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Examination Of The Effects Of Speech Disorders On Juvenile Delinquency And The Potential Benefits Of Speech Therapy For Offenders, Katie Paparelli

Senior Honors Projects

In the United States, there are currently over 50,000 juveniles housed in youth confinement facilities for delinquent acts ranging from truancy to murder. To decrease that number, it is pertinent to identify possible risk factors of juvenile delinquency, but also to establish impactful preventative strategies as well as reactive solutions. Speech disorders and speech differences have been identified as potential risk factors for juvenile delinquency. Having a speech disorder/difference has an undeniable impact on a child’s life, with potentially negative impacts ranging from poor engagement with school and bullying—both risk factors in themselves for juvenile delinquency. Unsurprisingly, researchers have found …

The Public Health Crisis Of Alcoholism: What Could Be Done Better In Rhode Island?, Carlos Borges

Senior Honors Projects

Alcoholism is a chronic issue that affects over 3 million people per year in the United States. It is characterized by an individual who is physiologically dependent on alcohol to the point where they cannot carry out common social activities such as having friends or holding down a job. Approximately 88,000 people die per year due to alcohol related events. The economic impact due to hospital bills, criminal justice costs, and lost productivity of the abuser is estimated at $400 billion annually. Alcohol abuse can be used as a coping mechanism in adolescents who are struggling with behavioral health issues …

Seeing Color: America's Judicial System, Elizabeth Poulin

Senior Honors Projects

In many eyes, it often seems as though being white in America is easy, or a privilege. Being white in America is considered a safety blanket, with an abundance of opportunities beneath it. Yet, how does a physical difference such as skin color manifest itself as privilege? Noticing color is not wrong, hateful, or oppressive. Even children notice color, and we define them as the ultimate innocence. But in fact, skin color is often a trigger. When the world has preconceived notions about people of color, an oppressive system designed to harm people who have never done anything to deserve …

Trauma Informed Care Training Initiative: Implementation Study In Appalachia, Mattie V. Raza

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study aims to evaluate the implementation of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) trainings in Johnson City, Tennessee, and the surrounding Appalachian area. Previous TIC trainees were sent an email survey asking them if they had followed through with their plan to implement the training at their place of work or in other areas of their lives. The response rate for this study was 2%, possibly due to extraneous variables such as the Coronavirus Pandemic and the lag time between the initial training and survey follow-up. The responses that were analyzed indicated promise for the practical implementation of TIC concepts at the …

Stepping Towards Justice: The Case For The Illinois Constitution Requiring More Protection Than Not Falling Below “Cruel And Unusual” Punishment, Andrea D. Lyon, Hannah J. Brooks

Northern Illinois University Law Review

In these tumultuous times, when our nation is trying to not only navigate a global pandemic, but also actually reckon with its long history of institutional racism, mass incarceration, and devastation of poor communities and communities of color, the cry for criminal justice reform is loud and getting louder, particularly regarding sentencing, and it is time for Illinois to require its courts to commit to doing more in accordance with our constitution. In this article, the authors examine the legislative and constitutional history of Illinois, the effects of a series of recent decisions made in the context of the sentencing …

Race, Sex, Exoneration, & Compensation: How Do They Relate? What Is Done? And What Needs To Be Done?, Sarah Emily Still

Honors Theses

Previous literature has noted multiple causes of wrongful conviction including mistaken eyewitness identification, false confessions, ineffective assistance of counsel, crime lab error, and prosecutorial misconduct. Over time, more wrongful convictions caused by these factors are overturned through the help of organizations such as the Innocence Project. With these increasing exonerations comes the increased needs of exonerated people. The previous literature has exemplified that exonerees have unique needs (Simms, 2016), but these needs are often not met by the compensation that is available (Chunias & Aufgang, 2008; Mandery et. al, 2013). This occurrence is problematic given that exonerees had to lose …

Learning To Disclose: A Journey Of Transracial Adoption Teaching Resource, Joni Schwartz

Open Educational Resources

This textbook guide for the book Learning to Disclose: A Journey of Transracial Adoption by Joni Schwartz & Rebecca Schwartz, November 2020 published by the Peter Lang Group. This teaching aid accompanies the text. This teaching aid was created by Alejandro Toro as part of an LIB 220, Spring 1 research course project. It is submitted with his written permission.

