Digital Commons Network^™

Grief Into Growth: Msw Portfolio, Shelby Ann Lampi

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Key Factors That Influence The Successful Implementation And Sustainment Of Dei Within Probation Departments, Natalie Martinez

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

The successful implementation and sustainment of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within probation departments is essential to create a fair and just criminal justice system. This paper examines the principal elements that impact the implementation and sustainability of DEI practices in probation settings. This research identifies best practices and challenges in integrating DEI principles into organizational structures by analyzing existing literature, case studies, and policy frameworks. The findings highlight the importance of leadership commitment, policy integration, and measurement, as well as an environment that fosters an inclusive culture. Additionally, the study examines barriers such as resistance to change, policy …

Put Me In, Coach: Constitutional Concerns Of Judicial Activism And Legislating From The Bench, Jacob M. Elliott

Senior Honors Theses

Unrestrained judicial activism and legislating from the bench at the Supreme Court level place federalism and freedom in jeopardy. By ignoring crucial doctrines like jurisdiction, deference, and independence, the Supreme Court has demonstrated a tendency toward reinterpreting existing Constitutional precedent as they see fit, basing judgments on extra-legal influences, and supplanting Constitutional principles with their own personal policy preferences.

Numerous cases demonstrate the looming threat of judicial overreach; these cases are often considered some of the most damaging and injurious decisions in the history of the American federal judiciary. One potential solution is to appoint justices who will operate …

Cultural Self-Harm Differences, Erin Simmons

Psychology Student Papers and Posters

This study is based on the evident cultural differences in self-harm behaviors and what those behaviors look like specifically for individuals that identify as Black or African American. Previous literature suggests that cultural differences in self-harm exist but very little research centers Black experiences and their connection to self-harm. Self-harm is considered a broad term, and it encompasses a variety of behaviors, some more common than others, but these common behaviors are typically exclusively explored within only a few demographics with a low Black participant pool. This contributes to the assumed lack of self-harm among the Black community but through …

Chevron Was Not, And Cannot Be, Overruled: The Dullness Of Loper Bright, Edward L. Rubin

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

As expected, the Supreme Court declared, in Loper Bright Enterprises. v. Raimondo,' that "Chevron is overruled." The Court was notably vague about the principle that would replace it, declaring that "courts must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority," but providing little guidance about how this crucial task should be performed. This is an obvious defect in an opinion with innumerable defects, but the problems with the Court's decision go well beyond its specific flaws. The Court did not understand the decision that it claimed to overrule. Chevron is not simply a …

Artificial Intelligence: Maryland's Double-Edged Sword In Employment Decisions, Jessica S. Kweon

University of Baltimore Law Forum

No abstract provided.

Understanding Undergraduate Aspirations For Law Enforcement Careers And Motivation In The Classroom, Gabriella N. Burt

Honors Thesis

This study investigates the factors shaping undergraduate student interest in law enforcement careers. By surveying students from various Midwestern universities, this research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between social influences, gender, and curricular exposure in shaping law enforcement career aspirations. Specifically, it examines how motivations for pursuing a public service career, external influences, and background characteristics shape career interest overall. The study also examines how these factors shape career interest between men and women and overall motivation to engage with specific law enforcement course topics. Findings inform policy and curriculum design.

Rethinking Behavior - Spring 2025, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Spring 2025, Volume 8, Issue 3

The Link April 1, 2025, Access To Justice Institute

The Link Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Tedder'S Not Dead: What Process Is Due To Suspended Elected Officials In Florida?, Richard J. Mullaney

William & Mary Law Review

This Note argues that a proper interpretation of Florida law recognizes property interests in elected office as an integral factor to be considered when assessing what process is due to suspended elected officials. Part I provides an overview of the theoretical underpinnings and modern evolution of procedural due process and property interests, particularly as they relate to public employment and elected office. Part II contrasts historical case law in Florida where property rights were recognized with a curious line of emerging case law that finds no such rights. Part III investigates and refutes the flawed reasoning behind recent opinions that …

Global Crossroads Of Cybercrime: Youth, Enterprise And State Vulnerabilities In The Digital Age, Christopher S. Kayser, Kyung-Shick Choi

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

No abstract provided.

