Digital Commons Network^™

Prosecution In The Eyes Of The Justice-Involved: A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach, Belén Lowrey-Kinberg

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Community based participatory research (CBPR) centers the voices of community members in the research process. Long used in the field of healthcare, criminal justice researchers have employed CBPR only in limited contexts, and never in the context of prosecution research. This paper reports on findings from a CBPR study that employed focus groups with justice-involved individuals to identify their perceptions of the pre-trial process, prosecutors’ priorities, and recommended directions for research. The findings from these focus groups were used as the basis for developing interview questions for prosecutors, which were subsequently implemented in two larger research projects examining prosecutor discretion. …

Communication Inhibitors: Dilemmas In Community Partnerships Amidst Mental Health Crises In Texas, Alessa Juarez, Kendra N. Bowen, Johnny Nhan

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Community partnerships between police departments, social services, and healthcare providers continue to struggle in various ways, with mental health crisis response remaining a primary yet fragmented service delivery. Using the nodal governance perspective, this paper provides qualitative insight into the existing communication and resource barriers between law enforcement personnel and social service providers in a large urban county in Texas. Four key themes are presented: staff and resource availability, continuity of care, staff personnel and characteristics, and communication efficiency. Policy implications are also discussed, with the study’s findings supporting the prioritization of building stronger communication between existing social service providers, …

Access To Algorithmic Justice Working Paper: Introducing The A2aj’S Canadian Legal Data: An Open-Source Alternative To Canlii For The Era Of Computational Law, Simon Wallace, Sean Rehaag

Commissioned Reports, Studies and Public Policy Documents

The Access to Algorithmic Justice project (A2AJ) is an open-source alternative to the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII). At a moment when technology promises to enable new ways of working with law, CanLII is becoming an impediment to the free access of law and access to justice movements because it restricts bulk and programmatic access to Canadian legal data. This means that Canada is staring down a digital divide: wellresourced actors have the best new technological tools and, because CanLII has disclaimed leadership, the public only gets second-rate tools. This article puts CanLII in its larger historical context and shows …

Will Anyone Play With Me? Building Resilience Through Community Play With Transgender And Gender Diverse Young Adults, Lee Lebeda

Expressive Therapies Theses

The recent increase in anti-trans legislature in the United States has negatively impacted the mental health of transgender young adults nationwide. Current research suggests that creative expression in a group setting may be uniquely suited to help transgender people combat the negative mental health effects of internalized anti-trans messaging. Based on this research, a community engagement project was designed for transgender young adult participants to explore resilience building through drama therapy-informed community play. Three play-based support groups, facilitated by a drama therapy graduate student who identified as a peer to the participants, were offered to transgender young adults in their …

Crow's Nest, September 15, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The September 15, 2025, issue of Crow's Nest.

Black Somatic Liberatory Practices: The Africanist Aesthetic In Psychotherapeutic Movement Observation, Ebony Nichols

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

This critical ethnographic qualitative study explored Black body-based healing practices and coping strategies used to resist and titrate the impact of racism and oppression. It also examined how Black individuals use their bodies to regulate their nervous systems to heal and cultivate liberatory practices. Grounded in theoretical frameworks such as Black Psychology, African Indigenous Healing Systems, Liberation Psychology, and Critical Race Theory, this research investigated the intersections of Black Aesthetics, Psychology, and the body through the lens of the Africanist Aesthetic. The study employed interaction analysis and reflexive thematic analysis to analyze non-verbal and verbal data collected from two focus …

Synthesis Of Mindful Inspiration, Syncretism, And Unionism Yields The Mind Method For Alleviating Public School Teacher Burnout, Walt Durand

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Public school teachers face the risk of burnout. Mindfulness has been suggested for addressing the chronic stress that can lead to teacher burnout. However, criticisms have been raised regarding the sometimes problematic nature of mindfulness programs (MPs) for public school teachers. For example, MPs may be perceived as religious and therefore not appropriate for secular public schools. Additionally, MPs may not be designed with enough of an ethical framework and may not do enough to authentically help teachers address the systemic challenges they face. In response to these limitations, this paper suggests the synthesis of the following MP enhancements to …

Educational Reforms In West Africa: Push And Pull Factors Analysis Of Student Mobility In Ghana, Nigeria, And The Ivory Coast, Aya Kouao

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

The interconnectivity of global capitals has led to the increasing movements of people across borders for political, social, and economic reasons. However, there has been an increased interest in countries located in the West. This paper focuses on the context of student mobility in West Africa, especially in the countries of the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria for a better understanding of students’ attitudes toward pursuing their higher education in Western countries. Drawing from the push and pull theory, the purpose of this study is to explore the drivers of migration intentions among West African students while looking at the …

The Changing Nature Of International Trade And Its Implications For Development, Pinelopi Goldberg, Michele Ruta

