Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

Fewer, Not Fairer, Victoria Smiegocki, Pamela R. Metzger, Andrew L.B. Davies

Deason Center Reports

In 2019, police across Dallas County asked the District Attorney to prosecute fewer marijuana cases than the year before. This report examines whether the racial disparity in those cases improved at the same time. Fewer, Not Fairer shows that while the number of referrals declined, police were still more likely to refer a Black person for marijuana prosecution than a non-Black person. However, some cities achieved more fairness when their police departments almost entirely stopped requesting marijuana prosecutions altogether.

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 …

Online Perceptions Of Panamanian Prisons And Incarcerated Persons: An Analysis Of Youtube User Comments, Mahaleth J. Sotelo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore and understand the frameworks in which prisons and incarcerated persons are discussed amongst commenters under YouTube videos displaying media on Panamanian prisons. The study incorporates a mixed methods approach by conducting a general content analysis of YouTuber comments to address themes within the discussion. Additionally, these themes were quantified and modeled using predictive variables collected such as number of comment likes, number of comment dislikes, and number of comment replies, alias type (screen name or name-like), presence of profile picture, and profile picture type. The themes found were 1) punitive, 2) justifying …

Criminalizing Lgbtq+ Jamaicans: Social, Legal, And Colonial Influences On Homophobic Policy, Zoe C. Knowles

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Based on colonial and neocolonial models of oppression, Jamaica has adopted many laws, policies, and systems mandated by the British monarchy. Many of these laws contain anti-LGBTQ+ policies which remain in effect today. To address the criminalization of LGBTQ+ identities, I used queer theory and queer criminology to analyse the ways Jamaica constructs LGBTQ+ people as criminals and how they are treated in the legal and criminal justice systems from a postcolonial standpoint. Using a qualitative text-based feminist and queer policy analysis, I investigated social, legal, and colonial influences on current anti-LGBTQ+ policy by looking at the Offences Against the …

Program Review: Criminal Justice Department, Timbre Wulf, Julie Campbell, Jessica Peterson, Kyle Harshbarger

Academic Program Reviews

No abstract provided.

Linguistic Branching Of Semantics In Arabic: A Social Approach, Hanan Ismael Amayreh, Mohammad Ismael Amayreh

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

Linguist Branching is appropriate for Arabic Language as words branch out mostly from roots, and every root becomes a tree, which is different from others, not because of the tree itself, but because of what society uses. Language branching expresses the controversial relationship between the language and the rules that govern it from one side, and society’s preference of certain terms over others from the other side. This study tries to answer the following questions: does the language impose the used words, or does it offer options for society to choose what suits it? The study reaches a conclusion that …

The Reality Of Applying Governance Within The Criteria Of Quality Assurance At Schools Of Sport Science At Jordanian Universities, Sari Ahmad Hamdan, Fatima Marof Al-Khrisat

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This study examines the reality of applying governance within The Criteria of Quality Assurance at schools of Sport Science at Jordanian Universities from their members perspective. It also aims at finding out the differences in the schools' members perspective. The sample of the study consisted of (86) school members who work in (University of Jordan, Yarmouk University, Mu'tah University, Hashemite University, and Al-Ahliyya Amman University). To achieve the objectives of the study, the Descriptive approach was used. The results showed that the reality of applying governance came to a high degree, and they were statistically significant in the perspective of …

The Image Of The Andalusian Woman In Love And Adored In The Muwashahat Of The Sixth Century Ah In Andalusia, Ali Mosa A-Masha’Leh, Nawal Abd Rahman Al-Shawabkeh

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This research aims at exploring the image of the Andalusian woman in love and adored in the sixth hijri century of Andalusia. It explores the real image of women through Andalusian muwashahat and books of literature, translations and others. This research displays the image of the beloved woman and her relationship with her mother where washaheen discuss her beauty. As for the beloved woman, washaheen believe that she has the right to flirt with men, so she was given the chance to express herself using the last section of muwashat. The woman searches for her lover, so she goes to …

The Degree To Which The Use Of Modern Educational Technologies On The Quality Of Education And Its Development In Al-Ahliyya Amman University From The Viewpoint Of Faculty Members, Sawsan Badrakhan, Hafizah Muhammad Mahmoud, Feda Ghnaim, Suleiman Alnaimi

