Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between International Criminal Tribunals And National Militaries, Franklin D. Rosenblatt

California Western International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Ending The Era Of Encampments: The United States Supreme Court Criminalizes Homelessness, Kaylina Castellanos

California Western International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Are The Islamists Still Relevant? An In-Depth Study Of The Ideology And Methodology Of The Phenomenon, Soofya Wajih

SSLA Culminating Experience

Political Islam or Islamism was a rising ideology during the latter half of the 20^th century. 9/11 lent a fatal blow to Islamism and damaged the reputation of the Islamists, resulting in the global war on terror enacted by the US. US-funded military dictatorships repressed Islamists as an extension of the policy in most of the Arab world for most of the first decade of 2000. The Arab Uprisings of 2011 brought the dictators to their knees and Islamists rose with popular support again with Ennahda of Tunisia and the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt gaining electoral victories. The next …

The Slow Drip Of Decarceration: Reversing The Flood Of Mass Incarceration And Its Racist Impact, Olinda Moyd

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

For the last four decades, the flood of African Americans pouring into our jails and prisons can be likened to a watershed where someone turned on a faucet full force and opened the floodgates to all the prison doors. Despite the multitudinous efforts to secure the release of people unwittingly swept up in this flood, most spending decades behind bars, their releases have been mediocre and only a few have slowly dripped towards freedom. Racism seeps into every facet of American life and nowhere is it more prevalent than in our criminal legal system and the crisis of mass incarceration. …

Research And Graduate Studies Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2024, Office Of Research And Graduate Studies, Illinois State University

Research and Graduate Studies Annual Report

No abstract provided.

Our Troubling Failures In Solving Crimes: Rethinking Legal Limits On Crime Investigation, Paul H. Robinson, Jeffrey Seaman, Muhammad Sarahne

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

When Justice Destroys Cement Monsters, Abigail Fleming, Photini Kamvisseli Suarez

University of Memphis Law Review

Dusty, toxic “cement monsters”⎯cement plants⎯have plagued Black communities in the United States for decades. Spewing air pollutants while contributing to greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, cement plants cause detrimental long-term health and environmental effects, making it impossible for Black communities to breathe. In the face of the global climate crisis, Black communities are demanding a radical shift. This Article explores the impacts of cement production on Black communities, barriers to change, and potential avenues for change. First, it provides an overview of the process of cement production in cement plants, highlighting how pollution is produced and the specific pollutants of concern. …

In Defense Of Land And Water Protectors: Environmental Justice And The Criminalization Of Environmental Activism, Mia Montoya Hammersley

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence In The Courtroom: Forensic Machines, Expert Witnesses, And The Confrontation Clause, Ian Maddox

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

From traditional methods like ballistics and fingerprinting, to the probabilistic genotyping models of the twenty-first century, the forensic laboratory has evolved into a cutting-edge area of scientific exploration. This rapid growth in forensic technologies will not stop here. Considering recent developments in artificial intelligence (“AI”), future forensic tools will likely become increasingly sophisticated. To be sure, AI-enabled forensic tools are far from theoretical; AI applications in the forensic sciences have already emerged in practice. Machine learning-enabled acoustic gunshot detectors, facial recognition software, and a variety of pattern recognition learning models are already disrupting law enforcement operations across the country. Soon, …

Internalized Racism: A Theoretical Model, William Glen Fisher

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Internalized racism exists, we can observe and measure the effect it has on people. It manifests from both the psychological and sociological factors that form a person’s racial self-image. As Campón and Carter (2015) state: “less attention to date has been given to … how racial minority groups appropriate (i.e., take in) racial beliefs.” (p.498). In this dissertation, I explore how internalized racism forms. Further, I propose a new theoretical model integrating two concepts, the racialized self and racialized experiences. Racism is found at different levels, within the self through the racialized self, it highlights how People of Color view …

Reconciling With The State: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Perspectives Of Reconciliation Of Wrongfully Convicted Persons In Southern Nigeria, Chinyere Erica Chisom

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Wrongfully convicted persons in Nigeria experience numerous harms and losses from their wrongful convictions and face various challenges after their exoneration and release from prison. These adverse effects occur on multiple levels of the wrongfully convicted persons’ relationships and impact these relationships in profound ways. Although legal remedies exist to deal with the aftermath of wrongful convictions in Nigeria, they are grossly inadequate. Reconciliation, an innovative, holistic, and restorative measure, is required to address the impact of these devastating experiences and repair the affected relationships. Grounded in the social contract, human needs, and restorative justice theories, this study employed a …

A Case Study Analysis Of The Financial Structure Of Boko Haram In Nigeria, John O. Opara

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the various techniques used by Boko Haram (BH) to source funds for its violent activities in Nigeria. The study also examined the reasons why the group maintains support from the locals and others despite the violence the group has caused in Nigeria. A case study qualitative research technique was selected by using Key Informant Interviews (KII) and relevant document review to gather data to address the central questions of why Boko Haram has support, and why it maintains a strong financial structure. Findings of the study revealed that Boko Haram has several sources of funding and support …

State Constitutional Prohibitions Of Slavery And Involuntary Servitude, Michael L. Smith

Faculty Articles

In recent years, the Thirteenth Amendment has drawn sustained criticism for its “Punishment Clause,” which exempts those duly convicted of criminal offenses from the Amendment’s prohibition of slavery and involuntary servitude. Citing the Punishment Clause, courts have struck down challenges by those sentenced to forced labor, arguing that such involuntary servitude is explicitly permitted for those convicted of crimes. Recent criticism draws on concerns over mass incarceration and expansive forced labor practices—urging that the Thirteenth Amendment be revised to remove the Punishment Clause.

