring that “no man can be condemned of life, or limb, or property, or reputation, without the concurrence of the …

Underdeveloped And Over-Sentenced: Why Eighteen- To Twenty-Year-Olds Should Be Exempt From Life Without Parole, Emily Powell

University of Richmond Law Review

Sentencing eighteen- to twenty-year-olds to life without parole should be considered cruel and unusual because it is disproportionate to this class of offenders’ culpability.

The Prevalence Of Mental Health Problems Among Detained Juveniles In Idaho, Lucas Donaldson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI-2) is an effective tool to quickly identify individuals entering the juvenile justice system that may be most in need of mental and behavioral health services. The MAYSI-2 measures potential disorder on seven subscales—Alcohol/Drug Use, Angry-Irritable, Depressed-Anxious, Somatic Complaints, Suicidal Ideation, Thought Disturbance, and Traumatic Experience. Although Juvenile Detention Centers in Idaho have been collecting MAYSI-2 data for approximately eight years, Idaho’s data has yet to be added to the body of literature documenting MAYSI-2 results. The current study describes the prevalence of mental health problems as measured by the MAYSI-2, utilizing data gathered between …

The Influence Of Rape Myth Acceptance On Self-Reported Perceptions Of Prostitution And Human Trafficking Among College Students, Eva Fontaine

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Adler (1975) contends that, over time, few things in society have changed less than sexual behavior, while few things have changed more than attitudes about sex. As such, myths pertaining to sex work, such as prostitution, human trafficking, and rape myths, support culturally reinforced attitudes that rationalize the sexual exploitation of sex workers (Cotton et al., 2002). Using a convenience sample and revised versions of the Human Trafficking Myths Scale (Cunningham & Cromer, 2016), Attitudes toward Prostitutes and Prostitution Scale (Levin & Peled, 2011), and Updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (McMahon & Farmer, 2011), the current study sought to …

Potential Jurors’ Perceptions Of Polygraphs In Court, Jacob Schiess

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The polygraph occupies a contentious place in the justice system. The instrument detects various physical responses and records these results, and the examiner interprets the readings and makes a determination on whether the test subject was truthful or deceptive. Polygraphs are, in some jurisdictions, a part of the court process and in others are forbidden. On the whole, there is less research on the polygraph and their permissibility in the legal process compared to other types of evidence. There is even less research on the opinions of jurors, especially compared to surveys of criminal justice professionals. That which is present …

How Changing The Wes Kleinert Fair Interview Act And Establishing Law Enforcement Academy Training Standards Will Help The Autism Community, Randy Lambert

Child and Family Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Formal Learning In An Informal Setting: The Cognitive And Affective Impacts Of Visiting A Science Center During A School Field Trip, Charlie Belin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the pressures of budget cuts, many schools--particularly schools serving low-income students--are eliminating school field trips to museums, zoos, and other cultural institutions despite their widely reported utility. First, through a systematic review of the literature, I examine the findings from 17 international studies on the benefits of visiting an informal science education institution during a K-12 school field trip. Almost all pre-post studies reported a positive change in both cognitive and affective outcomes after visiting an ISEI. However, studies that also included a control group to compare students who visited the ISEI with students who had yet to visit …

Media Framing Of Wrongful Convictions, Eza B. Zakirova

Student Theses

Wrongful convictions are a major issue hindering the effectiveness and legitimacy of the criminal justice system. The topic has become a focus of media attention. Among the issues raised are the contributing factors to wrongful convictions, such as false confessions, false or misleading forensic evidence, official misconduct, mistaken witness identification, and perjury or false accusations. The following study examines how media frames these contributing factors of wrongful convictions using Loseke's social constructionist framework, which is useful for deconstructing the issue’s diagnostic, motivational and prognostic frames -- that is, how media consumers assess the causes, solutions, and the reasons to act …

Evaluation Of Illumina’S Forenseqtm Signature Prep Kit For Eye And Hair Color As Well As Biogeographical Ancestry Predictions, Krupa Vijaykumar Jani

