Law Commons^™

A Cleave Within The Piney Woods: Nacogdoches, Stephen F. Austin State University And How Racial Integration Divided The Town And Gown, Caitlin Hornback

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stephen F. Austin State University was once the pride and joy of the city of Nacogdoches, Texas. When the Texas State Legislature began to look for a location for their new state normal school, the people of the East Texas town fought to have it built there and the Stephen F. Austin Teacher’s College opened its doors in September 1923 to a proud community. Through the trials and tribulations of early twentieth century events, the school managed to stay afloat and grow in numbers. Dr. Ralph W. Steen became the president of the college in 1958 and he oversaw a …

Education, Income, Racial Composition, And Urbanization: An Examination Of Factors That Affect Intervention Court Participation And Drug-Related Arrests In Mississippi, Will Hengehold

Honors Theses

This paper serves as an evaluation of Mississippi Intervention Courts and attempts to determine the effectiveness and use of those courts. The regressions in this paper attempt to show how the use of intervention courts and demographic characteristics of Mississippi District Circuit Courts affect the number of drug-related arrests in Mississippi, how the number of drug-related arrests and demographic characteristics of Mississippi district circuit courts areas affects intervention court use and intervention court participation rates in Mississippi, and how demographic characteristics affected the delay in the adoption of intervention courts by Mississippi District Circuit Courts. Demographic characteristic variables used include …

Law Enforcement Policy And Personnel Responses To Terrorism: Do Prior Attacks Predict Current Preparedness?, Bryce Kirk

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Terrorism has been on the mind of the American people and politicians alike since the 9/11 attacks over two decades ago. In the years since, there has been a massive shift in law enforcement priorities from community-oriented policing (COP) to homeland security-oriented policing. This was especially evident in the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001, which was established to aid law enforcement entities with terrorism preparedness. While prior literature has addressed a variety of factors that have contributed to terrorism preparedness, very little research has …

Factors For Thriving In Law Enforcement, Kelly K. Wedley

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this non-experimental and quantitative study was to evaluate the degree to which law enforcement officers perceive themselves as thriving. The sample for this study was convenient, non-probable, and purposive and comprised of 214 law enforcement officers from one large law enforcement agency in the State of Florida. The study’s researcher-constructed survey instrument was determined to be internally consistent and reliable. A one sample t-test was used to assess the statistical significance of study participant mean score response to perceptions of thriving and the results were statistically significant. The use of between-subjects analytic techniques was used to compare …

Building Leaders In Policing: Using Leadership Characteristics And Attributes To Develop First-Line Supervisors And Line Officers, Brad Stewart

Education Projects

Organizational effectiveness and legitimacy in policing are largely based on public perception witnessed predominantly through interactions with line officers and first-line supervisors. The demand for highly effective first-line supervisors falls short as agencies are ill-equipped to provide leader development. This mixed methods study examined the characteristics and attributes of first-line supervisors as perceived by line officers in the Asheboro, North Carolina Police Department. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: (a) Which dominant characteristics and attributes are perceived by police officers to be associated with leader efficacy; (b) Which of the perceived characteristics and attributes contribute to the development …

Community-Oriented Policing: Building Trust And Collaborative Relationships With The Black Community, Tunice M. Cole

DSW Capstone Projects

Black people die at the hands of police at a disproportionate rate. In the United States, Black citizens are three times more likely to be killed by police than White citizens. This, along with other factors, has caused a lack of trust, legitimacy, and relationships between police and the Black community. Examining this problem from a socio-ecological and social constructivist perspective suggests that the solution encompasses the use of community feedback and experiences to build and develop a model of community-oriented policing that addresses the issues of the community being served.

Product one of this capstone was a systematic literature …

Police Officer Attitudes About The Importance Of External Procedural Justice, David Borchardt

Theses and Dissertations

External procedural justice has been found to have a relationship with cooperation, compliance, and police legitimacy. Extant methods to increase external procedural justice during police-citizen interactions have been met with mixed results. Fair policing from the inside out proposes that organizationally just treatment of officers will lead to external procedural justice during encounters between officers and citizens. Police organizational justice, comprised of the dimensions of distributive justice, procedural justice, interpersonal justice, and informational justice, has been found to have a relationship with external procedural justice, however, the majority of research has been conducted using overseas samples. The minority of work …

Identification And Security Implications Of Biometrics, Kathryn Boggs

Online Theses and Dissertations

The usage of biometrics has become more frequent over the past couple of decades, notably due to technological advancements. Evolving technology in the field of biometrics has also led to increased accuracy of associated software, which have provided the opportunity to use a multitude of different human characteristics for identification and/or verification purposes. The current study assessed the usage of biometrics in casinos, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies using a survey methodology. Results indicated that privacy concerns related to the use of biometrics may not be as prevalent as indicated in the literature. Additionally, results indicated that the utilization of …

Reducing Opioid Related Deaths And Improving Rehabilitation Access Through The Elk Grove Village Cares Program: A Program Evaluation, Rebecca Barron

