Digital Commons Network^™

Three Essays On Mental Health Courts, Taylor E. Le Moal

All Dissertations

Mental illness in the criminal justice system is a major issue, with 2 in 5 incarcerated people in the US having a serious mental illness (Criminalization of People with Mental Illness, n.d.). Prisons have turned into “de facto” mental health facilities when these facilities are not equipped to do so. This means once individuals are released from incarceration, they are often ill-equipped to return to regular life and may get caught up in the cycle of recidivism (Slate, 2017). One method that policymakers have used to solve this problem is mental health courts (MHCs), which are pre-trial diversion …

Algorithmic Recourse In Sequential Decision-Making For Long-Term Fairness, Francisco Gumucio

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Algorithmic decision-making systems are increasingly being deployed in high-stakes domains such as criminal justice, education, and financial services. While machine learning models have demonstrated significant utility in automating complex decisions, they have also raised substantial concerns regarding fairness and equity. Much of the existing work in algorithmic fairness has focused on static, one-shot settings, where interventions are aimed at miti- gating bias in a single decision. However, many real-world systems operate sequentially, where decisions made at one point in time can influence future outcomes through dynamic feedback loops. In such scenarios, addressing fairness at only one decision point can be …

Emotional Pathways To Trauma: Racialized Policing And Psychological Distress In Black Adolescent Males, Rochelle S. Parrish

All Theses

Introduction: Black American males, including adolescents, are disproportionately subjected to aggressive policing, often without criminal wrongdoing (Geller et al., 2014; Sewell et al., 2016). These encounters are frequently described as traumatic, marked by fear, loss, and emotional disruption (Smith Lee & Robinson, 2019). Whether direct or vicarious, such experiences can produce lasting psychological effects, particularly among Black boys who face compounded vulnerability from racialized surveillance and community-level trauma (DeVylder et al., 2018; Smith & Patton, 2016). Proactive policing tactics, such as investigatory stops and verbal aggression, have been linked to symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including hypervigilance, avoidance, …

Link Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Parenting Styles Of African American Fathers, Tatianna P. Johnson

Dissertations

African American fathers may be more susceptible than fathers of other races to having a negative parenting style due to their high levels of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are traumatic experiences during childhood that can affect a person’s mental and physical health, income and adult parenting style. African American adults tend to have experienced multiple levels of ACEs at a higher rate than White and Asian adults (Maguire-Jack et al., 2021). ACEs can lead to adults experiencing higher levels of alcoholism, depression, health-related issues, mental illness, substance use, and academic problems. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to …

Examining The Perspectives Of School Administrators Regarding The Participation Of Students With Disabilities In Career And Technical Education, Kerstin Wheeler

Education Doctoral

Research consistently indicates that career and technical education (CTE) programs offer significant benefits for students. Participating in CTE programs has been shown to improve academic performance, increase graduation rates, and support successful post-school outcomes for all students. While laws and regulations require clear and intentional post-secondary transition planning, participation in CTE among students with disabilities in New York State remains low, less than one in five take part. Using a phenomenological, qualitative design, this study applied Theoharis and Causton’s (2014) framework of Seven Steps to Inclusive Leadership Practices to add to the research the perspectives of school administrators on the …

Exploring Variability Of The Cg18562578 Methylquant Assay For The Forensic Discrimination Of Monozygotic Twins, Sydney E. Arnold

Student Theses

Monozygotic (MZ) twins possess identical DNA sequences, posing a problem for forensic scientists, as they are incapable of distinguishing MZ twins from each other using traditional DNA identification methods. However, the epigenomes of MZ twins will differ and might be used for their forensic discrimination. Here, we explored the variability of an assay previously developed by our laboratory that showed high discrimination potential for MZ twins using buccal swab DNA, cg18562578 MethylQuant. We measured precision at each step: bisulfite conversion, nested PCR, and qPCR, reproducibility, and repeatability. DNA methylation ratios were compared between two analysts carrying each step using the …

Internet Of Things And Modern Digital Evidence Collection, Muhammad T. Haider

Student Theses

The ever-evolving landscape of technology and its innovations are populating our houses, streets and all kinds of industries. The use of smart devices is booming from most developed nations to underdeveloped countries. The complications which come with the use of the Internet of Things has been an active discussion for the past many years. If we look around in a room of 30 people, we will most likely find double the amount of IoT devices than the people in that room. All of those devices are connected to the Internet, and are communicating with data servers across the world. The …

Cg18562578 Methylquant Assay For The Discrimination Of Monozygotic Twins, Amber P. Chauca