Student Theses

This study examined and analyzed 266 samples using ForenSeq^TM Signature Prep Kit B. Samples from various populations such as African American, East Asian, South Asian, European, and Mixed population were included in the study. Primer Mix B targets 27 autosomal STRs (aSTRs), 24 Y-STRs, 7 X-STRs, and 94 identity Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (iSNPs), 24 phenotypic SNPs (pSNPs), and 56 ancestry SNPs (aSNPs), coming to a total of 231 targets. The study mainly focused on the quality of data generated by the instrument as well as for the accuracy of eye and hair color as well as biogeographical ancestry predictions …

Ant Predation Of Blow Flies During Decomposition And Its Potential Impact On Pmi Estimations, Vincent J. Nappi

Student Theses

When an organism dies, the process of decomposition begins and many insects are attracted to the decomposing remains, or carrion, as a prospective food source for themselves, or their offspring. Blow flies (Family: Calliphoridae), in particular, are one of the first insects to discover and colonize a dead body due to the ability to detect a decomposing resource from large distances. As a result, forensic entomologists take advantage of the behavior and developmental cycles of early colonizers to calculate the post-mortem interval (PMI) in order to determine the time since death. However, along with the insects that are attracted to …

Hope For Transformation: The Metaphorical Broken Window That Distinguishes High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools From High-Poverty, High-Performing Schools., Tania P. Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the phenomenon of the difference between high-poverty, low-performing schools and high-poverty, high-performing (H-P/L-P & H-P/H-P schools through the metaphorical lens of Kelling and Wilson's 1982 Criminal Justice Broken Windows Theory. The Broken Windows Theory describes the norm-setting and beckoning effect of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime. Previous research found that H-P/H-P schools had a collaborative school culture. This research used elements of school culture as metaphorical broken windows. The study employed a cross-sectional phenomenology mixed methods design to examine school performance scores, school routines and school culture. Results indicate that when students experienced unstable enrollment, …

A Comparative Look Of Sentencing Outcomes Based On The Defendant's Country Of Citizenship, Whitney Ridley

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In the wake of negative stereotypes of immigrants from lower status countries, this study used federal sentencing data for 2015 to examine the effects of the defendant’s country of citizenship on sentence outcomes. Although the United States Sentencing Commission has long stipulated that national origin isn’t a relevant factor in determining sentence, a growing body of sentencing research has found evidence that a defendant’s country of citizenship continues to influence sentence outcome. Findings of the current study revealed partial support that national origins do matter. Specifically, after controlling for a number of legally relevant, case processing and extralegal factors, defendants …

University Student Perceptions Of Body-Worn Cameras, Bryant Plumlee

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Numerous studies have examined university student perceptions of a plethora of criminal justice related topics. However, there has been no published research on university student perceptions of, or level of support for, the relatively new body-worn camera technology. Using data collected from sample of 244 students enrolled at a midsized southeastern university, this study examined the perceptions of body-worn cameras held by university students. Demographic and educational characteristics, as well as individual level experiences, were measured for to determine their relationship with student perceptions. Findings indicated that respondents held positive attitudes of body-worn cameras. Perceived inequality in the use of …

University Of Central Florida Graduate Catalog, 2018 - 2019, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Mexican American Counselor And Client: Perceptions Toward Substance Use Disorders, Eluterio Blanco Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Over 28.6 million Americans have admitted to the ongoing use of illicit drugs and more than half of Americans are current alcohol drinkers yet a significant number of these people do not seek treatment. Trends regarding substance-related treatment have shown Hispanic drug users tend to underutilize drug and alcohol services and treatment avoidance is especially prevalent among Mexican Americans who reside along the US-Mexico border, due in part to the stigma associated with substance use. In addition, counselor attitudes as well as student counselors-in-training attitudes are showing a manifestation of the same kind of stigma toward substance use as the …