Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

The "D" In Violence. An Analysis Of Domestic Violence In West Virginia., Haley Legg

The Mid-Southern Journal of Criminal Justice

Domestic violence in West Virginia, and all the United States is a major societal problem, that has multiple repercussions for the victims. Intimate partner violence and family violence are both types of domestic violence, and the perpetrator in both have the same goal, which is to control the victim, however possible. The law enforcement agencies have multiple training opportunities and have a guide that they can use to help assess the offender’s dangerousness and lethality. West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence offers training and technical assistance to victim’s advocates that focus on victims of domestic violence.

An Analysis Of The Opioid Epidemic In Rural Areas, Anthony L. Jaime

The Mid-Southern Journal of Criminal Justice

The opioid epidemic is an issue that has affected the United States as a whole. However, it has disproportionately affected rural areas the most, with some rural areas having the highest overdose rates, overdose mortality rates, and opioid usage rates in the entire country. This paper analyzes the opioid epidemic in rural areas in order to determine how the opioid epidemic started in the United States, how it transferred to rural areas, and ultimately its current status within the rural space. In addition, factors relating to the purporting of the opioid epidemic are presented in relation to rural areas as …

Rural Prison Siting: Problems And Promises, Matthew D. Vanden Bosch

The Mid-Southern Journal of Criminal Justice

Abstract

Building prisons in rural areas is not a new phenomenon, though it has been increasing significantly in recent decades. During a massive boom to prison building in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, many of those new prisons were built in rural areas. While rural areas had once generally been staunchly against prisons being built in their areas, their general economic collapse following the exit of manufacturing and other industries left them vulnerable. This, combined with the promises made to them about the economic benefits to be gained from welcoming prisons into their areas, made rural regions much more receptive …

An Overview Of The Bail System In The United States And Its Discriminatory Components, Eleanor A. Coggins

The Mid-Southern Journal of Criminal Justice

Currently, in the United States, the bail system is not being utilized the way that it was originally intended to be used. Research shows that it unfairly provides wealthier individuals more opportunities for success and those who are minorities and/or of low socioeconomic status are more likely to be convicted and face harsher sentences. Many factors influence a judge’s decision to grant bail; however, some of these factors are based on unfair stereotypes and are inherently discriminatory. While minority groups face discrimination within the bail system, Hispanic/Latino individuals face the most challenges in regard to the bail system in America. …

Generation Istalk: An Examination Of The Prior Relationship Between Victims Of Stalking And Offenders, Paige Ann Heinrich

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Stalking is a growing issue in the United States faced by many each year. The proliferation of social media sites has made cyberstalking a new form of social harassment and potential victimization. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of traditional and cyberstalking on a medium sized college campus in the Southeastern United States. Included was an examination of the impact of the victim-offender relationship, to whom victimization was reported, and gender patterns of social media use. In total, 1,040 undergraduate/graduate students were surveyed using a multistage cluster sampling method. Results showed that cyberstalking was more prevalent …

The Only Thing That Stops A Guy With A Bad Policy Is A Guy With A Good Policy: An Examination Of The Nra’S “National School Shield” Proposal, Gordon A. Crews, Angela D. Crews, Catherine E. Burton

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

With the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, the public and the government are looking for solutions to school violence. The National Rifle Association (NRA), a Second Amendment, pro-gun advocacy group, has proposed an “education and training emergency response program” called The National School Shield, which advocates the placement of armed security in schools. Although the program sounds provocative, serious questions complicate its plausibility, necessity, motive, and effectiveness. Furthermore, the potential policy and practical ramifications of encouraging armed security forces in U.S. schools are complex. The authors examined the proposal’s key elements from a public policy perspective …

Collaborating With A Killer: The Unique Perspective Of Prison Life From A Man On Death Row, Gordon A. Crews, Angela D. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

This presentation describes the process and difficulties of developing a collaborative working relationship with Stephen C. Stanko, a man currently serving two death sentences in South Carolina for the murders of two people and the sexual assault and attempted murder of a third. Mr. Stanko and Dr. Gordon Crews first worked together on a book from 2000-2004 when Stanko was serving a 10-year sentence for kidnapping and assault with intent to kill. In April 2005, only 8 months after Stanko was released from that sentence, he committed the crimes for which he is currently facing death. Since then, the Crews’ …