Prompted by increased attention to and criticism of the Punishment Clause, some states have taken matters into …

Model For Understanding Cedaw's Impact On Implementing Gender Equality Reforms: Lessons From Canada And India, Amanda L. Stephens

Faculty Articles

This Article provides a model for examining the impact of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women ("CEDAW") on implementing gender equality reforms using Canada and India, two CEDAW State Parties, as case studies. It also explores the influence of heteropatriarchy, deeply rooted cultural norms perpetuating gender inequality, on hindering CEDAW's ratification in the United States, as well as CEDAW's effectiveness in implementing reforms in Canada and India. The analysis showcases how non-governmental organizations ("NGOs") in these countries have nevertheless achieved limited successes through their mobilization of CEDAW to address specific gender injustices, such as …

Commencement Program, 2024, Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice

Reports and Publications from John Jay College

Commencement Programs are handed out at each graduation. They include information on honorary degrees, awards and prizes and candidates for degree. However, they cannot be considered an official record of conferring of degrees.

Overcoming The Effects Of Oily Contaminants On Dna Extraction Efficiency Using Dna Iq™ System, Elizabeth G. Gillece

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

In forensic science DNA extraction and purification are crucial to DNA analysis as evidentiary items vary in DNA quantity and quality. In casework the goal to is maximize DNA yield, remove PCR inhibitors, and develop a full profile while preserving evidence. Extraction methods are developed to target the DNA for optimal isolation. Solid-phase extraction is advantageous as it can extract DNA from a variety of tissue types, it is amenable to automation, and it provides quick and efficient purification of DNA. Solid-phase extraction methods may have complications with contaminants that hinder the quantity and quality of the DNA recovered. In …

Quantitation And Visualization Of Epithelial Cells On Cartridge Cases, Paige Kibler, Christopher Ehrhardt, Katherine M. Philpott, Jody H. West, Stephanie Walcott

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Fired cartridge cases are a common type of evidence submitted to forensic DNA profiling but are challenging to analyze because they usually contain only trace amounts of biological material. As such, there is a significant need in caseworking units for new screening techniques to determine if biological material is present and is in high enough quantity to attempt DNA profiling. The goal of this study was to test a new method for quickly visualizing biological material on cartridge cases. Biological deposits were created by handling fired and unfired cartridge cases through a series of conditions. The biological material was collected …

Identifying Barriers: Analysis Of Federal Law Enforcement Social Media And Recruitment Efforts, Reena Desai, Edgar Greer, Meghan Waldron

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Richmond Field Office seeks to diversify their applicant pool. In an effort to provide information on how to meet this need, our doctoral team analyzed the social media sites of six federal law enforcement agencies to include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation- Headquarters, Federal Bureau of Investigation-Richmond Field Office, Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshal Service. By examining a 60-day window of images and their associated text on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram accounts, we wanted to gain a stronger understanding of …

Examining The Efficacy Of Unitive Justice Education In The Secondary School Setting, Chris C. Booz, La Toya K. Draper, Lottie M. Spurlock

Doctor of Education Capstones

This research study examined the efficacy of the Unitive Justice Education (UJEd) program on school-wide practices in Hopewell City Public Schools (HCPS). The UJEd program developed by the Alliance for Unitive Justice (AUJ) serves as a unifying alternative to conventional disciplinary approaches. An abundance of research shows exclusionary punitive systems have created inequitable experiences for students, particularly children from historically marginalized groups (Alexander, 2020; Kendi, 2019; Morris, 2018). Through a critical theory lens (Freire, 2017) coupled with a mixed methods approach, the researchers analyzed the HCPS discipline data and staff perceptions. Implementing the UJEd program in HCPS secondary schools holds …

A Path Toward Healing: Parent And Caregiver Perspectives On The Work Of Restorative Practices Richmond At Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, Jean Samuel, Silvanus Thrower, Jill Flynn, Brandi Daniels

Doctor of Education Capstones

To address how key stakeholders experience restorative practices (RP), Restorative Practices Richmond (RPR) submitted a request for assistance (RFA) to Virginia Commonwealth University. This single case study responds to the RFA by examining how parents, caregivers, and community partners perceive school discipline and restorative practices and how this understanding supports RPR’s work to support restorative practices at Martin Luther King Middle School (MLK MS). Through a social justice lens, this capstone explores the challenges and needs of parents, caregivers, and community partners engaging with restorative practices. The findings that emerged included the following: parents and caregivers lack sufficient knowledge about …