Student Theses

Monozygotic (MZ) twins have identical DNA, making traditional profiling methods insufficient in their discrimination. However, MZ twins can be differentiated by their levels of DNA methylation. Our research group previously developed a methodology to detect cg18562578 DNA methylation levels in MZ twins based on a two- step PCR approach and a cg18562578 MethylQuant Assay. That study generated data for only 64% of the samples it investigated, and showed a discrimination power of 77% to discriminate between MZ twins. Here, we used the same methodology but a different approach to determine DNA methylation in 73 previously unsuccessful twin pairs. We diluted …

Further Investigation Of Environmental Factors On Rapid Shear In Fibers Of A Polyester-Cotton Blend, Daniel K. Oh

Student Theses

Rapid shear is a process that occurs in thermoplastic materials when they interact with a high-velocity impact. In forensics, these interactions would typically be from a bullet interacting with clothing that consisted of synthetic fibers. When the interaction occurs, bulb-like shapes appear on damaged fiber ends, distinguishing them from other kinds of damage. The reason why these shapes occur is varied, but one prevailing factor seems to be the heat generated by the impact.

In prior experiments, the factor of temperature being important to the formation of the phenomenon, different environmental simulations that affected the sample’s temperature were done on …

A Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention For Emotion Regulationand Aggression In Justice-Involved Adolescents: Preliminary Outcomes From A Non-Randomized Trial In Short-Term Juvenile Detention, Cassidy L. Tennity

Dissertations

Justice-involved youth are at risk for a variety of psychosocial difficulties, including anger, aggression, and emotion regulation challenges. Short-term juvenile detention settings offer a unique opportunity to provide psychological interventions to youth before they are returned to the community or sentenced to long-term placements. However, implementation barriers within these settings often hinder the delivery of evidence-based care. This study developed and tested a brief, two-session anger management intervention for adolescents detained in a short-term juvenile detention center in the Southeastern United States, drawing on evidence-based practices from prior work with justice-involved youth. The present study examined implementation outcomes (i.e., feasibility, …

Barriers To Hispanic Post-Secondary Education In Science Fields, Luis Slayton

Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to examine whether external barriers could be identified and are present throughout a Hispanic individual's educational life. The beliefs of the Hispanic community regarding education and the nature of acquiring an education could be relevant to the factors that impede the completion of high school. A survey approach was chosen as the methodology for the study due to the confidential nature of a questionnaire. Human nature tends to be more honest when not asked personal questions face-to-face. Additionally, there is potential to generalize attributes from a small sample to a larger population, allowing inferences about the identified …

2025-2026 Lindenwood University Graduate Course Catalog, Lindenwood University

Course Catalogs

Lindenwood University Graduate Course Catalog

2025-2026 Lindenwood University Undergraduate Course Catalog, Lindenwood University

Course Catalogs

Lindenwood University Undergraduate Course Catalog

A Qualitative Interpretative Meta-Analysis Of The Experiences Of Women Under Community Supervision, Gifty Kinful

Research Papers

Research reveals that women parolees or probationers encounter both challenges and support systems as they navigate their reintegration into the community. More specifically, most women returning from prison and those on probation are released into a society of stigma where access to housing, employment, education, transportation, and healthcare services is either severely limited or nonexistent. These serious obstacles can undermine their ability, motivation, and desire to succeed while on probation or parole. Support systems may be more or less available and effective. The qualitative literature on women under community supervision is large but to our knowledge, the diverse studies have …

Internal Funding Newsletter, Academic Year 2024-2025, Office Of Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Internal Funding Newsletters

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is committed to educating people of the world and the Office of Research and Creative Activity is proud to contribute to UNO?s exceptional education, groundbreaking research, and the life-long success of students and alumni. UNO innovates for the public good through pragmatic and impactful research and discovery. This year's programs provided over $750,000 in awards for students and faculty. These projects included recording a new album of music for a saxophone, flute, and piano trio, understanding college campus bicycle theft, studying student perceptions of the difficulty of organic chemistry concepts, evaluating a therapy program …

Black Women Policymakers And Black Feminist Approaches In United States Gender-Based Violence Policies: Analyzing Policy Making, Institutional, And Social Media Discourse Through The Narrative Policy Framework, Gugu Selela

All Dissertations

This research study examines how gender-based violence (GBV) policy in the United States marginalizes Black women through race-neutral language and punitive frameworks. Despite facing disproportionate violence, Black women are often excluded from policy narratives, debates, and institutional priorities. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought and the Narrative Policy Framework, this study investigates how exclusion operates across legislative, digital, and institutional domains, and how Black women in public service resist and reshape GBV policy through care-centered, survivor-informed practices. Focusing on the U.S. South, the study uses a qualitative, multi-method design. It analyzes ninety-three Senate committee transcripts from South Carolina, North Carolina, and …

