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Articles 1 - 25 of 25
Full-Text Articles in Law
Courageous Endurance: The Lived Experiences Of Trans Folx And The Criminal Legal System, April Carrillo
Courageous Endurance: The Lived Experiences Of Trans Folx And The Criminal Legal System, April Carrillo
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The field of criminology and criminal justice have widely ignored the experience of being a trans person and interacting with the criminal legal system, despite the reality that trans folx experience discrimination and harm at the hands of criminal legal practitioners. This dissertation explores these experiences, as well as how trans folx navigate a myriad of other issues to include their identity and institutional discrimination. Trans folx are not guaranteed many protections or rights in the United States which leaves them at an especially vulnerable position when entering the criminal legal system. Essentially, trans folx are forced to navigate a …
Policing The Drinking Community: An Assessment Of The Criminal Justice Response To Drunk Driving And Alcohol Related Crashes (1985 -2014), Richard James Stringer
Policing The Drinking Community: An Assessment Of The Criminal Justice Response To Drunk Driving And Alcohol Related Crashes (1985 -2014), Richard James Stringer
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The objective of this study was to analyze the relationships among arrests, informal alcohol related social norms, and alcohol related fatal crashes in the U.S. from 1985-2014. Despite inexorable efforts to eliminate drunk driving, approximately twenty percent of the population drives after drinking (Drew, 2010). Although law enforcement arrests play a key part in policies to deter drunk driving, enforcement of DUI laws varies widely across the country (Erickson et al., 2015). However, no project has explored the relationship between structural factors related to community norms, enforcement, and automobile crashes. Thus, this project adds to the literature and understanding of …
United States Interventions: Power Vacuums And The Rise Of Extremist Groups, Sarah Nicole Pedigo
United States Interventions: Power Vacuums And The Rise Of Extremist Groups, Sarah Nicole Pedigo
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to examine U.S. foreign policy in Iraq and Syria and the rise of violent extremist groups such as ISIS. By utilizing the integrated theory of violations of international criminal laws and the realpolitik theoretical frame, this qualitative case study analysis will explore how the U.S. foreign policy, driven by realpolitik and neo-liberalism in Iraq and Syria, resulted in the rise of violent extremist groups such as ISIS. It was concluded that if the United States were to remove the Assad regime and dismantle the Alawite ruling class as it did with the Hussein regime …
Tokin Up In The 5280: Insight Into How Denver Police Officers Make Sense Of, And Define, Interpret, And React To The Legalization Of Marijuana, Kara K. Hoofnagle
Tokin Up In The 5280: Insight Into How Denver Police Officers Make Sense Of, And Define, Interpret, And React To The Legalization Of Marijuana, Kara K. Hoofnagle
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Laws surrounding the possession, use, and distribution of marijuana have undergone many changes for over a century. Political pressures and social prejudices have most often been the cause of these changes, rather than scientific research or rational thinking. As a result, the law has sometimes lagged behind social practice as in the current case in much of the U.S., including Colorado. In such an environment, it often falls on a police officer's definition, interpretation, and reaction to the laws to determine the extent to which certain laws and sanctions are enforced. Drawing on the work of Weick (1976), this dissertation …
Exploring Police Shootings And Officer Survivability: A Case Study, Amanda Leigh Farrell
Exploring Police Shootings And Officer Survivability: A Case Study, Amanda Leigh Farrell
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Police shootings are incidents that have lasting effects on the officers involved, the department to which they belong and the community at large, yet these events are rarely discussed holistically with consideration given to the multiple parties impacted. Given the significant impacts, officer survivability and resilience in the aftermath of a shooting incident have become a topic with which most modern police agencies are concerned. While this number of lethal incidents may seem surprisingly low, there is often a narrow focus on the shooting incident itself, with little attention paid to pre-event factors or to the long and short term …
The Darfur Name Game: Use Of Realpolitik By The United Nations In Decision-Making And Intervention, Angela Overton
The Darfur Name Game: Use Of Realpolitik By The United Nations In Decision-Making And Intervention, Angela Overton
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Violence has plagued the westernmost region of Sudan, known as Darfur, since 2003. The conflict contains elements of political and ethnic divisiveness, desertification, and resource scarcity. The violence there continues to date. Many have declared genocide in Darfur while others maintain that the conflict is instead a crime against humanity. The labeling of the conflict is critical because this process determines the interventions available. This paper focuses on the decision-making process of the United Nations and its Security Council to determine if the labeling of the conflict impacted the discourse and intervention decisions by those bodies. Discourse analysis results indicate …
