Legal Studies Commons^™

Racial And Ethnic Health Disparities In Incarcerated Populations, Meghan E. Borysova, Ojmarrh Mitchell, Dawood H. Sultan, Arthur R. Williams

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Alarming disparities in population health and wellness in the United States have led to multi-disciplinary research efforts to create health equity. Identifying disparities, elucidating the etiological bases of disparities, and implementing solutions to eliminate disparities are part of the U.S. national health agenda. Racial and ethnic disparities have been identified throughout the cancer control continuum, in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and a multitude of other conditions. The causes of disparities are complex, condition specific, and conjectured to result from combinations of biological and socio-behavioral factors. Racial and ethnic health disparities within the vast incarcerated communities have been excluded from most studies, …

The Impact Of The Structure, Function, And Resources Of The Campus Security Office On Campus Safety, Patricia Anne Bennett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The topic of this dissertation is college and university safety. This national quantitative study utilized resource dependency theory to examine relationships between the incidence of reported campus crimes and the structure, function, and resources of campus security offices. This study uncovered a difference in reported total crime rates, violent crime rates, and non-violent crime rates for colleges with police officers, internal security, contract security, hybrid departments, and no security office. This study examined the combination of institutional characteristics which best explain the occurrence of total campus crime, violent crime, and non-violent crime on campus. Two forms of data collection were …

Broken Windows, Police, &Traffic Safety, Carol Servino

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Abstract This research explores application of the “broken windows” theory of public disorder and urban decline to the pattern and problem of police officer fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. It contextualizes the influential theory into a 45-year timeline of significant events related to legislative efforts and traffic safety behavioral safety programs in the United States. It finds one police agency that reported fewer crimes and fewer crashes after implementing a community-wide Safe Streets program designed around “broken windows” theory in 1997. It pays particular attention to states with the highest percentages of law enforcement officer fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, …

Legal Representation In The Chinese Criminal Court, Yudu Li, Hong Lu

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Abstract: Legal representation plays an important role in criminal sentencing decisions. China has recently stipulated a mandatory legal representation clause for all offenders facing capital charges in its Criminal Procedural Law (1996). This study uses data generated from criminal court case documents involving three serious violent crimes: murder, intentional assault, and robbery. All these crimes carry a maximum of sentence of death. The study examines whether and under what conditions legal representation has an effect on criminal sentencing decisions in China. While the overall multi-regression model did not find that having a legal representation significantly reduces the criminal sentence, a …

Child Advocacy Centers And Child Sexual Abuse In Nevada, Chrystal Ruggieri

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Child sexual abuse has gained significant attention from the medical, legal and social research communities over the last couple decades. Developed in the 1980s, Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) have been noted as one of the leading developments in combating child sexual abuse. Child Advocacy Centers bring together multi-disciplinary teams in a child friendly environment to improve resources for abused children and their families as well as aid in prosecution. The majority of states across the country have adopted aggressive legislation and funding initiatives to aid in protecting this vulnerable population. This study analyses Nevada's position on childhood sexual abuse and …

Reintegrative Shaming And Juvenile Delinquency In Japan, Mari Sakiyama

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Japanese juvenile justice system has been widely regarded as operating based on the principles of reintegrative shaming. Reintegrative shaming, as opposed to a stigmatizing form of shaming, communicates disapproval of wrongdoing with respect, and emphasizes rehabilitation, reintegration, and restoration. Central to reintegrative shaming at the initial contact point of the criminal justice system in Japan are apology and diversion by the local police. Citing juvenile delinquency cases reported in a major national newspaper in Japan, this study analyzes to what extent the community reacted to the delinquency upon its commission. This analysis helps clarify the juvenile justice process in …

The Right To Privacy In Light Of The Patriot Act And Social Contract Theory, Betsey Sue Casman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There is a continual debate between individuals who attempt to measure the individual’s right to privacy against the government’s right to know in order to provide for the security of all citizens.

The questions that beg to be answered are whether the individual’s right to privacy outweighs the government’s duty to provide security; and if security is deemed more important, can there even be a right to privacy. It is critical to our nation’s anti-terrorism effort that our intelligence agencies possess the legal capacity to intercept all forms of communications utilized by terrorists and hostile intelligence agents. Inevitably this will …

Driving Forces: Police Fatalities, Carol Servino

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Law enforcement is an inherently risky occupation. The number of traffic-related fatalities for law enforcement officers in the U.S. during the past 13 years has been increasing; however, the number of fatalities for the general population in motor vehicle traffic incidents declined during the same time period.

