Legal Studies Commons^™

Weird Winter Weather In The Anthropocene: How Volatile Temperatures Shape Violent Crime, Christopher Thomas, Kevin T. Wolff

Publications and Research

Purpose: Current evidence suggests volatile temperatures are becoming more common because of climate change and can be expected to become even more frequent in the future. By focusing on recent temperature variability, we attempt to estimate one important dimension of the impact of climate change on violent crime. We also explore whether sudden upward temperature anomalies have stronger positive impacts on violent crime in the coldest months of the year, as routine activities are likely to change more drastically during this period.

Methods: This study explores the association between sudden temperature anomalies (both upward and downward) and the daily incidence …

The Relationship Between Sexting Behaviors And Image-Based Sexual Abuse (Ibsa): Does Sexting Predict Ibsa?, Seunghye Yang

Student Theses

With development of technology, Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA), a new type of sexual abuse, has emerged. It is defined as nonconsensually creating nude or sexual images of others; nonconsensually distributing nude or sexual images of others; and threatening to distribute nude or sexual images of others (Henry & Flynn, 2019; Powell et al., 2019). As this is a relatively new phenomenon, risk factors for IBSA are not yet well understood. It has been suggested that sexting may be a risk factor for IBSA as the two behaviors share some common characteristics. For example, both sexting and IBSA involve sending or …

The Punitive Laboratory Of Neoliberalism: A Cross-National Examination, Beth A. Fera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A large body of research has been produced to explain global punitive trends in recent decades. Neoliberalism, an economic philosophy expressed by market deregulation, privatization, and the retrenchment of social supports, has been offered as an explanation for increases in cross-national punitiveness. According to neoliberal penality theory, neoliberalism has shifted principles guiding punishment practices and the treatment of offenders, which has resulted in harsher national responses to crime. However, many tenets of this theory have not yet been tested empirically. Drawing heavily on propositions from neoliberal penality, group-threat, and penal populism literature, this dissertation examines the relationship between economic shifts, …

A Multifaceted, Non-Militarized Approach To Security Dynamics In Protected Areas: From Foot Patrols, To Tourism, And Local Communities, Monique Sosnowski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A wide range of interventions have been implemented to reduce wildlife poaching incidents across the globe. These include community-based strategies, such as the development of alternative livelihoods; legal strategies, such as the development of legal frameworks at local, regional, and international levels; and wildlife law enforcement efforts, such increasing patrolling efforts. While community-based and legal strategies generally attempt to reduce the motivating factors surrounding the commission of crimes, wildlife law enforcement further attempts to prevent crimes from happening, assuming that someone will always be inclined. Given this inevitability, the question is raised regarding how to best reduce the occurrence of …

Pathways To Offending: Domestic Sex Trafficking, Julie Williams

Dissertations

Multidisciplinary professionals across criminal justice, public policy, education, and health and

human services have all attempted to understand the complex phenomenon of sex trafficking to assist victims, correct offenders, and prevent future abuse. However, current research has struggled to agree on terms, definitions of terms, best measures of prevalence, and recommendations to address sex trafficking in the United States. This review of current literature aims to offer a synthesized framework to conceptualize domestic sex trafficking perpetrator behaviors (what they do), their uses of force, fraud, and coercion (how they do it), and their motivations and justifications/rationalizations for those behaviors (why …

Student Evaluations Of Teaching Are Mostly Awfully Wrong, Noel Otu, Ntiense E. Otu

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) have been used, researched, and debated for many decades. It is a common practice in higher education institutions, with the supposed purpose of improving course quality and effectiveness, but with unintended consequences of encouraging and motivating poor teaching and causing grade inflation. There is strong evidence that SET “effectiveness” does not measure teaching effectiveness. This paper reviews empirical research examining common concerns about the usefulness (positive and negative) and accuracy of SETs. The findings reveal that student satisfaction relates to their anticipated/expected grades in their courses; hence, they want to get good grades and their …

Measuring Success: An Evaluability Assessment For The Grand Forks Domestic Violence Court, Adam K. Matz, Roni Mayzer, Samantha Ledahl, Aj Buntrock

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

First implemented in the 1990s, specialized domestic violence courts represent one of several solutions developed to improve the response to domestic violence and enhance services for victims (Collins et al., 2021). Other solutions have included mandatory arrest and prosecutorial no-drop policies as well as increased funding support for victim services. There are reportedly over 300 DVCs in the United States as well as 50 in Canada and 100 in the United Kingdom (Eley, 2005; Gutierrez et al., 2016; Hemmens et al., 2020; Home Office, 2008; Tutty & Koshan, 2013). Based on input from a variety of key stakeholders including judges, …