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Abstract The goal of the Elk Grove Village Cares program is to decrease the deaths and overdoses of those who abuse opioids through harm reduction strategies and provide access to treatment. The article is a program evaluation of the Elk Grove Village Cares program. Surveys, interviews and the synthesis of program data is used to evaluate the efficacy of program activities. Results: The rate of death from opioid use has decreased an average of 1.7 deaths since program implementation in 2018. Law enforcement officers (LEO) and the community responded similarly to many survey questions regarding attitudes surrounding addiction. Within the …

Correctional Career Pathways: A Jail Reentry Program Evaluation, Grace Gass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are numerous types of reentry programs available to inmates to help avoid the cycle of recidivism. There is little research on the impacts of reentry programs in jail populations. This current study sought to provide more research in this area by evaluating a local jail reentry program’s effect on recidivism. A quasi-experimental design was used to estimate the program’s effectiveness by comparing the recidivism statistics of inmates that have participated in the reentry program to a control group of inmates that did not. Inmates in the control group were matched according to their gender, age, race, and current offense …

Police Officers Use Of Ketamine To Subdue Alleged Criminals, Maria Onofre, Peter Platterborze

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

This review highlights the recent use of ketamine to subdue alleged criminals as an anesthetic. The history and usage of ketamine are studied as a focus on the implementation of ketamine to treat different human needs. The properties and similarities to PCP are compared. All forms of administration, both legal and illegal, and dosages are studied. The review is concluded by a look at the use of ketamine by law enforcement, especially by the Aurora police department.

Memory Distortion For Footage Of An Emotionally Disturbing Police/Civilian Encounter: Investigating The Influence Of Bias And Trauma, Eric A. Korzun

Student Theses

Although body-worn cameras (BWCs) are expected to be objective tools for increasing police transparency and accountability, research refutes the idea that people can objectively view footage. Instead, research shows that people’s personal biases—for example, the extent to which people view the police like themselves, measured by the Identification with Police Scale (IPS; Tyler & Fagan, 2008) —shape how they view and interpret BWC footage (Jones, Crozier, & Strange, 2017). Additionally, studies of memory distortion reveal that people can come to remember traumatic events as worse than they originally experienced (Strange & Takarangi, 2012). Taken together, then, when viewing traumatic BWC …

The Impact Of A Crisis Intervention Team Program On Psychiatric Boarding, Kurtis Hooks

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Psychiatric boarding is the phenomenon of housing individuals in emergency departments while awaiting access to mental health services in the community. The expansion of psychiatric boarding is attributed to continued deinstitutionalization and under-resourcing of mental health services. Psychiatric boarding is also associated with deleterious outcomes for individuals in need of access to behavioral health services, facilities. There is limited research on programmatic efforts to reduce psychiatric boarding as it pertains to Crisis Intervention Team programs colocated in medical settings. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs are community-based, multi-stakeholder partnerships that include dedicated assessment centers crisis response and referral. This study utilized …

Police Officer Years Of Service: Does It Play A Role In Officer Displays Of Empathy?, Rachel Jeffries

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In the 2019 National Crime Victimization Survey, only 52.2% of domestic violence (DV) incidents were reported to the police (Morgan & Truman, 2020). With significantly low reporting rates, policing agencies may be asking themselves what they can do to encourage victims of DV to come forward and report their victimizations. Research on DV victims’ perceptions of police response suggests that, when police provide empathy-like responses to victims of DV, there are numerous benefits for the victim and the policing agency (Birdsey & Snowball, 2013; Johnson, 2007; Stephens & Sinden, 2000). Thus, empathy could be a central component to improving reporting …

Higher Education For All Law Enforcement Officers, Johana Constantino Madrigal

University Honors Theses

In this brief prospectus, the focus is on the many arguments for why it should be a requirement for all law enforcement officers to have a higher education background. Given light to recent events, the importance for more highly trained and educated officers has become more dire as people call for justice in an attempt to right the wrongs that have been done. The articles found all address the manner in which higher education can help with better judgement calls, analyze and respond to situations better, and the overall perception officers have, who have a form of higher education, on …

Victim Impact: The Manson Murders And The Rise Of The Victims’ Rights Movement, Merrill W. Steeg

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Organizational Fairness On Ethical Policing In The Community, David P. Cepiel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since 2015, policing has suffered from negative publicity due to unfortunate and often deadly interactions between police officers and people of color. As a result of these sad events, various programs have been incorporated into many police departments to increase professionalism among officers. One such program focuses on increasing legitimacy by teaching procedural justice concepts to officers. This study examined the impacts of organizational fairness on officers from the perspective of procedural justice. Building on previous research, this study focused on the officers and sergeants employed in two small municipal police departments in the Midwestern United States. Ninety-eight participants from …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: Analyzing Inhumane Practices In Mississippi’S Correctional Institutions Due To Overcrowding, Understaffing, And Diminished Funding, Ariel A. Williams