Jury Decision Rules In Criminal Trials, Emma Archibald

Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies

Discussions of juries in democratic systems often frame the jury as a symbol of democracy, an essential safeguard for an accused, and a legitimizer of state authority. However, the context in which the jury operates has evolved, and there is a widening gap between our empirical understanding of juries and our commitment to their theoretical value. Piecemeal reforms of the jury have also moved the system away from the historical model, with the consequence of undermining the remaining aspects. This paper argues one such aspect is the decision rule under which a jury renders its verdict. Canada is one of …

Triggering Change In Child Protection Law: A Case Study Of Firearms And Domestic Violence In Nova Scotia, Manitoba, And Ontario, Ashley Thornton

Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies

The intertwining complexities of child protection, domestic violence, and firearms pose profound challenges for families and the legal system. This paper examines their interplay, focusing on how these issues can subject children to harm, with a specific focus on case law and relevant legislation from Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Ontario. These three provinces have been selected due to: i) the locality and inherent relevance of Nova Scotia’s jurisdiction given the location of the Schulich School of Law, ii) the high number of reported court decisions in Ontario, and the unique protections created through amending the Child, Youth, and Family Services …

Knowledge And Perceptions Of Prebiotics And Probiotics Among University Students, Itzel Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Gut health gained significant attention in recent years, with prebiotics and probiotics widely promoted for their potential health benefits. However, misinformation about this topic was common, particularly among young adults who were heavily influenced by social media and advertising on health-related topics. Research studies had indicated that knowledge and perceptions of prebiotics and probiotics are based on factors such as age, gender, and academic background. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perceptions of university students on prebiotic and probiotic foods, identify commonly used resources for information, and analyze the impact of media and demographic variables on their …

Addressing Jail Recidivism Among Inmates With Substance Use Disorders Through Treatment Interventions: A Scoping Review, Rosa C. Contreras

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This project studies effective treatments for formerly incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders (SUD’s) who become homeless. This study examines evidence-based, non-pharmaceutical interventions identified in current research, analyzing their effectiveness in addressing key social issues. It explores how these interventions contribute to improving outcomes for individuals and communities, particularly in areas such as mental health, addiction recovery, and rehabilitation. Additionally, the study assesses their significance within the field of social work, emphasizing their role in shaping policies, informing best practices, and fostering more holistic, client-centered approaches to care. The potential impact of these interventions is considered in relation to reducing …

From Foster Care To College Graduation: A Qualitative Study Of The Experiences Of College Graduates Who Aged Out Of Foster Care, Antonia Irene Thomas

Dissertations

Students who have spent time in the foster care system encounter a myriad of barriers and challenges to academic success. Among these challenges is attending post-secondary school and completing a college degree. High school academic performance, knowledge of the college application process, and lack of financial support are some factors that act as barriers to post-secondary attendance. Lack of support and difficulty navigating the college experience can negatively impact the ability to complete college. Even in instances of desire and academic ability to attend college, many of these students never attend, or do not complete and obtain a degree. Between …

Pierce County Juvenile Justice Assessment, Alya Azman, Kathryn Cunningham, Anna Duncan, David M. N. Garavito, Noah Gubner, Jean Hernandez, Robyn Metcalfe, Rachel Porter, Santiago Pedraza Arenas, Meli Sameh, Sarah Cusworth Walker

Articles

Following a 2024 County Council request, the Pierce County Performance Audit Committee contracted with the CoLab for Community and Behavioral Health Policy at the University of Washington to conduct an audit of the county’s juvenile justice system against national and research best practice. The assessment is intended to guide future county investments in preventing and responding to youth crime, particularly youth violence, and to inform current policy discussions around the need to invest significant county funds into a renovation or reenvisioning of the current Juvenile Justice Court and Detention Center (Remann Hall).

[M]Otherhood: Navigating Work-Family Constraints And Strategies In Pink-Collar Jobs, Madison Brunell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Working mothers continue to confront cultural norms and workplace practices that frame paid labor as incompatible with caregiving. In the workplace, these norms often result in motherhood bias and discrimination due to the incompatibility between norms of the ‘ideal worker’ and the ‘ideal mother’ (Acker 2006; Williams, Blair-Loy and Berdahl 2013). This tension is especially acute in pink-collar jobs, women-dominated occupations in service and care sectors, which are often mischaracterized as mother- friendly despite offering limited flexibility, low pay, and minimal structural support (Sartor, Lange, and Tröster 2023; Deming 2022; Ervin et al. 2022). While prior research has explored the …

From Marriage To Migration: Analyzing Return Migration, Gender Inequalities And Household Resource Allocation Patterns, Saeed Ahmad

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In Kyrgyzstan, a country shaped by deep-rooted traditions and high rates of migration, women's lives are often influenced by powerful cultural expectations, economic pressures, and limited choices. My research explores how these forces intersect—particularly through the lens of bride kidnapping, migration, and how families use money and resources. Together, these issues reveal how gender inequality operates in everyday life, and how women navigate both constraint and resilience.

