Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Criminology and Criminal Justice (112)
- Forensic Science and Technology (61)
- Law (49)
- Sociology (25)
- Other Legal Studies (17)
-
- Medicine and Health Sciences (13)
- Criminology (12)
- Life Sciences (10)
- Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance (10)
- Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration (9)
- Criminal Law (8)
- Law Enforcement and Corrections (8)
- Evidence (7)
- Library and Information Science (7)
- Entomology (6)
- Mental and Social Health (6)
- Political Science (6)
- Constitutional Law (5)
- Education (5)
- Psychiatric and Mental Health (5)
- Psychology (5)
- Courts (4)
- Criminal Procedure (4)
- Information Literacy (4)
- Law and Race (4)
- Legal Theory (4)
- Psychiatry and Psychology (4)
- Public Policy (4)
- Keyword
-
- Forensic science (24)
- Mental health (7)
- Justice Studies (6)
- Race (6)
- Incarceration (5)
-
- Policing (5)
- Recidivism (5)
- Crime (4)
- Expungement (4)
- Forensics (4)
- Homelessness (4)
- Justice studies (4)
- Mass incarceration (4)
- Police officers (4)
- Post-mortem interval (4)
- Canada (3)
- Confirmation bias (3)
- Crime scene investigation (3)
- Deinstitutionalization (3)
- Democracy (3)
- Education (3)
- Entomology (3)
- Ethics (3)
- Forensic entomology (3)
- Human rights (3)
- Mental illness (3)
- Police militarization (3)
- Prison (3)
- Record clearance (3)
- Reentry (3)
- Publication Year
- Publication
- Publication Type
Articles 91 - 120 of 168
Full-Text Articles in Legal Studies
Physical Match: Uniqueness Of Torn Paper, Marilyn Aguilar
Physical Match: Uniqueness Of Torn Paper, Marilyn Aguilar
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
In the forensic science field, it is generally accepted that all tears and fractures are unique; however, there is limited scientific evidence to support this. This study tests the claim that all tears are unique, focusing on paper. One-hundred Office Depot brand 3” x 5” blank, white index cards were torn in half by hand. Six halves were randomly removed; the remaining 94 halves were mixed and then matched by a novice using end-match analysis. The removal of the 6 random halves left 44 matching pairs. Of the remaining halves, all 44 pairs were correctly matched. The results show that …
Novice Ideas: Handwriting Comparisons Conducted By An Untrained Individual, Maia Lister
Novice Ideas: Handwriting Comparisons Conducted By An Untrained Individual, Maia Lister
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Forensic analysis of questioned documents includes chemical analyses of paper and ink as well as handwriting comparisons. Several elements affect handwriting analyses, including the presence of discriminatory factors that can individualize a handwriting sample and whether the handwriting has been disguised. Five handwriting samples were gathered from six individuals comprising of one reference, three natural unknowns, and one disguised sample per person. A novice conducted analyses on every collected sample and conducted comparisons of the reference sample to the unknown and disguised samples in an attempt to correctly source the unknown and disguised samples. The novice showed a high level …
Justifying Justice: Six Factors Of Wrongful Convictions And Their Solutions, Colby Duncan
Justifying Justice: Six Factors Of Wrongful Convictions And Their Solutions, Colby Duncan
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
There have been over 300 post-conviction DNA exonerations in the history of the United States. While this number may initially seem significant, there is still an unfathomable population of wrongfully convicted prisoners who have yet to be considered for retrials. Unaddressed wrongful conviction cases highlight the unacceptable weaknesses in the U.S. justice system, weaknesses that include poor investigative tactics and the acceptance or allowance of inaccurate and unreliable evidence. This paper will dutifully analyze the causes that lead to wrongful convictions and amply discuss potential solutions, all of which includes eyewitness misidentification, improper forensics, false confessions, informants, government misconduct, and …
The Accumulation Of Wear On Footwear Pattern Analysis, Sarah Pawloski
The Accumulation Of Wear On Footwear Pattern Analysis, Sarah Pawloski
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Wear is defined as the erosion of a shoe’s outsole or the loss of tread pattern, and it happens gradually over time with use. After a shoeprint is collected from a crime scene, it is questioned whether an individualization can be made if an exemplar is created after additional use of the shoe. The shoes of ten volunteers at San Jose State University were analyzed over a period of 40-45 days. Wear and Randomly Acquired Characteristics (RACs) were analyzed over time to determine if there were any observable changes or additions to the already present wear. It was hypothesized that …
