Digital Commons Network^™

Forward, Amy Hamilton

Military Cyber Affairs

No abstract provided.

Silicon Sentinels: Using Whistleblower Protections To Manage Information Asymmetry And Ai Risk, Jason Green-Lowe, Fynn Fehrenbach, Mark Reddish

Liberty University Law Review

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (“AI”) development, policymakers face a critical challenge: obtaining accurate and timely information about the potential risks and impacts of advanced AI systems. This Article examines the pivotal role of whistleblower protections as a mechanism to address the information asymmetry between AI companies and government officials. Employees inside AI companies are uniquely positioned to share information that can help outside regulators make wise policy decisions, but employees might be reluctant to do so unless their decision to share that information is legally protected. We propose a comprehensive framework for AI whistleblower protections as …

The Measure Of A Man: Considering Science Fiction And Christianity In The Regulation Of Artificial Intelligence Models, Andrew P. Connors

Liberty University Law Review

Does artificial intelligence “think,” and if it does, what should the law do about it? This article examines popular culture and the Turing Test to assess whether artificial intelligence “thinks,” applying the author’s engineering background and his Christian worldview. The author concludes that artificial intelligence mimics rather than creates and considers the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence given that conclusion. The author suggests that legal regulation should be measured, leaving important decisions to humans while at the same time encouraging development of this important, misunderstood technology.

No Longer At War With My Words: Finding Healing Through Therapeutic Writing, Marlo Degaetano Kreitzinger

Theses and Dissertations

While living in Dallas, Texas, I had the incredible opportunity to work with women transitioning out of homelessness, addiction, prison, or other life traumas. During my four years of facilitating life skills and job readiness classes, I witnessed a desperate need for healing. Many of the women I served were stuck in the repetitive cycle of their unprocessed emotional trauma. These women were often victims of the unprecedented mental health crisis plaguing our world and had little to no access to mental health resources. My initial introduction into therapeutic writing helped me to accept my own mental health crisis and …

Proactive Personal Safety Systems Using Artificial Intelligence, Sumukh Ashok Shevde, Kamran Mustafa, Abhijit Adsule

Defensive Publications Series

This document describes techniques that enable a mobile computing device (e.g., a smartphone, smart watch, wearable device, augmented reality glasses, vehicle infotainment system, etc.) to generate context data (e.g., location data, movement patterns, audio data, biometrics, traffic hazards, recent crimes, etc.) for use by a proactive personal safety system. The proactive personal safety system may include an intelligent software agent (e.g., artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning model, etc.) hosted locally on the mobile computing device, on a companion device (e.g., tethered smartphone), on a cloud server, etc. The mobile computing device may continuously monitor diverse environmental factors and user behavior …

The Case For A Federal Data Privacy Law From A National Security Perspective - What The U.S. Can Learn From Overseas, Theodore H. Massey Iii

Student Journal of Information Privacy Law

The collection of personal data in the private sector has grown exponentially over the years, leading to an exponential growth in the theft and the purchase of personal data by criminals and foreign adversaries. While the United States has implemented EO 14117 and the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 to protect against the inherent national security risks associated with data privacy, the United States must create an omnibus federal privacy law if it wishes to mitigate the national security risk. This paper introduces the reader to the increase in personal data collected by private organizations and, …

Week Of June 23, 2025, Student Life

College, School and Department Newsletters, Magazines, and Journals

Your summer hub for events, resources and updates.

Incorporating Restorative Justice Into Black-Letter Criminal Law, Shirin Bakhshay

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Towards A Critical Legal Tech Education: A Decolonial Approach, Diego H. Alcalá Laboy

Seattle University Law Review Online

The intersection of law, technology, and decolonial theory offers a critical framework for exposing and challenging power asymmetries embedded in both legal and technological systems. Drawing from his experience as a criminal defense attorney and legal academic, Diego H. Alcalá Laboy critiques how surveillance technologies, often framed as tools for justice, disproportionately harm marginalized communities. Grounded in Latin American decolonial theory, particularly the modernity/coloniality/decoloniality triad and the concept of pluriversality, he argues for reimagining legal scholarship and pedagogy to disrupt Eurocentric and universalist assumptions. Using a colonizer/colonized framework, he advocates for bottom-up knowledge creation that centers the voices of those …

