Punitive Desire, Belief In Redeemability, And Support For Rehabilitation: A Comparison Of Victimized And Non-Victimized Individuals' Attitudes Toward Criminal Offenders, Caleb Linder

Student Theses

This study examined the attitudes of victimized and non-victimized individuals toward criminal offenders, investigating whether the supportive attitudes observed in Spoo et al. (2018) extend beyond sexual offenses to other types of crime. The study also explored how the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim (family member vs. stranger) and participants’ previous exposure to the justice system influenced their perceptions of offenders. Contrary to our hypothesis, punitive attitudes did not differ between participants with a history of victimization and those without. Additionally, there was no significant difference in punitive attitudes toward stranger offenders compared to offenders known to the victim. Furthermore, …

Symposium Introduction: Illuminating Public Health Struggles Behind Bars, Justin Iverson, Javiera Sothers

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Keynote: Promoting Disability Equality Behind Bars, Margo Schlanger

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Secretive Sheriffs: Opacity And Variation In California's Jail Responses To Covid-19, Aparna Komarla, Hadar Aviram

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Exonerations For Wrongfully Convicted Disabled Inmates: The Path To Salvation Is Paved With Bad Intentions, Marc Consalo

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Structure Vs Agency: The Intersectionality Of Race, Mental Health, And Homelessness, Jayley Martin

University Honors Theses

This project investigates the intersectionality between race, mental health, and homelessness, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between structural factors and individual characteristics. Through an integrative literature review, the research addresses the question of how race, mental health, and homelessness are interconnected. The findings suggest a distinct relationship between untreated mental illness and an increased risk of homelessness, particularly among marginalized racial groups. In addition, some mental illnesses, such as anxiety and depression, have a higher incidence among those who face conflict due to racial discrimination. Structural components such as systemic racism in social services and healthcare practices significantly impact access to …

Collective Analysis, Sydney L. Reichin, Angie Benda, James C. Peters, Joel S. Elson, Samuel Hunter

Reports, Projects, and Research

This report serves as Deliverable 7: Collective Analysis, as tasked by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary goal of this effort was to review literature (both academic and practitioner-based) related to threats found in K-12 schools, and to validate findings from the literature with interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs). Interviews discussed threats and vulnerabilities SMEs face along with their needs for future risk assessments. This review provides insights within and across interviews from SMEs and resource coding, identifying common and emerging themes that schools experience. The findings will inform the development of a comprehensive K-12 risk assessment …

Non-Destructive Dry Vacuum Recovery Of Dna From Fabric, Emily Sam-Zee-Moi

Student Theses

Trace DNA has proved to be a reliable forensic tool when investigating crimes. Current methods of trace DNA recovery from fabric include cutting, swabbing, scraping, and tape lifting. A dry vacuum collection method originally developed for paper evidence is an alternative nondestructive option for DNA collection from fabric. This research evaluated the success of the dry vacuum technique on pieces of cotton fabric that had been briefly touched as well as the effectiveness of different moistening agents and filters. The samples were designed to simulate an assault with the suspect grabbing the clothing of their victim. Volunteers created samples by …

From Drama To Change: The Role Of Female-Led Egyptian Tv Dramas In Tackling Women’S Issues And Inspiring Youth, Myrna Bader

Theses and Dissertations

The media is widely recognized as a powerful tool for driving social change, shaping public opinion, and influencing societal discourse. In Egypt, it has played a critical role in addressing women’s issues, including discrimination and societal challenges, by raising awareness and either reinforcing or challenging societal issues. This paper examines the impact of female-led Egyptian TV dramas in addressing women’s issues, specifically taboos, stereotypes, and personal status laws. The paper aims to examine their potential to raise awareness, challenge cultural norms, and inspire youth-driven social change. To achieve its objectives, three female-led Egyptian TV dramas addressing specific women’s societal issues …

Environmental Enrichment Reduces Cue-Induced Reinstatement Of Heroin-Seeking Following Prolonged Use And Reverses Region-Specific Heroin-Induced Neuroadaptations, Apoorva Vashisht