A Further Test Of Strain Theory: Does Gender Discrimination Contribute To Theft By Employees?, John A. Casten
A Further Test Of Strain Theory: Does Gender Discrimination Contribute To Theft By Employees?, John A. Casten
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
This study was an examination of General Strain Theory's contention that gender discrimination. as a source of strain. can lead to deviant behaviors. Specifically. the effects of gender discrimination in the workplace on theft by employees. The study was unique in that it utilized a sample split three different ways. First, by gender, second by perceived and actual measures of both crime and discrimination, and third, by combined versus separate discrimination measures. The third item being particularly unique. The study utilized bivariate correlations and logistic regression throughout for statistical analyses. The results indicated that combined measures were not as effective …
To Catch A Pirate: Analyzing Processes Of Policy Making On Maritime Piracy, Victoria E. Collins
To Catch A Pirate: Analyzing Processes Of Policy Making On Maritime Piracy, Victoria E. Collins
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
There has been a resurgence of political and media interest in maritime piracy, specifically in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. This is credited to a rise in the number of piracy attacks that have been committed in Somalia's coastal waters. In response to this rise in attacks there has been an increased deployment of military warships from as many as 30 different countries to the region in efforts to combat piracy. Although the problem of piracy has received much attention there has been little attention paid to the structural conditions within Somalia itself, such as the …
An Exploration Of Drug Trafficking Among Female Offenders In The Caribbean, Dianne Berger-Hill
An Exploration Of Drug Trafficking Among Female Offenders In The Caribbean, Dianne Berger-Hill
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
This thesis is an exploratory study examining drug trafficking among female offenders under the custodial care of the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service. The female offenders were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide that inquired into how they were recruited, why they decided to traffic drugs, did they join in with friends, were family members or relatives involved in the activity, or did they initiate it on their own, and if their childhood experiences influenced them into getting involved with drug trafficking. Themes were identified during the course of the data analysis. More than half of the female offenders were …
There Are No "Innocent Victims": The Influence Of Just World Beliefs And Prior Victimization On Rape Myth Acceptance, Rebecca Lynne Vonderhaar
There Are No "Innocent Victims": The Influence Of Just World Beliefs And Prior Victimization On Rape Myth Acceptance, Rebecca Lynne Vonderhaar
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Approximately 209,000 women report being raped every year. Of those 209,000 rapes, only 19,491 arrests were made (U.S. Department of Justice 2011). Furthermore, reports estimate that one out of every three women will be raped at some point in her life (Amir, 1971). The prominence of rape in the United States, as well as the disparity between documented rapes to the police and victim reports of rape, is problematic for researchers in fully understanding the breadth of the problem. Considering that rape occurs at such an overwhelmingly high rate and frequently goes unreported, it is important to understand the attitudes …
Satisfaction With Police: Explaining Variation By Race, Megan N. Centeno
Satisfaction With Police: Explaining Variation By Race, Megan N. Centeno
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Past research has shown that race is an important factor in predicting satisfaction with the police. Past research, however, has been inconclusive as to why this is such a significant variable. This study is designed to see if quality of life and fear of crime differences by race help explain the race and police satisfaction relationship. Data for this study comes from the "Criminal Victimization" Survey (Smith, S. K., Steadman, G.W., Minton, T. D., & Townsend, M. and 1999). The results conclude that quality of life, physical disorder and fear of crime help mediate the relationship between race and satisfaction …
Examining Re-Entry Challenges And Needs Of Trinidad And Tobago Offenders, Kamhya M. Milan
Examining Re-Entry Challenges And Needs Of Trinidad And Tobago Offenders, Kamhya M. Milan
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
This research examines the challenges and needs that Trinidad and Tobago offenders face upon release from prison. The purpose of this research is to provide a foundation for policy recommendations to improve successful reintegration for prisoners corning home. Although there is a lack of re-entry literature based on Trinidad and Tobago offenders, the findings in this study show that Trinidad and Tobago offenders experience the same challenges and needs revealed by America research on offender re-entry. Study results show that policy intervention should be designed to ensure offenders returning home receive assistance with finding shelter, employment, educational resources, counseling and …