The Opioid Crisis: How The United States And Countries Abroad Are Making Strides, Maura Mcginnity

DePaul Journal of Health Care Law

The opioid epidemic has been an ongoing problem in the United States since the 1980s. The United States has had a very negative attitude towards individuals suffering from addiction. This attitude is clearly shown through the United States’ handling of the opioid crisis. Hundreds of thousands of individuals have died due to opioids. In the forty years since this epidemic became prevalent, the United States has still failed to implement a country-wide solution to combat the crisis. Certain states, like New York and Illinois, have made strides toward helping individuals suffering from opioid use disorder, but nationally, the country is …

Jeffrey Cuttler V. Allegheny County

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Effect Of Cage Eccentricity On Moment Capacity Of Drilled Shafts, Jason Schaefer Steinbach

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the construction of drilled shafts, reinforcement cages can be inadvertently placed eccentrically. Current codes, such as ACI 318 and AASHTO LRFD Bridge Specifications, assume there is little impact from such movements within the drilled shaft or that cage centering provisions are sufficiently robust. This thesis will explore the impact that reinforcement cage eccentricity has on the bending capacity of drilled shafts and propose new strength reduction and resistance factors for tension-controlled failure in drilled shafts.

A total of 208 drilled shafts across eleven counties within the state of Florida were tested using thermal integrity profiling to identify the worst …

Dwelling Overheating In Cool Climates: Evidence From Monitoring, Mark Mulville, Seamus Harrington, Ciara Ahern, Omprakash Ramalingam Rethnam

CIB Conferences

To date, much of the research on overheating risk in dwellings has been focused on warmer climates, there is however increasing ­concern regarding overheating risk in dwellings including in cool climates, exacerbated by both large scales retrofit and the potential impacts of climate change. Dwelling overheating has been linked to impacts on sleep, health and wellbeing, including increased rates of mortality and morbidity. This paper explores overheating risk in dwellings in cool climates using Ireland as use case. Ten representative vernacular Irish dwellings were identified and monitored over the summer months of 2024 (June-August inclusive). To understand the role and …

The Roles Of Architects And Urban Designers In Facility Management, Bintang Noor Prabowo

CIB Conferences

This study explores the distinct roles of architects in building-level Facility Management (FM) and urban designers in Urban-Scale Facility Management (Urban FM) to bridge the gap between design and facility operations. By clarifying these roles, the research aims to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that FM principles are integrated from the early design stages to improve long-term sustainability, efficiency, and resilience in both buildings and urban environments. A scoping literature review was conducted to examine existing research on FM, Urban FM, and the contributions of architects and urban designers. The study reviewed academic literature to identify best practices, challenges, and knowledge …

Assessing Vulnerabilities Associated With High-Risk Dams In Utah, Courtney Flint Dr., Michael Englert, Upmanu Lall Dr.

I-GUIDE Forum

Across the United States, the age of dam infrastructure presents a substantial threat. The potential for structural failure associated with these aging dams is exacerbated by increased climate uncertainty and the threat of dam overtopping due to extreme and prolonged precipitation events. These compound threats place downstream areas at pronounced risk. These downstream areas vary widely. Some are relatively free of vulnerable elements, while others have a complex mix of infrastructure, populations, and ecologically important elements. This paper highlights the risk situation associated with aging dams and hydroclimatic extremes, the methodological and geospatial challenges and opportunities associated with mapping the …

Views From The Cheap Seats: Understanding The Key Motivators Behind Sport Volunteering, Nicholas Paul Smith, Tiberio Garza

The COSMA Journal

Sport volunteers are imperative to the success of sport mega events. Knowing why volunteers continue to help events was the purpose of this study. This study aimed to investigate the motivations of sport volunteers post Covid-19. Data were collected from 30 volunteers at the 2023 NCAA College World Series. Inductive qualitative analysis and descriptive statistics found that community support was the reason the respondents were most glad to volunteer. The findings offered insight into how communication factors between supervisors, law enforcement, and other volunteers affected volunteer motivation. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed in more detail …