Cybercrime As A Threat To The Banking Sector: A Perspective From Commercial Banks In Bangladesh, Hasibul Hossain, Rezaul Karim Shohag, Nikhil Chandra Nath, Sushmita Das Dalia

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Cyber and technology related crimes are gradually increasing all over the world due to rapid transitions and transactions in the digital world and cyberspace. Cyber related threats are increasingly becoming universal, multi-faceted, sophisticated and transnational in this tech-driven age. Governments, law enforcement agencies, IT professionals, scholars, and researchers worldwide have been concerned about digital deviance and crime. The transition to this widespread cybercrime is particularly difficult for developing countries. Recently, the banking sectors in Bangladesh have seen the emerging threats to its system and reserves through cyberspace, e. g. cyber-attacks or taking illegal access. Cybercrime is becoming a threat to …

Need Of Paradigm Shift In Cybersecurity Implementation For Small And Medium Enterprises (Smes), Shekhar Pawar, Hemant Palivela

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

The increasing digitization of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has significantly increased their attack surface, creating opportunities for various cyberthreats. In the global market, there are various cybersecurity standards and frameworks available, but there are still many cyber news stories from each corner of the world talking about increasing sophisticated cyber-attacks among organizations. According to recent studies, one out of five cyberattacks is targeting SMEs. Even though SMEs are relatively smaller as individuals, they are responsible for maximum contribution towards the betterment of the global economy, including the highest role in GDP and various employment opportunities. As compared to large …

Truth, Fiction, And Abolition, Xiao Wang, Samuel Weiss

Michigan Law Review

A review of Chain-Gang All-Stars. By Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.

Implementing Occupational Therapy Services To Enhance Reentry For Justice Involved Individuals In The Kalamazoo Region, Lexis Rich

Capstone Projects

Within the criminal justice system, there are difficulties and concerns regarding the high rates of recidivism involving the transition from incarceration to community. Formerly incarcerated individuals enter the reentry process with possible mental health conditions, increased social isolation, low self efficacy and difficulties navigating a new way of life. Occupational therapy can help address the difficulties and mental health concerns with incorporating meaningful occupations, however, services are not offered in many regions due to limited awareness of its value. The purpose of this project was to implement occupational therapy services for Region 8 of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) …

Understanding Processes That Produce Racial Disparities In California Death Sentences: A Review Of The Literature, Catherine M. Grosso, Michael Laurence, Jeffrey A. Fagan

Faculty Scholarship

A robust and extensive body of empirical research, and a rich historical record, documents a recurring and pervasive influence of race in the application of California’s death penalty. This article reviews the legal and social science research to document multiple paths through which institutions and processes produce these racial disparities over many decisions in many cases across four decades. The article reviews relevant literature by decision, institution, or actor and presents key findings. This includes documenting the history of the broad statutory design of the California capital punishment statue. The review also considers research on policing, including the influence of …

Law And Historical Materialism, Jeremy K. Kessler

Faculty Scholarship

Since the financial crisis of 2008, left-leaning legal thought has experienced a renaissance within the American academy. From law and political economy to critical race theory to feminist legal studies to Marxist legal theory, new perspectives have flourished, and marginalized traditions have been revived and revised. These new perspectives and revisionist projects all share an intellectual debt to the critical legal studies (“CLS”) movement of the late 1970s and 1980s. That movement’s critique was focused on functional accounts of law: accounts that understood legal change as primarily responsive to the demands of extralegal social and economic forces. Some of those …

American Extremism: An Evolutionary Process, Christopher Young, Michael Damian Tucker

Journal of Strategic Security

This article critically examines the historical definitions of American right-wing extremism as utilized by the media, political community, academia, and the government. We suggest that the historical definitions of the right wing are inadequate and fail to describe extremism accurately and consistently. Using evolutionary game theory, this article further argues that right-wing extremism (and left wing) is based on an evolutionary process to secure social existence and will rise as predators challenge historical hierarchical systems.

Latin America’S Policing And Reform In The Age Of Crime Fear, José De Arimatéia Da Cruz Phd, Mph

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Opioid Treatment Matters: An Analysis Of District Attorney Non-Prosecution, Samuel A. Maloney

Senior Theses

Drug use and drug overdose have become an overriding concern both for civic order and due to the raw death toll from the opioid epidemic. One reform push in the late 2010s/early 2020s, county-level District Attorneys signalling that they would not prose- cute drug use and related crimes, aimed to reduce overdose by reducing criminalization and stigma as a barrier to opioid treatment. At its peak, the policy covered between twenty and thirty million Americans. Using hand-collected data on District Attorney policies and Augmented Synthetic Control for causal identification, I estimate null ef- fects of non-prosecution policies on an urban …

Conservative Caution V. Progressive Originalism: How Justices Barrett And Jackson Are Paving Their Own Paths On The Court, David Rudenstine, Michael Waldman, Eric Freedman, Haiyun Damon-Feng, William D. Araiza, Mark Anthony Frassetto, Jake Meiseles, Michael Pollack, Linda Greenhouse, Earl M. Maltz

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The Conservative Caution v. Progressive Originalism symposium, hosted by the Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights and Social Justice on March 7, 2025, brings together leading constitutional scholars to examine the emerging judicial philosophies of Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Through three expert panels—presidential immunity, gun rights, and judicial ideology—the symposium analyzes how both Justices are shaping contemporary originalist discourse from opposing ends of the ideological spectrum. Panelists explore the Supreme Court’s watershed decision in Trump v. United States (2024), emphasizing its unprecedented expansion of presidential immunity and its implications for separation of powers and democratic accountability. Discussions …

Kendra's Paradox: Redefining The Statutory Approach To Assisted Outpatient Psychiatric Treatment In New York, Matt Donelian

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The note critically examines the limitations of Kendra's Law in New York, which provides Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) for individuals with severe mental illnesses. While the law aims to balance public safety and individual rights, its strict eligibility criteria often prevent timely intervention, leading to worse outcomes for those in need. The note proposes reforming the law to prioritize clinical assessments over past actions, enabling earlier intervention while respecting individual rights. This reform would address the law's retroactive nature and promote a more proactive, compassionate approach to mental health care.