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Relapse remains the greatest barrier to long-term recovery and the consequential rising overdose-related mortality in heroin use disorder (HUD). Currently available behavioral and pharmacological interventions fail to extend their benefits beyond the duration of the treatment. Additionally, opioid agonist-based medications accompany harmful neurobiological risks and propensity to promote further drug-seeking post-treatment. We have shown that environmental enrichment (EE), as a therapeutic strategy applied after drug intravenous-self administration (IVSA), can effectively facilitate abstinence and reduce reinstatement of drug-seeking in animal models of drug abuse. Moreover, dopamine receptors like D1 and D3, and mu-opioid (MO) receptors are well known for their …

Moving The Needle: The Policy Of Change On Syringe Access, New York City And State, 1988–2023, Joyce Rivera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

By the mid-1980s, the HIV/AIDS epidemic breached a longstanding consensus between the political class and its bureaucratic alliances that had relied for decades on attitudes and orientations that championed punitive prohibition toward drugs as a bedrock principle of policy making. This ‘focusing event’ created an opening for HIV/AIDS activists to build a movement that offered an alternative, a more effective and just approach to how government policies and practices can manage illegal drugs and the persons who use drugs.

The dissertation uses several theoretical and methodological tools to address the central research objective that highlights the critical role played by …

Black Incarcerated Veterans And Va Service Access, Kimona S. Spencer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigates racial disparities in access to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services among incarcerated Veterans, with a specific focus on Black incarcerated Veterans. Drawing from critical race theory and the minority stress model, the study explores how race, discharge status, military experiences, and mental health conditions intersect to affect potential eligibility for and receipt of VA healthcare and benefits. Utilizing a secondary analysis of data from the Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI), the research employs quantitative methods to examine whether disparities exist in discharge characterizations, potential eligibility for VA care, and service utilization by race. Findings highlight …

The Invisible Hand Of Networked Repression, Thuy Anh Tran

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

U.S. history is awash with contentious episodes involving a legion of governmental and non-governmental actors operating through an array of means and arenas to destroy the political opposition. Yet, there has been little systematic examination in the repression literature of how and why repressive efforts proliferate so far beyond the police, military, and intelligence agencies tasked and equipped to preserve the existing order. This dissertation presents a novel framework for studying the relational basis of repression—particularly as it is organized, mobilized, and extended through a networked social structure. Social network analysis and interpretive case studies are conducted on two historical …

Stereotype Engineering, Ian Olasov

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

I offer an account of a novel variety of conceptual engineering, which I call stereotype engineering. Someone engineers a stereotype when they work to change the typicality effects associated with a category or expression (performance on goodness-of-example tasks, feature listing tasks, and accuracy rates and response times in recognition and retrieval tasks), without necessarily changing the concept of that category or the semantic value of the expression. I offer a number of examples of stereotype engineering in popular discourse – from rape activism to expansive uses of “white supremacy” and “ethnic cleansing,” to the hashtags #BlackGirlMagic and #MyNYPD, to advocacy …

Counter-Hegemony In The Captive State: Recasting Katrina’S Carceral Legacy Through Conjuncture, Joseph S. Muratore

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis traces the historical development and contemporary manifestations of carceral power in Louisiana, arguing that racialized systems of control—from slavery and convict leasing to mass incarceration—have been sustained through shifting alliances of political and economic elites. Using The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) and its exhibit Captive State: Louisiana and the Making of Mass Incarceration as a foundational timeline, this study demonstrates how Bourbonism forged a regional bloc that institutionalized racial domination through incarceration and labor exploitation, later reconstituted through neoliberal policies of abandonment, privatization, and militarization. I chose to focus on Hurricane Katrina because its aftermath reflects many …

Functional And Cultural Values Of Shame: A Motivator To Seek Help For Suicidal Ideation, Yu-Chin Lin

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a global issue with rates continuing to rise despite decades of research and prevention efforts. The role of shame in the development of suicidal ideation, especially within non-Western contexts, remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study explored the relationships among shame, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking intentions in a Taiwanese sample, focusing on four culturally distinct Mandarin terms for shame—diu lian, can kui, xiu kui, and xiu chi. A total of 101 participants who has experiences of suicide-related thoughts or behaviors responded to an online survey. Quantitative analyses revealed that all shame terms were strongly correlated …