Collusive Prosecution, Ben A. Mcjunkin, J.J. Prescott

Law & Economics Working Papers

In this Article, we argue that increasingly harsh collateral consequences have surfaced an underappreciated and undertheorized dynamic of criminal plea bargaining. Collateral consequences that mostly or entirely benefit third parties (such as other communities or other states) create an interest asymmetry that prosecutors and defendants can exploit in plea negotiations. In particular, if a prosecutor and a defendant can control the offense of conviction (often through what some term a “fictional plea”), they can work together to evade otherwise applicable collateral consequences, such as deportation or sex-offender registration and notification. Both parties arguably benefit: Prosecutors can leverage collateral consequences to …

The Relationship Between Social Mobilization, Crime, And Crime Control: A Longitudinal Analysis Of 900 Cities In The U.S. Between 1964-1995, Erin R. Coleman

Sociology ETDs

This dissertation explores the longitudinal relationships between social mobilization, crime, and crime control. The dataset used to explore these relationships combine Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data on crimes known to the police and crime clearances by arrest with decennial census data and data on reported social mobilization events reported in the New York Times between 1964-1995. The data include information from all these sources for over 900 cities in the U.S. Analyses model violent and property crime counts, and well as clearance by arrest rates in the month after the social mobilization events. Results show that social mobilization is often …

Problem Gambling, General-Strain Theory, And Gender, Michelle Malkin

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Prior research identified a host of factors that increase the likelihood that an individual will become a problem gambler, most of which would be identified by criminologists as “strains” under the framework of General Strain Theory (GST). Yet, GST has not been widely used as a possible explanation for why people become problem gamblers. In addition, there has been little examination of how gender interacts with those variables to affect problem gambling. In this research, I display how propositions from GST provide a framework for understanding why people become problem gamblers and whether gender is a moderating factor in this …

Social Creatures: The Impact Of Solitary Confinement On Psychophysiological Health And How Inmates Percieve Their Humanity And Social Well-Being, Julia Austin

Honors Projects

This paper will define and examine the use of solitary confinement within the United States prison system and review its mental, physical, and social impacts. As social creatures, human mental and physical well-being depends on meaningful social interactions absent in segregation units. As it currently stands, vulnerable populations, including racial minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those with developmental disabilities or psychological disorders, are at risk of irrevocable harm and abuse within these facilities from staff as well as other inmates. With a rotating 80,000 inmates held in solitary confinement every day, the current structure of the prison system deemphasizes rehabilitation and …

A New Pipeline: Building A Transformative Leadership Pipeline For Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Jackie Aguilar

Master's Projects and Capstones

While developing leadership roles for employers is critical to running an effective organization, building a bridge for those who have directly lived experiences regarding its mission is critical. Bringing back community members you have served to your organization is highly recommended and essential. This capstone research report will focus on building a leadership pipeline for formerly incarcerated individuals within the nonprofit sector. Returning community members can often be tokenized and are never given the tools and resources to develop as a leader. This report will outline the barriers formerly incarcerated individuals face while providing a foundation on the importance of …

Los Angeles Homeless Encampments: East Of Mainstreet, Desarey Castellanos

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Homelessness can impact a person’s ability to navigate public spaces, find employment, meet basic subsistence, and have access to essential social services. Instead, the long-term consequences of homelessness have been focused of the criminalization of unhoused people. This fieldwork analyzes the daily obstacles that individuals face east of main street in downtown Los Angeles. Although wide variation exists from different locations many challenges stemming from mental illness, substance use disorder, and ostracization from mainstream society make these circumstances increasingly difficult to navigate. All these factors are influenced by the policy environments that continuously impact these targeted populations. I will present …

Effect Of Child Abuse On Eating Disorders And Suicidal Behaviors, Hannah Lyons

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The broad range of psychological disorders and correlations with childhood upbringing has resulted in the creation of a complex connection between mental illness in adults as a result of childhood trauma. My research findings indicate that child abuse experienced during youth often leads to higher susceptibility to eating disorders in adulthood. Further, the research reflects that the type of child abuse experienced, influenced the type of eating disorder developed later in life. By researching the relationship of child abuse and eating disorders, it becomes evident that suicidal behaviors are also increased due to childhood experiences with abuse as well as …