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Their Connection To Autoimmune Disease In Adulthood, Emma J. Molden

Honors Theses

Everyday in the United States, a child experiences a traumatic event. Autoimmune disease is one of the top two leading causes of death in the United States. Can these two horrifying events be connected? Autoimmune diseases currently affect millions of Americans and are considered an epidemic because of their prevalence within the adult population. Even with a high number of cases, this possible connection has been largely ignored and under researched for the history of modern medicine. However, two studies have begun to make the connection between adverse childhood experiences and how that affects the onset of autoimmune diseases in …

The Pacific Sentinel: May/June, Mini Issue, Portland State University. Student Publications Board

The Pacific Sentinel

Editor: Vivian Veidt

Articles in this issue include:

• Letter From the Editor
• Vaccine Hesitancy
• Campus Policing and the Call for Abolition
• Goodbye Afghanistan Palestine
• Where Memes and Cinema Collide

Project Foresight Annual Report, 2019-2020, Paul J. Speaker

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Project FORESIGHT is a business-guided self-evaluation of forensic science laboratories across the globe. The participating laboratories represent local, regional, state, and national agencies. Economics, accounting, finance, and forensic faculty provide assistance, guidance, and analysis. Laboratories participating in Project FORESIGHT have developed standardized definitions for metrics to evaluate work processes, linking financial information to work tasks, and functions. Laboratory managers can then assess resource allocations, efficiencies, and value of services—the mission of Project FORESIGHT is to measure, preserve what works, and change what does not.

The benchmark data for the 2019-2020 performance period includes laboratory submissions for a variety of fiscal …

Tennessee Felon Population Update, May 2021, Tennessee. Department Of Correction.

Felon Population Reports

No abstract provided.

Relationship Of Utilization Of Mental Health Care In Patients With Substance Use Disorders With And Without History Of Prior Incarceration, Linda Zhang, Harrison Ross Galicki, Gerald Demasters, William B. Dehart

Psychiatry

No abstract provided.

The Canine-Campus Connection: Roles For Dogs In The Lives Of College Students, Mary Renck Jalongo

Purdue University Press Book Previews

No abstract provided.

Chimerism And Mosaicism: The Fallibility Of Dna Evidence, Robert Ellis-Liang

Child and Family Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Of Individuals Within Incarceration: A Systematic Literature Review, Steven I. Valladares

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Mental Health Illness is on the rise in the United States. About 90% of incarcerated individuals have at least one mental health condition. The current federal and state incarceration systems do not seem to be well-equipped to transition an incarcerated individual to the civilian life. This is so because the incarceration system focuses too much on the punishment rather than rehabilitation. This framework could be deemed unsafe and dangerous to the civilian world once a prisoner gets released, due to incarcerated individuals not receiving adequate mental health treatment. This literature review highlights the flaws of the current incarceration system mental …

Increasing Post-Incarceration Education Within Juvenile Detention Centers, Michela M. Peterson

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Juvenile offenders often lack support for developing post-incarceration plans such as college or career options, which can lead to higher recidivism and escalation to becoming long-term, adult offenders. While some juvenile detention centers have on site schools, the curriculum neglects discussing future goals and career planning. In order to address this problem, I created a three day presentation for incarcerated youth at the Napa County Juvenile Detention Center in Napa, California about college majors and careers that do not require higher education.