“17 Going On 23”: Sentencing Young People To Life In Canada, Debra Parkes

Dalhousie Law Journal

Canada is one of 67 countries worldwide that allows young people—those under the age of 18—to be sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the presumption of diminished moral blameworthiness of young people as a constitutional principle of fundamental justice and invalidated a law that presumed youth should be sentenced as adults for some serious crimes, including murder. The burden is, therefore, always on the Crown to rebut the presumption and prove that a youth sentence would not be long enough to hold the young person accountable for their behaviour. Where the presumption can be …

Belonging Against The Odds: Exploring Restorative Justice Practices As Pathways To Foster Belonging In New York City Transfer Schools, Miguel Rodriguez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The U.S. education system perpetuates structural inequities that disproportionately affect Black students with the School-to-Prison Pipeline (STPPL) criminalizing them through Zero-Tolerance policies. Transfer schools are often a last resort for students pushed out of traditional schools provide a lens to examine the impact of Restorative Justice Practices (RJP) and Black student representation on belonging. This quantitative dissertation study analyzes secondary data from the NYC Department of Education using multivariate models to explore the relationship between RJPs and sense of belonging (SOB). Model 1 found that discussing feelings and emotions at school (Tier 1 RJP) had the strongest association with SOB …

The Impact Of Restorative Practices Intervention On School Culture, Lisa Peloquin

Dissertations

The American educational system, historically designed to empower a few while training the majority to be docile workers, is increasingly being called upon to promote greater equity. While some reform efforts promote highly restrictive behavioral policies to boost student achievement, these approaches often serve to recreate the oppressive school systems they seek to reform. Restorative practices, an alternative approach to school reform, emphasizes creating a culture of strong relationships, where children learn the academic and social emotional skills they need to be successful. This paper presents a case study of one urban, public school’s implementation of restorative practices, examining its …

Traditional Institutions As Change Agents: Understanding Cultural Norms And Practices Promoting Gender-Based Violence In Nigerian Communities, Titilayo Ogunbambi

Dissertations

Traditional institutions in Nigerian communities hold a strong cultural foundation and significantly influence cultural norms and practices. Due to the increasing need for effective community-based approaches in addressing social and health problems on a global scale, we explore the attitudes and behaviors of traditional institutions as custodians of cultural customs and norms related to gender-based violence (GBV) and examine their potential role in ensuring community safety. By addressing harmful gendered norms and practices, traditional institutions could become key agents of change, promoting meaningful social transformations. This study explores the dynamics cultural norms and practices play in community safety, emphasizing the …

The Premature Loss Of The Black Male And Its Implications On The Black Family System And Community: A Proposed 12-Step Grief Support Group Model, Alicia Smith

Dissertations

Premature deaths, ages 15–44, and loss of Black males through homicide, along with suicide and systemic violence, and incarceration, create lifelong emotional and psychological trauma for those who remain behind in Black family settings and society. U.S. social injustices against Black communities and multigenerational losses and racial harm create specific population-based challenges, such as questioning care, lack of accessibility to competent resources, and Black identity issues, which traditional grief recovery programs struggle to help adequately. Even though approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, complicated grief treatment, present-centered therapy, trauma-focused therapy, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and forgiveness therapy …

The Long Arm Of The Law: The Far-Reaching Effects Of The Carceral State On Families, Madison Squiers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis investigates the extended consequences of mass incarceration in the United States, focusing on the social, economic, and psychological impacts on the nuclear families of incarcerated individuals. Through a comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024, this study highlights how female partners and children of imprisoned men face significant hardships, including emotional trauma, financial instability, and social stigma. These burdens are most acutely experienced by low-income families and communities of color, reflecting broader patterns of structural inequality. The findings underscore how punitive criminal justice policies—especially mandatory minimum sentencing and the War on Drugs—have created ripple …

Menstrual Math: The Price Of Bleeding, Gabrielle Langston

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This project examines the landscape of menstrual equity in the United States through a data storytelling lens, focusing on state-level policies regarding taxation and access to menstrual products. The analysis explores which states impose sales tax on menstrual products, if state schools provide free menstrual products, and which states ensure access for incarcerated individuals using publicly available datasets from advocacy groups. Additionally, there is an investigation into potential correlations between the gender wage gap and states that tax menstrual products, shedding light on economic and policy disparities.

