Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Police Wellness, Autum Shurbert-Hetzel

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

A career in Law Enforcement allows people to build partnerships with community members to work towards a common goal of enhancing public safety through collaboration and trust. It's a rewarding yet often challenging career because officers must make split-second decisions in high-stress situations while working long hours and missing family events. Over time, police officers experience stressors from their jobs and personal lives that become overwhelming and difficult to navigate due to the unforeseen challenges of their chosen career in law enforcement. These challenges make it crucial for officers to find approaches that enable them to overcome these challenges that …

Harm Reduction In Corrections And Improved Treatment Programs, Aliceanne Pegg

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C in the United States corrections system is discussed. The importance of implementing harm-reduction strategies to help reduce the spread of bloodborne viruses is described. Also examined are rural communities' barriers to behavioral health and substance use treatment programs. The need for these treatment programs will be defined, and a policy to correct the issue will be proposed. These programs are not without criticism, and the ethics of implementing these programs are often called into question. Ethical considerations of these programs are considered, and an action plan is described to …

A Law Enforcement Leader's Response To Human Trafficking, Samuel Whitebear

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Law enforcement leaders must consider how their agency can effectively investigate human trafficking in their jurisdiction. These leaders are tasked with creating an agency culture that prioritizes ethical decision making, which directly affects variables such as officer training and officer treatment of trafficking victims during investigations. Ethically sound decision making has rewards, such as inspiring other leaders to act in a similar fashion. Human trafficking training with an emphasis on the thought-behavior link will enable officers to understand the motivations of both traffickers and victims. Untrained officers rely on biases and assumptions when interacting with sex workers. This is because …

Development And Implementation Of Mental Health Court: Benefits, Barriers, And Bridges, Nevada Smith

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The effective development and implementation of a specialty treatment court program such as a Mental Health Court is tedious, involved, and thorough; the impact of these comprehensive efforts is equally worthwhile, valuable, and substantial. The overall success of a mental health court program’s development and implementation derives from equal and intentional consideration of legal, ethical, and administrative factors. Considering these lenses collaboratively establishes the necessary groundwork for any new mental health court program in its infancy to build upon. This research expands on the ongoing statewide crisis involving individuals who are inadvertently left to slip through the cracks of the …

Solving Old Cases With New Technology, Philip Hodapp

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The State of Minnesota has seen a significant uptick in the homicide rate in the last ten years, and not all homicides are being solved. Due to a significant staffing shortfall across the state, but especially in the inner-city areas, police agencies are having a hard enough time keeping up with ongoing cases, let alone finding time to work on cold cases. With the advancement in DNA technology, including Forensic Genetic Genealogy, cases need to be re-examined to see if the new technology could spark life into older investigations.

Due to the rise in skepticism of policing today and the …

Ethical Problems Of Enforcing Justice In Death Note And Psycho-Pass Anime, Aldiyar Alen

CAFE Symposium 2025

What happens when justice is controlled by a single person or a powerful system? This research explores how Death Note and Psycho-Pass show the dangers of extreme justice. In Death Note, Light Yagami takes the law into his own hands, believing he can create a perfect world by eliminating criminals. In Psycho-Pass, an advanced AI system judges people before they even commit crimes, deciding their fate based on predictions. Both systems aim to reduce crime but end up threatening personal freedom and fairness. By comparing these stories, this study highlights the risks of justice without balance, questioning how …

Ever-Increasing Statistics Of Police Response To Mental Health Crisis Calls: Best Practices, Lauren Olson

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

This paper explores the evolving role of police officers in addressing mental health crises, emphasizing the challenges and ethical dilemmas they face due to insufficient training and resources. It highlights the need for specialized training, ethical guidelines, and collaboration with mental health professionals to equip officers better and ensure public safety.

The paper advocates for policy and practice shifts to address the growing demands on law enforcement in mental health situations. The rising trend of mental health calls presents significant challenges for police officers, who often lack the resources and training to provide appropriate assistance, resulting in higher incarceration rates …

Guggenheim, Macarthur Fellow To Address Class Of 2025, James Owsley Boyd

Keep Up With the Latest News from the Law School (blog)

Reginald Dwayne Betts, an internationally recognized poet, legal scholar, educator, and prison reform advocate, will serve as the 2025 Commencement speaker for the graduating classes of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

The Law School will recognize its graduating students on Saturday, May 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Indiana University Auditorium.