Traumatic Brain Injury And Substance Use Disorder: A Clinic Based Exploratory Study, Steven Daniel Wheeler, Amanda Acord-Vira, Cecelia Simons, Kaleigh Papez, Jeremy Dixon, Cortland Nesley

Graduate Student Scholarship

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and substance use disorders (SUD) are common co-occurring conditions that have been investigated in isolation over the past several decades. Research regarding the conditions in unison have yielded conflicting results; however, there is a clear correlation linking negative implications of one condition on the other.

Objectives: To explore factors contributing to SUD among persons screening positive for a history of TBI and to validate the importance of screening for TBI as part of the SUD treatment program intake process.

Setting: Outpatient SUD treatment programs across West Virginia.

Design: Exploratory Study.

Methods: Those who screened positive …

From Hanging To Nitrogen Hypoxia: The Evolution Of Execution And The Case For American Abolition, Anna Kuhlman

The International Law Review Association Student Forum

The death penalty has been a dark fixture in societal punishment for most of human history. It has allowed for grisly, violent executions of people found guilty of misconduct relative to the culture they live in. “The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century BCE in the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes.” The first death sentence on record was a member of nobility in 16th-century BCE Egypt, where the wrongdoer was accused of magic and ordered to commit suicide. In the seventh century B.C.E., …

Reimagining The Potential Of Higher Education In Prison And Reentry, Darren Wheelock, Theresa Tobin, Robert Smith

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Department Of Politics And Government News And Views, Spring 2025, Department Of Politics And Government

Department of Politics and Government News and Views

Newsletter of the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University

An Examination Of The Role Bureaucratic Discretion Plays In Public Education Policy And Administration: A Revelation Of How Discretionary Discipline Impacts Historically Marginalized Students, Regina Francine Turner

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

An under-researched area of public administration, bureaucratic discretionary practices regarding student discipline and resulting inequitable consequences are explored throughout this study from a theoretical perspective. The study examines student discipline outcomes for conduct violations in America’s schools. Further, research will determine if data supports the notion that school leaders’ administrative discretion contributes to inequitable student disciplinary practices. Evidenced by research and corresponding data regarding discriminatory student disciplinary actions, this study relies on Critical Race Theory (CRT) as its foundation and theoretical framework.

Using relevant literature, research questions were formed, hypotheses were crafted, and statistical analyses were performed to test means …

Investigating Gender Differences In Intimate Partner Violence Using Gendered General Strain Theory, Stephanie Victoria Dragon

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health concern impacting communities and criminal justice systems. Nationwide IPV prevention and reduction policies were emphasized in the media during the aftermath of COVID-19 specifically regarding the identification of IPV offending behaviors through law enforcement screening tools. Research on IPV offending has clearly established a link in offenders exerting methods of power and control to harm an intimate partner through verbal abuse, coercion, sexual violence, and physical violence. Further, research also identified significant disproportional experiences of lethality in female victims at the hands of an intimate partner. However, criminological theories outside of control-based …

Navigating Recovery: Community College Student Journeys Through Collegiate Recovery Programs, Eric Scott Klein

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

There is an inherent regional need to support students in recovery, and often their demographics and lived experiences coincide with the student body of a community college. This is particularly salient to the segments of this population which concurrently suffer maltreatment due to other intersectional biases implicit in many health care and education-based systems inside the United States (Cole, 2009; Mance et al., 2010; Rosenthal, 2016). Community colleges are not doing enough to equitably support students in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and help buoy their recovery capital (Appiah, 2021; Ashford, Curtis, et al., 2018; Association of Recovery in …

It Ends With Us: How Social Media Algorithms Shape Recommendations In Online Reading Communities, Alana Nicole Whitley

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

My thesis explores social media algorithms and their influence on recommendations of authors for people who engage with reading communities online. During a three-week research period, I examined algorithmic behaviors in online book communities using an alias. Findings revealed that BookTube, BookTok, and Bookstagram facilitate book discovery but offer weak algorithmic recommendations and suggestions. While social media algorithms excel at providing opportunities for creators and authors, they fail to promote trending and diverse books. These insights indicate that algorithms shape literary consumption by limiting readers’ choices. This research contributes to discussions of online reading communities and the role of algorithmic …