On The Path Toward Precision: Responding To The Need For Clear Statutes In The Criminal Law, Laura C. Tharney, Executive Director, Samuel M. Silver, Deputy Director, Arshiya M. Fyazi, Counsel, Jennifer D. Weitz, Counsel, Christopher Mrakovcic, Legislative Law Clerk, New Jersey Law Revision Commission, Rachael M. Segal

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

Transitioning To Housing First: Perceptions Of The Role Of The Rehabilitation Counselor In Serving Homeless Individuals With Disabilities In Puerto Rico, Ana Vanessa Serrano Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1980s, the federal government has developed strategies to eradicate homelessness in the US and its territories. The introduction of evidence-based practices like the Housing First Model helped decrease the number of people living homeless. Still, it continues to be a public health problem, especially among chronically homeless individuals, defined broadly as people with disabilities and substance abuse problems experiencing homelessness. Rehabilitation counselors are professionals specialized in serving individuals with disabilities. However, their role in programs identified as Housing First was unclear.

Thus, the study aimed to identify service providers' views, opinions, knowledge, and experiences about the role of …

The Rise Of Police Militarization And Impact On Civilians, Araceli Marquez

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Across the country, police are using aggressive, military-style policing tactics to enforce the law. These aggressive tactics disproportionately affect minorities and residents of lower-income communities. Recent protests by the Black Lives Matter movement have taken place in response to the deaths of individuals such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Aggressive police presence at these demonstrations has been prominent, despite protesters’ peaceful intent. The police are not only present at rallies and protests but also at celebratory events like major cities' sports celebrations. This paper examines militarization as a result of the War on Drugs, the 1033 program, racial politics, …

Policing And Mental Health: The Current Criminal Justice Approach To A Public Health Issue, Jacklyn Spatzer

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

One source of unrest in modern society is the traditional criminal justice approach towards mental health issues, made evident by public protests and media highlights of police brutality. While public perceptions of mental health issues evolve, law enforcement interactions show failures to implement nuanced avenues to protect people undergoing crises. This paper examines the relationship between law enforcement and public health issues to develop more efficient avenues than those currently in place. All involved parties experience negative consequences when police departments bear the responsibility for addressing public health issues. Lack of police training in mental health disturbances and scarcity of …

Correctional Officers' Response To Stress: An Exploration Of The Associations Between Violence And Trauma Exposure, Coping Mechanisms, And Ptsd., Katie Lorraine Hughes-Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines correctional officer coping mechanisms and whether they impact the likelihood of an officer developing PTSD symptoms. Additionally, research questions focus on whether problem-focused or emotion-focused coping mechanisms moderate the relationship between exposure to trauma and PTSD symptoms. The data for the current dissertation comes from a larger National Institute of Justice grant determined to examine mindfulness as an intervention for correctional officer PTSD within Kentucky Department of Corrections. Approximately 245 officers from seven adult institutions participated in the study and completed a lengthy survey. Main variables for the current analysis include two dependent variables, both of …

Incidental Exposure, Political Activity And Perceived Trust., Brianna Berry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines the concept of incidental versus traditional exposure to information through the context of a police brutality incident. Incidental exposure on social media is when a person is exposed to information or imagery without prior warning. It is hypothesized that 1) individuals who are incidentally exposed to a graphic police brutality event will be more likely to participate in politics and 2) will have lower perceived trust in the government. This randomized study utilizes two treatments (incidental exposure and traditional exposure) and a control group. Analysis of the data shows that support for H₁ is only …

Understanding The Relationship Between Academic Burnout And Field Practicum Satisfaction, Maria Luisa Ramirez, Victoria Jakaub

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a topic of significant consideration in social work. The present study intended to generate findings to address the student burnout phenomenon and offer suggestive means for advancing social work practice through mediating factors. The research followed a descriptive quantitative study design that focused on investigating the relationship between academic burnout among MSW and BASW students and field practicum satisfaction. Self-administered surveys were administered using the Qualtrics system, and the statistical analysis was conducted using SPPS version 21. Findings indicated a moderate-high burnout effect among MSW and BASW students with a positive association with age and a decreased satisfaction …

An Exploration Of Factors Related To Recidivism Rates Among Mentally Ill Parolees, Sierra Kitzmiller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although criminality among mentally ill individuals is a well-documented phenomenon, limited research has focused on specific factors that need to be addressed to combat this issue. Utilizing the theoretical framework of Shaw and McKay’s (1942) Social Disorganization Theory, in conjunction with collective efficacy (Sampson et al., 1997) and social capital (Coleman, 1988), different factors were explored in an attempt to discover their relationship with recidivism. Using secondary data from Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies, variables such as homelessness, unemployment, and religious importance were analyzed in relation to rearrest rates from 889 parolees nine months post-release. Marriage, sex, and age …

