Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Examination Of School Characteristics, Shooter Characteristics, And Incidental Characteristics Of School Mass Shootings, Amber Elizabeth O'Dell

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

School Mass Shootings (SMS) continue to be an ongoing issue for k-12 schools, technical/vocational schools, and on college campuses in the United States. Recent studies have shown that these crimes are increasing in both frequency and lethality. However, SMS are still considered to be statistically rare events making them difficult to study quantitatively. Many extant studies use an exclusive definition of SMS where an incident must have four or more deaths to be categorized as this type of crime. The present study utilizes an inclusive definition of 2 or more deaths, where every four injuries count as a death in …

Current Sex Offender Laws: Are They Doing More Harm Than Good?, Gail Onderak

Counselor Education Capstones

Public sentiment toward sex offenders is that of hatred, contempt, and fear. These attitudes have led to the creation of sex offender legislation that is exceptionally restrictive and punitive. While best practices and current treatment models call for minimization of risk and maximization of personal fulfillment in order to reduce recidivism, sex offender laws pose as obstacles to these goals. A review of the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) principles and the Good Lives Model (GLM) treatment approach highlights the contrast between intended outcomes of these methods and the challenges that sex offender notification and registration (SORN) and residency restrictions present when trying …

Vocational And Life Skills Monthly Data Update: December 2020, Uno Nebraska Center For Justice Research, Katelynn Towne

Reports

Grantees use an online data management system to submit data on participants served under their Vocational and Life Skills programming. This data is due monthly and reflects all services provided during the previous month to participants. Evaluators at the Nebraska Center for Justice Research work with grantees directly to manage data entry errors on an ongoing basis during update calls and site visits.

The current data derives from an active database, from which data is being entered and updated daily. Data values, including previously submitted information, may fluctuate depending on the duration of lag between service delivery and data entry. …

Vocational And Life Skills Quarterly Report: Grant Cycle 4 Quarter 2 October-December 2020, Uno Nebraska Center For Justice Research, Katelynn Towne, Michael Campagna

Reports

This report presents quarterly data and evaluation updates for the Vocational and Life Skills Program (VLS) through Quarter Two of Grant Cycle Four. VLS was created by Nebraska Legislative Bill 907 in 2014 with the purpose of reducing recidivism and increasing meaningful employment for individuals convicted of a crime in Nebraska. The report contains 1) descriptions of the eight funded organizations across the state, 2) a snapshot of participation, 3) demographics of the participants, and 4) participation breakdowns and descriptions of the skills participants are gaining through VLS programming.

The VLS initiative is evaluated by the Nebraska Center for Justice …

Backlogged Or Logjammed? An Analysis Of The Patterns That Surround The Rape Kit Backlog Across Jurisdictions, Elizabeth Dowd

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Untested rape kits sit in crime labs, hospitals, evidence lockers, or storage facilities untouched. In the worst-case scenarios, rape kits have been thrown out of police storage before the statute of limitations had expired. A major public policy problem is developing as these kits stack up and create a backlog. The primary problem with the rape kit backlog is that all victims are not receiving justice. To solve the problem, the backlog of rape kits needs further exploration and analysis. If a pattern can be established about why the problem is occurring, then policies can be constructed and implemented to …

Evolution Of Confession Law, Madison Macpherson

Senior Honors Theses

Many studies have been conducted to examine how false confessions occur, and what their impacts are. Throughout its history, America has instituted standards for interrogation procedures that are aligned with research findings and that build off constitutional principles. These are designed to protect individual rights while still accomplishing the goals of the judicial system. This paper discusses false confessions, interrogation laws, and how these impact a suspect, as well as the other influences acting upon suspects including plea bargaining and psychological processes. A compilation of research findings and case law culminates in the conclusion that changes must be made to …

Estimating Muzzle To Target Distance From The Physical Characteristics Of A Bullet Hole In Different Wood Substrates, Alan Lee

Student Theses

Determining the muzzle to target distance of a firearm discharge is an integral part in crime scene reconstruction. Shooter distance is most often estimated using the Modified Griess test, which can be used to visualize gunshot residue (GSR) patterns around bullet holes. However, this test has a 3- to 5-feet range limit as the plume of GSR particles can only travel a certain distance past the muzzle. The purpose in this study was to develop a new method that overcomes this range limitation by analyzing the physical damage characteristics of a bullet hole. Test fires were conducted with a .22 …

Policing Farm Crime: An Exploratory Study Of Agricultural Crime Units, Brianna Lynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the practices, perceptions, and operations of agricultural crime units. To date, there has been little research conducted on policing agricultural crimes and no known research on units specializing in investigating them. The study utilizes data gathered from qualitative interviews with agricultural crime investigators across several states to fill this gap in the literature. The results allow for an examination of the fundamental practices of agricultural units, their perceptions and their experiences. In addition, they point to several implications for both policy and practice that may serve to guide our efforts to combat …

The Determination Of G1 And G7 Ballistic Coefficients Of .22lr Caliber Ammunition In Gypsum Board Through Doppler Radar Acquisition, Jose A. Colon Jr.