International Police Education For The Rule Of Law: Obstacles, Facilitators, Curricula, Pedagogy, And Delivery, Gordon A. Crews, Angela West Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

The points discussed in the session are related to United Nations peacekeeping in the twenty-first century and the international police education for the rule of law. It is noted that 100 countries contribute police officers to the United Nations, and that 49 of those countries contribute 25 or fewer officers. There is a gender imbalance, with only 7.75 % of forces being made up of women. In the past, UN policing priorities were: monitoring to verify police performance and impartiality, observing to ascertain police strengths and weaknesses and reporting to document police infractions. The UN Peacekeeping Mission Statement aims to …

Quantitative Evaluation On Indigent Criminal Defense Funding, Ralph E. Mckinney, Lawrence P. Shao

Management Faculty Research

This article takes a quantitative approach to build upon McKinney and Shao's (2008) qualitative contribution concerning resource a/location of indigent criminal defense programs. By compating public funds of multiple societies over time, we are able to add important knowledge surrounding property rights valuations using a new concept called GDP Indexed Purchasing Power Parity. The findings of this study show that GDP-PPP provides for better indigent criminal defense analysis than per capita figures.

Teaching Tips: Personal Criminal History Analysis Paper, Gordon Crews, Angela Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

Students often have difficulty visualizing the practical application of criminological theory. The following activity assists instructors to develop students‘ abilities in evaluating behaviors and determining the theoretical perspectives that potentially could be used to explain those behaviors. It also is designed to assist students in comprehending how their own experiences impact their views on law-violating behavior and its etiology. This exercise facilitates students‘ awareness of how their beliefs about the causes of law-violating behavior inevitably impact their beliefs about potential solutions or responses to this type of behavior. Eventually, students unfailingly begin to realize the artificial dichotomy between us, as …

One Size Fits All? Ghanaian Perceptions Of Law Enforcement And The Importation Of American Community Policing, Angela West Crews, Gordon A. Crews, Kofi Boye-Doe

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

The purpose of this presentation was to introduce a research project that the authors have ongoing with the Ghana National Police Service (Accra, Ghana, Africa). This focus of this project is to assist the Ghanaian police in the development and implementation of a “community policing” program. In 2008, a new Director of Community Policing had been hired, although she expressed that she and the officers had absolutely no training or education in theories and practices related to community policing. This presentation showcased the authors’ initial efforts to help solve that problem. Three major aspects are covered in this presentation, 1) …

Academic Credit For Police And Correctional Academy Courses: The Criminal Justice Training Assessment (Cjta) Approach, Jack Greene, Sutham Cheurprakobkit, Angela West Crews, Gordon A. Crews, Prahba Unnithan, Eric C. Schultz

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

For the past few years, a federal grant sponsored by the Department of Justice has allowed teams consisting of faculty (from two-year and four-year colleges) and practitioners to assess the training curricula of various United States law enforcement and correctional agencies. Although traditional wisdom in academia is against viewing training academy courses as academically credible, the teams, after carefully assessing many training curricula, have agreed to give academic credit recommendation to those deserving curricula. In the end the CJTA project has not only helped to connect the academic world with the world of practitioners, but also generated rich data on …

What Law Enforcement In West Virginia Know About Stalking Crimes, Sandra Kiser-Griffith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Emerging research is beginning to reveal how prevalent, and dangerous, stalking can be, especially in situations that involve domestic or former domestic partners. As front line responders to stalking-related crimes, it would seem imperative that law enforcement personnel have extensive training and be knowledgeable about a broad range of stalking-related issues. A victim’s well-being can be directly impacted by the actions and interventions of the officers handling his or her case. Unfortunately, however, many states, including West Virginia, still do not require that officers receive stalking training. In an attempt to establish how well informed law enforcement officers in West …

Indigent Criminal Defense: Qualitative Review On Economic Value, Ralph Mckinney, Lawrence P. Shao

Management Faculty Research

This article reviews indigent criminal defense programs on an international level and generally concludes that societies want to protect legitimate society members', within the respective society's jurisdiction, fundamental property rights concerning criminal prosecution. While this conclusion was as the researchers expected, several unexpected and contrary observations were noted. Society wealth and a greater return on investments of public funds can dramatically shift a society's value of basic shared rights.