Forging Paths: Understanding Outdoor Play For Children With Disabilities In Early Childhood., Alessia M. Capone, Maeghan E. James, Louise De Lannoy, Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Mark S. Tremblay

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

Outdoor active play during early childhood supports healthy child development and is a fundamental right for all children. Childcare centres are one of the first opportunities for participation in active play among children with and without disabilities, presenting a potential space for inclusive outdoor active play to occur. Children with disabilities (CWD) face many barriers to participation resulting in exclusion within the childcare setting, especially when outdoors. To promote and sustain outdoor active play during early childhood for all children, this project aimed to understand parent and early childhood educator perspectives of barriers and facilitators to outdoor active play for …

Tcras: Traffic Control Risk Analysis System, Owen Matejka

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Traffic intersections represent critical points of conflict in urban transportation networks, with over 40,000 traffic-related fatalities occurring annually in the United States alone. Traditional intersection monitoring systems, based on timer controls and inductive loop detectors, lack the sophisticated detection capabilities needed to address modern traffic safety challenges. This thesis presents the Traffic Control Risk Analysis System (TCRAS), a low-cost, computer vision-based solution that democratizes access to advanced intersection monitoring capabilities. TCRAS leverages edge AI processing through Hailo neural network accelerators combined with open-source computer vision algorithms to provide comprehensive intersection analysis. The system performs real-time multi-class object detection and tracking …

Walking The Tightrope: Louisiana’S Attempt To Balance State Regulation Authority Of Carbon Capture And Storage Projects With Local Parish Concerns, Sarah Miller

LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources

No abstract provided.

Getting An Airman Medical Certificate With Cerebral Palsy, Stefan Crisp

Honors Theses

This paper aims to document the personal experience of Stefan Crisp attempting to gain an airman medical certificate. It also aims to expose the airman medical certificate process for people with cerebral palsy in the United States. Stefan Crisp, who has cerebral palsy, attempted to gain an airman medical certificate through three attempts across multiple years. Research was done to compare the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to reveal similarities and differences between accessibility and requirements. Despite successfully navigating through Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 67, Stefan was unable …

Self-Initiated Police Activity, Crime, And Complaints Against Police, Vincent Joseph Schaan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study aimed to examine the statistical relationship between self-initiated police activity, citizen complaints against police officers, sustained findings of misconduct, and crime within three police agencies located in the southwest United States. Prevailing law enforcement perception fueled by protests and riots infers that reducing proactive policing will decrease complaints. Using chi-square and binary logistic regression, this study analyzed 53,585 police and public contacts to answer three core questions. The statistical tests found a statistically significant inverse relationship between self-initiated police activity and complaints against police, with an odds ratio of 2.386 (95% CI: 1.62,3.50; p<.001). The findings indicate that officers who engage in self-initiated police activity have a 35.95% lower statistical probability of facing a citizen complaint. This study also found no statistically significant relationship between actual police misconduct and self-initiated police activity. The findings advocate for evidence-based decision-making based on statistical data, which found a reduced probability of complaints when law enforcement officers initiate public and police interactions. These findings contribute to positive social change by providing critical knowledge and information, and creating the potential for law enforcement officers and agencies to improve their relationships with the public by reducing complaints. Increasing self-initiated police activity provides a gateway to a reduction in crime and fewer complaints against police; therefore, data and information may motivate agencies and officers to increase self-initiated police activity to help reduce complaints and reduce crime.

Stop Campus Hazing Act Policy - Interim

Public Safety Policies

The Stop Campus Hazing Act was signed into law late in December of 2024. The law represents a significant step in national efforts to prevent hazing by improving hazing reporting and prevention efforts on college campuses.

UHSP has always taken hazing seriously and has worked to raise awareness about hazing and prevent hazing in any form on our campus. The Stop Campus Hazing Act adds another layer to our prevention efforts by requiring the enhancement of transparency, and prioritizing prevention efforts.

