Law Commons^™

The Prospects Of The High Seas Treaty Decisively Reducing The Negative Biodiversity Impacts Of Distant Water Fishing Operations, Shirley V. Scott, Nengye Liu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

International fisheries law has so far proven inadequate to prevent over-fishing on the high seas, a key cause of biodiversity loss in areas of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). Negotiation of the High Seas Treaty (Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction or BBNJ Agreement) afforded an opportunity to respond decisively to the worsening problem. The Treaty was concluded in 2023. It is yet to enter into force. Preparations and negotiations for the Treaty spanned some 20 years. By …

Influence Of The Solicitors General On The Supreme Court: 2011-2023, Maxwell Tobin

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This project looks at the success rate of the OSG and how the data indicates that the government-more specifically between the executive and judicial- is not getting along. In doing so, this scholarship uses 337 Supreme Court cases where the OSG filed on these cases as an amicus brief. This project aims to fill the research gap since 2014. I argue the salience of this research is in 2020-2022 where SCOTUS has 3 new conservative members and the President during this time was leaning more progressive (even more than Obama). All of this works to explain the low success rate …

Koxinga: The Catalyst Of Taiwan's Current Geopolitical Conflict, Lauren Masterson

Honors College Theses

Taiwan, strategically located in the South China Sea, has long faced challenges in asserting its sovereignty. While much of the existing scholarship focuses on the 20th-century conflict between the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) and the Chinese Communist Party, this study turns to the mid-17^th century to trace the roots of the island’s contested status. It centers on Zheng Chenggong (1624–1662), also known as Koxinga, who established the Ming loyalist Kingdom of Tungning in Taiwan (1661–1683) following the fall of the Ming dynasty. By examining Koxinga’s actions and the legacy he left behind, this research draws parallels between his retreat …

Deadly Choices: Political, Legal, And Moral Understandings Of U.S. Supreme Court Death Penalty Decisions, Anabelle S. Bergstrom

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis explores the political, legal, and moral factors that influence Supreme Court justices when penning capital punishment decisions. It also examines the evolution of thinking toward the death penalty by former justices John Paul Stevens and Harry Blackmun throughout their tenure on the Court. Cases are analyzed through fact-pattern analysis and the jurisprudential regime theory, which quantitatively build upon existing literature detailing the theoretical background of judicial decision-making through the attitudinal model. An analysis of Justices Blackmun and Stevens’ papers at the Library of Congress focuses on rhetoric that reflects utilitarian and retributive theories of punishment. Findings show that …

How Alternative Sentencing Methods Can Reduce Recidivism And Incarceration Rates For Drug Offenders In Wisconsin, Mitchell D. Fugate

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

The criminal justice system in the U.S. has typically been focused more on punishment in the past, but in recent times has shifted more towards implementing rehabilitative measures as a means to reduce the recidivism rate, and thus decrease the overall incarceration rates for the U.S.. An area that is especially different is drug offenses, as many of those that are arrested are addicted, and punishment does not address that addiction directly. By using alternative sentencing as a means of rehabilitation for drug offenses, the criminal justice system can work to address the issues at the root causes as well …

Zero Waste Initiatives Across Three Institutions: Local Government, An Academic Institution, And A Retail Business, Soren G. Gray

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Parent-Child Contact In Family-Focused Programs For Incarcerated Individuals, Carol Marie Nettie Mcdonald

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following research study will evaluate family-focused programs offered to incarcerated individuals and determine if these programs are hindered when there is little to no contact between parents and children during incarceration. Family-focused programs include parent/child bonding, and/or parenting classes and other similar programs. The research method that will be used in this study is a qualitative design and will gather data through interviews of formerly incarcerated individuals as well as former children (now adults) who have been involved in family programming. The study will also gather data from licensed clinical staff who have been involved in related programming while …

A Secluded Cabin On The Outskirts Of Riverside: A 1937 Trial For Conspiracy To Have Gay Sex, Randall Stoner, Randi Stoner

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In the early morning hours of Sunday, March 14, 1937, a group of deputy sheriffs and military police surrounded a secluded cabin on the outskirts of Riverside and forced their way inside, arresting everyone on the premises for conspiracy to violate California Penal Code sections 288a and 286: oral copulation and sodomy. Though same-sex relations were outlawed, these men had sought to create a place of privacy for themselves—only to have it surveilled and raided by members of law enforcement. The subsequent trial, People v. Jordan, was a landmark case for the city of Riverside. Many histories of LGBTQ …

Pedro Aceves Mfa Thesis, Pedro M. Aceves

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

My Work is about looking at Cruising through a queer decolonial lens. Using multiple mediums such as photo, glass, Augmented reality, and film, I explore these queer histories and aesthetics through not just an anthropological approach but also an artistic epistemological approach weaving together narratives of prehispanic and modern queer Latinidad.

