Legal Studies Commons^™

Police Officer Job Satisfaction And Officer-Sergeant Educational Levels: A Relational Demography Perspective, Sung Uook Lee

Theses and Dissertations

One immediate component of officers' work environment that has the potential to have a significant influence on officers' job satisfaction is front-line supervision. Frontline supervisors have been found to impact officers' attitudes in general (Engel, 2000). Additionally, Van Maanen (1983) found that supervisors may impact officers by rewards or punishment. Although it has been researched that supervisors impact officers' attitudes or behavior (Terrill, 2001; Davis & Mateu-Gelabert, 1999), Walker (2007) concluded that there is still little research on the impact of supervisors on officer job satisfaction. As aforementioned in this thesis, police officers' job satisfaction has largely been studied in …

The Consistency Of The Use Of The Polygraph Exam During The Selection Process Among Law Enforcement Agencies, Jessica Rachel Mark

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the use of and the consistency of use of the polygraph exam by law enforcement agencies throughout the United States as part of the screening process to find suitable applicants for employment as police officers. The polygraph exam can be a valuable tool for law enforcement agencies to use in screening applicants, but research has shown that there are questions with regard to the validity and the reliability of the polygraph exam and that improvements in the consistency of use and standardization of practices would increase the validity and reliability of the polygraph exam as a …

The Consistency Of The Use Of The Psychological Evaluation During The Selection Process Among Law Enforcement Agencies, Rebecca Sarah Mark

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine the consistency of the use of the psychological evaluation as part of the law enforcement candidate selection process. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) provides guidelines for the psychological evaluation, but research has found that law enforcement agencies use a variety of procedures with no consensus as to what should be used and why (Dantzker, 2011). Research has also found that very few applicants pass the psychological evaluations and that law enforcement agencies may be screening out candidates who would have been successful police officers (Chang-Bae, 2006; Dantzker, 2011). …

A Moral Panic? A Content Analysis Of Prominent Newspapers And Their Portrayal Of Tik Addiction, Chiara Keune

Theses and Dissertations

The rise of tik (methamphetamine) in the Western Cape of South Africa was an issue of contention for government and health care officials. Tik is the label given to the homemade crystal methamphetamine in South Africa, and the primary substance of abuse for many addicts seeking help. This paper sets out to examine tik from a moral panic perspective to understand if tik is an actual threat or a moral panic phenomenon. Two prominent newspapers were examined using content analysis. The Cape Times and Cape Argus were sampled to understand the social construction of tik. A moral panic is simply …

Location, Location, Location, The Impact Of Registered Sex Offenders On Home Sale Prices: A Case Study Of Mclean County, Illinois, John C. Navarro

Theses and Dissertations

Borrowing from broken windows theory, this paper addresses the impact of sex offenders' residences on neighborhood's property values in McLean County, Illinois. Three data sets were combined to explore the relationship: the addresses of registered sex offenders (RSOs) in McLean County, Illinois, the location and property characteristics of homes sold in McLean County between December 2012 to December 2013, and variables from the 2010 U.S. Census. ArcGIS was utilized to create buffers up to 0.2 of a mile around a sold home to measure the concentration of RSOs and sexual predators (SPs) and to calculate the distance from the nearest …

A Quantitative Examination Of Known Exonernations And The Factors That Have Contributed To The Wrongful Convictions Of Innocents, Meagan Andrea Semmelroth

Theses and Dissertations

Wrongful convictions have been gaining attention both in the public and academic arenas. The knowledge that has been gained about wrongful convictions has been gained mostly by looking at cases of exonerations based on factual innocence. The use of DNA in the adjudication process, mainly in helping to defend and free innocent people brought the detriments of wrongful convictions into the lives of the public through the use of media. Since this time, innocence projects have opened, more cases of exonerations have been found, and more cases of wrongful conviction have been overturned. However, the frequency with which wrongful convictions …

Neighborhood Disorganization And Police Decision-Making In The New York City Police Department, Allison Carter

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the applicability of criminological theory to police decision-making during police-initiated encounters with suspects. Specifically, how indicators of social disorganization can be used to predict officers' use of coercive action (i.e., frisk, search, use of force, and arrest) during the street stop of suspects. I also investigate whether neighborhood disadvantage, as a moderator, impacts suspects' likelihood of receiving greater levels of coercive action when stopped for reasons listed in the New York City Police Departments' Unified Form 250 (UF-250) reports.