Discussion Papers

This paper revisits the relationship between international trade, trade policy, and development in light of the structural, policy, and geopolitical shifts that have transformed globalization over the past decade. While trade has historically supported development through both static and dynamic channels, we argue that the latter—those inducing structural transformation and institutional change—have been far more consequential for long-run development. Through access to global markets, participation in global value chains, and knowledge and technology transfers, and by providing an anchor for reform, trade and trade agreements have contributed to productivity gains, technological progress, quality and skill upgrading, and institutional change in …

State Sexual Violence At Carceral Institutions In Iowa: A Position Paper, Chikako Inoue

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

The Changing Nature Of International Trade And Its Implications For Development, Pinelopi Goldberg, Michele Ruta

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This chapter revisits the relationship between international trade, trade policy, and development in light of the structural, policy, and geopolitical shifts that have transformed globalization over the past decade. While trade has historically supported development through both static and dynamic channels, we argue that the latter—those inducing structural transformation and institutional change—have been far more consequential for long-run development. Through access to global markets, participation in global value chains, and knowledge and technology transfers, and by providing an anchor for reform, trade and trade agreements have contributed to productivity gains, technological progress, quality and skill upgrading, and institutional change in …

Pentingkah Pekerjaan Ibu Dalam Literasi Anak Di Indonesia?, Dien Amalina Nur Asrofi, Muhammad Salahudin Al Ayyubi

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study aims to analyze the impact of maternal employment status and job type on children's literacy skills in Indonesia, using data from the 2023 National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) and a binary logistic regression approach. The results show that working mothers, particularly those in the formal sector, are positively and significantly correlated with children's literacy, especially in non-poor households. These findings highlight the important role of maternal employment contribution in strengthening educational investment within families. In contrast, among poor households, formal employment of mothers does not significantly influence children's literacy, indicating that economic constraints remain a major barrier. In addition, …

Biophobia And Pet Ownership: Can Having A Pet Mitigate Our Fear And Aversion Towards Nature?, Alexia Barrable

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Biophobia, which we defined as fear, disgust, or aversion toward natural environments or organisms, has received little empirical attention when compared to biophilia, despite its implications for human and planetary wellbeing. This mixed-methods study explores the relationship between pet ownership, biophobia, and nature connectedness among 373 English- speaking adults. Quantitative findings reveal that (M = 26.4) exhibit significantly lower levels of biophobia than non-pet owners (M = 30.1; U = 5179, Z = -2.95, p = .002, R = 0.27), although no significant differences in nature connectedness were found across pet ownership (U = 7033, Z = 0.31, p = …

From Weberian Rationalization To Javascript Components: Modularism In Academic Library Software, Mark E. Eaton

Publications and Research

This paper considers modular approaches to building library software and situates these practices within the context of the rationalizing logics of modern programming. It briefly traces modularism through its elaboration in the social sciences, in computer science and ultimately describes it as it is deployed in contemporary academic libraries. Using the methodology of a case study, we consider some of the very tangible and pragmatic benefits of a modular approach, while also touching upon some of the broader implications. We find that the modularism is deeply integrated into modern software practice, and that it can help support the work of …

Emphasizing A Student-Centered Process: Open Pedagogy Course Assessments Across Disciplines, Angela M. Mcgowan-Kirsch, Kelly Soczka Steidinger, Christina R. Hilburger, Heather J. Hether, Jean Hertzberg, Amanda Lohiser

Milne Open Textbooks

Emphasizing a Student-Centered Process: Open Pedagogy Course Assessments Across Disciplines showcases how Open Educational Practices (OEP) empower students as active contributors to knowledge creation. Grounded in constructivist principles, this collection highlights student-centered assessments—from collaborative course design and renewable assignments to generative artificial intelligence—that foster critical thinking, active learning, and inclusivity. Through practical examples and reflective discussions, the book provides educators with actionable strategies to integrate open pedagogical practices across disciplines while addressing challenges such as institutional support, professional development, and resource accessibility.

2025 Latinx Heritage Month, Illinois State University, Latin American And Latino/A Studies Program

Latinx Heritage Month Posters

Schedule of events for Illinois State University's Latinx Heritage Month celebration

The Effect Of The Popsicle Sticks Strategy On Developing Socratic Thinking Among First-Grade Intermediate Female Students In Social Studies, Zainab Ali Dara

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

The current research aims to find out the impact of the ice cream sticks strategy in the development of sounding thinking among first-grade intermediate students towards sociology and to achieve the goal of the research, the researcher formulated the following null hypothesis: (There is no statistically significant difference at the level of (0.05) between the average scores of the experimental group students who study sociology according to the ice cream sticks strategy and the average scores of the control group students who study the same subject according to the traditional method of testing the saber thinking. In a random manner, …