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The study aims at identifying the degree to which the use of modern educational technologies on the quality of education and its development in al-ahliyya Amman university from the viewpoint of faculty members by developing a questionnaire consisting of (20) items which were distributed to a random sample consisting of (198) faculty members. The results of the study showed that the most important modern technologies used in university education are: first, information network (the Internet) with a rate of (18.70%), and second, social networking sites, with a rate of (15.9%). The degree of impact of the use of modern technologies …

The Obstacles Faced By The Middle School Leaders Who Apply The Initiative Of Transition Towards Digital Learning, Amal Ibrahim Aldhafar

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This study aims at identifying the obstacles faced by the middle school leaders when they apply The Initiative of Transition Towards Digital Learning as well as determining the degree of responses of middle school leaders to these obstacles according to variables such as; (years of experience and school size). In order to achieve the objectives of this study, the descriptive method and the questionnaire method were used. The above methods were applied and distributed amongst the (25) school leaders who applied The Initiative of Transition Towards Digital Learning. The study concluded that obstacles of the application of middle school leaders …

Type D Personality, And The Levels Of Anxiety And Depression In A Sample Of Cardiac Patients In Comparison To Their Non-Patient Counterparts, Fatma Faris Najjar, Wisam Breik

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The present study aims at exploring the prevalence of type D personality (distressed personality) and the levels of anxiety (trait) and depression in a sample of cardiac patients in comparison to their non-patient counterparts in Jordan. To achieve the objectives of the study, an adapted form of type D personality scale-DS14, Trait Anxiety Scale and Beck Inventory were utilized. The study sample consisted of 309 individuals; 306 of which cardiac patients (73 males and 83 females) whose illness is not due to congenital causes and 153 non-patients (83 males and 70 females) as a comparative group, who were chosen from …

Textual Consistency Mechanisms In The Poem "Lost Nostalgia" By Abu Alqasim Alshabbi, Esa Slah Al Tarawneh

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The research addresses a significant topic related to (Text Linguistics) based on analyzing poetry speech textuality. The research tracks a textual occurrence as the base of assessing the text quality, which is "Textual Consistency”. The research will study the Textual Consistency mechanism in Abu Alqasim Alshabbi's poem, "Alashwaq Altae'ha", unfolding the consistency of its phonetics, vocabularies, and structural contents, highlighting the significant role of these mechanisms on this outstanding text in maintaining its unity, coherence and cohesion. The research adopted the Descriptive approach, using literary analysis. Key words: Textual Linguistics, Text, Consistency, Abu Alqasim Alshabbi, "Alashwaq Altae'ha”.

The Doctrine Of Functus Officio And Its Exceptions Under The Arbitration Law Of Jordan, Mosleh Ahmad Al Tarawneh, Jalal Mahmoud Al-Qhaiwi

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This study examines the doctrine of Functus Officio and its exceptions under the Jordanian Arbitration Law and its relation with the doctrine of res judicata. We will first shed the light on on the doctrine and the awards to which it apply. Then, we will examine the exceptions of the doctrine that alleviate the potential harshness of the doctrine. These exceptions are: correction of clerical error in the award, interpretation of ambiguities or obscurities in the text of the award and supplementation or the issuance of an additional award on matters or claims presented in the arbitral proceedings but omitted …

Using Google Alerts To Study Police Crime, Chloe Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson, John Liederbach

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation from the annual meeting of the Criminology Consortium on October 18, 2021.

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 …

Hot Spots Policing In Las Vegas: Results From A Blocked Randomized Controlled Trial In Chronic Violent Crime Locations, Nicholas Corsaro, Robin S. Engel, Tamara D. Herold, Murat Yildirim, Ryan T. Motz

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

Objectives: This randomized experiment explored the impact of hot spots policing (HSP) strategies on criminal offenses and calls for service within chronic, persistent violent crime clusters in Las Vegas, NV. Methods: Forty-four street segments were randomized into treatment (N = 22) and control (N = 22) conditions across nine chronic, persistent violent crime areas. The conditions (foot patrols, stationary patrol vehicles, and business-as-usual) were active for 6 months. Results: Over 90% of the hot spots experienced an average of 1.5 h or greater of patrol dosage per day. In terms of impact, the mixed effects negative binomial regression results showed …

The Fast & The Furious…Torturous?: Examining The Impact Of Torture Scenes In Popular Films On Public Perceptions Of Torture Policy, Erin M. Kearns, Casey Delehanty

