Digital Commons Network^™

The Lived Experiences Of Cisheteronormativity By Nonbinary Sexual Assault Survivors, Emma Jackson Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender minorities experience higher rates of sexual assault (SA) victimization and psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than their cisgender counterparts. Nonbinary individuals, in particular, face elevated levels of victimization, post assault distress, and unique barriers to receiving competent care both in general and specific to their assault experiences. Current research highlights the need for culturally competent care for nonbinary and transgender individuals, as well as for SA survivors. Although the experiences of SA survivors have been previously explored, specific information regarding the experiences of nonbinary survivors remains scarce. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Heideggerian …

Minority Students' Attitudes Toward Reading Among Those Exposed To Mirror Books And Those Who Were Not: A Causal-Comparative Study, Valcine Dyonne Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to conduct a quantitative, quasi-experimental, causal-comparative study to measure the impact of mirror books on high school sophomores’ attitudes toward reading. This study responds to a need identified by educational researchers that the link between motivation and reading be methodically examined. This research study had 43 tenth-grade students in the treatment group and 31 in the control group, for a total of 73 out of 432 sophomore students composing a convenience sample. Groups were determined by their placement in their ELA course by the course generator used at the public high school. The participating …

Con Respeto Y Dignidad: Transforming Educational Experiences For Students Of Color By Addressing Disproportionate Discipline Practices, Selene Munoz

Dissertations

Discipline practices wield significant influence over the social dynamics within educational settings and profoundly impact students’ ability to attain academic and social gains crucial for their success. The racialization of school discipline has been linked to negative effects on student’s academic trajectories and life outcomes. Consequently, school administrators can play a crucial role in effecting cultural change within their organizations to support disciplinary practices that uphold students’ educational dignity. This study looked at the strategies employed by secondary level administrators to shift their school cultures aimed at addressing disproportionate disciplinary practices. Using a mixed methods approach, this study draws upon …

Public Mass Shootings In Texas And California: Routine Activity Theory Comparisons, Mason R. Feinartz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Public mass shootings are a distinct and unique phenomenon that receives vast media and public attention due to the location, weapons used, and amount of people killed or injured. These mass shootings occur in places where people frequent daily in their routine activities and are unexpected, seemingly random, or symbolic events. This study used a casual-comparative quantitative research design using routine activity theory as the foundation to investigate public mass shootings in Texas and California from 1966 to 2023. This study used public open-source data collection and analysis to identify and substantiate all mass shootings that satisfy the research inclusion/exclusion …

Ethical Challenges And Solutions Of Generative Ai: An Interdisciplinary Perspective, Mousa Al-Kfairy, Dheya Mostafa, Nir Kshetri, Mazen Insiew, Omar Alfandi

All Works

This paper conducts a systematic review and interdisciplinary analysis of the ethical challenges of generative AI technologies (N = 37), highlighting significant concerns such as privacy, data protection, copyright infringement, misinformation, biases, and societal inequalities. The ability of generative AI to produce convincing deepfakes and synthetic media, which threaten the foundations of truth, trust, and democratic values, exacerbates these problems. The paper combines perspectives from various disciplines, including education, media, and healthcare, underscoring the need for AI systems that promote equity and do not perpetuate social inequalities. It advocates for a proactive approach to the ethical development of AI, emphasizing …

Fort Hays State University Tiger Weekly, August 09, 2024, University Relations

Tiger Weekly Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Examining The Needs Of Administrators, Teachers, And Professional Staff In An Elementary School Moving To Become A Trauma-Sensitive School: A Single Instrumental Case Study, Samantha Nicole George

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This single instrumental case study discovered the needs of a Central Virginia elementary school as it moved toward becoming a trauma-sensitive school. The theory informing this study was Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological systems theory, as it provided a framework to explore the instrumental role of administrators, teachers, and professional staff in the complex system of relationships that support child development in the microsystem of the school. Participants were recruited from one elementary school in Central Virginia after obtaining IRB approval from Liberty University. Data collection entailed surveys, interviews, and focus groups to describe the needs of administrators, teachers, and professional staff …

