Digital Commons Network^™

Breaking The Black Box: The Impact Of The 2023 Changes To The Japanese Penal Code On Rape, Lee Smith

Washington International Law Journal

In 2017, the Japanese penal code was amended to broaden protections for victims of sexual assault. However, pressure mounted for further protections after several decisions on cases involving rape shocked the nation in 2019. In 2023, the penal code was amended again including to raise the age of consent to 16 and broaden the definition of rape to include nonconsensual sexual acts. This comment examines the history of rape law in Japan, introduces challenges that victims of sexual assault face when trying to seek justice, and analyzes the first cases determined under the amended code. Finally, it looks to the …

Comparing Fastbridge Reading Assessment Scores: Reading Interventionist Vs. Lexia Powerup For Sixth-Grade Students, Amanda K. Boss

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This study investigates the differences in FastBridge reading assessment scores among sixth-grade students at a middle school in Southeast Minnesota. A sample of 266 sixth graders participated in the technology-based intervention program, Lexia PowerUp, while 35 students received additional support from a reading interventionist using the UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Initiative) Foundations curriculum. Employing a quantitative, non-experimental post hoc analysis, the research revealed that both Lexia PowerUp and UFLI: Foundations enhanced FastBridge AUTOreading scores; however, FastBridge aReading scores showed no significant changes for either program. Notably, students utilizing Lexia PowerUp consistently improved throughout the year, whereas those in the …

A Scoping Review Of Sexual And Reproductive Health Interventions With Youth In U.S. Juvenile Facilities., April Mcneill-Johnson, Jason Glenn, Nekia Ivory Daniel, Mira Menon, Basil H. Aboul-Enein, Patricia J. Kelly, Megha Ramaswamy

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Youth placed in U.S. juvenile detention facilities face multilevel barriers that contribute to disparate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes when compared to their peers in the general adolescent population. Minimal information is available about evidence-based interventions that have been effective in changing these outcomes. The aim of this scoping review was to focus on the current state of SRH and identify recommendations for SRH care. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for scoping reviews guidelines, we searched electronic databases for publications published through March 2024. The search terms were designed to find intervention studies focusing …

Addressing Structural Violence In School Policies: A Call To Protect Children's Safety And Well-Being., Daniela Brissett, Jacquelin Rankine, Lisa Mihaly, Romina Barral, Maria Veronica Svetaz, Alison Culyba, Marissa Raymond-Flesch

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Peer Recovery Support Specialists And Recovery Of Perinatal Women With A Substance Use Disorder, Mary C. Talbot

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Substance use in pregnant and postpartum women is a growing issue in the United States. Drug use while pregnant can lead to birth defects, stillbirths, and problems providing positive parenting to their children. Many women with substance use disorders (SUD) feel extreme shame and stigma related to their substance use and have trouble accessing recovery-related treatment and other services. Peer recovery support treatment uses the lived experiences of individuals in current recovery from SUD to facilitate and support recovery in others. Purpose: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the impact of peer recovery support specialists on the …

Reversing The Panopticon: Perspectives Of Previously Incarcerated Adults In Community College, Megan Friesen

Dissertations

The purpose of this critical case study was to better understand the experiences of previously incarcerated adults in a community college. This research was informed by critical criminology (Brown, 2009), especially the societal eye of the panopticon (Foucault, 1975/1977). Furthermore, I expanded on this with Paulo Freire’s (2005) work on oppression and education. This research was also informed by the existing literature on community college students in three areas: those who have been incarcerated, those in on-campus addiction recovery support, and those employed in work-study positions. Through semi-structured interviews, photo-elicitation interviews, and a review of the material data, four previously …

“Any Rebroadcast, Retransmission, Or Account Of This Trial Without The Express Written Consent Of The Judge Is Prohibited”: The First Amendment And Judicial Constraints On Redistributing Courtroom Video, Frank D. Lomonte, Rachel Jones

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

A National Survey And Critical Analysis Of University Police Statutes, Vanessa Miller

Buffalo Law Review

This Paper provides an empirical study and critical analysis of university police statutes in all fifty jurisdictions, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The primary focus of the survey is to examine the regulatory framework governing campus police officers at public institutions of higher education. The study employs a crossdisciplinary approach, combining critical legal and qualitative analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape surrounding university police across the United States. The findings of the study include several key elements related to university police, such as police powers, jurisdiction, governing bodies, removal procedures, and use of …

