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Ethnicity And Punishment: A State-Level Investigation On Hispanic Representation In School Discipline, Candace Nicole Fowles

Theses and Dissertations

Racial disproportionality in exclusionary discipline measures among public school students has been well-established for African American youth in the United States. The research literature has included limited and inconsistent research findings providing information on the representation patterns among Hispanic students in school discipline. Previous studies on Hispanic representation in school discipline have established a need for data to be analyzed at the state level. Using a large dataset acquired from the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights - Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) for the 2013-2014 school year, this paper examines if Hispanic students are disproportionally represented in exclusionary …

Do Voucher Students Attain Higher Levels Of Education? Extended Evidence From The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, Patrick J. Wolf, John F. Witte, Brian Kisida

School Choice Demonstration Project

The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), the first modern private school choice program in the United States, has grown from 341 students attending 7 private schools in 1990 to 27,857 students attending 126 private schools in 2019. The MPCP has been subject to extensive study focused largely on student performance on standardized tests. This study presents new data on the college enrollment, persistence, and graduation of MPCP and MPS students who were tracked over 12 years beginning in 2006. MPCP participants are compared with a matched sample of MPS students who lived in the same neighborhood and had similar demographic …

Acting Black: An Analysis Of Blackness And Criminality In Film, Blake Edwards

Master's Theses

This thesis will attempt to answer how films deal with blackness and crime, specifically when intersecting with the concepts of exploitation, appropriation, whiteness and the criminality of the black body. While not entirely the root of the negative perceptions of African-Americans in the United States, the manner in which African-Americans are portrayed in motion picture media influences how their presence is seen in society. This thesis will examine specific films that include elements dealing with the listed factors and what effects they may or may not have.

A Case Study Of Police Use Of Force On Juveniles In A Southeastern Police Department, Kayce Lowe

Master's Theses

Officer characteristics, situational factors, and organizational factors are common predictors in identifying and explaining police use of force (Friedrich, 1980). While these domains are important, the separation of juveniles in use of force studies is an essential component that is lacking in most use of force literature today. Some studies unintentionally imply that adults and juveniles present the same predictors of force by this lack of separation. Age, specifically the status of juveniles and adults, is not a common predictor of police use of force; however, it is one of the most influential factors in shaping a police officer’s decision-making …

What's Cookin'?: An Analysis Of Food As A Method Of Control In The Penal System, Zoe Livengood

Master's Theses

According to Garland (2001), the U.S. correctional system is a reflection of the culture of control that exists in American society. One way the correctional system exerts control is through food. This concept partnered with Foucault’s ideas about the evolution of punishment and the criminal justice system as an institution creates the theoretical foundation for food as a method of control in the correctional system.

Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study examined food as a method of control in three southern Mississippi jails in order to understand how food is a contested space for control between jail staff and …

Predictors Of Zero Tolerance Policy Violations Among High School And Middle School Students, Anthony J. Roberson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study embarked on identifying social and economic variables to predict violations of zero tolerance policies. The objective of this study was to identify a set of variables that may predict circumstance that lead a student to violate zero tolerance policies. This study explored whether a set of five risk factors: (i) grade level, (ii) retention, (iii) suspension, (iv) race, and (v) gender can predict the criterion variable, zero tolerance policies violation. The research design supports the examination of the null hypothesis of no predictive relationship between the predictor variables grade level, suspension, race, and gender and the criterion variable …

The Basic Trait Of Antagonism: An Unfortunately Underappreciated Construct, Donald R. Lynam, Joshua D. Miller

Department of Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications

Antagonism, the low pole of Agreeableness, references traits related to immorality, combativeness, grandiosity, callousness, and distrustfulness. It is a robust correlate of externalizing behaviors such as antisocial behavior, aggression, and substance use; in fact, in many cases, it is the strongest trait correlate. It represents the core of many important and impactful psychopathological constructs (e.g., psychopathy, antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders). It is also central to models of general and disordered personality, psychopathology, and interpersonal behavior. As Neuroticism is core to understanding the intense distress and suffering that comes with internalizing disorders, Antagonism is core to understanding the impairment and …

Sexual Abuse And Assault Against Minors: A Spatial Application Of Routine Activity Theory, John Ropp