Moral Panic In The Modern Era: The Effects Of Moral Panic On Policy Implemented Through The Field Of Law Enforcement, Charles J. Oakley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study employed a grounded qualitative approach to explore the intricate relationship between moral panic and public administration policy in the subfield of law enforcement administration. Using a nationwide survey derived from the U.S. Major Cities Chief Association census, postsurvey interviews and employing document analysis and crime statistics, the research investigated the impact of moral panic-induced policy decisions on law enforcement agencies from 2018 to 2022. Social media emerged as a significant catalyst, fueling public outrage and facilitating political rent-seeking. The punctuated equilibrium theory highlights abrupt budgetary and policy shifts notably found in a surge of legislative initiatives in 2021. …

Governor State Professor Still Celebrating His Olympic Training, Office Of Marketing And Communications

Newsroom

No abstract provided.

The Politics Of Possession And Gun Violence: The Bruen Decision's Impact On Firearm Regulation, Jacob Butler

JCLC Online

States struggle to implement new firearms policies because they are

limited by two major forces: the political feasibility of passing new firearms

legislation and an increasingly broad and individualized Second Amendment

right. Due to this conflict, states continually return to one of few

constitutional yet politically popular methods of gun control: enacting

possession-based firearms laws. These laws are largely ineffective at

reducing gun violence.

In the 2022 Supreme Court decision New York Rifle and Pistol

Association v. Bruen, the Court further expanded the scope of the Second

Amendment to protect the individual’s right to bear arms outside of the …

Vol.52 N.03 August 8th 2024, Voice Media Ventures

Black Voice News

No abstract provided.

Prosecutors In The Passing Lane: Racial Disparities, Public Safety, And Prosecutorial Declinations Of Pretextual Stops, Donald Braman, Jared Fishman, Lily Grier, Kevin Himberger, Jarvis Idowu, J.J. Naddeo, Rory Pulvino, Jess Sorensen, Joanie Weaver

San Diego Law Review

In response to a growing set of empirical studies demonstrating their widespread discriminatory effects, pretextual stops have been subjected to decades of criticism from scholars, the public, and jurists. However, pretextual stops have been defended by some as a necessary public safety measure, particularly in the fight against violent gun crimes. Following a series of highly publicized police shootings of unarmed Black drivers during pretextual stops, and in the absence of substantial judicial or legislative guidance, a growing number of prosecutors have developed policies deprecating the prosecution of pretextual stops absent a clear public safety benefit. Without empirical evaluations of …

Recidivism: Putting A Stop To The Revolving Door, Kathy Crowder Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism is a powerfully adverse factor in the lives of individuals who seek to reintegrate into society and the community at large. In this qualitative research, former inmates who were successfully released and had never been convicted within one year of their release were interviewed to discover the rationale. The research focused on understanding the skills and traits obtained through the Alternative Custody Program that can effectively reduce recidivism. Utilizing a phenomenological design, the purpose of this study was to understand the effects of program participation on the lives of former inmates concerning recidivism. Interviews lasting approximately an hour were …

Partnering Across Professions: Public Health And Collaborative Courts Partnership To Increase Recovery Capital, Mikayla Aubry

Master's Projects and Capstones

Substance use disorder (SUD) has been steadily increasing over the past decade. The prevalence of SUD in the United States hit an all-time high of 48.7 million people struggling with SUD in 2022 (Tomko et al., 2022; United States (U.S.), 2023). State and federal policies have led to the criminalization of drug use, the dismantling of behavioral health systems, and mass incarceration of people with SUD. These policies have also created a cyclical cycle of failure and recidivism for people struggling with SUD. One intervention that has strived to rectify the mass incarceration of those struggling with SUD is the …

Never Going To Let You Down: Preventing Predictive Shrinkage Via The Strong-R Assessment Method, Zachary Hamilton, Alex Kigerl, Baylee Allen-Flores, John Ursino, Amber Krushas