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to examine the political, social, and economic factors which have led to inhumane conditions in Mississippi’s correctional facilities. Several methods were employed, including a comparison of the historical and current methods of funding, staffing, and rehabilitating prisoners based on literature reviews. State-sponsored reports from various departments and the legislature were analyzed to provide insight into budgetary restrictions and political will to allocate funds. Statistical surveys and data were reviewed to determine how overcrowding and understaffing negatively affect administrative capacity and prisoners’ mental and physical well-being. Ultimately, it may be concluded that Mississippi has high …

Official Misconduct And Error Correction Mechanisms In Exonerated Death Penalty Cases, Kamali'ilani Theresa Elizabeth Wetherell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There has been an average of approximately 3.9 death penalty exonerations annually in the United States since 1973 (DPIC, 2021). Wrongful convictions and executions constitute grave and irreversible errors. Studies show official misconduct is one of the leading causes for wrongful convictions and exonerations. Misconduct by police, prosecutors, and judges includes a wide range of behaviors such as coercing confessions, depriving rights to legal counsel, threatening witnesses, and concealing evidence. Operating under the due process model, the adversarial legal system is designed to detect and prevent any procedural violations of defendant’s rights, including official misconduct. Utilizing Packer’s (1964) due process …

A Qualitative Investigation Into The Trauma Exhibited By First Responders Tackling The Opioid Epidemic In Tennessee, Thalia Sullivan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent increases in opioid overdose rates have changed the role of first responders on the front lines of this national crisis. The present study used a semi-structured qualitative interview to investigate how the increase in opioids, opioid-related harm, and opioid-related death within Tennessee has affected the first responder population. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and paramedics (N = 30) from rural-serving counties in Tennessee completed a semi-structured interview. Eight themes emerged from the interviews: (1) mental health symptoms, including posttraumatic stress disorder and secondary traumatic stress symptoms; (2) coping behaviors; (3) available resources; (4) barriers to accessing resources; (5) recommendations …

Career Path: Becoming A Crime Scene Investigator, Rebecca Stevens

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Police Use Of Force Policies, Shannon Moran

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Carrying Trauma From Birth To Work: Adverse Childhood Experiences In Law Enforcement Officers And Their Implications, Stephen Levesque

Criminology Student Work

Previous research has drawn attention to the discrepancies of mental health between civilians and sworn law enforcement officers. The extant literature shows that law enforcement officers suffer from mental health disorders at far greater rates than the general public (Henderson et al., 2015). Most of the literature focuses on the progression of an officer’s law enforcement career. Little is discussed about prior traumatic experiences in the lives of police officers, especially those experiences which leave lasting scars on officers who go on to possibly relive their own trauma through their work. The current research was intended to fill that void. …

Obtaining A Career With The Federal Bureau Of Investigations (Fbi), Nicholas Medeiros

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Measuring The Impact Of Residency Requirements And The Relationship With The Citizens In The Community, Daniel Villa

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Community policing is best described as how police departments work together with the community in solving problems. In several major U.S. cities, police departments have changed their residency requirements allowing their officers to reside outside of the municipality in which they are employed. One can assume that officers residing outside the community they serve may not have a high level of engagement in the area in which they work. The current movements to defund police departments led by politicians and members of various communities would imply that residing outside of the municipality in which officer's work would have no impact, …

Analysis And Investigation Of Solitary Confinement Reforms, Alison E. Gordon

SJD Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Is This Seat Taken? African American Male Perceptions Of Ascension In The Federal Office Of Inspectors General Community, Donrich L. Young

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The federal law enforcement community is one that should be diverse and reflect society as a whole. Traditionally, federal law enforcement, and specifically the Office of Inspectors General (OIG) Community, has been occupied by White males at all levels. This qualitative exploratory case study examined the perceptions and lived experiences of eight African American males currently employed in or recently retired from the federal OIG community. The research findings resulted in the emergence of three themes: (1) mentorship, (2) treatment and opportunities, and (3) underrepresentation. The implications and recommendations which evolved from this research study may contribute to the development …

Urbanicity And Female Jail Incarceration Rates In 1970 And 2018: The Rise Of Rural Female Jail Incarceration, Samantha M. Caimi

HON499 projects

This paper examines the role of county urbanicity as it relates to mean female jail incarceration rates in both the United States and Pennsylvania in the years 1970 and 2018. There are three research questions to be answered in this study. The first is whether mean female jail incarceration rates vary significantly by urbanicity (rural, small/mid, suburban, urban). The second is whether the relationship between female jail incarceration rates and urbanicity changed from 1970 to 2018. The third research question is whether the findings for questions 1 and 2 will be the same for both Pennsylvania and the United States. …

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 …

Transformational Leadership, Conflict Management Style, And Job Satisfaction In Law Enforcement, Giuseppe Alise

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Effective leaders are essential for any organization, including law enforcement. Police work is not free from the challenges of leadership, confronted with its own unique challenges, including developing ways to adapt to rapid change and continually having to adjust to various political and environmental factors.

This research is an in-depth examination of how transformational leadership and conflict management style drive job satisfaction in law enforcement. The goal is to determine whether employee satisfaction achieved through transformational leadership is, in fact, largely the result of how leadership handles conflict. The idea is to disentangle the relationship between transformational leadership and …