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in criminological theory have changed the way we approach age-old questions of criminality. Routine activity theory, hotspots analyses, and spatial-statistical models have become popular methods of investigating criminal phenomena. This study tests the applicability of spatial analyses and routine activity theory by examining the relationship between a geographically-measured lack of guardianship composite score and the occurrence of child sexual abuse (CSA) and sexual assault perpetrated against minors (SAAM). Moran’s I, single kernel interpolation, dual kernel interpolation, and spatial lag regression are used as methods of analysis for this study. Strong evidence of spatial clustering is observed and a …

Public Spheres Of Influence And The Effects Of The Alt-Right: A Qualitative Study Of Conservative Counter Spheres Through Representative Media Outlets, Luke Yeates

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary understanding of Habermasian public spheres of influence points to a conglomeration of competing counter-spheres all vying for hegemonic control. The interaction of these spheres creates dynamic and shifting landscapes through which individuals and news media outlets maneuver. One of the larger influential groups in the United States is the establishment conservative counter-sphere, but recent political developments have given rise to a new counter-sphere, one that is increasingly racist and violent. The alt-right has grown in its political influence since the 2016 presidential election and its presence is likely having an effect on larger, more established groupings as it vies …

Police Use Of Force: Examining The Factors Relating To Police Officers Shooting Unarmed Black Males, De Lacy D. Davis

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors relating to police officers shooting unarmed Black males and to seek to understand what impact, if any, a police officer’s race, age, years of service, or place of residence has on the decision to shoot an armed or unarmed suspect. The study examined whether or not these factors impacted the decision-making process in shoot/don’t shoot scenarios. Thirty sworn police officers participated in the quantitative study that was conducted using a Ti Lab firearms high-fidelity video simulator and a laser-modified Sig Sauer P380 handgun to engage in four shoot/don’t shoot video …

Do Psychopathic Traits Influence Distractibility By Empathy-Eliciting Pictures?, Priya M. Reji

Student Theses

Empathy is a crucial component in forming interpersonal connections, and reflects the ability to share and understand the feelings of others. Psychopathy is often associated with a reduced ability to feel and display empathetic concern towards other people. The Response Modulation Hypothesis argues that such individuals have an attentional deficit, which makes it difficult for them to shift focus between stimuli, thus individuals who have high scores on the interpersonal-affective factor of psychopathy have an increased ability to ignore emotional stimuli that are goal-irrelevant. The current study investigated whether psychopathic traits would influence distractibility on an emotional Stroop (eStroop) task. …

The Prisoner As Object: Rhetorical Agency And The Literacy Of Prison Tattooing, Rebecca R. Reyes

Theses and Dissertations

Prison is an environment by which man is no longer a man. In an institution designed to limit the agency of incarcerated individuals, a literacy event has unfolded through the rhetorical practice of prison tattooing that allows individuals to re/gain their agency. Tattoos allow for the incarcerated, who are seen as state property, to break down the dehumanizing assemblage that has been created. The body, now an object, becomes a site for rhetorical communication where an emergent agency develops within the relationship of all intra-acting factors. I analyze and build upon ambient rhetoric, visual rhetoric, Kairos, and counternarratives to …

Minding The Gaps In Lawyers' Rules Of Professional Conduct, Anita Bernstein

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

From The Coils Of The Anaconda, Restriction Of Constitutional Amendment By Popular Initiative In Montana Association Of Counties V. State, Ryan Douglas

Montana Law Review

This note examines the ways in which Montana Association of Counties concerns Montana law, elections, and history. While it is now nearly futile to suggest any regulation of campaign speech based on the speaker's corporate identity, it is possible to limit the influence of outsiders on the political process and fundamental text of the state. Part II discusses the historical development of the statutory initiative and referendum regime that existed under the 1889 Constitution and tracks its transition to the constitutional amendment by popular initiative process that emerged as part of Montana's 1972 Constitution. Part III describes the factual background, …

Making The Modern American Legal Profession, 1969–Present, Michael Ariens

St. Mary's Law Journal

The American legal profession has changed dramatically over the past half-century greatly due to the solution and problem of “scale.” This was most noticeable after the American Bar Association’s adoption of the Code of Professional Responsibility. The reputation of lawyers and the legal community would continue to evolve in the eyes of the public. As such, the demand for lawyers and large law firms who had the capacity and means to handle such vast and varied issues would present itself. The increasing demand from large law firms over the years led to unprecedented growth and impact to the way in …