Three theoretical arguments connecting an officer's decision-making in a socially disorganized area are outlined. First, an area with …

Lead Exposure And Crime, Tara Elaine Martin

Theses and Dissertations

While lead exposure during childhood has been linked to criminal activity later in life, prior research has failed to develop a theoretical foundation explaining why lead and crime rates are positively related at the aggregate level. Utilizing tract-level data, I examine the relationship among elevated blood lead level rates, levels of concentrated disadvantage, and crime rates. Through a biosocial approach, I explore the lead-crime relationship using a measure of concentrated disadvantage to account for the variations across tracts. Finally, I discuss the results of this study as well as implications for public policy and future research.

Policing Alcohol And Related Crimes On Campus, Andrea Nicole Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that college students drink alcohol frequently and heavily. This can compromise their health and well-being. Student drinking is also tied to crime. While prior work explores the nature and extent of crimes involving alcohol on campus, to date no study has examined how police handle these incidents or crime generally. This study fills that gap in the literature. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected by observing and interviewing campus officers at a large Southeastern university as they navigated through encounters with citizens. Findings include the following. Officers handle a variety of crimes, and do not have a single-faceted …

Assessing The Impact Of The Court Response To Domestic Violence In Two Neighboring Counties, Gillian Mira Pinchevsky

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1970s, there has been a proliferation of research on domestic violence (DV). The majority of research, however, has focused on the correlates of DV and far fewer studies have examined the criminal justice system's approach to addressing DV. This is particularly concerning given that historically, the criminal justice system was rooted in English Common Law and tolerant of marital discipline to maintain household stability. Through the efforts of women's rights advocates, policy makers began devising innovative strategies for responding to DV, including provisions for mandatory arrests, no-drop policies, and the establishment of specialized DV courts. Although there has …

Gender And Programming: A Comparison Of Program Availability And Participation In U.S. Prisons For Men And Women, Courtney A. Crittenden

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines the state of prison programming across the U.S. and whether availability of and participation in prison programs varies by gender and other key factors such as the interaction effects of race and gender, self-identified needs, and facility-level characteristics. Using Morash, Rucker, and Haarr's (1994) study, the last major study comparing prison programming for men and women in U.S. prisons, as a guide, I explore the current state of prison programming using national-level survey data. The results indicate that gender does indeed matter for both prison programming availability and participation with women having more programs available to …

School Resource Officer Programs: Implementation's Effect On Student Perceptions Of Safety, Stephen Clipper

Theses and Dissertations

School Resource Officer (SRO) Programs are a widely implemented community policing initiative in schools. The limited research on SRO Programs suggests that there are implementation differences between programs. This study explores the effect that implementation style has on program effectiveness as measured by student perceptions of safety as well as student reporting behaviors. This study found mixed results. Direct analyses revealed students who attend schools with community-oriented SRO programs feel slightly safer. Multi-level modeling was utilized to determine the effects that individual and school level variables have on perceptions of safety and on the ability of SRO programs to affect …

The Effect Of The Method Of Execution On Sentencing Determinations In Capital Cases, Adam Fera

Theses and Dissertations

The United States has had different methods of execution throughout its history, some of which are viewed to be more humane by the public. The most recent switch was from electrocution to lethal injection. This study is a look at the effect the method of execution on a juror's decision between life and death in capital cases. To this end, data collected by the Capital Jury Project Phase I were statistically analyzed controlling for case-level and demographic variables. The method of execution was found to have a statistically significant effect on the jurors' decision.

Rape In America: An Empirical Test Of Two Theories, Vaughn Crichlow

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates two macro-social theories of rape-pornography consumption and gender inequality-utilizing state-level data. First, it is argued that media consumption patterns have changed due to the popularity of the internet and increasing household broadband access. In particular, it is contended that men who consume pornography prefer the internet to traditional mediums such as hard-copy magazines and DVDs. To test this assumption, a survey was administered to a convenience sample of nearly 500 male students at Rowan University. The results show evidence that males who intentionally consume pornography prefer the internet and, therefore, the use of broadband access as a …

The Effect Of The Method Of Execution On Sentencing Determinations In Capital Cases, Adam G. Fera

Theses and Dissertations

The United States has had different methods of execution throughout its history, some of which are viewed to be more humane by the public. The most recent switch was from electrocution to lethal injection. This study is a look at the effect the method of execution on a juror's decision between life and death in capital cases. To this end, data collected by the Capital Jury Project Phase I were statistically analyzed controlling for case-level and demographic variables. The method of execution was found to have a statistically significant effect on the jurors' decision.

