Digital Commons Network^™

Recognizing Injustice, Reclaiming Voices: Establishing A Missing Persons Database For Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women And Children In Nebraska, Bayly W. Watson

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

Indigenous people have been the victims of harsh persecution since the time of colonization; this has negatively impacted Native communities and has contributed significantly to the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children (MMIWC) across the United States and Canada. Under Legislative Bill 154, Richards et al. (2021) conducted an initial study to identify missing Native cases in Nebraska and in 2023, the Attorney General appointed a Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Liaison to help combat the number of missing Indigenous in the state. This thesis contributes to previous research by analyzing 20,049 reports from three …

Law Enforcement Perspectives Towards Mental Health Crisis Interventions, Anna P. Silva

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health crisis calls create significant challenges for law enforcement officers, who often serve as the first responders to individuals experiencing psychological distress. Research indicates that 50% of fatal encounters with law enforcement involve individuals with a mental health disorder (Fuller et al., 2015; Kindy & Elliott, 2015). Although the increasing prevalence of mental health- related calls, law enforcement officers frequently lack the specialized training and resources necessary to effectively de-escalate these situations (Cohen & Bagwell, 2023). As a result, interactions between police officers and individuals with mental illness tend to lead to criminalization, unnecessary incarceration, and even fatal outcomes. …

The Sheriff's Constitution, Farhang Heydari

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

The county sheriff is unique among our nation's law enforcers, with an ancient pedigree, elected status, and special protections as a state constitu- tional officer. But these factors combine to cause a recurrent problem elected sheriffs often assert for themselves the power to refuse to enforce criminal laws of their choosing. Today's constitutional sheriffs-a group of sheriffs who view themselves as the highest authority in their county, answerable only to their electorate-are the latest manifestation of this ethos, declaring opposition to gun control measures, pandemic restric- tions, environmental protections, and more. Lest one think these nonen- forcement decisions are entirely …

Exploring The Impacts Of Moral Injury On Law Enforcement Officers In South Carolina, Laura M. Casares

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study is to understand the concept of moral injury among law enforcement professionals. The concept of moral injury was often associated with military members and healthcare workers. Recently, research pertaining to moral injury among law enforcement professionals has grown, as many law enforcement agencies are paramilitary organizations. These fields have similar characteristics, including stress, burn out, and vicarious trauma. As the term moral injury evolves, and the constant scrutinization of policing by communities and politicians continues, agencies should be able to respond effectively to officers suffering from moral injury. Immanuel Kant’s historical influence …

Police Officers’ Use Of Force In The Low Country Of South Carolina, Mariah Roy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

United States police officers' use of force is an ongoing concern of many community members. As these encounters continue to occur, lawmakers in states, including South Carolina (SC), have revitalized or implemented statutes addressing the use of force. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to better understand the use of force in law enforcement from the perspectives of community members in the Low Country region of SC. The rational model and contact hypothesis served as the study’s foundation. Data were collected from interviews with 10 participants over the age of 18 from Charleston, SC, a city within the …

Understanding Undergraduate Aspirations For Law Enforcement Careers And Motivation In The Classroom, Gabriella N. Burt

Honors Thesis

This study investigates the factors shaping undergraduate student interest in law enforcement careers. By surveying students from various Midwestern universities, this research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between social influences, gender, and curricular exposure in shaping law enforcement career aspirations. Specifically, it examines how motivations for pursuing a public service career, external influences, and background characteristics shape career interest overall. The study also examines how these factors shape career interest between men and women and overall motivation to engage with specific law enforcement course topics. Findings inform policy and curriculum design.