Student Theses

In this experiment, a method of calculating ballistic coefficients of .22LR (long rifle) caliber ammunition was developed using Doppler radar to track the pre-impact and post-impact velocities of projectiles passing through gypsum board. The method demonstrated has distinct advantages in accuracy and flexibility over conventional chronograph projectile tracking that forensic firearm experts should consider when determining the optimal method to obtain a ballistic coefficient (BC). G1 and G7 ballistic coefficients were determined for three .22LR ammunition brands with respective muzzle velocities of approximately 1050ft/s (320m/s), 1230ft/s (375m/s), and 1640ft/s (500m/s) fired from a Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic carbine using an Infinition …

Do Sequential Lineups Impair Underlying Discriminability?, Matthew Kaesler, John C. Dunn, Keith Ransom, Carolyn Semmler

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020, The Author(s). Debate regarding the best way to test and measure eyewitness memory has dominated the eyewitness literature for more than 30 years. We argue that resolution of this debate requires the development and application of appropriate measurement models. In this study we developed models of simultaneous and sequential lineup presentations and used these to compare these procedures in terms of underlying discriminability and response bias, thereby testing a key prediction of diagnostic feature detection theory, that underlying discriminability should be greater for simultaneous than for stopping-rule sequential lineups. We fit the models to the corpus of studies …

Michigan Sex Offender Registry: Implications And Effects, Heather Damuth

Honors Projects

This paper discusses the Michigan Sex Offender Registry Act (SORA) and the ways that it affects offenders, the public, and society. It also discusses the conveniences and the challenges in relation to the SORA including discussions about public safety, and offender rights. The impacts on offenders, victims, and the general public are also discussed. The research was done through the Grand Valley State University Library, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Michigan Legislation. Sources were examined and combined to form an integrative research paper about the sex offender registry in Michigan.

Complex Societies And The Growth Of The Law, Daniel Martin Katz, Corinna Coupette, Janis Beckedorf, Dirk Hartung

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

While many informal factors influence how people interact, modern societies rely upon law as a primary mechanism to formally control human behaviour. How legal rules impact societal development depends on the interplay between two types of actors: the people who create the rules and the people to which the rules potentially apply. We hypothesise that an increasingly diverse and interconnected society might create increasingly diverse and interconnected rules, and assert that legal networks provide a useful lens through which to observe the interaction between law and society. To evaluate these propositions, we present a novel and generalizable model of statutory …

How Perpetrator Identity (Sometimes) Influences Media Framing Attacks As “Terrorism” Or “Mental Illness”, Allison E. Betus, Erin M. Kearns, Anthony F. Lemieux

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Do media frame attacks with Muslim perpetrators as “terrorism” and attacks with White perpetrators as the result of “mental illness”? Despite public speculation and limited academic work with relatively small subsets of cases, there have been no systematic analyses of potential biases in how media frame terrorism. We addressed this gap by examining the text of print news coverage of all terrorist attacks in the United States between 2006 and 2015. Controlling for fatalities, affiliation with a group, and existing mental illness, the odds that an article references terrorism are approximately five times greater for a Muslim versus a non-Muslim …

Dual Disadvantage: An Examination Of Racial Disparities In Victim And Suspect Criminal Justice Treatment, Paige Vaughn

Dissertations

During the past several decades, American criminal justice legal systems appear to have been over-punishing Black individuals as perpetrators of crime, and neglecting them as violent crime victims, perpetuating disparities that simultaneously repress and alienate Black citizens. Such complex processes of racial inequality are difficult to capture in studies that focus on single criminal justice stages and limited sets of variables. After presenting a working conceptualization of case processing that can be used across criminal justice systems, the current study uses data from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Census to assess racial …

Police Crime Against Black Victims, 2005-2014, Philip M. Stinson, Chloe Wentzlof, Steven L. Brewer

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study reports the findings of a pilot study to add new variables on race of victims to a larger existing data set of police crime arrest cases from years 2005-2014. The purpose of this study is to improve policing and inform the public about patterns of police crimes perpetrated against Black victims at state and local law enforcement agencies across the United States. This study aims to identify characteristics and associations of police crime arrest cases and victim race. Bivariate analyses found statistically significant associations between violence-related police crimes against black victims. CHAID regression models explored multivariate relationships.

