Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

Transforming Criminal Justice Internships Into Capstone Courses: A Response To The Challenges Of The Covid-19 Crisis, Beau Shine, Kelly Brown

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 resulted in the declaration of a national emergency that closed universities across the nation. With no warning, faculty were required to move classes from face-to-face to completely online instruction. This situation posed many difficulties, but particularly for faculty who were teaching and supervising students completing internships. Interns were removed from their internships abruptly as agencies and departments moved to essential personnel only. Faculty scrambled to create online learning experiences that met academic learning outcomes and the goals of criminal justice students enrolled in these courses. This paper details our experiences with these challenges, particularly …

Cheating From A Distance: An Examination Of Academic Dishonesty Among University Students, Timothy K. Daty

Doctoral Works at the University of New Haven

Academic dishonesty among college students has been an enduring issue within higher education. While prior research has explored this issue, the recent global pandemic has shifted collegiate demographics dramatically, particularly within online courses. As a result, previous findings may prove less applicable, warranting new research into student cheating within this current educational landscape. Given these new enrollment trends, this study investigated intentions to cheat in traditional and online class settings, and for criminal justice and non-criminal justice majors. Utilizing principles of rational choice theory, other factors related to academic misconduct also were explored.

For this study, original data were collected …

Advancing Behavioral Health Literacy, James Scollione

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Accessing, comprehending, and using information to make informed decisions and improve one’s overall health or well-being are the foci of health literacy. The concept of behavioral health was introduced in the early 1980s and, since then, it has influenced new ideas (e.g., behavioral health literacy and integrated behavioral health care) and gained research and public attention. My aim is to provide an overview of definitions (i.e., health literacy, mental health literacy, and behavioral health literacy) and their connection to each other. I propose an expanded and honed definition of behavioral health literacy to enhance the behavioral health literacy and well-being …

Career Preparedness: Perspectives From C&Cj Alumni At An Scu, Tracey Woodard, Courtney Mcdonald

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

State comprehensive universities (SCUs) feature degree programs designed to help graduates achieve their career aspirations. Criminology and Criminal Justice (C&CJ) programs have become popular at SCUs, in part because students are inspired by media portrayals of law enforcement to work in the criminal justice field. Yet little is known about how C&CJ alumni of SCUs perceive their educational experiences. For this exploratory study, an online survey was distributed to alumni of a Southern SCU C&CJ program. Alumni were asked about their perceptions of their own career preparedness following graduation and their satisfaction with the C&CJ program. Overall, alumni were satisfied …

Parental Incarceration And The Costly Effects On Their Children, Briana Rae Zocher

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The purpose of this project is to bring awareness to the silent victims associated with parental incarceration – their children. Throughout this project, the focus will be aimed towards promoting the education of the effects of parental incarceration and the impact it has on their children in a variety of compacities and how those settings influence incarceration amongst children of incarcerated parents. In addition, this paper will discuss parental incarceration in three different lens views: administrative, ethical, and legal. First, the administrative lens pertaining to leadership and evolution to successful leadership, especially the critical component of crisis communication strategy. Second, …

Higher Education For All Law Enforcement Officers, Johana Constantino Madrigal

University Honors Theses

In this brief prospectus, the focus is on the many arguments for why it should be a requirement for all law enforcement officers to have a higher education background. Given light to recent events, the importance for more highly trained and educated officers has become more dire as people call for justice in an attempt to right the wrongs that have been done. The articles found all address the manner in which higher education can help with better judgement calls, analyze and respond to situations better, and the overall perception officers have, who have a form of higher education, on …

Critical Thinking In Law Enforcement Training Academies: A Phenomenological Study Of Officer Experiences, Billy J. Spruill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recently, law enforcement officer use of force incidents resulting in death has seemingly become more prevalent. Generally, the educational requirement for a law enforcement officer is a high school diploma or general education development degree. One must question if this requirement is sufficient for a law enforcement officer to be successful in a modern world as the law enforcement training academy may be the law enforcement officer’s only postsecondary education. Critical thinking is a needed skill identified by high-stress professions such as the military, nursing, and disaster management, yet there is limited study regarding critical thinking in law enforcement. The …