The Effects Of Collective Efficacy And Dissatisfaction With Law Enforcement On Neighborhood Crime Rates, Kelly E. Cobb
The Effects Of Collective Efficacy And Dissatisfaction With Law Enforcement On Neighborhood Crime Rates, Kelly E. Cobb
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this thesis was to examine the effects of collective efficacy and dissatisfaction with law enforcement on neighborhood crime rates. A data set was obtained from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research titled, Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods: Community Survey 1994-1995 (PHDCN). This is one of the only studies which ask specific questions concerning collective efficacy and dissatisfaction with law enforcement, accompanied with a large, diverse sample. This research is important because it looks at two concepts, collective efficacy and dissatisfaction with law enforcement and their combined effect on neighborhood crime rates; violent …
Intimate Partner Homicide, Karitta A. Page
Intimate Partner Homicide, Karitta A. Page
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Using data collected from the Chicago Women's Health Risk Study (Block 2000), this study looked at female perpetrated intimate partner homicide. The purpose of this study was to identify what factors, if any, differentiate between abused women who kill versus abused women who do not kill their intimate partners. Through conducting this study, several factors such as substance abuse, support networks and severe violence were compared between abused women who kill their intimate partner versus those who were abused women but did not kill. It was found that severe abuse, substance abuse by the abuser and the abused person were …
Factors That Influence Domestic Violence Convictions In "No Drop Policy" Trials, Kim D. Akinyanju
Factors That Influence Domestic Violence Convictions In "No Drop Policy" Trials, Kim D. Akinyanju
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that significantly influence conviction rates in domestic violence no drop policy trials. Literature heavily supports the position that factors.-such as physical evidence, police officer testimony, and cooperative victim testimony can help prosecutors increase conviction rates. This research utilizes data collected by Smith et al. (2001) on domestic violence trials in four cities that have implemented the no drop policy. Analyses revealed that various types of physical evidence do not significantly influence convictions in no drop policy trials. Cooperative victim testimony, however, does significantly influence conviction rates and in addition significantly …
Boys Will Be Boys: A Social Control Approach To Assessment Of Gender-Based Sentencing Disparity In Norfolk Circuit Court Cases, Fay F. Spence
Boys Will Be Boys: A Social Control Approach To Assessment Of Gender-Based Sentencing Disparity In Norfolk Circuit Court Cases, Fay F. Spence
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
This study evaluated the relationship between gender and sentencing severity for defendants convicted of violent crimes, victimless crimes, and theft crimes in Norfolk Circuit Court during 2001 and 2002. Based upon social control theories, the author hypothesized that women receive harsher penalties than men for violent crimes and victimless crimes, but that men receive harsher penalties for theft crimes. To test these hypotheses, the author relied, in part, upon data collected by the Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney's office on 3368 criminal cases filed in 2001 and concluded by May 22, 2002. After eliminating cases not pertinent to the study, the data …
Citizen's Satisfaction With The Police, Kim Barshanet Baskerville
Citizen's Satisfaction With The Police, Kim Barshanet Baskerville
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this research project is to examine three competing models of citizen satisfaction with the police: 1) citizen characteristics, 2) citizen experience with the police, and 3) citizen quality of life issues. Data were taken from Criminal Victimization and Perceptions of Community Safety in 12 Cities, 1998. The relationship between citizen satisfaction and the three models were tested by examining different types of contact between police and citizens, race, age, gender, and quality of life, which was measured by satisfaction with neighborhood and satisfaction with city. In addition, an item labeled disorder, which takes into consideration acts of …
Differential Police Treatment Of Domestic And Nondomestic Assaults, Gina Michelle Sajko
Differential Police Treatment Of Domestic And Nondomestic Assaults, Gina Michelle Sajko
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The current study examines the effects of type of assault and victim gender on police response. Victim accounts of domestic and nondomestic assaults in the San Diego region were examined. This study found that domestic assaults were significantly less likely to result in arrest than nondomestic assaults. Female victims of domestic assaults were more likely to receive police referrals to outside agencies. Assaults with victim injury were more likely to result in arrest for domestic assaults, and within the sample as a whole. The gender of the victim had no effect on arrest.
