Digital Commons Network^™

An Internal Validation Of The Ande Rapid Dna Instrument For Bone, Tissue, And Blood Samples, Alexandra Leichnam

Student Theses

The goal of this study is to internally validate the ANDE 6C Rapid DNA I-Chip reagent for use on disaster victim identification (DVI) samples. The internal validation tested nine samples each of postmortem blood, tissue, and bone. This study tested the instrument’s precision, accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility. Precision and accuracy were tested by confirming that the same sample run on the ANDE instrument and the Power Plex Fusion amplification system produced a DNA profile that is consistent with the known profile. Repeatability was tested through confirming the correct results are obtained for sample runs performed by the same operator. Reproducibility …

Health Equity Engineering: Optimizing Hope For A New Generation Of Healthcare, Felicity T Enders, Joyce E Balls-Berry, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Medical researchers are increasingly prioritizing the inclusion of underserved communities in clinical studies. However, mere inclusion is not enough. People from underserved communities frequently experience chronic stress that may lead to accelerated biological aging and early morbidity and mortality. It is our hope and intent that the medical community come together to engineer improved health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Here, we introduce Health Equity Engineering (HEE), a comprehensive scientific framework to guide research on the development of tools to identify individuals at risk of poor health outcomes due to chronic stress, the integration of these tools within existing healthcare system …

Gardner-Webb Students Honored For Volunteerism, Service And Leadership, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University students recently received recognition for their volunteerism, service and leadership in campus departments and groups during the 2023-2024 academic year. The awards ceremony was hosted by the Office of Christian Life and Service.

Previously Incacerated Women's Emotional Experince Of Giving Birth In A U.S. Prison, Brigit Ichard-Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previously Incarcerated Women’s Emotional Experience of Giving Birth in a U.S. Prison by Brigit Ichard-Henderson MA, Walden University, 2018 MA, Texas A&M University-Central Texas, 2014 BS, Excelsior University, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human Services Walden University May 2024   Women have been giving birth while incarcerated since the advent of confinement as a punishment for crime. There is a plethora of information on incarceration rates, pathways to incarceration, access to health care and education while incarcerated, and reasons for recidivism among women. However, little is known about women’s experiences …

A Dream Deferred: Black Girls And Student Discipline: Administrators' Perspective: A Case Study, Jacqueline E. Holland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple-embedded case study was to explore school administrators’ perspective on the school-to-prison pipeline and the repercussions on Black females at high schools in the Eastern region of the United States. The theory guiding this study was the social justice theory, as it explains the relationship between the social justice principles and exclusionary discipline norms and practices, racial injustice, and gender stereotypes that marginalize Black girls and increase their criminal justice involvement. The central research question of this study was: How do school administrators address the overrepresentation of Black girls that are suspended and expelled from school? …

Changing The Narrative: Developing Evidence-Based, Communication Strategies To Address Health Disparities Of Black Women In The United States, Emmerline Francesca Nelson-Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black women experience health issues at disparate rates when compared to their racial counterparts. Although these health disparities can be linked to health behaviors, they are deeply rooted in historic, racial systems that govern our lives today. More often than not, changes in health behaviors are at the forefront of addressing these health disparities rather than historical health trends of Black women in the U.S. This study aims to discuss why the change needed is a change in the narrative for why these health disparities exist and persist as well as a change in narrative about the role Black women …

Determining Who Gets Help And Why: A Phenomenological Study Into Help-Seeking Behavior In Law Enforcement Officers, Gerald A. Steckmeister

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In a post-George Floyd world, police agencies are under unprecedented scrutiny. There is tremendous pressure to improve performance, reduce the use of force, and expand police-community relations. In addition, police agencies struggle to maintain officer wellness. Police officers have higher levels of physical and mental illness than the general population, which results in a significantly lower age expectancy and quality of life. There is a general trend to reduce police funding, spurred by dissatisfaction with police services and general fiscal constraints. In order to combat increasing problems with diminishing resources, police administrators need solutions that can work on several problems. …