"You Gonna Be Like Mama": A Case Study Of Intergenerational Sex Trafficking, Lindsey M. Grabowska

Honors Thesis

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a range of experiences inflicted upon children that involves sexual exploitation for financial benefit and results in many psychological harms on exploited youth. Familial sex trafficking is a subset of CSEC where the child is exploited by a family member through either intergenerational prostitution or exchanging sexual access to their child to others for commercial gain. This paper will review the available literature on CSEC and familial trafficking, focusing specifically on two important questions (1) What makes minors vulnerable to CSEC and sex trafficking and (2) What maintains the involvement on people in …

Queering Carceralism, James Gacek

Vanderbilt Social Justice Reporter

This article endeavours to expand the horizons of queer carceral studies, recognizing it is an apt frame of reference for reconsidering empirical research and advocacy which welcomes queerness as a central and fundamental analytic lens to interrogate carceral capitalist logics. As I have argued elsewhere, we find ourselves in quite the carceral age. Despite the fact queer, trans, and gender nonconforming people continue to be disproportionately incarcerated, if not otherwise affected by the carceral system, queer studies has paid scant attention to the prison, while critical prison studies has only somewhat engaged with queerness. Indeed, the historical illegality, costs, and …

Forging Resilient Futures: The Role Of Community Organizations In Addressing Environmental Injustices Faced By Immigrants Along The Wasatch Front, Utah, Nowrin Fatema

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Utah’s Wasatch Front is an urban area with a growing population that faces looming environmental challenges, such as the desiccation of the Great Salt Lake, worsening air quality, water scarcity, and the impacts of urban sprawl. If not prevented, the lake’s desiccation or other environmental challenges could result in dangerous air pollution, biodiversity loss, and disruptions to local economies. Immigrant populations may be uniquely vulnerable to these environmental changes because of economic, social, and political marginalization. For example, 50% of Salt Lake City’s foreign-born residents live on the City’s westside—the area on the frontline of the lake’s toxic dust. My …

An International Prosecutor As U.S. Special Counsel, Cody Corliss

Utah Law Review

The appointment of Jack Smith to investigate then-former President Donald Trump brought to the fore the essential qualities for special counsels who act when a conflict of interest precludes investigation by the Department of Justice. Most attention on Smith centered on his domestic work and its correlation with a special counsel’s responsibilities. That emphasis, however, obscured the most salient line on his resume: international investigator and prosecutor. The conclusion of Smith’s tenure as special counsel following the election of Donald Trump to a second term as president provides an opportunity to consider the skills and qualifications that matter most in …

Fragmentation Of International Cybercrime Law, Mailyn Fidler

Utah Law Review

Cybercrime is global. But legal approaches to combating cybercrime have been fragmented. The first such multilateral legal mechanism, the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, was launched in 2001 and positioned by its primarily Western drafters as a global instrument. But it has struggled to achieve full international uptake. Instead, many states have used regional organizations to create their own legal mechanisms addressing cybercrime and cybersecurity threats. More recently, the UN Convention on Cybercrime has emerged as an alternative to this fragmented landscape. But the emergence and significance of this “convergent” option cannot be understood without the context of the deep fragmentation …

University Campus Members' Perceptions And Willingness To Accept Plea Deals, Magalli Morado Landaverde

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on plea bargaining has primarily focused on public opinion about this practice and the disparities among individuals who have accepted a plea deal. This body of research usually addressed only legal or extralegal factors associated with the prevalence of plea bargaining. Few studies have explored the impact of both factors on an individual’s attitude toward plea bargaining and willingness to accept a plea deal. The current study sought to address this gap in the literature by exploring situational and dispositional factors and other relevant measures, such as court procedural justice, to examine their influence on a person’s attitude …

Examining The Perceptions Of Restorative Practices In A Non-Profit Organization: A Comparative Analysis Of Staff And Youth Attitudes, Autumn N. Alicea, Anne Hobbs Dr

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study examines the attitudes toward restorative justice (RJ) among staff and youth at a non-profit residential organization. Using the Restorative Justice Attitude Scale, data was collected from 14 staff members and 14 youth participants (N=28). Results indicated that staff members reported significantly higher mean scores (M = 84.50, SD = 8.38) on the Total Restorative Justice Attitude Scale than youth participants (M = 67.93, SD = 15.81). ANOVA results revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups on attitudes toward restorative justice, F (1, 26) = 12.007, p = .002. Effect size analysis (η² = .316) indicates that approximately …