The Role Of Medical-Legal Partnerships On Social Determinants Of Health For Vulnerable Populations In The Inland Empire, Sabrina C. Kinnally

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

San Bernardino and Riverside counties face significant challenges in addressing the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) for vulnerable populations, including housing instability, healthcare access, and food insecurity. This project examined the role of Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLPs) in providing services to vulnerable populations. Through a systematic review, the study explored the current state of MLPs and their effectiveness in addressing SDOH to reduce health disparities. The other purpose is to assist Agape Legal Service, Inc. (AGAPE), a non-profit organization, in completing their strategic plan, which aims to address the legal needs of vulnerable populations within the Inland Empire. The systematic review …

A Brighter Future Lies Ahead? The Impact Of Juvenile Records On Adults' Hiring Prospects, Morgan Rose Wagner

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Having a record can make obtaining employment difficult - while the stigma against criminal records is well established, the effects of a juvenile record on hiring outcomes is less clear. Juvenile records can often be sealed; however, when sealing is not done consistently or transparently, people with juvenile records face a difficult decision when applying for jobs - disclose a record that may be sealed, or omit information about a record that shows up on a background check? Experiment 1 used a hypothetical applicant paradigm with a sample of hiring managers to evaluate the impact of juvenile record disclosure and …

Law Library Blog (May 2025): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Deepfakes On Trial: Developing A High-Accuracy, Court-Admissible Ai Pipeline For Deepfake Detection In Corporate Fraud Litigation, Aiden J. Green

Honors College Theses

As deepfake technology advances, cybercriminals are increasingly using AI-generated videos and audios to impersonate executives and carry out sophisticated CEO fraud schemes. These synthetic forgeries target human trust and corporate communication systems, creating an urgent need for forensic tools capable of authenticating digital evidence with legal accuracy. This thesis presents a forensic-grade AI deepfake detection pipeline designed for this purpose, emphasizing courtroom admissibility, reproducibility, and evidentiary integrity. Built entirely with free, opensource tools, the framework combines metadata analysis, AI-powered spectrogram analysis, neural artifact detection, and facial manipulation recognition into a transparent workflow that accurately identifies synthetic media. It was trained …

The Latin American Principles For Out-Of-Court Workouts, Aurelio Gurrea-Martinez, Adolfo Rouillon

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Out-of-court workouts can save significant costs associated with the initiation of a formal insolvency proceeding. Therefore, they can help minimise the loss of value experienced by an insolvent firm, ultimately contributing to the maximisation of the returns to creditors and the reorganisation of viable but financially distressed businesses. Additionally, an out-of-court agreement can provide a level of flexibility and confidentiality that is usually lacking in formal insolvency proceedings. Thus, an out-of-court workout can serve as a valuable mechanism to deal with a situation of financial distress, especially in the context of countries with inefficient insolvency systems and companies with concentrated …

Customs, Courts, And Conflict: Strengthening The Legal System In South Sudan, Anusha Sheila Aubeelack

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This thesis examines the dual legal system in South Sudan and how it can be strengthened as the country transitions to a democracy. It gives a brief historical account of the evolution of the South Sudanese legal system and the current challenges posed by overlapping normative frameworks. It argues that while customary law remains deeply embedded in South Sudanese society, its co-existence with statutory law has created jurisdictional ambiguities, inconsistencies in the delivery of justice and public mistrust in state institutions. Reforms such as the drafting of the Permanent Constitution of South Sudan to harmonize both legal traditions, the formal …

Recognizing Injustice, Reclaiming Voices: Establishing A Missing Persons Database For Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women And Children In Nebraska, Bayly W. Watson