Latin America’S Policing And Reform In The Age Of Crime Fear, José De Arimatéia Da Cruz Phd, Mph

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

State-Based Law Enforcement Accreditation Outcomes: A Multiple Case Study In Texas, Thomas L. Sanders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The 21st century has brought new challenges to the nation’s law enforcement organizations, with agencies having to achieve a higher service standard to meet society’s demand for transparency, responsiveness, and justice. Prompted by presidential task force recommendations in 2015 and 2020, law enforcement agencies have sought methods to raise their organizational standards to build trust and legitimacy of policing in their communities. Based on federal guidelines, the accreditation of law enforcement agencies and implementation of the best practices in law enforcement throughout the nation have taken root in American policing. On a national level, the Commission on Accreditation for Law …

Community-Driven Policy Solutions To Police Accountability, Rashawn Ray

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

George Floyd’s death shifted public opinion as 76% of Americans agreed that incidents such as the killing of Floyd are signs of racism within law enforcement. While police reforms such as implicit bias training and body-worn cameras gained public support, they insufficiently address the structural, cultural, and organizational components of policing that can obstruct accountability and contribute to racial disparities in policing. In this lecture, Brooking Senior Fellow Rashawn Ray presents interview, survey, social media, and virtual reality data with police officers, activists, and civilians, and demonstrates state- and city-level databases on police reform legislation. Ray posits that evidence-based policy …

No Knock? No Case: Prosecutorial Deterrence As A Countermeasure To No-Knock Warrants, Tamika Griffin Moses

Utah Law Review

The high-profile deaths of Amir Locke and Breonna Taylor ignited a national debate surrounding the legitimacy of no-knock warrants. Their deaths are part of a cycle of reaction and inaction that permeates this debate. As the impacted communities and segments of the populace respond by demanding that federal and state legislatures abolish or severely restrict the use of no-knock warrants, they are met with inaction. The legislative bodies have failed to pass laws banning the warrants and judges continue to sign them. This inaction continues to undermine the public’s trust in law enforcement and challenges the legitimacy of a democracy …

The Legal Aspect Of New Normal And The Corruption Eradication In Indonesia, Musa Darwin Pane, Diah Pudjiastuti

Padjadjaran Jurnal Ilmu Hukum (Journal of Law)

Article 1 paragraph (3) of the 1945 Constitution mandates that Indonesia is the state by rule of law. Therefore, in carrying out the life of the people and of the nation, it must be in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations. The current presence and development of Covid-19 pandemic has resulted changes in political, economic, social, and cultural sectors. Paying attention to these developments, the Indonesian Government has issued various policies. The focuses of the policies are intended to manage the Covid-19 spread. The policies, among others, include social assistance programs during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has a significant …

Ever-Increasing Statistics Of Police Response To Mental Health Crisis Calls: Best Practices, Lauren Olson

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

This paper explores the evolving role of police officers in addressing mental health crises, emphasizing the challenges and ethical dilemmas they face due to insufficient training and resources. It highlights the need for specialized training, ethical guidelines, and collaboration with mental health professionals to equip officers better and ensure public safety.

The paper advocates for policy and practice shifts to address the growing demands on law enforcement in mental health situations. The rising trend of mental health calls presents significant challenges for police officers, who often lack the resources and training to provide appropriate assistance, resulting in higher incarceration rates …

Physical Fitness And Wellness In Law Enforcement, Tavion Buchanan

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Long hours, shift work, and general poor nutrition factor into a multitude of reasons why first responders are obese, suffering from mental illnesses, and dying at a faster rate than the general public. First responders also suffer from PTSD, alcoholism, and commit suicide as a direct result of the horrendous things they see and respond to. Administrators should attempt to mitigate these issues by leading from the front when it comes to physical fitness and mental health. Administrators should also give first responders ample opportunity to work on their mental health and physical wellbeing. Law enforcement is one of the …

Recruitment And Retention In Law Enforcement, Jefferson Dennis

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

This capstone paper covered the topic of recruitment and retention. It detailed issues around this topic and ways to improve it. United States law enforcement agencies face challenges when recruiting qualified personnel, including issues related to image, working under stress, low pay scale, and disciplined organizations. Topics were analyzed through administrative, ethical, legal, and legislative lenses. The study outlines comprehensive policy changes that include a broad and competitive pay structure, increased support to mental health workers, better community outreaches, and product modernization in recruitment and retention.