Human Trafficking Prevention Methods In Nebraska, Allison E. Munderloh

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Human Trafficking has been a concern in Nebraska for a long period of time, but there is a lack of publicly available information regarding the prevention methods being employed and their effectiveness. This study aimed to identify the human trafficking prevention methods in use in Nebraska and their effectiveness based on the opinions of human trafficking professionals in the state. The human trafficking professionals were interviewed, and the information gathered was organized into seven different themes. The themes that arose from the information gathered included educational efforts, victim intervention and resources, addressing demand, labor trafficking, measuring success, resources and funding, …

Soft Substance Usage And Productivity In The Patrol Officer Population, Patrick Brady

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Consumable substances have long been used to enhance performance and ease nerves in first-responder populations. Among these substances, caffeine and nicotine products are some of the most frequently used by law enforcement. For the purposes of this study, these substances will be coded as “soft substances” (SSs). As opposed to hard substances (heroin, methamphetamines, crack-cocaine, etc.) SSs are non-criminalized substances that do not significantly change one’s state of consciousness; these substances are also commonly used during the workday (e.g. nicotine used on smoke breaks, caffeinated drinks consumed during the day). Usage rates of SSs in the law enforcement population surpass …

The Effectiveness Of International Courts In Contributing To Rebuilding And Resolving Conflicts In Societies Post-Genocide, Garrett Connely

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In the aftermath of mass atrocities, international courts have emerged as key mechanisms for delivering justice and fostering post-conflict reconciliation. Rooted in the precedent set by the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, these institutions aim to prosecute crimes that often go beyond national legal systems. However, their effectiveness remains contested, largely due to their dependence on state cooperation and the complexity of post-conflict environments. This project examines the societal impact of international courts in two significant cases – Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Through a comparative analysis of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Intersection Between Sex Trafficking And Domestic Violence: A Cross-Cultural Study Of The United States And India, Rachel A. Napier

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Domestic violence survivors are affected by long-term trauma from abuse, which can lead to them being more vulnerable and susceptible to sex trafficking tactics. Sex trafficking survivors are also at risk of becoming involved in an abusive relationship because they may have been previously exposed or due to a normalization of abuse. Both domestic violence and sex trafficking are prevalent issues within the world that continue to be ongoing due to their hidden nature. This study highlights the connections between domestic violence and sex trafficking and how each can be portrayed differently based on the environment and cultural norms within …

Perceptions Of Identity And Blame Attribution In Sexual Harassment Scenarios, Avarie Lambert

Honors Theses

Sexual harassment is a widespread issue influenced by societal attitudes that stem from victim blaiming and rape myth acceptance. These perceptions are often shaped by the identities of the parties involved, however there is limited research on how gender and race influence blame attribution. The purpose of this study is to examine how different identities shape public perceptions of victims in sexual harassment scenarios. Through using a nationwide sample and survey experiment, participants were randomly assigned to receive one of eight different hypothetical scenarios that differed by the race and gender of the victim, and the gender of the perpetrator. …

Public Opinion And Judicial Decision-Making: A Relationship Explored Through Interviews With Local, State And Federal Judges Within Mobile County, Alabama, Bella Gin

Honors Theses

Civilians and legal scholars alike often speculate how judges rule and what contributes to their decision-making. Acknowledging this conundrum and combining it with my own interests in the legal field, I attempt to explore how some judges located within Mobile County perceive public opinion and what factors direct their rulings over their respective case dockets. Through seven, semi-structured interviews, I ask each judge a series of questions regarding their backgrounds, decision-making methodologies, thoughts on public opinion relevancy, and application of their approaches to their judgeships. Analysis of the interviewees’ responses reveals data that suggests the judges have a somewhat ambivalent …

How Criminal Offenders Offend Society’S Equality Expectations, T. Markus Funk

SMU Law Review Forum

The public’s concern over safety and rising crime rates dominated opinion polls and played a significant role in the 2024 presidential election. This article argues that, although much has been written on the offender’s state of mind and the concrete harms offenders impose, what is missing is a more victim-centric understanding of the full scope of crime’s consequences.