Determination Of Vehicle Speed From Recorded Video Using Reverse Projection Photogrammetry And File Metadata, Brandon Epstein, Bryce Westlake
Determination Of Vehicle Speed From Recorded Video Using Reverse Projection Photogrammetry And File Metadata, Brandon Epstein, Bryce Westlake
Faculty Publications
The prevalence of security and in‐car video has increased the number of motor vehicle accidents captured on digital video. However, inconsistencies in how to accurately determine time and distance for vehicle speed has led to examinations with varying results. A potential solution for calculating time intervals is to use frame timing contained within many digital video file's metadata, recorded with 0.000001 sec precision. This paper examines a fatal motor vehicle accident where frame timing information was used with distance measurements from reverse projection photogrammetry to calculate vehicle speed. A margin of error was then calculated based on the accuracy in …
Police Legitimacy In Trinidad And Tobago: Resident Perceptions In A High-Crime Community, Ericka B. Adams
Police Legitimacy In Trinidad And Tobago: Resident Perceptions In A High-Crime Community, Ericka B. Adams
Faculty Publications
Violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago has increased over the last two decades, yet the police have been largely unsuccessful in reducing violence. Between 1999 and 2016, the murder rate increased by 475%. Despite the fact that the murder rate has increased, approximately 76 homicides are cleared each year, resulting in a low-homicide clearance rate. Using 40 semi-structured interviews with community members from a high-crime, low-income community in Trinidad and Tobago, this study examines residents’ experiences with police officers, and respondents’ willingness to work with the police to clear criminal cases. The results indicate that due to a lack of …
The Impact Of Gangs On Community Life In Trinidad, Ericka Adams, Patrice Morris, Edward Maguire
The Impact Of Gangs On Community Life In Trinidad, Ericka Adams, Patrice Morris, Edward Maguire
Faculty Publications
Trinidad and Tobago has more than 100 criminal gangs, some of which engage in high levels of homicide and violence. Recent research has shown that gang members in Trinidad and Tobago are more likely than nongang members to be arrested for violent, property, and drug crimes. As gangs continue to proliferate throughout the Caribbean, there is a pressing need to understand the nature of these gangs and their impact on the communities in which they are entrenched. Using data from interviews with community members, police officials, and gang members, as well as ethnographic observations from 10 high crime, predominantly Black …
Trans Women In Incarceration: Housing, Healthcare, And Humanity, Stanislaw Bielous
Trans Women In Incarceration: Housing, Healthcare, And Humanity, Stanislaw Bielous
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
This paper seeks to analyze the experience of male-to-female transgender inmates housed in men’s prisons and to propose housing and healthcare policies with humanity and safety for all in mind. To do this, the paper examines gender dysphoria and its treatments, transgender prisoners’ increased risk of victimization, current housing placement policies, and lastly, transgender prison healthcare practices. Ultimately, this paper proposes the use of fair and adequately trained panel-based placement teams, the provision of comprehensive mental and physical health care and the establishment of impartial grievance procedures.
Lacking Regulated Policy For Dna Evidence, Maia Lister
Lacking Regulated Policy For Dna Evidence, Maia Lister
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Despite its strong presence in criminal justice, DNA analysis is still a minimally regulated area. This minimal regulation devalues DNA evidence through the inconsistencies in these areas. The analysis methods of low template DNA lack a uniform method resulting in varying levels of reliability. Utilizing familial searches to assist in criminal investigations can potentially violate citizen rights. Such violations can also be found in the collection of DNA samples before an arrestee is tried or convicted. There are, however, regulations that could be applied universally to combat the problems that were discussed.