“Dwayne Betts has a remarkable story that resonates with audiences around the world,” said Dean Christiana Ochoa. “His journey from incarceration to inspiration is an example of how we can all make positive changes in our lives and make an impact on others. I’m grateful …

Inclusive Space For Everyone Door Sign (Printable 8.5 X 11 Inch), Joan H. Robinson

Open Educational Resources

This is a printable 8.5 x 11 inch door sign for faculty, staff, and administrators to let people know it is an inclusive space for everyone. For improved visibility, print with a color printer and cut along the dotted line.

See also: 11 x 17 inch door sign.

Venturing Into The Heartlands: Comparing Trauma-Informed Spaces In Urban And Rural Jurisdictions Through Field Observations, Ziwei Qi, April Terry

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study explores trauma-informed practices within courtroom settings in a Midwestern state, comparing urban and rural judicial districts through in-depth field observations. Using a semi-structured observational approach, we examined courtroom dynamics, environmental factors, and community influences to assess how trauma-informed design principles are applied. Our findings reveal notable contrasts: rural courtrooms grappled with resource limitations and conservative cultural influences, while urban settings displayed a fast-paced, often impersonal atmosphere. Socio-political factors, such as community values and political symbolism, emerged as significant influences on courtroom practices, shaping the receptiveness and implementation of trauma-informed approaches. Guided by Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis …

Criminal Justice Update - February 2025, Mia Agudelo

Criminal Justice Updates

The Criminal Justice Update is a monthly newsletter created by the Adams County Bar Foundation Fellow providing updates in criminal justice policy coming from Pennsylvania's courts and legislature as well as the US Supreme Court.

Contents:

• Updates from PA Governor's Office (no updates this month)
• Updates from the PA Legislature (no updates this month)
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Superior Court: Criminal Law & Procedure

Physical Fitness And Wellness In Law Enforcement, Tavion Buchanan

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Long hours, shift work, and general poor nutrition factor into a multitude of reasons why first responders are obese, suffering from mental illnesses, and dying at a faster rate than the general public. First responders also suffer from PTSD, alcoholism, and commit suicide as a direct result of the horrendous things they see and respond to. Administrators should attempt to mitigate these issues by leading from the front when it comes to physical fitness and mental health. Administrators should also give first responders ample opportunity to work on their mental health and physical wellbeing. Law enforcement is one of the …

Recruitment And Retention In Law Enforcement, Jefferson Dennis

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

This capstone paper covered the topic of recruitment and retention. It detailed issues around this topic and ways to improve it. United States law enforcement agencies face challenges when recruiting qualified personnel, including issues related to image, working under stress, low pay scale, and disciplined organizations. Topics were analyzed through administrative, ethical, legal, and legislative lenses. The study outlines comprehensive policy changes that include a broad and competitive pay structure, increased support to mental health workers, better community outreaches, and product modernization in recruitment and retention.

Solving The Public Defense Crisis In Kansas, Malia N. Brink, Pamela R. Metzger

Deason Center Reports

Kansas has a constitutional obligation to provide counsel to any arrested person who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. But attorney shortages in Kansas threaten this core constitutional right. According to the American Bar Association, there are an average of four attorneys per 1,000 people nationwide. However, only six of Kansas’s 105 counties have two or more attorneys per 1,000 people. In 44 counties, there is just one attorney or fewer per 1,000 residents. The situation is particularly worrisome in rural Kansas. In 2023, nearly half of Kansas’s population lived in rural counties, but 80% of its lawyers lived …

The Effect Of Voir Dire Variations On Juror Disclosures, Joshua A. Haby

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Voir dire, sometimes referred to as jury selection, is the legal process the court uses to pursue an impartial jury. The presiding judge controls many aspects of how voir dire proceeds. In deciding voir dire variations, the judge presumably engages in a calculus weighing factors like the goal of voir dire, time, and specific trial needs to determine appropriate procedures. Certain procedures are considered expansive and others limited. Where expansive procedures provide more information from jurors, they may take longer; limited procedures may be more expeditious but limit access to information from jurors (Hans and Jehle, 2003; Mize, Hannaford-Agor, and …

Does Treatment Setting In Ati Matter? An Examination Of Completion Rates And The Role Of Violent Charges Among Individuals With Co-Occurring Disorders, George J. Anderson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Despite the proliferation of alternatives to incarceration (ATI) for individuals with co-occurring disorders in recent decades, little is known about comparative styles of treatment used in this context. The following study uses data from a case management service in a large urban city (n=273) where several types of treatment are utilized in the ATI landscape. Specifically, this study compares ATI completion rates and time to completion or failure for several styles of treatment: clinic-based outpatient, residential, assertive community treatment (ACT) and personalized recovery-oriented services (PROS) programs. Results of a logistic regression indicate that individuals initially referred to residential treatment had …