Rights That Are Not Guaranteed: Failures Of Government Policy On Homelessness, Jeffrey Kaspraw

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Since the 1980s, the rising number of homeless people has caused the problem to become a significant political issue. Politicians have made promises in their campaigns to solve the emergency every election cycle. Most of these campaign promises never come to fruition, and we see a continuing rise in homelessness. This paper examines the political context of housing insecurity to argue that housing is a human right, and that homelessness is a failed policy decision. Homelessness comes in four different forms that all require individual attention. The current policies aimed to address homelessness cannot be one size fits all. While …

The Crisis Of Femicides In Mexico, Alejandra Vela

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Femicides are a growing issue in Mexico. These murders are intertwined with the incompetence of authorities, poverty, corruption, and organized crime. Authorities tend to blame victims by not taking missing reports seriously, nor do they conduct searches in these urgent situations. Authorities do not have DNA databases, space in morgues, and have little forensic science training. Ways of identifying remains involve odontology, bitemarks, and saliva. These provide a means of identifying through individual characteristics and DNA. Evidence is usually mishandled and not tested, or purposely lost to stop the investigation, thus, involving corruption. Criminal organizations, known as cartels, bribe authorities …

The Effects Of Marital Rape On A Woman’S Mental Health, Brisa Victorio

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Marital rape has been a topic that does not receive the awareness it needs. About 14% of married women experience marital rape in the United States, and of that fourteen percent, 77% of those cases go unreported. Women experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, higher levels of anger, fear, and guilt, and begin to hate their bodies, therefore causing their self-esteem to drop. Despite the argument that women who are raped by their husbands suffer less because they have already consented to having sexual relations, it is the opposite. Marital rape victims suffer more severe psychological consequences and for a …

The Student-Athlete Dilemma: The Hidden Truth, Andrew Jenkins

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This paper presents an in-depth analysis of student-athletes' challenges transitioning to college life. The findings indicate that many student-athletes struggle with adapting to the academic demands, navigating the social landscape, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. To address these issues, this paper recommends that universities implement comprehensive orientation programs that provide students with the necessary tools, resources, and support to succeed. Additionally, universities should offer targeted interventions such as mentoring, tutoring, and counseling to students who may be at risk of falling behind academically or experiencing mental health concerns. By taking a proactive approach, universities can ensure that students have …

Criminal Injustice: An Examination Of Racial Profiling And Discriminatory Police Practices In Canada And The United States, Patricia Advincula

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The Black Lives Matter movement swept across the United States after the murders of black people at the hands of law enforcement. Not fully acknowledged in the media are the police brutality cases that have also occurred in Canada, a country that prides itself on tolerance, acceptance, and diversity. Police brutality is an unfortunate reality that stems from racial profiling, one of the many symptoms of historically oppressive institutions. In this paper, I will examine police coercion and racial profiling in Canada and the United States. This paper will employ a theoretical framework of conflict theory and minority threat hypothesis …

Stigma Of Incarceration And Motivation Of Undergraduate Students For Service-Learning, Kapil Sharma

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Incarceration can be a long-lasting, stigmatizing life event that significantly impacts one's life and limits ex-offenders in various aspects of their life. The impact of widespread criminal records can obstruct reentry, economic stability, and full participation in society, whether minor, major, old, or new. The study aims to explore the stigma attached to incarceration and the motivation of undergraduate students for Service-Learning. Based on responses from three semi-structured interviews with students interns of the Records Clearance Project of San Jose State University, it was evident that after completing their sentences, ex-offenders come into many barriers that may prevent them from …

The Perpetuation Of Racial Inequalities In The Criminal Justice System, Chloe Bessette

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The criminal justice system is not necessarily just and is particularly unfair towards Black Americans. The research shows that they face discrimination in every step of the justice system, from initial arrest to sentencing. Many peer-reviewed sources were analyzed in order to compile the evidence that supports that claim, and what follows is a summation of that research. This paper succinctly proves, using facts, that discrimination and racism still run rampant in the American justice system. These facts include an over 50% higher chance of being killed during an arrest, five times as likely to be incarcerated, three times as …

Developing Qualitative Research Questions For Illinois Post-Release Prison Analysis, Kiera Eckhardt