The Nuclear Threat: A Homeland Security Perspective, Renae Katherine Harvey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

On December 8, 1987, the United States and Russia signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Since then, it has been a common misconception that this solidified the end of the Cold War and the Nuclear Arms Race. To this day, nuclear installations are plaguing bordering countries within the European Union. As a result, severe transnational issues become evident as transnational crime groups grow and technological advancements of terrorist groups continue to gain ground within the nuclear power threshold. Furthermore, countries within the Asian Peninsula and the Middle East continue to demonstrate nuclear prowess via mass media attention as a sense …

Does Education Enhance A Recruit's Academic Performance During Academy Training, Mark A. Lahr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study will examine cadet/recruit academic performance while attending the Illinois State Police Training Academy. The focus will be primarily on the academic testing portion of the academy training. This quantitative study will evaluate whether there is a correlation between the academic achievement of the recruit before entry into the academy and academic performance while attending the academy training. This research will explore questions such as: What is the relationship between educational levels and academic performance among recruits while in the police academy? Does having a college education impact the recruit’s ability to score higher on academic testing sections within …

Using Constructivist Grounded Theory To Generate Participatory Research Empowerment Guideposts (Pregs) For African American Communities To Address Racial Health Disparities, Helen Irene Thurman

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Racism has multi-systemic impacts on African Americans resulting in longstanding racial health disparities. Increasingly, researchers use participatory research in their health equity efforts. Participatory research is rooted in the principle of empowerment and centers community lived experience to generate meaningful solutions while shifting conventionally held positions of power within research engagement and within systems more broadly. Yet the research literature on empowerment lacks consensus of its operationalization and measurement. What’s more, it is unclear to what degree existing frameworks of empowerment are derived from the communities they seek to engage and empower. Thus existing frameworks of empowerment could be strengthened …

Banyamulenge Immigrants' Perceptions Of Police In The United States: A Qualitative Study, Fidele Nkomezi Sebahizi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Banyamulenge are Congolese from South Kivu province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While research on different minority groups worldwide is prominent, research on the Banyamulenge remains scarce. This study attempts to close this void in literature. The Banyamulenge's ill-treatment was evident during the colonial period, before the DRC’s independence. It stemmed from various ideologies, including the Banyamulenge's denial of being native Congolese. The DRC is a country inhabited by numerous tribes linked to neighboring countries, sharing languages and cultures. Like many other Congolese, the Banyamulenge were on the Congolese territory before the Western colonizers' arrival before 1885. …

A Quantitative Study On Operational And Organizational Stress On Game Wardens, Lori A. Perez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There has been a notable gap in research concerning stress among game wardens within the law enforcement field. Game wardens encounter operational and organizational stressors similar to those faced by traditional law enforcement officers. Previous research on stress in game wardens has predominantly focused on operational stress, the transition of their duties towards more traditional law enforcement roles, and various stress-inducing factors. This quantitative study utilized the Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) survey to analyze both operational and organizational stress in Maine Game Wardens. The research aimed to address two primary research questions: firstly, examining organizational and occupational stress utilizing the …

Sexual Abuse: A Multi-Faceted Problem, Marcus Venable

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

On average, US citizens have experienced approximately 400,000 sexual assaults per year, which results in enormous immediate and long-term consequences for individuals, as well as society in general.

In the U.S., the principal method of combatting this crime has been the creation of Sex Offender Registries used to notify the public of the identity and location of convicted sex offenders who may be living in proximity to their residence. In addition to the Registry, laws have been passed forbidding convicted sex offenders from residing within buffer zones around areas of high child concentration [schools/parks/etc.].