Presented …

Budaya Penjara, Subkultur Terorisme Dan Radikalisasi: Perspektif Kriminologi Budaya, Laode Arham

Journal of Terrorism Studies

This paper aims to explain how the radicalization of prisoners in correctional institutions (Lapas) occurs through the perspective of Cultural Criminology. Radicalization takes place through a lifestyle and subculture of terrorist prisoners which is supported by the culture and the actual prison system which is the result of the interaction and agreement of the actors. All of the cultural aspects that shape radicalization are part of a unique prison culture, as the subculture of terrorism. By using qualitative methods, research data were collected through observation, interviews and the author's experience in interacting with various actors in several prisons. This paper …

“Sometimes I’M Just Wearing The Prosecutor Down”: An Exploratory Analysis Of Criminal Defense Attorneys In Plea Negotiations And Client Counseling, Jacqueline G. Lee, John W. Ropp

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

As plea bargains have proliferated in the criminal justice system, scholars have been working to better understand their mechanics. There have been a few recent examinations of plea bargaining, but the literature lacks qualitative research that gives the defense sufficient attention. Using a sample of courtroom practitioners in one large, urban county, we examine defense attorney bargaining and client counseling tactics. Results demonstrate that defense attorneys use a variety of strategies for negotiation, including sharing humanizing information about their clients with the prosecutor and utilizing delay tactics. Results also suggest that attorneys counsel their clients about plea offers in varying …

Substance Use And Life-Course Narratives For Criminally Involved Veterans, Tyler J. Marcheschi

Theses and Dissertations

Criminal justice involvement stemming from substance use is a common issue with whichmilitary veterans struggle. Research on substance use has indicated that a multitude of negative life-course outcomes can result for individuals who abuse substances. While prior research has studied the relationships between substance use and military veterans, there is little empirical analysis that focuses on the narrative accounts of veterans and their experiences with substance use. The goal of the current thesis is to expand on this topic by exploring how criminally involved veterans experience substance use and the perceived impact substance use has on the life-course according to …

The Prevalence Of Intimate Partner Violence And Victim Resources At Georgia Southern University, Elizabeth Lacey

Honors College Theses

The goal of this project is to measure the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among young adults in a college setting. Using an anonymous, self-report survey, college students at a large university in the south were asked about their experiences with IPV, as well as their knowledge and perceptions of victim’s services available on campus and in the community. Results reveal that IPV Is more prevalent among females and technology-related IPV is more prevalent among males at Georgia Southern University. In addition, the study found that compared to women, men are more informed about existing victim services.

American Police Violence, Racism, And Corruption, Ethan Gallagher

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

In this paper, I convey the serious need for change within the American police departments. In America, law enforcement has been systematically oppressed minorities for decades with no repercussions and has been protected by the corrupted system. It is time for new tactics to be implemented in America for dealing with civilians because the cops are not fulfilling their duty to protect the people anymore, they're hurting the people. Everyone in America now either hates the police or are terrified of them making a huge divide between everyone in the country. After seeing all the controversy that has transpired it's …

Proposal For The Development And Addition Of A Cybersecurity Assessment Section Into Technology Involving Global Public Health, Stanley Mierzwa, Saumya Ramarao, Jung Ah Yun, Bok Gyo Jeong

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

This paper discusses and proposes the inclusion of a cyber or security risk assessment section during the course of public health initiatives involving the use of information and communication computer technology. Over the last decade, many public health research efforts have included information technologies such as Mobile Health (mHealth), Electronic Health (eHealth), Telehealth, and Digital Health to assist with unmet global development health needs. This paper provides a background on the lack of documentation on cybersecurity risks or vulnerability assessments in global public health areas. This study suggests existing frameworks and policies be adopted for public health. We also propose …

Book Review: Computer Capers: Tales Of Electronic Thievery, Embezzlement, And Fraud. By Thomas Whiteside, Brian Nussbaum

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

No abstract provided.