It Does Take A Village To Raise A Child, Rebecca J. Boyd
It Does Take A Village To Raise A Child, Rebecca J. Boyd
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Utilizing Cullen's (1994) Social Support Theory and Hunter's (1985) three dimensions of social life, this study is a quantitative, cross-sectional secondary data analysis designed to examine the relationship between institutional social support and rates of juvenile crime for counties and cities in Virginia for the year 2000. Resting on the contention that an inverse, significant relationship exists between measures of institutional support and rates of juvenile property and violent crime, this study examines types of support provided by the institutions of family, school, and the government. These measures of institutional support include 1) familial support: median income, marriage support; 2) …
An Exploratory Study Of Domestic Violence Attitudes Among Virginia Magistrates, Elaine M. Phillips
An Exploratory Study Of Domestic Violence Attitudes Among Virginia Magistrates, Elaine M. Phillips
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Currently, 43 states utilize magistrates in the criminal justice response to domestic violence. In Virginia, magistrates have the power to grant emergency protective orders and arrest warrants in domestic violence cases. In 1996, Virginia instituted a new mandatory arrest law. This study explores magistrates' attitudes toward the new law. It also examines their attitudes toward victims and offenders involved in domestic violence cases. The study utilizes data from Crossland's 1998 survey of Virginia magistrates (n=239). Hypotheses based on conflict theory and feminist theory lead to hypotheses that predict that magistrates' attitudes will vary depending on the race, educational level and …
Victimless Crime: A Comparison Of Public Offense Ratings Of Misdemeanor Offenses And Virginia Sentencing Guidelines, Theresa M. Dutton
Victimless Crime: A Comparison Of Public Offense Ratings Of Misdemeanor Offenses And Virginia Sentencing Guidelines, Theresa M. Dutton
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
This study was designed to explore the hypothesized gap between what state guidelines on criminal sanctioning recommend for misdemeanor offenses, and what the public perceives· as just punishment for these offenses. The research also addresses the issue of victimless crime. In this regard it was additionally hypothesized that there exists a significant difference in public opinion towards sentencing those crimes that specifically do not have a victim, with those that do.
The design of this study is based on one conducted by Peter Rossi and Richard Berk (Rossi and Berk 1997). For this study, a sample of students attending college …
Factors That Affect Recidivism Of Offenders On Electronic Monitoring In Norfolk, Virginia, Michael P. O'Toole
Factors That Affect Recidivism Of Offenders On Electronic Monitoring In Norfolk, Virginia, Michael P. O'Toole
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to investigate which factors impact offenders' recidivism on electronic monitoring. Research on electronic monitoring has mainly concentrated on individual program completion rates. A review of the available literature on electronic monitoring reveals few evaluative studies focusing on offender recidivism. No long term recidivism studies are available for electronic monitoring. The present research reviews 277 offenders five years after completing their electronic monitoring sentence in Norfolk, Virginia. The following factors as they may relate to offenders' recidivism, while on electronic monitoring are measured: current offense, prior conviction, offenders' age, sentence length, and employment history. Analyses …
Racial Differences In Rape Myth Acceptance Among College Women, Lekeshia M. Washington
Racial Differences In Rape Myth Acceptance Among College Women, Lekeshia M. Washington
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
This study investigates the racial differences in rape myth acceptance among college women. There has been little research on the topic of rape which examines solely the opinions of women. Black and white college women {N=623) completed a survey which measured the degree of acceptance or rejection of false beliefs about rape, rape victims, or rapists. These false beliefs were termed rape myths. The myths demean the victim and support stereotypes about rape. Past research suggests that blacks accept rape myths more than whites, and that victims accept rape myths more than nonvictims. This study's analyses suggest that women as …
Gender, Race, And Court Location Effects On Exceptional Sentencing In The State Of Washington, Catherine L. Drezak
Gender, Race, And Court Location Effects On Exceptional Sentencing In The State Of Washington, Catherine L. Drezak
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
Policy statements by the Sentencing Commission for the State of Washington emphasize that gender, race, and community ties are irrelevant to sentencing decisions. Based on prior sentencing practices, these policies carry the potential to incorporate unrecognized sentencing disparity practices into the proposed sentencing equality solution. Using Washington's sentencing data under current sentencing guideline structures, this research examined the sentencing outcomes with respect to sentences given outside the guidelines. This study was designed to address the research questions: What effect, if any, does gender have on exceptional sentence outcome? To what extent, if any, is race a factor in determining gender …
An Examination Of Factors Influencing The Definition Of Rape, Connie Sue Minton
An Examination Of Factors Influencing The Definition Of Rape, Connie Sue Minton
Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the concept of rape and factors which influence the definition of rape. A survey consisting of demographic and attitudinal questions and rape scenarios was administered to college students at two middle-sized universities in the southeast. The results indicate that as the level of intimacy between the victim and the rapist increases the likelihood of a situation being defined as a rape decreases. In this study religion and political attitudes were two independent variables which did not influence the definition of rape while race, gender, relationships with women, and attitudes toward women were …