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Risk-needs assessments (RNAs) are an evidence-based practice used by practitioners to assign supervision and programming. While foundational to day-to-day practices, these tools are typically applied ‘off-the shelf,’ and are mistakenly assumed to demonstrate equivalent prediction accuracy regardless of location or population. Although researchers and providers are aware these tools experience performance shrinkage, the issue is commonly ignored. In 2016 the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) collaborated with the developers of the Static Risk Offender Needs Guide – Revised (STRONG-R) to create a staged development of a locally developed risk needs assessment. Using propensity score matching, a proxy sample was used …

Impact Of Veteran Treatment Courts On Lived Experiences Of Male Military Veterans With Misdemeanor Criminal Records, Verona Ann Cabbagestalk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Support for criminal justice reform is growing due to scrutiny of high incarceration rates and recidivism. Military veterans within the criminal justice system are included in correctional populations. Veterans’ unique experiences involving combat trauma require alternative treatments to reduce their involvement with the justice system. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore lived experiences of male military veterans with misdemeanor criminal records. This phenomenological qualitative study involved using the homecoming theory to explore lived experiences of male military veterans with criminal records. Research questions related to understanding lived veteran experiences that led to their involvement with the …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Male Students With Non-Black Teachers And Staff In New Orleans, Emmanuel Paul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academicians, administrators, and policymakers in New Orleans have pointed toward a disproportionate academic and life-cycle outcome where Black American males are particularly disadvantaged as compared to White students. An often-cited cause of these disproportionate outcomes for Black male students is inequality and mistreatment in schools. Therefore, this study explored the educational experiences of 10 Black males aged 18 or over from four alternative public schools in New Orleans via individual interviews. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative investigation was to explore Black male students’ encounters with non-Black teachers and staff in New Orleans and gain their perspective on their …

Vocational Education And Training In Finnish Open Prisons: A Multilevel Approach To Young Incarcerated People’S Barriers To Participation, Jaakko Hyytiä, Paula Alanen

Journal of Prison Education Research

Having relevant skills and education are considered the best indicators of reintegration into society after release from prison, but majority of young, incarcerated people have a lower education level and participate less in education compared to the same age population at large. This article focuses on finding solutions for overcoming the barriers to prison education in Finland. We explored those barriers, asking: What are the perceptions and experiences of barriers to education among prisoner-students, educators, and other professionals engaged in vocational prison education in Finland? The research data consists of 29 interviews of vocational education and training (VET) students (11), …

Fighting For The Right To Learn: Exploring The Impact Of Discipline Policies On Black Female Students, Amyre E. Smith

Masters Projects

This study investigates the systemic biases and stereotypes that disproportionately affect Black female students in K-12 educational settings. The research aims to analyze how implicit biases and societal norms contribute to the unfair policing and mistreatment of Black girls in schools. Utilizing a combination of literature review, case studies, and interviews, the study explores the intersectionality of race and gender and its impact on disciplinary actions. Findings reveal that Black girls are often disciplined for subjective offenses, such as defiance and disrespect, rooted in implicit biases held by school personnel. The study also evaluates the effectiveness of restorative practices and …

Predictive And Prescriptive Analytics For Minimizing The Cost Of Recidivism, Adreana Julander

Operations Research and Engineering Management Theses and Dissertations

A problem faced by the United States is the ever increasing prison population. There are inmates serving long sentences, new inmates being sentenced for the first time, and those who have previously served prison sentences that reoffend. The third group and the reduction of recidivism are the focus this dissertation. It is estimated that over 80% of inmates released from prison will reoffend within the next ten years. Is there an optimal sentence length that reduces that chance of an ex-convict reoffending? Are there programs or opportunities that some inmates have while incarcerated that reduce the probability they will return …

Investigation Of The Prevalence Of Fentanyl Analogs In A Drug Testing Population Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Lc-Ms-Ms), Ivan Cordova

Student Theses

This study serves to determine the prevalence of novel fentanyl analogs that are present within a drug testing population in New York State. Samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to qualitatively determine the presence of various possible fentanyl analogs. The sample preparation of this assay consisted of a simple dilute and shoot. This method of sample preparation can be quicker, eliminating sample preparation times as well as being less financially strenuous to clinical laboratories as it eliminates the need for various solvents and solid/liquid phase cartridges. The assay was aimed to see if analytes can be …