Criminal offenders’ selfish, self-directed conduct subjugates the victims’ legally protected interests and conveys that they do not consider their victims’ rights sufficiently important or deserving of conduct-guiding respect. Offenders, in short, differentiate themselves from the social group by adopting the harmful mindset …

Mapping The Path Forward: A Dual Approach Using Ot Assessment & Mentorship To Support The Well-Being Of Youth In Dcf Custody, Kimberly T. Santos

OTD DEx Reports - College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

This literature review investigates the external relationship needs of foster youth, with particular focus on the prevalence of attachment disorders and trauma-related symptoms resulting from adverse childhood experiences. The Doctoral Experiential (DEx) Capstone Project centers on the development of an occupational therapy-based assessment tool designed to evaluate emotional and environmental safety for youth in residential care. In collaboration with Gandara Mental Health Center and direct care staff, the project also includes the implementation of a training program aimed at enhancing staff understanding of trauma-informed care, youth development, and the role of meaningful mentorship. Foster youth often lack stable, supportive external …

Research Recap: A Guide To Orea Publications Of Interest, Tennessee. Comptroller Of The Treasury.

Office of Research and Education Accountability

No abstract provided.

The Interplay Of Housing Instability And Mathematics During Adolescence: A Retrospective Study Of Black Stem Folx, Sharetta M. W. Bufford

All Dissertations

Few studies have delved into the delicate nuances that impact Black students’ mathematics performance, nor have they paid much attention to the resources students leverage to overcome systems that perpetuate negative stereotypes about Black youth. For decades, studies about Black youth have been explored from a deficit perspective, shedding negative light on circumstances typically beyond the control of those being studied. Even more, some studies have placed blame on parents and parental figures in the lives of Black children for unacceptable school behavior and poor academic progress (Cobb II & Russell, 2015). Black youth have been portrayed as problematic, disruptive, …

Job Satisfaction Levels In The Correctional Field Based On Gender, Minal Chughtai

Honors College Theses

The overall purpose of this study was to research and understand the different levels of job satisfaction when it comes to female and male correctional officers and determine if female officers have greater levels of job satisfaction than their male counterparts. This study is a systematic review of different research articles that analyze correctional officers’ job satisfaction levels. This information will then be synthesized into one cohesive paper. The results will display the various factors that contribute to job satisfaction levels of correctional officers, such as gender perception, job burnout and stress, and other workplace variables. The overall findings of …

From Guns To Scalpels: Reproductive Violence And The (In)Visibility Of Non-Lethal Genocidal Acts, Anthony Ghaly

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

The Psychology Of Morbid Fascination: The Role Of Spectatorship In Executions, Rubbernecking, Dark Tourism, And True Crime Consumption, Sydnee L. Hope

Honors Theses

This literature review examines the general idea of morbid fascination through the lens of spectatorship. The questions that this paper will attempt to answer and contribute knowledge towards are, “What is the psychology behind morbid fascination?” and “Why are humans drawn to the macabre?”. This paper will use a myriad of different sources such as books, peer-reviewed articles, personal accounts, documentaries, podcasts, and different studies from the psychological, criminal justice, and philosophical fields of study to very carefully review, report, compile, and add new theories onto the information provided. The sections discussed throughout will fall under four categories: Public Executions, …

The Effects Of Short-Term Rental Regulation On Neighborhoods In Traverse City, Mi, Joseph H. Slonecki

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

With the increase in popularity of Short-Term Rentals (STRs) and the increase in housing and rental prices throughout the United States, this study aims to explore the effects STRs have on housing and rental prices in Traverse City, MI. Traverse City is a popular tourist area and has experienced significant price increases over the last decade. STRs have been a topic of regulation by many local units of government and the area lacks unified regulation. The study area is confined to two census block groups of adjacent neighborhoods that occupy different townships. The townships have two different approaches to STR …

From Prison To Progress: Evaluating The Impact Of Second Chance Act Grants On Recidivism, Alexandra Hall

Honors Theses

Recidivism in the United States is at an all-time high and significantly higher than in other developed nations. Past literature examines how conditions present in prisons and the criminal justice system affect recidivism and other outcomes of formerly incarcerated persons. Recognizing the need for reform, the Second Chance Act was passed in 2007, which aims to create or improve reentry programs by giving state, county, and tribal governments and nonprofit

organizations funding. Few studies have examined the effect of Second Chance Act grants,

though two studies published in 2016 and 2017 found that the grants generally decrease recidivism. This study …