The Victimization Of The Misconceived: The Mentally Ill In The Criminal Justice System, Margarita Trejo
The Victimization Of The Misconceived: The Mentally Ill In The Criminal Justice System, Margarita Trejo
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
It is unfortunate to say that the number of people who suffer from a serious mental illness has been drastically increasing in the criminal justice system since the late 1960s. This drastic change has captivated the minds of the public, forced them to develop a fallacious stereotype, and labeled the mentally ill population as wrongdoers. This image, however, is inaccurate. In reality, these people are the victims of a broken system. This paper establishes the victimization that a person with a serious mental illness experiences as they are processed through the criminal justice system. The following elaborates how victimization is …
Increasing Police Accountability And Improving Use Of Force Policies In The United States, Leica Kwong
Increasing Police Accountability And Improving Use Of Force Policies In The United States, Leica Kwong
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Communities, and their respective police departments, have significant impacts on the social and legal matters they are involved with, making it crucial for both parties to strive to maintain strong, collaborative relationships. Positive interactions between police and the public are therefore extremely vital and beneficial to all involved. Police officers should be held accountable for their transgressions and subject to transparency for their on-duty actions through legal records. Several issues lie in the policies and procedures which requires more attention in its analysis. Changing policies and procedure in the United States regarding police use of force to remedy inconsistencies calls …
Domestic And International Firearm Laws: Can Implementation Be Used To Nationally Decrease Firearm Violence And Mass Shootings, Kenneth Banuelos
Domestic And International Firearm Laws: Can Implementation Be Used To Nationally Decrease Firearm Violence And Mass Shootings, Kenneth Banuelos
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The issue of firearm violence in the United States is highly controversial, as there are sound arguments on both sides of the discussion. Advocates of stricter gun laws often refer to both international and domestic examples that highlight the effectiveness of more restrictive firearm policies. Japan and Australia are two such countries that are continually referred to when a tragedy, such as a mass shooting, occurs in the United States and initial reactions often emphasis a need for fewer guns in the general public. Opposition to the proposed reforms of firearm policies cite the importance of the Second Amendment which …
Prison Rehabilitation: The Sociological, Physiological, And Psychological Effects Of Animal-Assisted Interventions, Daisy Corleto
Prison Rehabilitation: The Sociological, Physiological, And Psychological Effects Of Animal-Assisted Interventions, Daisy Corleto
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
This paper examines animal-assisted interventions as a new form of rehabilitation in the prison setting. It focuses specifically on the multiple benefits that this form of therapy/intervention can bring to inmates, such as the reduction in recidivism and the acquirement of new skills. Additionally, this paper considers the reasons for which rehabilitation in general is necessary in order to truly transform an individual. The first section provides a brief history of AAI in the prison environment and its effects on the prisoners. The paper then transitions to an account of analyzing the sociological, physiological, and psychological effects of AAI on …
Officer-Involved Domestic Violence: The Mediating Factors, Isaac Baron
Officer-Involved Domestic Violence: The Mediating Factors, Isaac Baron
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Domestic and family violence has been a critical issue in contemporary society. Efforts have been made in researching the causes, effects, and mediating factors of domestic violence in relation to the workplace. Studies demonstrate that a relationship between conflict crossing over from the work to the home environment exist. Additional studies demonstrate that domestic violence does affect the workplace; however, there is little to no scientific data on the reverse relationship. The reverse relationship regards whether the workplace affects the occurrence of domestic violence. This research paper will dive into this topic, and on the lack of data available. Supporting …
Medical Apartheid: A Book Review, Carmen Kennedy
Medical Apartheid: A Book Review, Carmen Kennedy
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
No abstract provided.
Review, The New Era Of Secret Law, Patrice Mcdermott
Review, The New Era Of Secret Law, Patrice Mcdermott
Secrecy and Society
In a recent Brennan Center report, The New Era of Secret Law, Elizabeth (Liza) Goitein articulates, examines, and evaluates the claims for and objections to secret law. Under this banner, the report includes any law that is withheld from the public, regardless of whether it may be shared among agencies or with certain members or committees of Congress.” Goitein’s underlying goal is to propose procedural and substantive reforms. Secret Law is a deeply-researched and highly valuable policy brief with an aim of making specific policy recommendations. And readable to boot.
Hyperspectral Measurements Of Immature Lucilia Sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Raised On Different Food Substrates, Jodie A. Warren, T. D. Pulindu Ratnasekera, David A. Campbell, Gail S. Anderson
Hyperspectral Measurements Of Immature Lucilia Sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Raised On Different Food Substrates, Jodie A. Warren, T. D. Pulindu Ratnasekera, David A. Campbell, Gail S. Anderson
Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity
Immature Lucilia sericata (Meigen) raised on beef liver, beef heart, pork liver and pork heart at a mean temperature of 20.6°C took a minimum of 20 days to complete development. Minimum development time differences within stages were observed between the meat types (pork/beef), but not the organ types (liver/heart). Daily hyperspectral measurements were conducted and a functional regression was completed to examine the main effects of meat and organ type on daily spectral measurements. The model examined post feeding larval spectral measurements of insects raised on beef liver alone, the effect of those raised on pork compared with those raised …
“I’Ve Risen Up From The Ashes That I Created”: Record Clearance And Gendered Narratives Of Self-Reinvention And Reintegration, Elsa Chen, Ericka Adams
“I’Ve Risen Up From The Ashes That I Created”: Record Clearance And Gendered Narratives Of Self-Reinvention And Reintegration, Elsa Chen, Ericka Adams
Faculty Publications
Record clearance allows some individuals to redesignate or remove certain minor convictions from their criminal records. This interview-based study finds that both men and women seek opportunities for personal gain through record clearance, but women are more motivated by moral and religious influences and concern about reputation. Women are also more likely than men to acknowledge personal flaws, and to desire to replace criminal identities with law-abiding identities. As women redefine their identities, caregiving is especially important as a personal obligation and professional aspiration. Record clearance is particularly compatible with women’s motivations, willingness to change, and personal and professional goals.