Toward Mitigating, Minimizing, And Preventing Cybercrimes And Cybersecurity Risks, Claire Seungeun Lee

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Cybercrime and cybersecurity are emerging fields of research, shaped by technological developments. Scholars in these interconnected fields have studied different types of cybercrimes as well as victimization and offending. Increasingly, some of these scholars have focused on the ways in which cybercrimes can be mitigated, minimized, and even prevented. However, such strategies are often difficult to achieve in reality due to the human and technical factors surrounding cybercrimes. In this issue of the International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence and Cybercrime, three papers adequately address such challenges using college student samples and nationally representative samples, as well as a framework through …

Cyber-Situational Crime Prevention And The Breadth Of Cybercrimes Among Higher Education Institutions, Sinchul Back, Jennifer Laprade

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Academic institutions house enormous amounts of critical information from social security numbers of students to proprietary research data. Thus, maintaining up to date cybersecurity practices to protect academic institutions’ information and facilities against cyber-perpetrators has become a top priority. The purpose of this study is to assess common cybersecurity measures through a situational crime prevention (SCP) theoretical framework. Using a national data set of academic institutions in the United States, this study investigates the link between common cybersecurity measures, crime prevention activities, and cybercrimes. By focusing on the conceptualization of cybersecurity measures as SCP techniques, this study also offers the …

The Effects Of Self-Control On The Cyber Victim-Offender Overlap, Brooke Nodeland

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Increasingly, the overlap between victims and offenders has received empirical attention with regard to traditional forms of deviance. More recently, the growth of cyber offending has led to a need to examine whether traditional criminological theories can be used to explain these crimes in the same manner as traditional offenses. However, limited attention has been given to victim-offender overlap in cyber-offending. The current study uses a sample of American college students to examine the influence of self-control on cyber offending, cyber victimization, and the cyber victim-offender overlap. The results indicate that low self-control significantly predicts participation in cyber offending as …

Perceived Benefits And Barriers To Participation In Exercise Among Jordanian University Students, Khaldoun Hamdan

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

Insufficient physical activity is a risk factor for many non-communicable diseases, therefore; the purpose of this study is to examine university students’ perceived exercise benefits and barriers. This cross-sectional descriptive study used Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale to examine perceived benefits and barriers to exercise among a convenience sample of 517 university students in Jordan. Participants reported significantly higher perceived barriers to exercise than perceived benefits from exercise. The most important perceived barrier to exercise was “I am too embarrassed to exercise”. Moreover, “I will live longer if I exercise” and “exercising increases being accepted by others” were the most important perceived …

Project Management: A Help Or Hindrance A Collaborative Research, Ayman Abu-Rumman

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This small-scale mixed method study explored perceptions of how different project management approaches and tools are used by those working in industry and within academia, and how this may impact on collaborative research projects given their distinct and unique nature. The study also aimed to generate suggestions for how collaboration between industry and academia could be strengthened in the future. Underpinned by a phenomenological perspective, a survey and interviews were conducted with a sample of Jordanian professionals from different industry and academic organisations who had previous experience of working on collaborative research projects. The study identified, consistent with other studies, …

Build A Job Satisfaction Scale From The Views Of Aau Academic Staff In According With The Item Response Theory, Mohammed Marshoud

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The study aimed to build a job satisfaction scale from the views of AAU academic staff in according with the item response theory, where the population study consisted of all academic members at Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) for the year (2018/2017), and they approximately reach (257) academic members, the sample consisted of (154) academic members, which constituted 60 of the original study population, (92) males and (62) females who were randomly selected. The study tool was designed and built based on theoretical literature and scales on measuring job satisfaction at universities. the study tool consisted of (60) items which were …

The Level Teachers’ Knowledge In Public Education For Learning Disabilities Students In Regards Of Variables In Kuwait, Ahmad Saeedy

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

Knowledge, Teachers, learning difficulties, Kuwait, Training Experience

Review Of The Curving Techniques To Evaluate University Test Scores: A Critical And Analytical Study, Afif Rahma, Sophie Barguil

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This study presents a critical review of the proposed mathematical methods for curving students scores. Through the presentation of these methods, the study attempts to ask key questions such as: the causes of dispersion in the tests results, the criteria and principles on which the curving methods are based, the limits of application of these methods. The study also attempts to examine the role of the cognitive level of the student, the subjective factors related to the process of learning and teaching, the conditions of admission and registration in the university programs, and the impact of the above on the …