Legal Studies Commons^™

At The End Of Life: Conceptualizing Human Dignity And Assisted Suicide Debates In Contemporary Germany, Edith-Marie Green

Honors Theses

As medicine improves and breakthroughs on cures for illnesses formerly thought deadly continue to develop, the global population continues to age. This has introduced new concerns about aging and end-of-life health care. One proposed end-of-life healthcare solution is assisted suicide, although the practice is not without its controversies. The case of assisted suicide in Germany is of particular interest for a variety of reasons, and the practice has not had an easy path there. A series of debates in 2015 led to the practice being banned, but that ban was overturned in 2020 by Germany’s Constitutional Court. While assisted suicide …

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 …

The Departure From The Original Intent Of The 14th Amendment, Johnny B. Davis

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

No abstract provided.

American Sign Language Legal Interpretation Complications: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Linguistic Barriers Within The Criminal Justice System, Katherine R. Doan

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The founding documents of the United States of America tend to be rather universal and impartial in their vernacular. Because all citizens of a nation are deserving of the same rights and privileges regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or disability status, accommodations must be provided to the Deaf to give them equal access to information throughout interrogations, trials, and police interactions. While it may seem obvious that interpreters should be provided during legal situations involving a Deaf individual, visual communication can make legal interactions quite complicated when police or attorneys can only reveal limited details. When Deaf culture involving expansion …

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, …

See Me: A Life Of Invisibility Of The Lgbtqia+ Community In Trinidad & Tobago, Cindy Mack

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

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 …

An Examination Of The Legal Responses By United States To Technological Advances In Organized Drug Smuggling, Abdulwahab Aldossary

University Honors Program

Recent advances in technology have aided terrorists in their ability to smuggle drugs in order to finance their operations. Drug trading routes have changed and so have methods of transportation and financial transaction. This study investigates the improved technology utilized by transnational organized crime groups and how the present laws and policies address the use of the improved technology for drug smuggling. The study will first look into the current models, such as the Counter-Terrorist Funding and Money Laundering model, and understand its weaknesses regarding drug smuggling within the United States. Moreover, the paper will focus on the current laws …

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 …

Hakoah Wien: Kraft Als (Ver)Einigung Und Siedlung Der Unbeständigen Post/Modernen Identität, Owen N. Sayre

German Studies Honors Projects

The Sport Club and in particular football team Hakoah Wien is one of the best known examples in its time for contemporary theorists interested in analyzing the austrian-jewish identity of the 1920s. However there are many developments in austrian studies such as “jewish difference,” “co-constitutionality,” “the spatial turn” and “decolonization.” What, in this context, does it mean for a sports club to materially propagate the ideas of a liberatory religious and national identity, while representing an oppressive austrian identity on the world stage? This question has a lot to do with the concrete history of property rights and jewish oppression …

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 …

An Evaluation Of The Effect Of Degradation On Irisplex Snps, Maria Gruber

Master's Theses

The information from short tandem repeats (STRs), the current standard forensic DNA typing technology, does not always result in identification. In these cases, there are other informative markers in DNA that can be used to help generate investigative leads, one of which is single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). One of the uses of SNPs is for phenotype determination. Among the phenotypic characteristics that can be predicted is eye color. A commonly used tool for eye color prediction is the free, online statistical prediction model IrisPlex, which includes 6 SNPs known to control eye color.

While SNPs can be useful, they, like …

Batson V. Kentucky Guidelines And The Use Of Peremptory Challenges In Arkansas Courts: A Case Study, Abigail Lindsey

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The peremptory challenge is a method by which attorneys can strike a potential juror from the jury pool without a valid reason. With Batson v. Kentucky (1986), the Supreme Court ruled that peremptory challenges cannot be issued on the basis of race, however, there are many problems with the way this precedent has been followed in various states. The goal of this research is to analyze how Arkansas courts implement the Batson precedent. This research also studies whether the way in which Arkansas courts utilize the peremptory challenge creates ideologically imbalanced juries.

Seeing The Signs: An Analysis Of Early Onset Of Violence And Desistance Amongst Serious Juvenile Offenders, Tailar Brown

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

There has been increasing literature on juvenile delinquency and the factors that influence deviant behavior among adolescents. However, there has been little exploration of the effects of early displays of violent behavior on desistance for those identified as serious juvenile offenders (SJOs). In order to create effective intervention programs and lower recidivism rates among this population, it is essential to comprehend the effects of early instances of violent behavior on SJOs' desistance. Using longitudinal data from the Pathways to Desistance Study, this project explored the connection between early displays of violent behavior (i.e., fights at school, violence against siblings, planning …

How To Solve The Initial Appearance Crisis, Malia N. Brink, Pamela R. Metzger, Jiacheng Yu

Deason Center Reports

Across the United States, people are arrested and held behind bars for days, weeks, and sometimes even months, without ever seeing a judge or attorney. These delays violate the United States Constitution’s promise that an arrested person—who is innocent unless proven guilty—will have prompt access to the courts, the assistance of counsel, and a fair and speedy trial.

These due process milestones begin at initial appearance: the first time an arrested person sees a judge about their case. At an initial appearance, the judge should inform an arrested person of the charges against them. The judge should also make an …

Child Abuse, Mental Illness, And Opioid Use Disorder: Exploring Correlations Through Accounts Of Those In Treatment, Olivia A. Belitsos

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Trace Dna Detection Using Diamond Dye: A Recovery Technique To Yield More Dna, Leah Davis

Master's Theses

This study aspires to find a new screening approach to trace DNA recovery techniques to yield a higher quantity of trace DNA from larger items of evidence. It takes the path of visualizing trace DNA on items of evidence with potential DNA so analysts can swab a more localized area rather than attempting to recover trace DNA through the general swabbing technique currently used for trace DNA recovery. The first and second parts consisted of observing trace DNA interaction with Diamond Dye on porous and non-porous surfaces.