Occupational Hazard Of Policing: A Phenomenological Study Of Moral Injury Among Law Enforcement Officers, Harley J. Lenart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The concept of moral injury is relatively new, and most of the attention has been aimed at military veterans. Moral injury is perpetrating, failing to prevent, bearing witness to, or learning about acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations. While awareness has increased in recent years, research on moral injury among law enforcement officers is limited. On average, during a 20-year career, police officers are exposed to 700 critical incidents, while average citizens may witness two. Law enforcement officers struggle with job burnout, depression, and suicide. Most law enforcement mental health studies focus on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), …

Examining How Task Forces Utilize Intelligence Methods During Anti-Human Trafficking Operations: Mitigating The Threat Of Human Trafficking Among Native American Women And Girls, Jessica Shockness

Theses and Dissertations

Native American women and girls, including First Nations people, have been disproportionately targeted due to centuries of marginalization, severe maltreatment, and gender inequality. To mitigate these violent acts, law enforcement and intelligence agencies should use various intelligence methods to identify and locate traffickers, victims, and high-risk locations. The intelligence methods that are analyzed in this study include open-source, geospatial and human intelligence. The lack of utilizing these methods can hinder the ability to mitigate human trafficking effectively. According to a study conducted through Northwestern University, Farrell et al. (2019) provided evidence showing that the Uniform Crime Reporting program continuously displays …

Policing, Prejudice And Change: Confronting Racial Bias In Policing, Aliya Ross

A with Honors Projects

Exploring racism, and discrimination within the Justice System and recommendation for reform.

Self-Reported Prevalence Of Traumatic Brain Injury Among Law Enforcement Officers, Jennifer Lee Matheson

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Theses

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have been extensively studied in sports, military, and criminal contexts, revealing significant prevalence rates and impacts on cognitive function, emotional regulation, and behavioral outcomes. However, the prevalence, patterns, and implications of TBI within law enforcement populations remain unexplored, presenting a gap in occupational health research. This gap is notable given that law enforcement officers face unique occupational hazards including physical confrontations, vehicle pursuits, and training-related exposures that may elevate their risk for neurological injury. While extensive research documents the impact of TBI on decision-making, executive function, and emotional processing, all critical competencies for effective policing, limited …

The Assessment Of Implicit Bias Among Police Personnel: A Systematic Review, Emily Deutsch

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the essential and powerful role police officers play within the communities they serve, systematic racism in law enforcement has become a key topic of public discourse, including increased demand for evidence-based changes in police selection. This includes recommendations or requirements to assess implicit bias in police candidates (e.g., California Assembly Bill 846). Implicit bias refers to the spontaneous/automatic associations or evaluations made of members of a particular group (Kim & Roberson, 2021). The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training’s (POST’s) Bias Assessment Framework provides recommendations to police psychologists on the assessment of implicit bias, but curiously …

Religious Police Forces With Public Powers, Jonathon J. Booth

Publications

No abstract provided.

Special Issues Facing People Who Use Drugs And How Sensitive Lawyers Can Help: Three Case Studies From Rutgers Law Associate, Andrew J. Rothman

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

No Knock? No Case: Prosecutorial Deterrence As A Countermeasure To No-Knock Warrants, Tamika Griffin Moses

Law Faculty Publications

The high-profile deaths of Amir Locke and Breonna Taylor ignited a national debate surrounding the legitimacy of no-knock warrants. Their deaths are part of a cycle of reaction and inaction that permeates this debate. As the impacted communities and segments of the populace respond by demanding that federal and state legislatures abolish or severely restrict the use of no-knock warrants, they are met with inaction. The legislative bodies have failed to pass laws banning the warrants and judges continue to sign them. This inaction continues to undermine the public’s trust in law enforcement and challenges the legitimacy of a democracy …

Best Practices In Leadership In Probation, Ronamae Panganiban

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that leadership in law enforcement is a continuous learning process (Birzer et al., 2016; Davies & Heysmand, 2021; Niles et al., 2024; Roberts et al., 2016). Due to the complex structure and changing environment, leadership responsibilities fall upon multiple individuals in a chain of command (C. Davis, 2020; G. W. Garner, 2016; Sienkiewicz-Malyjurek, 2016). The research study aimed to identify best practices for leadership in law enforcement that leaders employ that make them successful. It used a phenomenological qualitative design and purposive sampling method to obtain a sample size of 15 participants. The study utilized a semi structured …

Foster Care Placement And Law Enforcement Contact, Tranika Guerrero De Los Reyes

Theses and Dissertations

Interaction with law enforcement and delinquency are higher among youth in foster care, and they are likely to experience higher incarceration rates and be involved in criminality, which limits their access to education and employment. The problem addressed in this study was the elevated risk of law enforcement contact outcome (LEO) among adolescents and young adults with a history of foster care placement. The purpose of this quantitative research was to investigate differences in the number of LEO contacts and LEO arrests based on foster care placement type among youth in California’s foster care system.