The federal government reports that federal motor vehicle safety standards aswell as behavioral and vehicle safety programs implemented by state and local law-enforcement agencies contributed to the downward trend for the general public.

What accounts for the pattern and problem with police driving-related deaths?

Facebook And The Police: Communication In The Social Networking Era, Mari Sakiyama, Deborah K. Shaffer, Joel D. Lieberman

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

An increasing number of police departments are using Facebook to communicate with the public. As with any emerging communications technology, there is considerable variation in the usage of this medium. This study reports the results of a content analysis designed to determine how police departments are using Facebook.

Clark County Mental Health Court: An Outcomes-Based Evaluation Model Of Residential And Treatment Programs Beyond Recidivism, Mark J. Nichols

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

The number of America’s mental health courts has grown significantly over the course of the past 15 years. Mental health courts can be seen as a form of therapeutic jurisprudence where the court implements therapeutic interventions, case management and treatment (Palermo, 2010). A mental health court was established in Clark County during 2003. Its mission is to promote engagement in treatment, improve quality of life, decrease recidivism, and increase community safety and awareness (Glass, 2008).

The focus of the evaluation of the Clark County Mental Health Court, limited to performance measures related to the decreased recidivism by its clients and …

Risk Auto Theft: Predicting Spatial Distributions Of Crime Events, Tana J. Gurule, Tamara D. Madensen

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Police typically rely on retrospective hotspot maps to informe prevention strategies aimed at reducing future crime. The current study reviews environmental crime theories that help to identify casual factors associated with rish of auto theft. Map layers are created from data that operationalize these risk factors. These layers are combined using spatial analysis techniques to produce a "risk density" map. Analysis of crime data are used to determing wheter our "risk density" map better predicts subsequetnt theft events than a traditional retrospective hotspot map.

Should Primates Have Legal Rights?, Hannah Barten, Zhimin Chen

Festival of Communities: UG Symposium (Posters)

A primate having legal rights is a controversial topic these days. Many other countries around the world support the idea of great apes having legal rights, because we for one are one of the five great primates. Others do not support this trending topic as much as others. These types of people believe that great apes such as chimpanzees are superb testing animals for medical purposes, because of the fact that they are closely related to mankind. Organizations such as Great Ape Protection, work towards protecting the rights of these great apes since they cannot speak for themselves. In many …

An Analysis Of Crime Statistics To Tourist Areas And Non-Tourist Areas In New Orleans, Kim H. Williams

Caesars Hospitality Research Summit

The economic impact of travel and tourism to New Orleans, Louisiana is immense. In New Orleans, tourism is one of the leading industries which accounts for the city’s economic recovery in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Tourism was one of the major industries to the New Orleans economy and accounted for 35% or $210 million of the City of New Orleans’ annual operating budget (New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, 2008). Yet, tourism leaders and officials are plagued with the negative perception of crime as New Orleans tops U.S. cities as the murder capital of the United States (McCarthy, 2007). The negative perception …

Displacement Or Diffusion: A Secondary Analysis Of The Las Vegas Safe Village Initiative, Daniel Duane Swanson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Police initiatives have been implemented by many agencies in an attempt to curtail growing crime rates. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department implemented the "Safe Village Initiative" to address this issue in west Las Vegas. This deterrence based model reduced calls for service in the target area with a diffusion of benefits to the surrounding neighborhoods.

The current study will analyze two research questions pertaining to the "Safe Village Initiative". The first will assess the possibility that a displacement of crime occurred as a result of the treatment. The second research question will address whether, if no displacement occurred, there …

Characteristics Of Adolescent Females Sexually Exploited Through Prostitution, Alanna Robinson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adolescent females are becoming the fastest growing population amongst juveniles being held in detention and referred to juvenile courts. Unfortunately such increases are linked to a lack of alternative services available for youths during the adjudication process. Upon being arrested, delinquent girls are suffering from a host of health, emotional and social issues for which there is also a lack of programming and detailed research. However, emerging evidence indicates that female delinquency is characterized by a multitude of overlapping problems that distinguish them from male delinquents. Issues include poor mental health, history of child abuse, substance abuse among parents and …