The third part involved applying the Diamond Dye solution by spraying it onto …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2023, 143rd Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Third Annual Meeting, April 21, 2023

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Humans Past and Present

Applied Science and Technology Section

Biology

Biomedical Sciences

Chemistry

Earth Sciences

Environmental Science

Physics

Science Education

2023 Maiben Lecture: Jason Bartz

2023 Friend of Science Award: Ray Ward and Jim Lewis

Seeking Justice For Jews From Mena Countries Through International Law: Comparing The Cases Of Morocco And Iraq, Jessica E. Yeroshalmi

Student Theses and Dissertations

Little is known of the Jews of Middle Eastern North African (MENA) origin whose long standing history in the region did not protect them from discrimination, persecution, and ethnic cleansing. Although much of the research on contemporary Jewish history and persecution revolves around the Holocaust and European events and its implications for Jews and international law, far less is researched about the uprooting of nearly one million Jews from the MENA region. In this investigation, I aim to reconstruct that narrative, applying international law to Jewish refugees from Arab countries. My thesis will be a comparative analysis of Morocco and …

Legitimate And Deceptive Media: An Analysis Of Sources Used In Conjunction With #Defundingthepolice Using Twitter Api, Isabel Tilford

Honors Theses

The idea of defunding the police has been circulating on social media for the past few years. This thesis seeks to analyze what types of sources people use in conjunction with the #DefundthePolice hashtag to define their understanding of defunding the police. Using Twitter API to search for #DefundthePolice, Tweets were analyzed and rated based on the credibility of links embedded within each post. Each link was assigned a credibility rating of one through three, one meaning not credible, two meaning somewhat credible, and three meaning credible. Each link was classified into one of eight categories: news, statements, advertisements, advertisements/propaganda, …

The Relationship Between Voter Perceptions Of Frequency Of Police Use Of Excessive Force And Support For The Death Penalty, Amelia Collins

Honors Theses

Differing opinions of the death penalty continually conflict with the criminal justice system regarding support or opposition. Previous studies have described how sex and race influence one’s perception of the death penalty, whereas this study emphasizes various contributing predictors aside from sex and race. This study utilizes binary logistic regression to examine the relationship between voter perceptions of police use of excessive force and support for the death penalty along with voter demographics. Secondary data from the American National Election Studies (ANES) 2020 Time Series Survey was incorporated into the data set of this study. The current study is composed …

Media Consumption Effects On College Students' Perceived Risk Of Victimization And Fear Of Crime: Does The Usage Of Social Media Police Scanners Alter Public Perceptions Of Safety?, David Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although there is a robust body of research examining various predictors of fear of crime, there are still predictors of one’s perceived safety that have not been thoroughly assessed. Using primary data collected from a sample of college students (N = 662) enrolled at five universities in the United States the main objective of the study was to identify the factors more likely to predict variations in fear of crime, which is viewed here as a bidimensional concept that includes the affective side of fear (worries about becoming a victim) and the cognitive dimension of fear (i.e., personal judgment of …

Effects Of Witnessing Terrorist Attacks On Perceived Causes Of Terrorism And Support For Security Measures, Austin Trevor Sullivan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The following research aims to understand how individuals who were aware of, and affected by, terrorist attacks at the time they took place perceive the causes of terrorism and support security measures. It is hypothesized that the extent to which one â??witnessedâ?? attacks characterized by more traditional forms of terrorism, such as bombings and religiously motivated and affiliated perpetrators (Wave four), versus new forms of terrorism, such as shootings and lone wolves (Wave five), would be affected by the age of the witness. This research proposes an indirect pathway from age to "witnessing" terrorist attacks to attributions for the attacks …

Exploring The Mediating Link Between Stressful Life Events, Adverse Psychological Effects, And Ipv Victimization, Valeria Torres-Rivera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: Research has established that violent victimization is influenced by a variety of life events and psychological effects. However, limited research has examined this relationship with a specific type of victimization, such as intimate partner violence (IPV). To fill this gap in the literature, this study aims to test whether stressful life conditions induce adverse psychological effects on a person, which then may lead to IPV victimization. Methods: To test this, a series of regression analyses are conducted. Data from the American subsample of the International Dating Violence Study (n = 4,162) are analyzed to test the link between stressful …

Public Perceptions And Punishment Of Sex Offenders, Emily R. Ives

Student Theses

Previous research has examined negative public perceptions and attitudes towards sex offenders and, in turn, how sex offenders are punished. The present study aims to build on previous research by examining whether perceptions of sex offenders are impacted by the offender’s relationship to the victim, and how victim perpetrator relationship may impact sentencing. Survey data from n=119 participants was examined. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three relationship conditions (i.e., stranger, acquaintance, or spouse) which was manipulated within a mock article vignette describing a rape incident. Subsequently, participants completed questionaries regarding sentencing of the described perpetrator, as well …

The Association Between Mental Health Diagnoses And Trial Competency Assessments In Defendants: A Meta-Analysis, Danielle C. Severe

Student Theses

In the realm of trial competency evaluations, there are a variety of methods used to evaluate whether an individual is fit to stand trial. Presently, forensic psychologists conduct trial competency evaluations in order to assess one’s ability to stand trial, but for persons with a mental health diagnosis, the generic competency measures are not the most effective means to assess one’s ability to stand trial, as mental health diagnoses impair cognitive functions that are required in judicial proceedings. Forensic psychologists have opted to utilize other assessment methods such as the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool – Criminal Adjudication [MacCAT-CA] and Fitness …