Researching Crime, Justice, And Social Control In Ghana: Evolving Issues In A Developing African Country, Gordon A. Crews, Angela West Crews, Kofi Boye-Doe, Ken Aikins

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss a recent research project which seeks to offer an examination of the unique relationship between the traditional Ghanaian indigenous justice system and the established state-administered justice system. This is an overview of the interesting blend of indigenous practices (rooted in religious practices and strongly associated with spirituality and mysticism) and state (formal justice and governmental systems) in the Ghanaian justice system. In addition the topics of the treatment of women and children within these systems and the use of alternative dispute resolution, restorative justice, and conflict resolution strategies inherent within the two …

Democracy And Delinquency: An International Comparison Of Youth Violence Associated With Alternative Lifestyles, Beliefs, And Practices, Gordon A. Crews, Angela West Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

This presentation discusses youth crime and violence within the context of evolving democracy. The focus is to compare Turkish juvenile crime to that experienced in the United States and the United Kingdom (e.g., extent, characteristics, causes, solutions, etc.). During the mid-to late 1990s, Turkey’s juvenile crime rate skyrocketed, although rates have decreased in recent years. Increases seen during the 1990’s may be a natural by-product of Turkey's historical efforts to become and maintain a democratic society, and part of the price Turkey has to pay to join the European Union. Juvenile crime (and other social problems, such as suicide) may …

A Pilot Study To Determine Gender Differences In The Detection Of Deception: Accuracy, Cues, And Skepticism, Randal B. Jarvis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

How accurately people use verbal and nonverbal cues to detect deception appears to be a function of a skeptical orientation toward the truthfulness of the subject. In previous studies, some differences in gender and the detection of deception are cited, but most studies are inconclusive about whether such differences exist. In the present study, university students are asked to judge brief interviews of suspects in a mock crime criminal investigation. Suspects are either "guilty" or "not guilty" in the mock crime scenario. "Guilty" suspects include two persons who are present at the time of the mock crime. A third person, …

Traffic Stop Practices Of The Iowa City Police Department: January 1 – December 31, 2002, Elizabeth L. Grossi, Gennaro F. Vito, Angela D. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

This report summarizes the findings of a study conducted using data collected by the Iowa City Police Department between January 1 and December 31, 2002. These data resulted from 13,459 interactions between law enforcement officers and citizens during traffic-related contacts.

Information was collected about the driver, the officer, and the stop event. Driver demographics included race, sex, age, residency, and vehicle registration. The only information collected about the officer was officer badge number. Finally, data collected about the stop event include the date, time of day, reason for stop, search, property seized, force, and outcome of the stop.

Data analysis …

Social Worker Or Cop? Measuring The Supervision Styles Of Probation & Parole Officers In Kentucky And Missouri, Angela D. Crews, Richard P. Seiter

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

This study surveyed probation and parole officers in Missouri and Kentucky to determine their supervision styles along a “casework to surveillance” continuum. These self-ratings were correlated with officer self-reports of how they spend their time on the job engaged in various casework or surveillance activities. Additionally, volunteering officers were interviewed to provide clarification on their perceptions regarding the distinctions between a casework approach and a surveillance approach. Results indicate that officers spend more of their time engaged in casework activities, but perceive themselves as more surveillance oriented. Style varied significantly by sex of officer, with female officers spending significantly more …

The Effectiveness Of The Secondary Weapon Of The West Virginia State Police, Jesse Andrew Davis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The present study examines the effectiveness of the West Virginia State Troopers’ secondary weapon, Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) pepper spray (CAP-STUN®), as a means of alternative use of force for non-cooperative subjects. The WV State Police have adopted OC in an effort to reduce the number and severity of injuries sustained by suspects. This method was adopted as an optional means to effect arrests through non-lethal force. The use of OC can control and restrain individuals while causing the least possible harm to the individuals without increasing danger to troopers or others. Questionnaires were sent to West Virginia State Troopers for …

Identity Theft Awareness In North Central West Virginia, Gwendolyn Lea Goodrich

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Identity theft occurs when an individual "takes over" the identity of another without that person's consent or when someone uses bits and pieces of information about an individual to represent himself or herself as that person for fraudulent purposes. The simplicity of gathering personal identification through technology enhancements has made identity theft reportedly the fastest growing crime in the U.S. The latest report indicates, through a national survey, that 20 percent of Americans are victims of identity theft. However, the impact of this growing crime has not been assessed in North Central West Virginia, where this study occurred. The theory …