Blameworthiness And Dangerousness: An Analysis Of Violent Female Capital Offenders In The United States And China, Courtney Brooke Lahaie

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States and China represent two of the leading nations that retain the death penalty in both law and practice. Research suggests that judges' sentencing decisions are based primarily on two factors, blameworthiness and dangerousness. Studies involving gender and sentencing in capital punishment cases tend to provide inconsistent findings. The current study uses case narratives to examine the direct and conjunctive effects of various factors on the sentencing decisions of violent female capital offenders in the United States and China. The findings suggest that the concepts of blameworthiness and dangerousness are distinctly defined in the United States and China. …

Sex, Drug Courts, And Recidivism, Doria Nour Dandan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research studies have identified gender differences in the drug abusing patterns and treatment needs of men and women. Even so, studies on the drug court model have not assessed drug court effectiveness across sex. Using secondary data collected from the Ada County Drug Court, the recidivism rates of drug court participants (n=259) and probationers (n=235) were analyzed. Drug court participants were found to be less likely to recidivate compared to probationers, which supports previous research on drug court effectiveness. Regression analyses failed to find an interaction between group membership and sex, thereby indicating that the effect of the drug court …

Assessing The Impact Of Police Order Maintenance Units On Crime: An Application Of The Broken Windows Hypothesis, Steven Andrew Pace

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

High levels of violent crime and disorder area concentrated within certain neighborhoods of northwest Las Vegas, Nevada. In April 2009 a police order-maintenance unit designed to reduce minor and major offenses was initiated in these areas. Drawing on the Broken Windows Hypothesis, the unit combined detailed crime analysis with extensive police efforts to address specific community problems. This paper discusses the implementation and impact of the police order-maintenance unit during its operation.

Factors Influencing Attitudes Towards Prostitution, Brian Robert Brehman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence attitudes towards prostitution. Students from University of Nevada, Las Vegas and University of British Columbia (N=591) were compared based on their responses to the Attitudes Towards Prostitution (ATP) Scale and by demographic differences. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified significant differences in ethnicity, religiosity, and certain sexual experiences. Regression analysis revealed location of students and religiosity were significant predictors of attitudes.

Following The Lead Of Barack Obama, Cnn, And Ashton Kutcher: Police Departments’ Use Of Twitter, Mari Sakiyama, Amanda Hurst, Omar Melchor, Daniel Shields, Deborah K. Shaffer, Joel D. Lieberman

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

An increasing number of police departments are using Twitter to communicate with the public. As with any emerging communications technology, there is considerable variation in the usage of this medium. This study reports the results of a content analysis designed to determine how police departments are using Twitter.

Burglary Trends In Nevada, 1990-2007, Theresa Wilk, Terance D. Miethe, Timothy C. Hart

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Burglary involves the unlawful breaking and entering into a home or other building with the intent to steal something within it. Nationally, about 2.2 million burglaries were known to the police in 2007 (UCR, 2007). Over the last two decades, Nevada’s burglary rate is consistently higher than the national average. There are many consequences of burglary as well as efforts to control these offenses. The presentation of this state data brief describes patterns of burglary in Nevada and compares them with national trends. It examines the prevalence of burglary over time, the different types of burglary and its offense attributes, …

Assessing The Impact Of Police-Order-Maintenance Teams On Crime: An Application Of The ‘Broken Windows’ Hypothesis, Steven A. Pace, William Sousa, Dan Mcgrath

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

High levels of violent crime and disorder characterize certain neighborhoods of northwest Las Vegas. In April 2009, collaboration between academics and police personnel announced the deployment of a police order-maintenance unit designed to reduce minor and major offenses in these areas. Drawing on the Broken Windows hypothesis, the unit combined a detailed crime analysis with extensive police efforts to address specific community problems. This paper discusses the implementation and impact of the police order-maintenance unit during its operation.