Policing And Firearms: Exploring Data Collection Practices And Attitudes Toward Gun Control, Adam V. Moltisanti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to measure what, if any, differences exist between law enforcement and non law enforcement personnel in their opinions towards gun control, as well as investigate the types of information that are recorded in police reports. Using a test population of police officers (n = 90) and students (n = 131), a self administered, anonymous survey was used to test the hypotheses that police officers are a) more likely to support gun control policies, b) more likely to view gun control policies as increasing community and police safety, c) more likely to view gun …

Sexual Harassment Jury Instructions' Effects On Jury Decisions, Karen Leigh Matsinger

Theses and Dissertations

This study compares the effect of reasonable standards on the jury's verdict in a sexual harassment lawsuit. One hundred and fifty seven participants (82 males, 74 females and 1 unidentified), ages ranging from 16 to 90, (M= 22.74) were randomly divided into juries (7 reasonable woman, 8 reasonable person, and 9 reasonable worker). Participants were given a written sexual harassment case, judge's instructions, and a survey to complete before and after the group had reached a unanimous verdict.

It was hypothesized that participants who applied the reasonable woman standard would be more likely to take the complainant's perspective. This hypothesis …

How Has The Three Strikes And You're Out Law Affected The Elderly Inmate Population Growth In The Department Of Correction System Since Its Passage? An Examination Of Washington And California, Deborah A. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This public policy thesis is grounded Washington with Initiative Measure Number 593, later called RCW.9.94A.555, followed by California with Proposition 184, later called California's Penal Code 1170.12. This public policy thesis has explored ways in which Washington and California are now faced with a new growing trend of elderly inmate population. This public policy thesis looked at the different methods of trying to solve this problem. The type of research used for this thesis has been the illustrative case study for the data collection and analysis. This type of case study uses the Qualitative Method. The Qualitative Research Method demonstrates …

Forensics Image Background Matching Using Scale Invariant Feature (Sift)Transform And Speeded Up Robust Features (Surf), Paul N. Fogg Ii

Theses and Dissertations

In criminal investigations, it is not uncommon for investigators to obtain a photograph or image that shows a crime being committed. Additionally, thousands of pictures may exist of a location, taken from the same or varying viewpoints. Some of these images may even include a criminal suspect or witness. One mechanism to identify criminals and witnesses is to group the images found on computers, cell phones, cameras, and other electronic devices into sets representing the same location. One or more images in the group may then prove the suspect was at the crime scene before, during, and/or after a crime. …

Comparison Of Education Level, Intelligence Quotient, And Higher Education Courses Of Individuals Who Commit Violent Crimes And Those Individuals Who Commit Nonviolent Crimes In Arkansas, W. Andranette Anderson-Blackwell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare education levels, intelligence quotients, and college courses taken or are being taken by criminal offenders who commit violent versus nonviolent crimes. One hundred males and 100 females from the states' correctional facilities were used as the sample. The sample was stratified according to four characteristics: type of crime committed (violent or nonviolent), ethnicity, age, and gender. The null hypothesis tested in this study was that there is no statistically significant difference, at the 0.05 level, in the educational levels or intelligence quotients of criminal offenders as to age, ethnicity, gender, …

The Effects Of Administrative Factors On Police Officer Job Performance, Irick Anthony Geary Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The topic of police management and its effect on officer arrest rates is an important issue that has not received the level of attention it deserves. There is an abundance of available training and a push for better trained police executives. In the present study the relationship between police administrative factors and officer arrest rates are addressed using data from a national probability sample of police departments.

The study uses ordinary least squares regression to analyze the independent relationship between police administrative factors, as measured by the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, and officer arrest rates, as measured by …

Observations On The Serial Killer Phenomenon: An Examination Of Selected Behaviors Of The Interstate Offender Contrasted With The Intrastate Offender, Eric W. Witzig

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this work was to compare serial homicides committed by interstate and intrastate offenders and to determine differences in behavior between them. Knowledge of such differences would enable the trained homicide detective to structure his investigation according to the killer's inferred range of action.

This study used homicide data collected by the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP), of the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC). VICAP's data was voluntarily submitted by investigators working at the state, local, and federal levels. The VICAP database had information on more than 804 cases of homicides committed by 241 …