911 Dispatchers: Investigating Their Knowledge Of Eyewitness Evidence Collection, Samantha A. Kosziollek

Student Theses

911 dispatchers are often the first contact in an emergency, playing a critical role in the investigative process. Presently, a new bill is seeking to nationally reclassify these communications officers, recognizing them as vital first responders, as their initial collection of eyewitness evidence aid in the attainment of crucial information and detailed descriptions of an accident or crime. However, only one study (Kassis, 2017), to date, has examined the training of 911 dispatchers, as well as their self-reported knowledge of the potential influences their language could have on an eyewitness’ memory. While this research highlighted disparities between the perceived role …

An Instrument At The Forefront Of Social Change: The Legacy Of Joaquin G. Ávila, Steven W. Bender

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Defending The Marital Sphere: A Review Of Church, State, And Family, Donald Roth

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Witte draws deeply on history, theology, and philosophy to articulate a robust conception of family that we could benefit from adopting."

Posting about the book Church, State, and Family from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/defending-the-marital-sphere-a-review-of-church-state-and-family/

The Impact Of A Social Emotional Learning Curriculum On The Social-Emotional Competence Of Elementary-Age Students, Michelle Dunn

All Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum on the social-emotional competence skills of second grade students in the general education classroom. Twelve classrooms across three schools in a school district in the Southeastern United States participated; one school was considered low poverty and two schools were considered high poverty. Results indicated medium to large effect sizes in all dependent measures in the low poverty treatment condition (.83 to 10.69). All but one teacher rating were also medium to large (.53 to 1.49). The student ratings were inconsistent across conditions, with medium and large positive and negative …

Opioid And Stimulant Use Among A Sample Of Corrections-Involved Drug Users : Seeking An Understanding Of High-Risk Drug Decisions Within A System Of Constraint., Kirsten Elin Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, high-risk drug use remains a significant social problem. Opioids and stimulants are two drug classes that have contributed to substantial recent increases in drug-related arrests, overdose, and mortality. Kentucky has been particularly devastated by high rates of opioid and stimulant use. Opioid and stimulant effects, while highly rewarding, can result in adverse consequences. Still, some people choose to use these drugs, and choose to continue using even after experiencing adverse consequences, such as incarceration. The aim of this study was to explore high-risk drug use among a sample of corrections-involved adults in Kentucky and to identify …

Black Church Advocacy In The Era Of Mass Incarceration: A Phenomenological Study, Yolande A. Cadore

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this research study was to examine the response of Black church pastors to Alexander’s (2010) observation in The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness of a “relative quiet” and “eerie silence” in the civil rights community and to explore factors that influenced Black pastors’ actions to address the mass incarceration problem between 2012 and 2015 subsequent to studying The New Jim Crow. Utilizing the phenomenological approach, participants for this study were purposefully sampled from a national database of Black pastors in the following regions: Northeast, Midwest, and South. Data collected from conducting 11 …

Does The Decriminalization Of Prostitution Reduce Rape And Sexually Transmitted Disease? A Review Of Cunningham And Shah Findings, Lily Lachapelle, Clare Schneider, Melanie Shapiro, Donna M. Hughes

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

In 2013, research findings by Cunningham and Shah claimed that rape and sexually transmitted diseases were reduced by decriminalized prostitution in Rhode Island. The original unpublished claims have received wide media coverage which have gone unexamined. This review finds errors in their analyses. One error is the date when prostitution was decriminalized in Rhode Island. Cunningham and Shah claim that prostitution was decriminalized in 2003. Our analysis finds the date of decriminalization of prostitution was 1980. The change in the start date of decriminalization significantly alters the analysis and the findings. Another error results from Cunningham and Shah using an …

"They Think We’Re The Drama-Makers”: Examining Middle-Class African American Girl Perceptions Of School Discipline And Mistreatment, Asha M. Ralph