Through its data visualizations, this project aims to provide a clear, although not …

Understanding Anti-Racism In Counselor Education: A Narratology Of Anti-Racist Pedagogy In Sociocultural Courses, Danielle G. Rodgers

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselors have the privilege to join children, adolescents, and adults from all walks of life in a journey of working towards mental and emotional wellness. Our code of ethics outlines “honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of people within their social and cultural contexts” (p.3) and promoting social justice as two of our core professional values (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2014). The ACA also stated in their Antiracist Statement in 2020 that “we have a moral and professional obligation to deconstruct institutions which have historically been designed to benefit White …

Community Safety Innovations: New York State Initiatives To Strengthen Public Safety, Justice D. Evans, Elia Del Carmen Solano-Patricio, Rebecca Balletto, Kathleen A. Tomberg, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

This report presents findings from researchers at the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College (JohnJayREC) regarding the impact of state investments in community safety. The report highlights key initiatives such as the SNUG program, Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE), Project RISE, and Crime Analysis Centers (CACs). Through interviews with State agency staff and initiative leaders, the research team gathered valuable insights into the goals, challenges, and implementation of these programs. The findings suggest that these efforts may contribute to reduced violence and enhanced neighborhood safety, though further, more robust evaluation could help refine and expand these efforts for …

A Meso-Structure Reading Of Duterte’S Drug War As A Human Rights And Communicative Crisis, Augustus Ceasar D. Latosa

Social Transformations Journal of the Global South

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte launched the drug war in 2016 to address alleged rising criminality. His directive to kill those who resisted arrest became a symbolic articulation of a policy that led to the deaths of alleged drug offenders, particularly among marginalized urban poor communities. While the drug war has been extensively examined in relation to public policy and governance, few studies have approached it through the lens of communication, particularly crisis communication. Using the culture-centered approach (CCA) as its theoretical anchor, this paper investigated how human rights non-government organizations (NGOs) as meso-structural actors made sense of Duterte’s “war …

Black Parents’ Use Of Educational Advocates: Disrupting Structural And Systemic Racism In Education, Fredericka R. Butler Phd

Dissertations

Research indicates that educators’ deficit perceptions of Black students and their families factor into Black student overrepresentation in disciplinary and special education referrals and underrepresentation in advanced coursework (Annamma et al., 2014; Ford et al., 2023). This prevalence of implicit bias is documented, as is the significance of Black parent involvement in their children’s education (Latunde & Clark-Louque, 2016). Black parents’ awareness of educator racism encourages distrust of educators and interferes with cultivating effective home-school relationships that encourage successful student outcomes. School districts offer the services of educational advocates to provide support to parents whose children are referred for special …

#Protestpolicing: Intersecting Race And Social Media Activism In The Mile High City, Nancy Rios-Contreras

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Demonstrations addressing police use of force stress the importance of revisiting the organization strategies of social movements. Fatal use of force against individuals of color continues to tarnish police-community relations. Social media helps elevate the political movement addressing police use of force, but understanding social media as an activist resource remains underdeveloped. Resource mobilization theory is applied to the conceptualization of protest activities to describe how activists use social media as a resource to initiate and create local community change. This exploratory study consists of 20 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with activists over 18 years old and fieldwork observation. While social …

Health Care In Women’S Carceral Spaces, Kate Gouveia Pereira

Culture, Society, and Praxis

Canada has had a long history of mistreating incarcerated women in their jails. The carceral system was built to fit around the needs of men, neglecting to consider the various health issues that only women face. For many years. federally imprisoned women were held in one deteriorated prison, the Prison for Women (P4W), and were held in abhorrent conditions and experienced many acts of violence. Despite the opening of five more prisons and funding for various programs for women, incarcerated women continue to experience violence and health crises, leaving imprisoned women extremely vulnerable to mental and physical distress. In particular, …

Beneath The Surface: Unearthing Legal, Cultural, And Environmental Challenges To Resource Extraction On Indigenous Land, Danara Greer

San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

Much of the world’s natural capital lies on or beneath lands occupied by Indigenous peoples. Since the advent of colonialism, Indigenous communities have tirelessly safeguarded their land from encroachment by extractive industries. The contemporary consequences of resource extraction on Indigenous lands include environmental degradation and cultural heritage destruction. Rather than providing a legal pathway to self-determination, the United States Supreme Court has eroded tribal sovereignty and undermined the trust relationship between tribes and the federal government. American Indians and Alaska Natives are prohibited from tapping into their resource wealth by an intricate bureaucratic framework that dictates how resources may—and may …