A Cross-Disciplinary Undergraduate Research Project: Bonding Through Books With Incarcerated Mothers And Grandmothers, April Terry, Sarah Miller

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study addresses two areas of need in the literature. First, we recognize the impact of experiential-learning on student outcomes and fewer opportunities within the social sciences. Second, as academics in criminal justice and education, we are aware of educational needs of incarcerated persons. The current study blended together experiential-learning alongside a reading program within one state’s women’s correctional facility, targeting (grand)mothers. Two faculty and 40 students, spanning two academic departments, completed a research-based experiential-learning project with one community partner. This undergraduate project sought to benefit students, incarcerated (grand)mothers, and the (grand)children of incarcerated (grand)mothers through a read-aloud program. Through …

Case Study Of Gun Control Policies Of Four Northeastern States, Cassandra Lynn Cantwell

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This case study contains mentions of suicide, gun violence, and related topics that some readers may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised. Over the past few years, it has appeared that instances of gun violence have been more prevalent. There have been numerous accounts of mass shooting events, many of which have targeted schools and major events like concerts. This has provoked a feeling of unease and fear in many individuals, as these occurrences are almost routinely subjected on news networks. To confront this topic, this study explores the relevant firearm policies that govern the access to firearms and the …

Walter Anderson V. Michael Dohman

2024 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Racial Disproportionality In Exclusionary Discipline Rates In The United States, Cara Crisostomo

Masters Projects

Racial disparity in exclusionary discipline rates in K-12 schools in the United States is a problem that was first written about in the 1970s. Unfortunately, it remains a problem nearly fifty years later and one that has not been addressed by school districts and schools. Schools have implemented programs such as restorative justice to address this disparity, but research shows that these programs center Whiteness. Disparity either does not improve with these programs or even increases. School staff’s cross-cultural differences from their students and staff’s implicit bias and subjectivity in the discipline process contribute to the disparity. Therefore, it is …

Teaching Shakespeare In Prison, Renford Reese, Rachel Tracie

Journal of Prison Education Research

The Prison Education Project (PEP) offers life skills and academic courses in 30 correctional facilities in California. Founded in 2011, PEP uses university student and faculty volunteers to teach a range of 32 introductory courses during three seven-week semesters: Fall, Spring, Summer. One of PEP’s most popular courses is the “Introduction to Shakespeare” course. This article examines the impact of teaching an “Introduction to Shakespeare” course in prison. This course introduces in-custody students to the literary interpretation of Shakespeare in the context of their own lived experience. Students in this course deconstruct the use of language and analyze the social, …

The Intersection Of Lgbtq+ Identity And Disability: A Need For School Based Support, Jospeh A. Hogan

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Grounded in intersectional theory, this article explores the experience of LGBTQ+ students with disabilities. LGBTQ+ students with disabilities experience higher levels of bullying, harassment, suicidal ideation and other challenges in school. Post-school outcomes also reveal negative realities. Schools need to ensure that support is provided to students living at the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and disability. Implications for school leaders, educational professionals, and educator preparation programs are discussed with recommendations for improving outcomes.

Educational Experiences Of Juvenile Offenders In Minnesota, Danielle Petruska

Theses and Graduate Projects

Objective of Study. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of positive adult/teacher relationships in juvenile detention educational settings in Minnesota on juvenile offenders’ perceptions of school, as well as their future plans for attending college after high school. Method. Data were obtained from the 2019 administration of the Minnesota Student Survey, involving 280 juvenile offenders (83 girls) from correctional educational facilities. Hypotheses were tested using correlational analyses to examine the relationship between perceived adult/teacher relationships and school perceptions, as well as the association between these relationships and post-high school plans. Results. Results revealed …

Usa V. Diontai Moore

2024 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Ud In The News July 27-Aug. 2, University Of Dayton

News Releases

Tam Nguyen wrote 'CAPTCHAs: The struggle to tell real humans from fake' for The Conversation. Reporters worldwide continue to seek political scientist Christopher Devine's expertise. Students were subjects of WHIO-TV's Making a Difference segment.