Modern Zombies As Subaltern In Max Brooks’S World War Z: An Oral History Of The Zombie War (2006), Hamza Alwan Jaber, Azhar Noori Fejer

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

Max Brooks’s World War Z (2006) has made many contributions to the zombie genre, particularly in making it an international plague. With key situations occurring in the Middle East, which in the Christian tradition will be the location of the “End of Days,” the Apocalypse, the Armageddon at the Megiddo. While Brooks was not the first to assign infectious disease/plague/epidemiology as the cause of zombies, he emphasized that explanation for the 21st-century culture that has been rife with fears of disease and pandemics, from Ebola, Bird flu, etc. This study aims to show the image of the modern zombie as …

The Psychological Impact Of Systemic Factors On Maternal Mental Health Outcomes, V Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal mental health disparities in the United States continue to impact reproductive-age women, especially those from underserved populations. In this quantitative study, how healthcare accessibility and socioeconomic status (SES) influenced psychological stress and maternal mental health outcomes was examined. Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model and critical race theory guided the theoretical framework. Secondary data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to analyze three research questions related to the predictive relationships between systemic factors and mental health outcomes, and differences in stress across age groups. Key variables included insurance coverage, access to a personal doctor, cost-related barriers, income, employment …

Staff Education About Cultural Awareness In A Healthcare Setting, Phylis Titty Tarawally

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This quality improvement project was carried out to address a practice gap in culturally responsive care among nursing staff working in a skilled nursing facility. African-American residents often face disparities in healthcare due to staff’s limited knowledge of cultural health beliefs and confidence in engaging with diverse populations. To improve this, an educational intervention was designed using the ADDIE instructional model and evaluated to see if it could enhance staff knowledge and confidence related to African-American cultural practices. The project was guided by the practice-focused question: Will a structured African-American cultural awareness program improve staff knowledge and confidence to …

Professional Identity Formation In Traditional Chinese Medicine Students: An Educational Perspective Using Triple-Valued Neutrosophic Set, Hongxin Wang

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Financial Behaviors And Their Predictive Power On Stress: A Neutrosophic Qca Approach, Suly Sendy Pérez-Castañeda, Blanca Estela, Dorie Cruz-Ramírez, Beatriz Sauza-Ávila, Gisela Janeth Espinosa-Martínez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Disaster Resilience And Normalization: Facing Facts, Naomi Zack Phd

Publications and Research

Disaster resilience requires acknowledgment and preparation to be normalized or integrated into normal life. But denial without preparation normalizes disaster by  leaving it out of normal life. In Disaster Resilience and Normalization: Facing Facts, Naomi Zack explores the normative and factual dimensions of a Climate Change Paradigm, through a global scope. Apart from the normative issues of who is responsible and who should pay for mitigation, the facts of Rising Average Earth Temperatures and more Intense and Frequent Disasters must still be faced.

But facing those facts has always been voluntary for powerful signatories to the 2015 Paris Climate …

Citizen Perception Of Institutional Communication: A Study With Plithogenic Hypotheses, Karla Melissa Ruiz Quezada, Juan Roberto Pereira Salcedo, Ronald Ricky Alcívar Cabada, Pedro Ma Nuel Garcia Arias M.C, Edison Luis Cruz Navarrete

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Modeling Intertwined Humanity: Neutrosophic Complete Graphs, Ubuntu, And The Logic Of No, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

A Neutrosophic Locality-Based Algebraic Model For Evaluating Teaching Quality In Music And Dance Classes: Hybrid Human Performance As A Multidimensional Entity, Yuxi Guo, Yue Zhang

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

M-Polar Single-Valued Neutrosophic Sets For Evaluation Of University Sports Management Models And Sports Teaching Quality, Huali Huang

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Triple-Valued Neutrosophic Off For Public Digital Cultural Service Level Evaluation In Craft And Art Museums, Jiarong Jia

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Sets And Systems, Vol. 88,2025, Florentin Smarandache, Mohamed Abdel-Basset, Maikel. Leyva Vazquez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Urban Sprawl's Effect On Social And Behavioral Changes In Desert Environments, Huda Abozaid Esmail, Dr- Engy Ibrahim Al-Darwish, Dr. Ahmed Hussein Abo Al-Saadat

Journal of Engineering Research

As one of the most important modern urban dynamics that reshapes social structures and redefines residents' psychological frameworks, this study explores the behavioral and social effects of urban sprawl in desert environments. In order to investigate the complex effects of unchecked urban growth, the study employs four interconnected analytical frameworks: social capital, fragmented urbanism, urban alienation, and social change. Rapid and uncontrolled urban growth in delicate ecosystems, like desert cities, weakens conventional social cohesion, breaks communal links, and fosters increased sentiments of spatial detachment and alienation, according to the report. It also examines the effects of these changes on communal …