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

Indigenous people have been the victims of harsh persecution since the time of colonization; this has negatively impacted Native communities and has contributed significantly to the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children (MMIWC) across the United States and Canada. Under Legislative Bill 154, Richards et al. (2021) conducted an initial study to identify missing Native cases in Nebraska and in 2023, the Attorney General appointed a Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Liaison to help combat the number of missing Indigenous in the state. This thesis contributes to previous research by analyzing 20,049 reports from three …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Senior Leaders’ Experiences And Perceptions In Addressing Workplace Sexual Harassment In The U.S. Federal Government: A Systems Perspective, Karen Jane Dean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual harassment (SH) is a prevalent, costly, and often unreported problem in the U.S. Federal Government. Despite decades of research from multiple perspectives and recommendations to address SH, the problem persists and remains complex. While some researchers and U.S. Government agencies have called upon leaders to commit to eliminating workplace SH, others have suggested using an integrated conflict management system (ICMS) to manage the complexity, nuances, and conflicts. Even though there is a call for leadership to address SH, there is limited documentation in the literature about leaders’ experiences and perceptions in addressing the problem. Therefore, this qualitative study was …

Extralegal Factors Influencing Judicial Perceptions Of Defendants With Mental Illness, Hailey Erdbruegger

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The United States has one of the highest prison populations in the world. This means millions of individuals are either incarcerated or under other forms of supervision by the criminal justice system at any one given time. All those millions of individuals had to move through the U.S. criminal courts and thus engage with multiple forms of courtroom participants along the way. Of those millions coming through the system, many have either been diagnosed with a mental illness, or have self-reported having a mental illness. This makes the personal beliefs, stigmas, and biases of the previously mentioned courtroom participants regarding …

"Alone I Can't, But Together We Can": A Photovoice Study To Explore Insights Of Assisted Outpatient Treatment (Aot) From Providers Working With Individuals With Serious Mental Illness (Smi)., Monica G. Urquieta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is a court-ordered mental health treatment program for individuals with SMI (bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia) who have a history of noncompliance with treatment and are at risk of deteriorating or causing harm to themselves or others. This dissertation examined the perceptions and experiences of thirteen providers (lawyers, judges, case managers, psychiatrists, housing navigators, treatment guardians, nurse practitioners, therapists and peer support specialists with lived experience) on the AOT program for clients with SMI; and the environments that shape these perceptions, taking into account a system and community-based approach focusing on how the unique …

Investigating Exoneration Patterns Among Juveniles, Kristin Mahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exoneration from crime has been studied among adults, but exoneration of juveniles (i.e., persons under age 18) has not been analyzed as a separate entity, despite distinct legal systems and developmental considerations. Wrongful conviction, while not always indicative of innocence, devastates lives of convicted individuals and their families, while increasing public mistrust and sometimes failing to convict truly guilty individuals. This devastation, as well as vulnerability to wrongful conviction, is significantly increased for youth who miss out on crucial developmental years, milestones, and opportunities.

In the current study, I examined differing and intersecting contributors (i.e., individual characteristics, crime characteristics, legal …

Integrating Doctrine & Diversity Speaker Series: Expanding Doctrinal Dialogue With Foreign And International Current Events Content 04-30-2025, Roger Williams University University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Pipeline: Exploring Exclusionary Discipline, Restorative Justice, And The Attitudes And Beliefs Of Educators, Ericka J. Varnedoe

Honors College Theses

This study explores the connection between exclusionary disciplinary practices and the school-to-prison pipeline. It highlights how exclusionary discipline, including suspensions and expulsions, disproportionately affects marginalized groups such as students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth, further contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. In contrast, restorative justice, a non-punitive approach, offers a promising alternative. Initially adopted from the criminal justice system, restorative justice has been integrated into school environments to foster positive school climates, improve experiences, and mitigate challenging behaviors. This research examines educators' attitudes toward both exclusionary and restorative practices, as well as their awareness and implementation of restorative …

Detecting Ideological Bias In Trump's Tweets: Trump's Peace Plan As A Case Study, Amer Qasem

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aims to explore the extent of ideological bias in the discourse of elected U.S. President Donald Trump on social media platforms, specifically Twitter (now known as X), regarding his peace plan, commonly referred to as the "Deal of the Century." The study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine all of Trump’s tweets related to the Deal of the Century, seeking to answer the following research questions: How did Trump portray the parties affected by the deal in his tweets? What rhetorical strategies did he employ to present the deal? The analysis spans the period from the announcement …

The Use Of Artificial Intelligence Applications By Media Students In Palestinian Universities And Their Achieved Gratifications “A Field Study”, Said Shaheen Allani, Ahmad Al Sallaq