Victim Impact: The Manson Murders And The Rise Of The Victims’ Rights Movement, Merrill W. Steeg

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

First Amendment Knowledge And Competence In United States Residents, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Kimberly M. Bernstein

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Lacking adequate knowledge about one's rights could inhibit the likelihood of exercising one's rights or lead one to unwittingly violate laws that place legitimate limits on these rights. Thus, the present research examines First Amendment knowledge as well as competence to apply this knowledge in relevant circumstances. Results revealed that one-quarter of participants failed a test of objective knowledge on First Amendment rights. Furthermore, participants' belief in their ability varied depending on their level of knowledge, in line with the Dunning–Kruger effect. Participants also failed to transfer their limited objective knowledge to “real-world” situations, exhibiting impaired First Amendment competence. These …

Covid-19 Student Mental Health Check Ii, Dianna Blankenship, Irma S. Jones

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

The year 2020 will forever be known as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected the entire population in one way or another. What began in January 2020 still has the world population firmly in its grip a year later. The students’ responses, in their own words, to changes in living, daily `routines, and health fears can be seen in the following paper. In this article, the responses of students in several undergraduate classes at a Hispanic serving institution in south Texas were collected and synthesized. The 155 responses were divided into seven frequently observed and repeated themes: …

Mental Health And Its Impact On The School-To-Prison Pipeline: A Look At Tennessee Schools, Briana Brady

Honors Theses

This project sought to examine if and how school-based mental health service accessibility affected long-term student interactions with the criminal justice system. The study is both quantitative and qualitative; it researched existing literature and theories on the subject matter and also sourced over 750 data points published by varying organizations and agencies. By using proxy data including school guidance counselor-to-student ratios, out of school suspension rates, and juvenile court referrals, this research tested whether or not a direct relationship existed between the number of school counselors and both out of school suspensions as well as juvenile court referrals. The findings …

The Martin Institute: Prints, Spring 2021, Stonehill College: The Martin Institute For Law And Society

The Martin Institute: Prints

No abstract provided.

Mass Incarceration In Nebraska: Data And Historical Analysis Of Inmates From 1980-2020, Anna Krause

Honors Theses

This study examines Nebraska Department of Corrections inmate data from 1980-2020, looking specifically at inmate demographics and offense trends. State-of-the-art data analysis is conducted to collect, modify, and visualize the data sources. Inmates are organized by each decade they were incarcerated within. The current active prison population is also examined in their own research group. The demographic and offense trends are compared with previous local and national research. Historical context is given for evolving trends in offenses. Solutions for Nebraska prison overcrowding are presented from various interest groups. This study aims to enlighten all interested Nebraskans on who inhabits their …

Pornography: Social, Emotional And Mental Implications Among Adolescents, William Kelly Canady

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This presentation will explain the historical development of pornography. It will highlight four segments: 1- Porn’s impact on brain development of reward pathways, ultimately increasing the appetite for more porn. 2- Porn can be a false substitute for real intimacy, resulting in decreased sexual satisfaction with a real person and increased verbal and physical aggression. 3- Porn promotes sex trafficking, promotes multiple sex partners and reduced STD prevention. 4- A review of interventions available to assist clients in navigating a lifestyle away from pornography.

Balancing Race, Gender, And Responsibility: Conversations With Four Black Women In Educational Leadership In The United States Of America, Natasha Johnson

CJC Publications

This paper focuses on equitable leadership and its intersection with related, yet distinct concepts salient to social justice, pertinent to women and minorities in educational leadership. This piece is rooted and framed within the context of the United States of America, and the major concepts include identity, equity, and intersectionality – specific to the race-gender dyad – manifested within the realm of educational leadership. The objective is to examine theory and research in this area and to discuss the role they played in this study of the cultures of four Black women, all senior-level leaders within the realm of K-20 …