The efficacy and consequences of these …

Pro Se What?! Orders Of Protection, Credible Threats To Physical Safety, And Restricting Access To Firearms, Amy J. Feagans

New Mexico Law Review

Orders of protection provide survivors of domestic abuse a level of security by limiting contact between the parties. In 2019, the New Mexico legislature amended the Family Violence Protection Act (FVPA) to provide additional protections through orders of protection by requiring the respondent to relinquish their firearms to law enforcement where the court finds there is a “credible threat to the physical safety” of the petitioner. In 2023, the New Mexico Supreme Court clarified the required showing for obtaining an order of protection and held that the court must find prior domestic abuse. But the “credible threat” standard required for …

Some Kind Of Unfolding: A Micro- To Macrosystemic Exploration Of The Emic Experiences Of Formerly Incarcerated Mothers, Mary Anne Gunter Phd Lpc Lmft

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Problem

The incarceration of women has increased exponentially in the past 40 years. Over 80% of incarcerated women are mothers separated from their children. A mother’s incarceration can impose a destabilizing influence upon an already fragile family system.

Significance

Incarcerated mothers have been inconsistently provided supportive rehabilitative programs, which have demonstrated a correlation to decreased recidivism.

This qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews that explored the phenomenological experiences of eight disenfranchised incarcerated mothers who were separated from their children, as well as of their experiences of a carceral setting and involvement with prison programs.

Implications

Thematic analysis of the data revealed …

The Safest Suburbs In The Mountain West, 2023, Ivan Sun, Zachary Billot, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Cities & Metros

This fact sheet presents data from the Smart Asset report, “America’s Safest Suburbs – 2023 Study,” which examines the 370 safest suburbs in the United States and the 35 most affordable safest suburbs. This fact sheet focuses on data for the nine safest suburbs and most affordable safe suburbs in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah ranking among the top 100 safest suburbs in the United States.

Police-Made Law, Brenner M. Fissell

Faculty Publications

This Article presents evidence that police are writing laws that they enforce. This newly discovered phenomenon compounds the existing understanding of police “making” law through the exercise of discretion. They make law in a far more direct way, functioning as quasi-legislators at the local level—identifying a social problem, drafting an offense to address it, and directly proposing their offense for enactment. The conduct targeted, and the reasons for doing so, are diverse. For example, in one city a police chief successfully criminalized public intoxication so that intoxicated people would go to jails instead of hospitals; in another, a chief pushed …

Putin's Pivot: Understanding The Evolution Of Russia's Anti-Western Stance, Nicole Fernandez

Political Analysis

Nicole Fernandez is a first-generation student who majors in political science and minors in criminal justice. She aspires to become an attorney who practices immigration law. During her senior thesis class, the topic of Russian-American relations immediately captured her interest, as she watched a documentary detailing Putin's evolving interactions with the last five American presidents the summer before. Witnessing the dynamic shifts in these relationships over time piqued her curiosity about Russia's increasingly anti-Western stance. This interest was further fueled by ongoing geopolitical conflicts. Although her research interests lie in Latin American relations with the US, delving into an unchartered …

2024 Commencement Program, New York Law School

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Criminal Justice: Crime & Punishment, Carlene Barnaby

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Crj 6900 Policing, Oscar J. Montesdeoca

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

05.20.2024 Orsp Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

NIH RPPR Update (Research Performance Progress Report)

Animals In Prison: Is There Value In Inmate-Animal Rehabilitation Programs?, I. H. C.

Tredway Library Prize for First-Year Research

This paper demonstrates the benefits of animal rehabilitation programs in alleviating the mental harm of incarceration and improving outcomes for individuals upon their release. I.H.C. details the overwhelming mental health crises and conditions that inmates face in prison, arguing to redefine rehabilitation to center both practical preparations and on healing the underlying traumas and mental health concerns before release. His numerous examples drawn from prisons around the world thoroughly uphold the evidence that animal rehabilitation programs improve inmate wellbeing, decrease violent incidents in prison, enhance vocational and employment opportunities post-incarceration, and overall change inmates’ behavior – all benefits that ultimately …

Illinois State University Graduate Course Catalog, 2024-2025, Illinois State University

Course Catalogs

Illinois State University Graduate Course Catalog, 2024-2025. Effective May 20, 2024.