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Historically in the United States, African Americans have faced much adversity in the fight towards educational equality. Beginning with the complete denial of education during slavery, the struggle to attain an education continued following the Civil War, throughout Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow. Their formal education remained segregated from white students and was often severely underfunded. Ultimately, Plessy v. Ferguson’s 1896 “separate but equal” decision was challenged and the Supreme Court justices unanimously voted that racial segregation of children in public-schools was unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. Although major advances have been seen over …

Pathways To Delinquent And Sex Offending Behavior: The Role Of Childhood Adversity And Environmental Context In A Treatment Sample Of Male Adolescents, Kelcey Puszkiewicz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to more types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has been associated with a greater likelihood of general and sexual offending behaviors. However, few studies exist that consider both the impact of varied ACE exposures and community correlates on pathways to offending behaviors in adolescents who have engaged in sexually abusive behaviors. The current study examined these pathways using data collected from archival records of male adolescents (N= 285) who had received treatment for sexually abusive behavior at a youth facility. Structural equation modeling revealed a three-factor model for ACEs, which included: nonsexual abuse and neglect; household dysfunction; …

A Brief History And Overview, Elaine M. Lasda

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

Chapter One from the book, The New Metrics: Practical Assessment of Research Impact

Provides an introduction, background information and overview of bibliometrics. Describes the new contexts in which bibliometric indicators are being used in specialized situations, and introduces five case studies where such metrics are being used in new ways.

Policing Protests: An Exploratory Analysis Of Crowd Management Policies, Logan P. Kennedy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Several policing strategies have been used to manage protest crowds over the past 50 years. Research suggests that escalated force and command and control strategies were utilized until the 1990’s (Bourne, 2011; Schweingruber, 2000), while negotiated management has emerged as a prominent protest management strategy within recent decades (Gillham, 2011; Gillham & Noakes, 2006). While literature describes the general evolution of protest strategies over time, there has been no systematic documentation of police approaches to crowd management.

This study examines police policies governing protest management to identify current U.S. police practices. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) provides …

Algorithmic Discrimination Is An Information Problem, Ignacio N. Cofone

UC Law Journal

While algorithmic decision-making has proven to be a challenge for traditional antidiscrimination law, there is an opportunity to regulate algorithms through the information that they are fed. But blocking information about protected categories will rarely protect these groups effectively because other information will act as proxies. To avoid disparate treatment, the protected category attributes cannot be considered; but to avoid disparate impact, they must be considered. This leads to a paradox in regulating information to prevent algorithmic discrimination. This Article addresses this problem. It suggests that, instead of ineffectively blocking or passively allowing attributes in training data, we should modify …

Language Access In Early And Late Spanish-English Bilinguals: An Erp Study, Lissete Gimenez-Arce

Student Theses

Research suggests that code-switching between two languages is possible because there is nonselective access to both languages, i.e., both languages are interdependent and stored in a shared lexicon. In this study, we used event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to measure the neural processes associated with language access, in particular, the ERP components: N200 and N400. Although previous studies have utilized these ERPs to investigate language access using interlingual homographs, i.e., words that look the same in two languages but have different meanings, these have focused on comparisons of monolingual and bilinguals. In contrast, we used a design that looked at Spanish …

Social Anxiety And Sexual Victimization In A Latina Sample: A Moderated Mediation, Andrew E. Dials

Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to explore the relationships between social anxiety, sexual victimization, acculturation, and alcohol use. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to explore the relationship between social anxiety and sexual victimization in a 100% Latina sample.

It was seen that social anxiety predicted severity of sexual victimization, but not presence or absence of sexual victimization experience. It was also seen that while alcohol did not predict severity of sexual victimization experience, it did predict presence or absence of sexual victimization experience. Results, clinical implications, and future research directions are discussed.

Teen Dating Violence In A Sample Of High School Students In The Rio Grande Valley, Gabriela Ontiveros

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the extent of teenage dating violence (TDV) perpetration and victimization among a sample of high school students in the Rio Grande Valley and its relationship with the occurrence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and exposure to interparental violence. Two hundred and twenty participants out of 426 were eligible for analyses. Rates of male and female physical abuse perpetration and victimization were similar although females reported significantly higher perpetration and males higher victimization rates. Regression analyses indicated that females exposed to interparental violence reported higher rates of overall TDV perpetration and physical abuse perpetration.

Females with higher occurrences …