Student Research – Stevenson Center

The Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council (SPAC) partnered with Dr. Kathryn Bocanegra of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to conduct a two part research study examining the impact of long term prison sentences in Illinois state facilities. This study is unique, in that it incorporates both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in its data collection and analysis. The purpose of this report is to exemplify the process used to develop the qualitative research interview questions for the UIC study. Components of this process, including relational meetings, and recommendations provided by stakeholders in the criminal legal system for conducting post-release …

Drug Ideologies Of The United States, Macy Montgomery

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The United States has been increasingly creating lenient drug policies. Seventeen states and Washington, the District of Columbia, legalized marijuana, and Oregon decriminalized certain drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. The medical community has proven that drugs, including marijuana, have myriad adverse health side effects. This leads to two questions: Why does the United States government continue to create lenient drug policies, and what reasons do citizens give for legalizing drugs when the medical community has proven them harmful? The paper hypothesizes that the disadvantages of drug legalization outweigh its benefits because of the numerous harms it causes, such as …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Their Correlation To College Major, Rachel Ling Xiu Held

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The term adverse childhood experiences or ACEs for short, is well known in many fields of study including criminal justice, psychology, social work, and education. There are a multitude of studies that compare ACEs with other risk factors, use ACEs as a comparison tool with other behavioral issues, as well as linking ACEs to criminality, mental health disorders, and physical health. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been identified as a key risk factor for a range of negative life outcomes, including a strong correlation in juvenile delinquency and crime. Despite many works regarding adverse childhood experiences and the ACE test, …

The Role Of Caregivers In Shelters For Women Experiencing Homelessness: A Victimological Approach, Paulina Aguilar Delgado

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Research shows that those who experience homelessness have both past traumatic events and experience trauma during their time on the streets. (Aguilar Delgado & Nunes, 2022). For these reasons, their recovery journey while they are temporarily housed in a homeless shelter is dependent on their own traumatic experiences and on the experiences of those who also reside in the shelter; this perpetuates their vulnerable condition and makes them almost entirely dependent on the caregivers in charge of that facility, even though the role of social service providers at organizations for combating homelessness is unclear. The purpose of this chapter is …

Criminal Justice Update - May 2023, Michael Klatt

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
• Updates from the Courts
• US Supreme Court
• PA Supreme Court
• PA Superior Court

Perceived Effectiveness Of Mental Health Rehabilitation On Recidivism, Sydni Spradlin

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

As the American criminal justice system moves towards rehabilitation over punishment it is important to see if rehabilitation of mental illness reduces recidivism rates on a large scale. As established by previous research (Gonzalez & Connell, 2014; see also, Osher, et al, 2003), people with mental health issues are notoriously ignored or not provided the proper treatment during incarceration and it is necessary to examine this connection so new policies can be implemented to help incarcerated Americans. By reducing recidivism the amount of people incarcerated is lowered, because most people incarcerated are repeat offenders (Bureau of Justice Statistics), saving America …

The Effect Of Social Influence, Patient Type, And Treatment Type On Ethical Medical Decision Making, Kessa Romero

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Laws are set into place in order to guarantee proper rights for U.S. citizens in need of medical care. Previous research suggests that public opinion of mental health influences the treatment of vulnerable populations diagnosed with mental illness. This study explored the ways in which social pressure to conform influences policies regarding prison inmates, children, and adults. It concludes with suggesting changes to existing policy. The present study was a 3x3 factorial design. The independent variables were public opinion (pro-issue, anti-issue, and no opinion) and type of ethical dilemma (forced medication on children, forced medication on prison inmate adults, involuntary …

Mind Over Matter: The Role Of Resilience, Crime Victimization, And Age At The Time Of Victimization On Psychological Health, Alana Compton

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between crime victimization, age at the time of victimization, psychological health, and resilience. Past research has shown that crime victimization has been linked to higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders, and that those who experience a traumatic event as a child are influenced more negatively than those who experience trauma as an adult. Additionally, resilience has been shown to mediate the influence that trauma has on an individual. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty and staff were surveyed to determine their …

Mental Health & Homelessness, Lucy Alimamy

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No specific gender, race, socioeconomic status, or occupation is exempt from the stigma associated with mental health issues. It has an impact on every person, both directly and indirectly. Women who have been victimized often suffer from mental illnesses that lead to additional victimization, such as homelessness. The main goal of this thesis is to inform and raise awareness of homelessness and mental illness. I hope that by sharing the information and data I will be collecting through my work, people will be inspired to help those in need in our neighborhoods and, in the long run, will contribute to …