Augmenting Back-Translation Decision Making With Latent Semantic Analysis: Predicting Expert Decisions With Semantic Similarity Scores From American Sign Language, Jared A. Embree

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focused on a novel improvement to the current method for adapting assessments into American Sign Language (ASL). Bilingual Deaf adults participated in back translations across the United States, and those back-translation decisions were assessed by human experts to judge similarity in meaning. Translations were compared to original text samples using two types of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) models to compute semantic textual similarity (STS) scores, and to calculate weighted Youden Index (WYI) Scores. These scores were used to determine the ideal cutoff to be used when making judgments and compared to human expert decisions. The results revealed that …

The Price Of Criminal Law, Russell M. Gold

Articles

Should tax dollars pay for more criminal law, better public schools, or a new community center? Different counties will answer the question differently, but facing these tradeoffs is profoundly important to democratic governance. Nonetheless, because the criminal legal system diffuses power and hides and offioads costs, officials and voters do not have to honestly consider that question. These structural features place a hidden thumb on the scale that gives counties more criminal enforcement than they pay for. That is a problem. Too much enforcement is particularly pernicious in criminal law: Incarceration inflicts tremendous suffering, especially in poor communities of color. …

Ten Is Too Young: South Dakota's Need For A Legislative Amendment Raising The Minimum Age Of Criminal Responsibility To Fourteen, Taylor Graves

South Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Sharing Elected Prosecutors, Quinn Yeargain

South Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Friends In Law Places- The Role For Medical-Legal Partnerships In Reshaping The Rural Bar And Bedside, Michael Sobol

South Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Sexual Assault Disclosure: The Role Of Survivor And Disclosure Recipient Race & Ethnicity, Nola J.A. Browne

Honors Undergraduate Theses

To date, most research on sexual assault disclosure has utilized samples composed predominately of White women (Fedina et al., 2018). As a result, there is a need for research that examines sexual assault disclosure within racially and ethnically diverse samples. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine whether survivors’ race/ethnicity is related to whether they disclose their sexual assault to others of the same and different races and ethnicities. The study recruited undergraduate college students from the UCF Psychology Department Sona System to complete an online survey that assessed history of sexual assault and disclosure of sexual assault …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: An Anthropological Exploration Of Overdose Prevention Experiences And Perceptions Among People Who Use Drugs In Orlando, Florida, Maria De Los Angeles Ocando Monaco

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The ongoing overdose problem in the United States, particularly exacerbated by the widespread use of fentanyl, and polydrug use, represents a critical public health challenge. This thesis explores how people who use drugs (PWUD) in Orlando, Florida, are responding to the overdose problem in their community. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted at a syringe services program in Summer 2023, I argue that PWUD in Orlando actively take measures to prevent overdose and overdose deaths but are faced with many obstacles that challenge their overdose prevention efforts. I examine overdose narratives of PWUD to show how factors preventing effective overdose prevention …

The Impact Of Homelessness On Identity In Lgbtq+ Youth Of Color, Isabeau Tyndall Ms.

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the impact of homelessness on the identity formation of LGBTQ+ youth of color. This group of people is overrepresented within the unhoused community, and unfortunately, under-studied, especially within the qualitative data sector. A literature review found primary themes of identity formation, intersectionality, and discrimination and stigma. In addition to exploring the impact of housing instability on the identity formation of LGBTQ+ youth of color, this study emphasizes the significance of intersectionality in understanding their experiences. By noting the overlap of multiple marginalized identities such as race, sexual orientation, and gender identity, this research illuminates the unique challenges …

Exploring The Relationship Between Trust Learning And Social Media Privacy, Alyssa R. Hayes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the rise of social media, many social media users have concerns about their privacy and what they share online. Users must reveal certain pieces of information about themselves to benefit from the convenience of social media and the internet, such as allowing a website to access a specific location to find stores nearby. The problem arises when this data, particularly personal data, is misused. This dilemma of choosing which information to share is incredibly important as social media and the internet evolve. Taking control of one’s privacy may assist in determining which information to share and may reduce stress …

The Implications Of Artificial Intelligence In The Criminal Justice System, Natalie Garay

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis focuses on artificial intelligence's recent implications on the criminal justice system regarding its admissibility as evidence in civil and criminal cases. One of the main concerns surrounding artificial intelligence is determining the validity of AI application; application refers to the accuracy "AI measures, classifies, or predicts what it is designed to" (Article: Artificial Intelligence as Evidence by Paul W. Grimm, Maura R. Grossman & Gordon V.Cormack.(https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1349&context=njtip). Privacy law will also be analyzed in this analysis. Is evidence recorded without the individual's consent or knowledge acceptable in determining an individual's guilt? This analysis will primarily focus on …