Exploring Modern Data Accessibility Surrounding Police-Involved Killings Of Black Citizens, Chloe Robinson, Jenna L. Borseth

The Guardianship Journal

The need for greater data transparency regarding police-involved killings has been a recurring issue raised by scholars in the field. With limited means of using official policing data, research in the area of police-involved fatalities and other critical policing issues has relied on alternative data sources. While the government has historically failed to instill a mechanism for systematically collecting this information, the development of the Use-of-Force Data Collection in 2019 was an initial step in improving data transparency. The current study seeks to reassess the accessibility and utility of various data sources following the publication of the Use-of-Force Data Collection. …

Cerrando La Brecha: Difusión Virtual De La Cultura Maya Para La Conciencia Pública Y La Preservación, Ana María Vera Arias, Dr. Lilia Lucia Lizama Aranda, Brenda Marin, José Montesino

Journal of Maya Heritage

En este artículo se aborda el origen, los métodos y el resultado del ciclo de conferencias de divulgación virtual organizado por el Centro del Patrimonio Maya en colaboración con Arqueólogos sin Fronteras del Mundo Maya, esto con el objetivo de compartir conocimientos y generar conciencia sobre diversas facetas de la cultura maya. La pregunta central gira en torno a cómo se pueden comunicar efectivamente las complejidades y la rica herencia de la cultura maya a una audiencia no especializada. Como resultado, encontró que las conferencias de divulgación virtual fueron un método adecuado para ampliar el interés sobre la cultura maya …

Louboutin Lawfare: Exploring Conceptions Of Sanctions' Utility Through Export Controls On Luxury Goods, Vinita R. Singh

Northwestern University Law Review

There is widespread consensus amongst scholars that sanctions—the deliberate withdrawal of customary trade and financial relations—do not work. Despite this perception, states are deploying sanctions at an increasing rate. This Article explains this paradox by arguing the predominant notion of sanctions’ utility employed by scholars is unduly constrained, narrowly focusing on the ability of such measures to modify the behavior of sanctioned parties while disregarding the alternative benefits this instrument can deliver. To support this argument, this Article uses export controls on luxury goods deployed in connection with the Russo–Ukraine War as a case study. Under prevailing perceptions of sanctions’ …

The Manipulation Of Odor Availability Of Training Aids Used In Detection Canine Training, Katylynn B. Sloan, Michele N. Maughan, Caitlin E. Sharpes, Robin R. Greubel, Shawna F. Gallegos, Aleksandr E. Miklos, Lindsay D. Waldrop

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Detection canines can identify numerous substances for which they have been trained. Historically, and a point of ongoing contention, detection canine threshold (i.e., sensitivity or limit of detection) training has primarily focused on changing the weight of the training aid substance used. There has been minimal focus on other principles, such as surface area, confinement, and temperature, which can be manipulated to affect odor availability. That said, trainers have been manipulating odor availability for years without necessarily understanding the governing scientific principles. The aim of this review is to highlight the principles that control odor availability of a substance and …

Urban Security And The Crisis Of Values In A Risk Society: Elements For Reflection And Research, Bahamou Abdelilah, Abdelghani Chafik

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract: Urban security has become one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, shaped by the complexities of modern urban life. As cities grow and evolve, they face unprecedented security challenges that transcend traditional notions of crime prevention. These challenges encompass social, cultural, economic, and psychological dimensions, deeply intertwined with societal transformations.

In the context of what sociologist Ulrich Beck refers to as the "risk society," rapid globalization, technological advancement, and cultural diffusion have disrupted traditional social values. This disruption has created environments of uncertainty and fear, where mutual trust and social cohesion are eroded. As Émile Durkheim …

Criminal Justice Update - January 2025, Mia Agudelo

Criminal Justice Updates

The Criminal Justice Update is a monthly newsletter created by the Adams County Bar Foundation Fellow providing updates in criminal justice policy coming from Pennsylvania's courts and legislature as well as the US Supreme Court.