Border Crisis Impacts On United States National Security, Victoria Halyne Smith

Masters Theses

This thesis addresses how the United States (U.S.) currently faces various homeland and national security threats. A specific and substantial threat to the U.S. is the border crisis that began to escalate in later 2020 but has been an ongoing issue for decades. Several elements encompass the border crisis such as the political circumstances, policy passed by Congress and endorsed or drafted by the President, resources at borders, and law enforcement or security implementation. However, two vital elements to analyze within the current border crisis are the border security and immigration policies of the Trump and Biden administrations as well …

Police Officer Recruitment And Retention: How Can The Problem Be Solved, Paul R. Eagleston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This grounded theory study aimed to understand the issues with police officer recruitment and retention for police administrators nationwide. The theory guiding this study was the grounded theory approach by Glaser and Strauss (1967) as it relates to the reasons for the loss of interest in law enforcement, including an increase in officers resigning before retiring. Data collection will explore if the police administrator being interviewed has experienced increased difficulties in recruiting potential candidates to fill vacancies and an increase in police officers in their department resigning before retirement. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with law enforcement administrators. Recruitment …

The Use Of Geographical Information Systems In The Eastern United States Emergency Management Organizations, From A Public Administration Perspective, Daron Jay Keesee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) technology in federal, state, and local government emergency management organizations. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research focused on understanding local governments' perceptions of GIS access. The study theorizes that GIS is underutilized by local government emergency management due to cost, perceived limited benefits, data security concerns, and lack of experience. The central question is: How do public administration professionals perceive the value and benefits of GIS in emergency management? The study involved interviews, focus groups, and writing prompts with emergency management officials from the eastern U.S. The …

“They Don’T Want Us Anywhere”: The Impact Of Anti-Homelessness Laws On Unsheltered Residents Of Fort Worth, Texas, Brie Diamond

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Access to public space is not afforded equally amongst the population. Often, the people who must spend most of their time in these spaces, people experiencing homelessness, are barred by local or state law from being there. Fort Worth, Texas, implemented a camping ban in 2019 that prohibits camping on public or private property. This article explores the impact of this ban on unsheltered people experiencing homelessness using semi-structured interviews with 18 people residing in encampments across the city. The findings document the tangible and existential losses endured by this group and the impact on the perception of their place …

Campaigning For Change: How State-Level Groups Advocate For Legislative Sexual Offense Reform, Jennifer L. Wooldridge, Danielle J. S. Bailey, Stephanie Taulli

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"In the criminal justice field, advocacy groups work to better the circumstances for specific groups of people facing perceived injustice. While some advocacy groups have been studied extensively, one type of group – sexual offense reform advocates – has been understudied. This is particularly problematic due to stigmatization and legislative differences in how individuals convicted of sex crimes are supervised compared those convicted of non-sexual offenses. These post-conviction differences make it necessary to better understand these advocacy groups and their processes when fighting for public policy change. The current study examines qualitative interviews conducted with affiliates of a national organization …

October 7 And International Police Cooperation:The Silence Of Interpol, Mathieu Deflem

Faculty Publications

Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the background and interpretation of Interpol’s silence following the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023. The author examines the international policing implications of the events, with special attention to why the world’s largest police organization failed to issue any substantive response.

Methodology: The research is based on a sociological analysis combining a historical and institutional overview of Interpol’s counterterrorism activities with the examination of the organization’s communications and institutional decisions. It relies on qualitative sources and an interpretive, case study-based approach using public documents, records, and …

Game, Set, Empower: A Comparative Instagram Analysis Of Branding And Engagement In The Confederation Of African Football (Caf) Women’S And Men’S Champions League, Nour Abdelkader Ms

Theses and Dissertations

The rise of women’s football has placed new emphasis on digital branding, with social media becoming a vital space for visibility, engagement, and representation. This thesis investigates how Instagram content strategies influence fan engagement during the CAF Women’s and Men’s Champions League tournaments. Specifically, it examines the role of content type (match, behind-the-scenes, off-the-pitch, promotional), marketing orientation (organic, sponsored, collaborative), and post format (reel, carousel, photo, graphic) in shaping audience interaction.

Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach, the study analyzed 674 Instagram posts (276 CAFWCL, 398 CAFCL) and conducted semi-structured interviews with five digital sports professionals, including CAF digital …

Sex Offender Prison Treatment Programs: Outdated Science Masquerading As A Legitimate Penological Objective, Shelby Jones

Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs (2012 - Present)

No abstract provided.