Guided by the social control …

Law Enforcement And The Need For Mental Health Collaboration, Jacquline Gillins-Hatcher

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the ongoing challenges and the necessity of enhanced collaboration between law enforcement agencies and mental health professionals in responding to mental health crises in the United States. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, qualitative data were collected through semistructured interviews with law enforcement officers and mental health professionals, along with an analysis of existing records and policies.

Findings highlighted that crisis intervention team training improved officers’ ability to manage crisis situations. However, barriers such as limited interagency coordination, funding constraints, leadership challenges, and systemic policy gaps continued to hinder effective collaboration. Data from this research indicated that …

Stress And Trauma-Related Concerns Among Law Enforcement, James Hughes

Master of Arts in Human Services

Law enforcement personnel work in environments with routine exposure to high stress and trauma which can lead to increased risk for mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to learn about the prevalence and effects of PTSD and related mental health issues among law enforcement (LE) officers and how psychological issues are managed within the LE system. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design strategy was used that involved collecting quantitative data first and then explaining the results with in-depth follow-up qualitative data. In the first quantitative phase of the study, data was …

A Qualitative Approach Exploring Interoperation Communications By Law Enforcement Officers During Active Shootings, Amy Schissler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory-descriptive qualitative study was to investigate how law enforcement officers communicate during active shooting incidents. The study used Ferrell’s Human Factors theory (1997) and the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) as the theoretical and conceptual framework. Data collection methods included 11 oral narratives, 11 individual semi-structured interviews, and 12 open-ended questionnaires, involving a total of 12 participants. The study followed the Exploratory-Descriptive Qualitative design proposed by Hunter et al. (2018). The interview and questionnaire data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis and the HFACS to identify major themes, while the narrative data …

Law Enforcement Agency Practices And Policies For The Investigation Of Child Sex Trafficking: Are Agencies Using Victim-Centered Approaches?, Kimberly J. Mitchell, Jennifer E. O'Brien, Lisa M. Jones, Alli Puchlopek-Adams

Faculty Publications

Over the past decade, efforts have been made to reform the way in which law enforcement responds to child sex trafficking (CST). Law enforcement agencies are being urged or required to use victim-centered approaches that provide exploited youth with support and services. However, researchers have yet to empirically examine law enforcement’s recognition of CST at the agency-level, their arrest practices, or the services that are being offered to CST victims. We have little information about the utilization and effectiveness of various law enforcement agency policies, practices and training programs related to CST. The National Law Enforcement Agency Child Sex Trafficking …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Lethality Assessment Program In Managing Domestic Violence Rates, Madison P. Jordan

Masters Theses

The Lethality Assessment Program was implemented into law enforcement procedures to help manage domestic violence. This eleven-item questionnaire evaluates the risk of lethality of the victim by asking questions about the relationship. Therefore, depending on risk law enforcement can connect the victim with resources. Domestic violence has had rising recognition across the world creating laws to protect victims. However, there is a need for research on domestic violences and the procedures put into place. The Lethality Assessment Program is one of the many diverse ways used to protect victims. The State of Virginia’s law enforcement is required to use it …

Moral Panic In The Modern Era: The Effects Of Moral Panic On Policy Implemented Through The Field Of Law Enforcement, Charles J. Oakley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study employed a grounded qualitative approach to explore the intricate relationship between moral panic and public administration policy in the subfield of law enforcement administration. Using a nationwide survey derived from the U.S. Major Cities Chief Association census, postsurvey interviews and employing document analysis and crime statistics, the research investigated the impact of moral panic-induced policy decisions on law enforcement agencies from 2018 to 2022. Social media emerged as a significant catalyst, fueling public outrage and facilitating political rent-seeking. The punctuated equilibrium theory highlights abrupt budgetary and policy shifts notably found in a surge of legislative initiatives in 2021. …