Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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 …