Blameworthiness And Dangerousness: An Analysis Of Violent Female Capital Offenders In The United States And China, Courtney Lahaie

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

The United States and China represent two of the leading nations that retain the death penalty in both law and practice. Research suggests that judges’ sentencing decisions are based primarily on two factors, blameworthiness and dangerousness. Studies involving gender and sentencing in capital punishment cases tend to provide inconsistent findings. The current study uses case narratives to examine the direct and conjunctive effects of various factors on the sentencing decisions of violent female capital offenders in the United States and China. The findings suggest that the concepts of blameworthiness and dangerousness are distinctly defined in the United States and China. …

Deaths In Custody In Nevada, 2001-2006, Brian R. Brehman, Terance D. Miethe, Timothy C. Hart

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

A large number of prisoners die each year while under the custody of the state. These deaths include prisoners who are executed under state laws and other deaths in custody from a variety of causes. Nationally, 18,550 individuals died in the custody of a state prison between 2001 and 2006. This state data brief examines deaths in custody in Nevada prisons and jails and compares them to national averages. This report summarizes the prevalence rates for deaths in custody, changes in these custody deaths over time, the cause of these deaths, and compares custody deaths in Clark County jail to …

An Exemplar-Based Approach To Risk Assessment: Validating The Risk Management Systems Instrument, Bridget Kelly, Deborah K. Shaffer, Joel D. Lieberman

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Using a sample of federal probationers, this study examines the predictive validity of the Risk Management Systems assessment instrument. The results indicate the RMS is predictive of arrest, technical violation, and unsuccessful termination from supervision.

Adjustment To Correctional Confinement: Investigating The Correlates Of Violence And Disorder In A Jail Environment, Fred W. Meyer Iii

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines the individual- and institutional-level variables that are correlated with violence and disorder within a jail facility. Previous research indicates that deviant behavior is one of the main challenges that negatively impacts the safe and effective management of correctional facilities. While many studies have been conducted on prison populations, few studies have focused upon jail populations. Using official institutional data, this study explores the factors associated with general infractions and violent misconduct among a stratified random sample of inmates (n=447) incarcerated during a one year period in a large county jail facility. The logistic regression and conjunctive analyses …

Attitudes Towards Megan's Law And Juvenile Sex Offenders, Debra Lee Cochrane

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sex offender registration laws are very controversial. All fifty states require adult sex offenders to register. Twenty-eight states have extended registration and community notification requirements to juveniles (Hiller, 1998). These states seem to have failed to look at the uniqueness of juvenile sex offending. Juveniles have a very low recidivism rate and complex issues of culpability from age-of-consent laws. Applying Megan's Law to juveniles could have considerable negative consequences for juveniles' social development, particularly because one of the main stipulations of the law requires the juvenile to notify their school. Rehabilitation is a key factor of the juvenile justice system …

Not Undertaking The Almost-Impossible Task: The 1961 Wire Act’S Development, Initial Applications, And Ultimate Purpose, David G. Schwartz

Library Faculty Research

For a Camelot-era piece of legislation, the Wire Act has a long and unintended shadow. Used haltingly in the 1960s, when the Wire Act failed to deliver the death blow to organized crime, 1970’s Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) became a far better weapon against the mob. Yet starting in the 1990s, the Wire Act enjoyed a second life, when the Justice Department used to it prosecute operators of online betting Web sites that, headquartered in jurisdictions where such businesses were legal, took bets from American citizens. The legislative history of the Wire Act, however, suggests that it was …

Participatory Evaluation Of The Tribal Victim Assistance Programs At The Lummi Nation And Passamaquoddy Tribe, Ada Pecos Melton, Michelle Chino

School of Public Health Faculty Research

The high rate of crime in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and/or against AI/AN people reflected in numerous studies in the last three decades, demonstrates the need for victim assistance programs in Indian Country to help victims cope with and heal from violent crime (Wolk 1982; Allen 1985; Sacred Shawl Women’s Society, no date; McIntire 1988; DeBruyn, Lujan & May 1995; Norton & Manson 1995; Fairchild et. al 1998; Greenfield & Smith 1999; Alba, Zieseniss, et al 2003; Perry 2004). The U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) became aware of the lack of resources available to …

Examining The Impact Of Drug Court Participation For Moderate And High Risk Offenders, Kara Kobus

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of drug court participation among moderate and high risk offenders. While studies have found that intensive programs, such as drug courts, are more effective when focusing their services on high risk offenders, few studies have examined the relationship between offender risk and drug court effectiveness. Using the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) as a measure of offender risk, the study employed a quasi-experimental design to compare outcomes of drug court participants (n=228) and a matched sample of probationers (n=252). The analyses showed that drug court participants had lower rates of …