Chicken Little, Three Blind Men And An Elephant, And “Racial Profiling”: A Commentary On The Collection, Analysis, And Interpretation Of Traffic Stop Data, Angela D. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

This paper discusses the collection, analysis, and interpretation of police traffic stop data. The focus primarily is on the theoretical, statistical, and practical determination of whether law enforcement is engaging in “racial profiling.” One of the most controversial components of research in this area relates to the “baseline” or comparison group. Researchers struggle with determining whether agencies are engaging in “racial profiling” when making traffic stops without some measure of what the world would look like in the absence of “racial profiling.” We know what is, but how can we know what should be? A model is proposed that …

Traffic Stop Practices Of The Louisville Police Department: January 15 - December 31, 2001, Terry D. Edwards, Elizabeth L. Grossi, Gennaro F. Vito, Angela D. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

This report summarizes the findings of a study conducted using data collected by the Louisville Division of Police between January 15, 2001 and December 31, 2001. These data resulted from 48,586 interactions between law enforcement officers and citizens during traffic-related contacts.

Information was collected about the driver, the officer, and the stop event. Driver demographics included race, sex, age, residency, license number, and vehicle registration. The only information collected about the officer was officer badge number. Finally, data collected about the stop event include the date, time of day, reason for stop, activities during the stop, number of passengers, and …

Cultural Awareness Sensitivity Training, William L. Underwood

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In this study, employees of the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Kentucky; the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota; and the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan were surveyed to determine the need for a Cultural Awareness Sensitivity Training program for staff within the United States Bureau of Prisons. In addition, if the need for this program was established, the Cultural Awareness Study was formulated to determine the scope and breadth of the coverage of the program. The respondents were asked to answer 72 questions in the following areas: (1) diversity training; (2) need assessment; (3) staff demographics; (4) inmate …

Crime Victims’ Satisfaction With Police Services: An Assessment In One Urban Community, Richard Tewksbury, Angela D. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

A 3‐month study examined crime victims’ satisfaction with police response to calls for service. Respondents were asked to rate officers with whom they interacted in overall satisfaction, and in courtesy/politeness, speed of response, concern, and helpfulness. Results indicate consistently high overall ratings. Nonparametric statistics indicate that female respondents rated officers significantly higher than male respondents, but no other demographic (age, race, education) or experiential variables (reason for call, location of problem, prior contact with police) significantly impacted ratings. Nonparametric correlations indicated that an officer's perceived helpfulness was the strongest correlate of overall satisfaction, while speed of response was the weakest.

Perceived Risk Of Aids Among Prisoners Following Educational Intervention, Angela D. Crews, Randy Martin

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

A pre/post quasi-experimental design was used to assess the impact of one state's AIDS education program on male (N = 75) and female (N= 65) inmates' perceived risk of HIV infection on the street and in prison. Post-test only comparison groups of male and female inmates were evaluated to control for the threat of testing. T-tests for paired samples were used to determine whether any significant changes occurred within groups (male & female), and t-tests for independent samples were used between groups to determine whether males or females experienced the greatest magnitude of change. Multiple regression analyses explored the …

Leisure And Delinquency: A Comparative Study Of The Link Between Leisure Activities And Delinquency, Patricia L. Brougham

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

For decades policymakers, among others, have assumed that involving juveniles in leisure/recreation somehow prevents them from engaging in misbehavior and/or leisure/recreation has rehabilitative value for delinquents. The belief seems to be that involvement in leisure/recreation changes juveniles so they will be less likely to engage in delinquent behavior in the future. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between delinquency and leisure/recreation by comparing samples of high school students with juveniles who were on probation for delinquent behavior.

There were three statistical comparisons made. First, statistical analyses were used to determine whether there were gender differences. …

0116: Scrapbooks (Crime), 1874-1892, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

Scrapbook consisting of newspaper clippings, flyers, broadsides and posters related to crimes in the late 19th century. Scrapbook is believed to have been compiled by the late James W. Kinnarney (1866 (?) - 1963), a former Louisville, KY police officer.