Effects Of Religiosity And Self-Control On At-Risk Adolescent Substance Use And Delinquency, Lauren Burns

Master's Theses

The adolescent period is one of growth, increased autonomy, and increased risk-taking. Common examples of these risky behaviors include substance use and engagement in delinquent activity. Adolescent substance use and delinquent behavior can lead to a range of negative outcomes, some of which carry into adulthood. These negative consequences are especially evident among at-risk adolescents such as those who have dropped out of school or who come into contact with the juvenile justice system, as these youth often demonstrate higher rates of substance use and delinquent behavior. Understanding the nature and development of these problem behaviors is essential to developing …

Incarceration Effects On Attaining Higher Education For Formerly Incarcerated Youth, Francey Oliva, Daniela Garcia Robledo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Incarceration disrupts areas of a juvenile’s life on multiple levels, including personal, social, and educational. Incarceration can present many obstacles for youth who are in pursuit of furthering their education. This research project sought to assess if the five identified factors, including quality of precollege education, mentoring, reentry services, family supports, and socioeconomic status, played a role in adults, who were formerly incarcerated youth, pursuing higher levels of education. The study utilized an online survey to gather numerical data on the participant’s perception of how they believe these factors influenced them. A bivariate analysis was used to analyze if the …

Barriers To Housing Faced By Transitional Age Foster Youth When Transitioning Out Of Care, Taryn Cronkite

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines current barriers to stable housing, as well as gaps within the social service system, that hinder transitional age foster youth from obtaining stable housing after exiting extended foster care. This study is relevant to the social work profession due to overrepresented number of youth in the foster system and a need for services to reduce their chance of homelessness once aging out. The barriers found in this study were identified by the researcher through the interviews with both professionals working with this population, as well as transitional age foster youth themselves. Maximum variation was achieved with the …

Determination Of Human Shedding Propensity Based On Str Results, Genevieve Trapani

Student Theses

Trace DNA evidence may be discovered at a crime scene after having been deposited by a person of interest via active or passive transfer. Based on previous studies, passive transfer of one’s DNA is influenced by their shedding propensity, or probability of depositing a detectable amount of DNA through touch. Determining the shedding propensity of a person of interest can aid in trace DNA interpretation in forensic casework. This study explored STR profile quality and the presence of a DNA mixture for different skin surface locations, including fingertips before and after handwashing. As expected, unwashed fingers showed a higher prevalence …

Criterion Validity Of The Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method In A Criminal Justice Sample, Sarah M. Monaghan

Student Theses

The purpose of the current study was to determine the clinical utility of the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method (OSU-TBI-ID) in a criminal justice sample, by evaluating the criterion-related validity of this instrument. It was hypothesized that this tool could differentiate between incarcerated individuals with or without a history of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) on measures evaluating important TBI-related sequalae. The sample consisted of 95 incarcerated men detained at a private correctional facility in a Mid-Atlantic state. Measures used in this study to evaluate executive functioning difficulties, psychiatric difficulties, substance use problems, institutional misconduct and recidivism were …

Profiling Child Molesters: Thematic Differentiation Of Crime Scene Indicators And Correlations To Psychopathology, John P. Santora

Student Theses

Offender profiling has become an increasingly important tool in criminal investigations. The current research took an expansive, multifaceted empirical approach to the profiling of child molesters through investigative psychological methodologies with additional perspectives investigating concomitant clinical implications. In doing this, offenders were thematically differentiated based on their behaviors at the offense. The quality of the differentiation was tested, and the distribution of offenders across the derived themes was developed. Associations between the Massachusetts Treatment Center Child Molester Three, Axis One (MTC:CM3 A1) were assessed. This process was repeated for offender characteristic variables which were also thematically differentiated. Finally, behavioral themes …