Taser Use In Law Enforcement: Examining Effectiveness, Medical Consequences, And Ideal Scenarios, Benjamin Smyers

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The methods police officers use to detain resisting subjects have changed over time. One addition to their methods is the Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle (TASER), which hinders subjects using electric shock. This paper examines the effectiveness of the TASER, the potential risk of injury for suspects, and scenarios where its use is most likely to succeed. Since its adoption, the TASER has reduced the likelihood of injury to officers and suspects and is more effective against heavy-set and intoxicated individuals. Although extremely unlikely to result in death, injuries are more likely when used against mentally disturbed people and in …

Deconstructing Drugs: Addressing The Stigma, Harm Reduction, And Policy Solutions, Charlotte Theriault

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Black and homeless people who struggle with substance use disorder (SUD), especially opioid use disorder (OUD), have experienced unique obstacles due to inequalities relating to their social determinants of health (SDOH). Historical context and peer-reviewed research were used to evaluate racial bias and expand upon the factors that contributed to the opioid crisis, the effects of COVID-19 on drug overdoses, and the presence of fentanyl in illicit drug supplies. Various studies combat the stigma surrounding substance use disorder (SUD) by acknowledging the disease as a chronic health condition. Research showed that the most effective way to combat these inequalities and …

Turning Points: An Evaluation Of Formal And Informal Interventions In The Life Of Ex-Offenders, Kapil Sharma

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

In life course criminology, turning points and how they relate to the desistance process have received considerable attention. Scholars have proposed that significant events in people's lives, such as employment, marriage, and parenthood, strengthen their social ties and cause them to refrain from committing crimes. This study uses data from the Record Clearance Project of San Jose State University to identify concrete, significant "turning points" in the lives of ex-offenders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate specific "turning points" events in offenders' life courses that compelled them to stop anti-social behavior and develop a pro-social identity, as well as the …

Privatized Immigration Detention In California And The Opportunity For Reform, Natalie Lager

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The expanding literature on “crimmigration” law has turned academic attention toward the state of carceral immigration detention in the U.S. Immigration detention has increasingly become a private enterprise, which raises new concerns for immigrant rights and the political legitimacy of privatizing carceral institutions. California’s private detention centers have an alarming record of Constitutional violations, and detention corporations are seldom penalized for violating immigrants’ rights. In response, the California legislature passed AB 32 to ban private prisons and detention centers. In Geo Group v. Newsom (2020), the Ninth Circuit Court struck down the ban. Laws that dismantle private detention, such as …

Artistic Expression Of Medical Experiences Of Mothers Of Color: Perspectives Using Art Therapy, Lauren Barrett

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perspectives of mothers of color living in the US and their experiences in the healthcare system through art therapy. The study aimed to further identify personal narrative experiences of mothers of color navigating the healthcare system, promote individual voices, and acknowledge disparities impacting those within marginalized communities. The participants in this study included a total of eight identified mothers of color (non-White) living in the US. Participants took part in four weeks of consecutive art therapy sessions either in 60-minute group or individual virtual meetings. One art therapy directive was provided …

A Trauma-Informed Socially Just Approach To Working With Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth Utilizing Expressive Arts Therapy, Ciara Carr

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Youth involved with the juvenile justice system often have a history of trauma and oppression resulting from their positionality and circumstances. Most juvenile justice-involved youth are boys, youth of color, low-income, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and traumatized. This literature review explores the history of the juvenile justice system, issues with the present-day model, and trauma-informed and transformative justice approaches to practice. The implementation of socially just, trauma-informed expressive arts therapy programs is proposed as a more equitable practice to replace commonly used punitive practices across the United States. More research is needed to understand the impact of such programs on this population …