Minimum Education Requirements For Crime Scene Investigators, Araseli Saldivar
Minimum Education Requirements For Crime Scene Investigators, Araseli Saldivar
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The initial crime scene investigation is critical since it is the primary step in the investigative process; therefore, individuals assigned to process a scene should be highly educated. Improperly educated (or uneducated) crime scene investigators (CSIs) can mishandle evidence during an investigation, affecting the outcome of cases. The minimum education requirement for CSIs should transition from a high school diploma—the current requirement—toward a bachelor’s degree. The importance of acquiring a college-level education is observed in a study conducted on crime scene examiners in Australia. To determine the educational requirement for CSIs in the United States, information was gathered electronically from …
Optimizing Collection Of Trace Biological Samples From Vehicle Headrests, Kevin Tang, Jesse Ramirez, John Bond, Jocelyn Weart, Yvette Delatorre, Ian Fitch, Steven Lee
Optimizing Collection Of Trace Biological Samples From Vehicle Headrests, Kevin Tang, Jesse Ramirez, John Bond, Jocelyn Weart, Yvette Delatorre, Ian Fitch, Steven Lee
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Tape-lifting and swabbing are two methods commonly used for collecting biological samples in the United Kingdom and United States to investigate vehicle crimes. Determining the optimal collection method may lead to an increase in generating DNA profiles and crime-solving. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of adhesive tape and the double-swab collection methods for investigating vehicle crimes with possible touch DNA samples. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of tape-lifts and swabs on spiked common vehicle fabric materials. The efficiency of recovery between the two collection methods was performed using qPCR. The results from …
How Japan’S Cultural Norms Affect Policing: A Side-By-Side Comparison With The United States, Katrina Tran
How Japan’S Cultural Norms Affect Policing: A Side-By-Side Comparison With The United States, Katrina Tran
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The ways of policing have been critiqued throughout the years—some have advocated for a direct approach while others value diplomatic techniques. Consideration is emphasized by how culture affects policing in the United States and Japan. In the United States, the customs of policing involve violence, individualism, pragmatism, social mobility, and low power distance, whereas Japan encourages non-violence, face-saving, conservatism, and high power distance. The difference in these cultural norms reflects how policing is conducted in these two countries. To understand how policing in these two countries are different, this paper examines the difference of cultural norms and its impact on …
Narcissistic Traits Of Police Officers In America, Paloma Moran
Narcissistic Traits Of Police Officers In America, Paloma Moran
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The narcissistic traits of police officers aged 17 to 78 in the United States affect American citizens in various degrees. Improvements made to pre-employment psychological evaluations, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), the L (Lie) Scale, and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), may detect and screen out police officer candidates with underlying Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). It is important that candidates with NPD be screened out as, if they become officers, they may commit acts of police misconduct, which greatly affect the safety and trust of the American people.
Body-Worn Cameras: Reducing Citizen Complaints And Improving Relationships, Julie Bui
Body-Worn Cameras: Reducing Citizen Complaints And Improving Relationships, Julie Bui
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Video recordings of police-citizen interactions, most notably those obtained from the dashboard cameras (dashcams) of police cars, have been successful in objectively capturing police-citizen exchanges. However, since police-civilian interactions do not solely occur in front of police cars, dashcams present significant limitations. Off-camera violent, and sometimes fatal, encounters (such as the notorious Ferguson case) have fueled increased public support for body-worn cameras. This is especially true in cases with conflicting accounts from the officer(s), victim(s), and witness(es). Requiring officers to wear bodycams may reduce incidents of force and citizen complaints, and increase officer accountability. This paper will present peer-reviewed research …
Solitary Confinement: Social Death And Its Afterlives, Jen Rushforth
Solitary Confinement: Social Death And Its Afterlives, Jen Rushforth
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
No abstract provided.