Effectively Managing Bias In Teacher Preparation, Natasha Johnson

CJC Publications

This is the call for teacher preparation programs to actively incorporate an emphasis on social justice education and the development of teachers committed to creating equitable schools. Education in today's multicultural, pluralistic society must be actively concentrated on and successful at creating more just and unbiased schools for underserved students. Similar to Ladson-Billings' argument for a redefining of ‘good teaching,' there must be a redefinition of that which constitutes social justice teaching. It is the role of today's teacher preparation programs to equip teachers with the essential skills necessary to develop students, manage bias, and create a culture of equity …

Covid-19 Student Mental Health Check, Dianna Blankenship, Irma S. Jones

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced many changes in the lives of our students and families. In this article, the responses of students in criminal justice classes at a Hispanic serving institution in south Texas were collected and synthesized. The 252 responses were divided into seven frequently observed and repeated themes: jobs and job related, school and courses, graduation, routine, family, positivity, and groceries/shopping. Findings for this time period matched what much of what the national and international news and reports have all reported. It indicates that, as teaching professionals, we must be mindful to provide the added support to assist …

2021 Annual Campus Security And Fire Safety Report, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, University Police, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University Police

2021 Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Safety and security information for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, including crime and fire statistics for the 2020 calendar year, and the information required by the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989. All data are submitted to the United States Department of Education according to law.

A Qualitative Examination Of Student Threat Assessment In Nassau County, New York, Christopher J. Cleary

Theses and Dissertations

Law enforcement agencies and school systems face the critically important task of preventing attacks of targeted school violence and providing safe environments for students, faculty, and staff. The tragic results of past school shooting incidents have caused law enforcement agencies to work collaboratively with educators to develop strategies to reduce violent attacks.

Numerous examples from previous school shooting incidents show that shooters exhibited certain warning signs before the attack, and those signs went unaddressed. The student threat assessment process was developed to help educators and law enforcement members recognize the warning signs and take preemptive action before violence occurs. Threat …

Challenges And Successes Teachers Experience Educating Incarcerated Youth: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Morgan Crozier

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study explores the educators’ perspectives on their experiences providing academic services and supports to incarcerated youth placed in short-term juvenile detention centers and how they perceive success and challenges in this environment. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design while incorporating tools such as a questionnaire, interviews, and reflective journal activities to get a deeper understanding of the experiences educators encounter in this role. The questionnaire consisted of 38 questions designed to address the demographics of the teachers participating in the study, their teaching experience with incarcerated youth, professional development received, and the challenges and successes they …

Ua12/8 Annual Campus Safety & Security Report, Wku Police

WKU Archives Records

A statement of current campus policies regarding procedures for students and others to report criminal actions or other emergencies occurring on campus and policies concerning the institution's response to such reports.

Risk Factors And Precursors To Police Suicide, Matthew J. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

Police suicide has consistently remained a more likely cause of death for police officers than being killed in the line of duty for the past several years. Understanding the risk factors and precursors associated with suicide is crucial to changing this anomalousness. Prevention, early intervention, treatment, support, and reducing stigma, may help lower the number of police officers committing suicide.

Several research studies have found the rate of suicide for police officers to be double that of the general population (Chopko, Palmieri & Facemire, 2013; Violanti, 2010; Lewis, 2014; Charbonneau, 2000). The day-to-day job of policing may be stressful and …

Community Attitudes Towards Juvenile Sex Offenders And Registration In Virginia, Paige Reed

Theses and Dissertations

The collateral consequences and harmful effects of juvenile sex offender registration and restrictions has been the forefront of conversation surrounding sex offender legislation in the United States. The literature available has consistently shown that juveniles profoundly differ from adults in significant areas such as decision making, cognitive capability, judgment, and overall development. The literature has also consistently shown that juvenile sex offenders are amenable to treatment, have considerably low recidivism rates, and are unlikely to offend into their adulthood. Despite this, and even though the juvenile justice system prioritizes rehabilitation over punitive measures, juvenile sex offenders are commonly subjected to …