Contents:

• Updates from PA Governor's Office (no updates this month)
• Updates from the PA Legislature (no updates this month)
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Superior Court: Criminal Law & Procedure

Design And Implementation Of In-Prison Restorative Justice Programs: Insights On Leadership Challenges, Jonathan Paul Branch

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this case study is to provide direct insight into effective strategies for designing and implementing an in-prison restorative justice program. Mass incarceration remains a deeply entrenched characteristic of the U.S. criminal justice system, and prisons pose unique challenges to restorative practices, which literature on the subject often describe in general terms. By focusing on one organization successfully implementing in-prison restorative justice, the study aims at specifically illustrating how the prison system impedes attempts at providing restorative services and what practitioners might do to circumvent or otherwise mitigate those challenges. The study is guided by the following primary …

Stigma And Isolation: The Lived Experiences Of Male Sexual Assault Survivors In College, Vanessa Vela

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Male sexual assault survivors on college campuses face barriers to disclosure, support, and recovery due to stigma, societal expectations of masculinity, and inadequate institutional resources. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of six male survivors of sexual assault enrolled in college, focusing on their perceptions of sexual violence before and after their assault, the psychological burden of disclosure, and their experiences with available support systems. Participants described challenges including rape myths, feelings of isolation, fear of emasculation, and limited access to gender-inclusive resources. While online communities provided some support, institutional services often failed to meet their needs due …

Injustice Behind Bars: Mental Health And 8th Amendment Right Violations Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Aleana Tavarez

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

In this law review, the author will explore the crucial intersection between mental health and the rights created by the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The author will highlight the prevalence of mental illness among incarcerated individuals and the insufficient treatment they receive, which can worsen their overall conditions and result in serious consequences. Although the Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, the systemic neglect of mental health care in prisons often leads to violations of these rights. Through a combination of case studies and legal analysis, this thesis will examine how the lack of inadequate mental health …

Family Matters: Rhode Island Specialty Courts’ Impact On Family Reunification Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Cassie Pay

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

United States Family Courts handle intimately personal matters of immense consequence for individuals who find themselves involved with this court system. Family is the cornerstone of American society and individual lives; however, in many cases, children are separated from their parents if they have been abused, neglected, or their parents are unable to properly care for them. When family separation occurs, courts and family services must make every effort to reunify the family within a timely manner so long as it is safe to do so. Though Rhode Island has one of the smallest populations of all the states, there …

Should Decisions Of Independent Accountability Mechanisms Be Binding?, Lalanath De Silva, Giada Giacomini

Perspectives

In this essay, it is argued that IAMs should be empowered with binding decision-making authority to enhance their effectiveness and ensure that justice is served, and remedies delivered. This argument is supported by analyzing the right of access to justice. Further, this essay analyses existing mechanisms with binding decision-making power that have already been created or acknowledged by IFIs; these mechanisms include IFI administrative tribunals for employees, arbitration processes for commercial disputes, integrity related sanctions regimes, and the appeal bodies that hear access to information decisions. The IFIs’ embrace of binding decisions in these contexts demonstrates that nothing prevents IFIs …

Why Domestic Violence Offenders Don't Give Up Their Guns, Natalie Nanasi

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Perpetrators of intimate partner violence are barred by federal law and many states' laws from possessing firearms. While such prohibitions enjoy popular support, they are sporadically and inconsistently enforced, placing the lives of survivors at risk when offenders do not voluntarily comply. Many experts, including this author, have offered legal and policy solutions to increase the likelihood that perpetrators of domestic violence will either willingly relinquish their guns or otherwise be dispossessed of them. But these proposals may have been premature.

This Article is the first to take a step back and inquire why offenders do not surrender their firearms …

Oer Review: Research Methods For Criminal Justice Students, Youngki Woo

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Building upon these foundational works and leveraging extensive experience and expertise in conducting qualitative and quantitative research within social science settings, Monica Williams, the author of Research Methods for Criminal Justice Students, has crafted a well-designed research methods textbook. This comprehensive guide is designed for both undergraduate and graduate students in criminal justice. It draws on Williams’ extensive academic career, which includes conducting a wide range of research projects, analyzing empirical data, and publishing peer-reviewed journal articles. The textbook covers various research methodologies such as surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews, observation, focus groups, content analysis, and secondary analysis of …

Critical Approaches To Climate-Induced Migration Research And Solutions, Rosalyn Negrón, David Hernández, Hossein Ayazi, Pablo Shiladitaya Bose, Nyingilanyeofori Brown, Elora Chowdhury, Janelle Knox-Hayes, Rajini Srikanth, Banu Subramaniam, Farhana Sultana, Patrick Sylvain, Carlos Vargas-Ramos, Charles Venator-Santiago

Sustainable Solutions Lab

In this commentary we explore the confluence of factors shaping climate-induced migration and the need for comprehensive solutions grounded in historical and systemic understandings. We argue that climate change, colonial legacies, and geopolitical policies significantly influence migration patterns, particularly for historically marginalised communities. We call for scholars to develop holistic frameworks that consider environmental, political, historical, and economic factors while advocating for the legal recognition and protection of migrants and people displaced by climate impacts. Drawing on examples of internal migration and displacement in the United States and refugee camps globally, we highlight the complexities of resettlement. We propose integrated …