This dissertation includes three connected studies. The first examines how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international labor migration, especially for Kyrgyz migrants working in Russia. Many returnees lost their jobs and faced hostility or …

Migration As Adaptation: Place-Based Vulnerability Near The Drying Great Salt Lake, Dallin Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The drying of the Great Salt Lake presents a complex and evolving threat to Utah residents, with wide-ranging environmental, economic, and health implications. This study explores the individual and structural factors impacting Utahns' ability to utilize migration as a form of adaptive capacity in response to these threats, using mobility justice and cumulative advantage and disadvantage theory as guiding frameworks. Drawing on survey data, a multilevel logistic regression model identifies key structural factors, including age, income, and gender, that influence perceived migration ability. Additionally, a 2x2 typology categorizes distinct profiles of vulnerability to the Great Salt Lake based on different …

Still "The Last Best Place"?: Concentrated Ownership, Amenity Migration, And Community Change In Southwest Montana, Elizabeth A. Bennett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Across the American West, amenity rich areas have been grappling with population growth, economic shifts, and associated community impacts. Amenity migration, the movement of wealthy suburban and urban individuals to rural areas for the natural amenities and slower paced life, has contributed to much of the change in amenity rich rural places. However, recently, a new process has begun occurring simultaneously with amenity migration. New high net worth (HNW) individuals have been purchasing large parcels of land, often through the acquisition of multiple ranches that are thousands of acres. Little is known about how these new HNW owners impact the …

Wild Water: Hydrosocial Dislocation, Dispossession, And The Symbolic Geographies Of The American West, Leonard Alexander Henderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation investigates how the confluence of community change and water politics in the American West shapes a discussion about a Wild and Scenic designation for the Crystal River on Colorado’s Western Slope. Ideas about the “Wild West,” influence how many people think about wilderness and small mountain towns, driving growing populations, housing prices, and, as a result, social inequality in many of these areas. At the same time, many people on Colorado’s Western Slope feel that region’s water is taken away by both the state’s more populous Front Range or more politically and economically powerful states like California. Climate …

Associations Between Mental Health Outcomes And Discrimination And Victimization Among Adult Lgbtq+ Community Members Or Guardians Of Lgbtq+ Children, 2023-2024, Perla Gisel Mercado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

BACKGROUND: LGBTQ youth face unique challenges and experiences that can significantly impact their mental well-being. Discrimination, stigma, prejudice, and struggle for self-acceptance contribute to increased rates of mental health issues within this population. Almost one in 8 people, or 970 million individuals worldwide, were living with a mental disorder. PURPOSE: Assess the relationship between discrimination and victimization and mental health outcomes among sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) in the Paso del Norte Region. METHODS: Data was collected through a cross-sectional needs assessment survey among adult LGBTQ+ community members or parents/guardians of LGBTQ+ children/youth living in New Mexico or Texas in …

Judicial And Techno-Securitization Of Immigration: Narratives De Filosofia De Inmigracion Y Justicia, Mohammad Rubaiyat Rahman

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the thesis, I develop a philosophical account which is centered on immigration enforcement discrimination, surveillance and procedural justice. The thesis propounds two arguments. The first argument contends that the immigration enforcement of the United States (U.S.), including the use of surveillance technology, contributes to the structural injustice. The second argument is that the U.S. immigration surveillance and immigration enforcement should be qualified by procedural justice and constitutional democracy.

The thesis prioritizes the practice of the U.S. immigration policy, enforcement and how these promote structural injustice against non-citizens and citizens, specifically those who are Latinos living in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. …

Predicting Case Clearance For Victims Of Anti-Transgender Homicide In The United States, Brittaney Alyssa Mann

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a shortage of research exploring case clearance of anti-transgender bias homicides. This study will comparatively examine the similarities and differences in anti-transgender bias homicide cases with and without arrests at the victim, situational and incident levels occurring in the United States between 2013 and 2023. Data are extracted from the Bias Homicide Database (BHDB), the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). This project will address the gap in understanding case clearance of anti-transgender bias homicides, provide policy implications, and ideas to further the discipline’s understanding of the topic. Keywords: LGBTQIA+ victims, bias …