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

The study aimed to identify the extent to which media students in Palestinian universities use artificial intelligence applications and the achieved gratifications from it. The study belongs to the descriptive studies approach utilizing questionnaire as a tool for collecting data, for an available sample of (165) individuals that were distributed in five Palestinian universities. The study reached to; (54.5%) of media students in Palestinian universities use artificial intelligence applications, they use it for several reasons, the most important phrase is “it helps me to produce good digital content,” with a relative weight of (47.4%), it also achieves a number of …

The Mediating Role Of Remote Communication On The Relationship Between Electronic Human Resource Management Practices And Organizational Performance In Iraqi Commercial Banks, Shuhub Basel Ahmad Taqa

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aimed to measure the impact of remote communication as a mediating variable on the relationship between electronic human resources (e-HRM) and organizational performance in Iraqi commercial banks. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, with the study population consisting of managers, their deputies, and department heads in Iraqi commercial banks, totaling 242 individuals distributed across 24 commercial banks by the end of 2023. A total of 234 questionnaires were analyzed, achieving a response rate of 96.7%. The study employed Smart PLS software for data analysis and result extraction. The study revealed several key findings, the most significant of which …

Media Frameworks In Addressing Environmental Issues On Al Jazeera Net Website: An Analytical Study, Sabah Al Harahsheh

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aimed to recognize the media frameworks used to address environmental issues on (Al Jazeera Net) between 2009 and 2024. The study relied on the descriptive survey method, the theory of media frames, and the content analysis as a method and tool. The study population consisted of all articles, reports and interviews published on the (Al Jazeera Net) throughout the period specified by the study. A purposive sample was selected from the articles, reports and interviews interested in environmental issues only, which numbered eighteen journalistic works. The study identified the most important frameworks that presented the environmental issues during …

Analyzing The Role Of Socio-Political And Cultural Factors In The Implementation Of Transitional Justice In Afghanistan From 2001-2021, Narwan Alawi, Tufail Ahmad Peerzada

Indonesian Journal of International Law

After the end of conflicts, countries generally try to prosecute the criminals who committed war crimes and violations of human rights during conflicts and civil wars to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. In some cases, special courts have been established to trial the perpetrators of these crimes. In post-2001 Afghanistan, as foreign forces led by the USA removed the Taliban from power and with the establishment of the Republic of Afghanistan, a new phase of transitional justice was anticipated. Although the Afghans initially hoped that justice would not be ignored, however, preference was given to establish peace, and the …

The Roots And Risks Of Domestic Violence: A Holistic Review For Law Enforcement, Kiley Elsenpeter

Master of Arts in Human Services

Domestic violence (DV) is a global issue that disproportionately impacts women, producing harmful consequences for victims, families, and the community. DV involves a multifaceted interplay of individual, social, cultural, and policy elements, with intimate partner violence (IPV) representing the primary risk factor for intimate partner homicide (IPH), highlighting male-perpetrated DV as a focal concern. This review of existing literature thoroughly elucidates the predominant roots, consequences, and risk factors associated with DV, underscoring the significance of cultural awareness, trauma-informed care (TIC), and the application of evidence-based risk assessment tools within law enforcement (LE) frameworks. LE officers are uniquely positioned to detect …

Bars, Barristers, And Bias: A Content Analysis Of Legal Plays, Evan Chartock

Media and Communication Studies Honors Papers

This content analysis paper investigates the portrayal of the legal profession onstage within legal dramas first performed in the twenty-first century. There has been no previous research that has focused on a comprehensive analysis of the specific content of legal dramas, so this study is exploratory in nature. This study emphasizes the importance of learning about the content characteristics of legal plays and legal characters. This content analysis seeks to answer two research questions. First, do playwrights of legal plays first performed between 2000-2024 belong to similar identity demographics, write about similar content, and/or have similar messaging regarding the notion …

What The Uk Can Learn From India About Trans Rights And Inclusive Feminism, Ammel Sharon

Popular Media

The article reflects on the UK Supreme Court’s recent interpretation of “woman” under the Equality Act 2010, noting its impact on trans inclusion in public spaces. In contrast, Indian feminist and queer movements have embraced more inclusive, self-reflective approaches to gender, resisting fixed legal definitions. Drawing on examples from sports activism, legal scholarship, and grassroots organising, the author calls for collective ethics that expand rather than restrict the possibilities of belonging.