Mass Shootings And The Media: How Race And Ethnicity Influence Media Coverage, Emily Wheeler
Mass Shootings And The Media: How Race And Ethnicity Influence Media Coverage, Emily Wheeler
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Topics related to crime and the criminal justice system comprise a majority of topics discussed in the media. This study explores how media coverage of mass shootings varies based on the racial or ethnic identity of the shooter. Topics examined include popular beliefs and misconceptions about the race of mass murderers, the role mass media plays in influencing public perceptions about race and crime related topics, and the alarming rate at which the public recognizes and accepts the media as a reliable source of information when official data sources provide a much different picture. Further analysis of the Columbine High …
An Evaluation Of Escience Lab Kits For Online Learning, Diana Orozco
An Evaluation Of Escience Lab Kits For Online Learning, Diana Orozco
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Higher education online science courses generally lack the hands-on components essential in understanding theories, methods, and techniques in chemistry and biology. Companies like eScience Labs construct kits to facilitate online learning, which provide students with hands-on activities relevant to their science courses. In order to evaluate ease, efficacy, and comprehension of the forensic science kits by eScience Labs was completed while writing observations of the activities during and after completion; the lab manual learning objectives were compared to results of activities and two stopwatches took elapsed time of each activity to compare with the stated times in the kit manual. …
Physical Match: Unique Fracture Patterns In Wooden Popsicle Sticks, Yiu Ming Sunny Lau
Physical Match: Unique Fracture Patterns In Wooden Popsicle Sticks, Yiu Ming Sunny Lau
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Physical match (or physical fit) evidence was considered reliable in court for years, until the Daubert case, which required standardized scientific methodology on all forensic evidence. Physical matching faces the same criticism as other forms of physical evidence (specifically, that it lacks a scientific foundation). Physical matching is based on the idea that when an object is fractured, the shape of each fragment is unique and it is not possible to recreate a fragment that is identical to any other. In this study, fifty wooden popsicle sticks were broken in half, the pieces were mixed, and then reconstructed using physical …
Forensics’ Fight: A Need For Aggressive Strategies Against Confirmation Bias, Madison Mcgowan
Forensics’ Fight: A Need For Aggressive Strategies Against Confirmation Bias, Madison Mcgowan
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences produced a lengthy report illuminating significant weaknesses present within the forensic community. One complex fault found in forensics was conformation bias. Since it is within human nature to make decisions based on contextual information, assumptions, and pre-held opinions, confirmation bias is an issue that will continue to persist. Therefore, stronger efforts must be made to recognize and abate the problem of bias within the field of forensics in order to preserve the notion that forensic science exists to serve principles of both truth and justice. Accordingly, this paper argues for the fight against …
Spectral Signatures Of Immature Lucilia Sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Jodie-A. Warren, T. D. Pulindu Ratnasekera, David A. Campbell, Gail S. Anderson
Spectral Signatures Of Immature Lucilia Sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Jodie-A. Warren, T. D. Pulindu Ratnasekera, David A. Campbell, Gail S. Anderson
Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity
Hyperspectral remote sensing is an innovative technology with applications in many sciences and is a non-destructive method that may offer more precise aging within development stages. Hyperspectral reflectance measurements from the anterior, midsection, and posterior of Lucilia sericata (Meigen) larvae and pupae were conducted daily from samples of the developing insects beginning at second instar. Only midsection measurements were conducted on second instar larvae due to their size, to ensure that the measurement was not of reflective surroundings. Once measured, all insects were washed with deionized water, blotted with filter paper, and re-measured. Daily age prediction during the post-feeding stage …
Erasing The Mark Of A Criminal Past: Ex-Offenders’ Expectations And Experiences With Record Clearance, Ericka Adams, Elsa Chen, Rosella Chapman
Erasing The Mark Of A Criminal Past: Ex-Offenders’ Expectations And Experiences With Record Clearance, Ericka Adams, Elsa Chen, Rosella Chapman
Faculty Publications
Through the process of record clearance, individuals can have certain minor convictions removed from their criminal records or designated as expunged. This study analyzes data gathered from semi-structured interviews with 40 persons with past criminal convictions to examine the expectations of individuals who seek record clearance and the extent to which completion of the process facilitates efforts to reintegrate into society and desist from crime. The analysis finds that record clearance benefits ex-offenders through external effects, such as the reduction of barriers to employment, and internal processes, such as the facilitation of cognitive transformation and the affirmation of a new …