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Entertainment media regularly depict torture as effective. Indeed, most popular films contain torture—often outside of counterterrorism-specific plotlines. In the counterterrorism-specific context, watching a scene where torture works increases support for the practice. Yet counterterrorism-specific media is a niche genre, and we do not know if this holds for torture scenes more generally. We address this gap with a 4 (movie rating) x 3 (scene type) experiment with U.S. adults. While participants recognized that torture scenes are in fact torture, viewing these scenes did not impact support for the practice. Findings suggest that media’s influence on views about torture is more …

Gender And Criminal Justice Responses To Terrorism In The United States, Summer Jackson, Jeff Gruenewald, Katie Ratcliff

Research Projects

This brief summarizes findings from a recent study published in Crime & Delinquency titled "Gender and Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism in the United States" (available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287211047535 ). Using data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS), this study examine show gender varies across federal terrorism cases, how gender shapes federal terrorism case outcomes, and how combinations of relevant case attributes uniquely impact court outcomes for males and females.

Data include a sample of 2,147 defendants in terrorism-related cases across several types of legal measures: charge type, number of charges, whether or not the prosecutor references terrorism (e.g., relying on …

Criminal Justice Update - October 2021, Patrick Mahoney

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
• Criminal Law & Procedure
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure (no updates this month)
• PA Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Superior Court: Criminal Law & Procedure

Hate Crimes Across Nations, Amanda Mcvey

Honors Program Contracts

No abstract provided.

Protecting Our Youth In An Online World, Tess Collins

Honors Program Contracts

No abstract provided.

Redefining What It Means To Be A ‘Warrior’: Dismantling Mental Health Stigma In Law Enforcement From The Classroom To The Academy, Maeve Lyons

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Race, Gender, And Domestic Violence, Faith Harris, Katrina Cokain

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Race and gender, as significant social locations, have an impact on many facets of life. One of these areas is the experience of victimization, particularly Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Race and gender impact who perpetrates, their views towards IPV, who is victimized, the victim's experiences with the Criminal Justice System, and the preparedness of supportive services to assist these victims.

Creating A Home Base For Treatment In Homeless Courts, Kyle C. Troeger

Student Publications

As the number of unsheltered homeless increases, an alternative to criminalization, homeless courts, have also become more common. 18 States currently have one or more specialty court programs dedicated to meting out alternative sentencing to the local homeless. Homeless courts are a rehabilitative process with the end goal of reintegration into society. They allow nonviolent misdemeanors to be resolved without jail time or fines. In lieu of traditional sentencing is community service and mandated self-improvement. This chapter examines the current criminalization, and history, of homelessness in the United States. Of primary interest is the development of homeless courts as an …

The Criminalization Of Hiv And Hiv Stigma, Deanna Cann

Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to contain the HIV epidemic, lawmakers implemented various pieces of legislation across the United States, including laws that prohibit people living with HIV (PLHIV) from engaging in various behaviors without first disclosing their HIV-status. Public health scholars claim that this criminalization of HIV serves to increase stigma toward PLHIV, rather than prevent its transmission. Limited research has supported a connection between HIV exposure laws and increased stigma toward PLHIV. Still, researchers have yet to establish a causal relationship, and we know little regarding the mechanisms through which these laws serve to reproduce stigma. This study aims to …

The Spatial Variability Of Crime: A Review Of Methodological Choice, Proposed Models, And Methods For Illustrating The Phenomenon, Matthew D. Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

The spatial analysis of crime has occurred for nearly two centuries. Within criminology, research interests that have developed from the use of spatial methodologies seek to identify the spatial variability and concentration of crime. The first focus utilizes spatial statistics and mapping to describe and illustrate spatial variability. The second focus uses statistical techniques to describe levels of concentration such as the percentage of crime attributed to a unit. Due to the larger breadth of work and multiple analytical components the former will be the focus of this research.

This multi-study dissertation explores the methods currently used to study the …

Schools On The Frontlines Of Governance: How The Convergence Of Criminal Justice And Education Shapes Adolescent Perceptions And Behavior, Jennifer O'Neill

Dissertations

Theories of legal socialization posit that individuals’ interactions with both nonlegal (e.g., teachers) and legal (e.g., police officers) authorities impact our broader orientation towards governance our compliance with rules and laws. Examining the process of legal socialization in adolescents is critical for understanding individuals’ relationships with major institutions of social control, and further, predicting delinquency. Extant literature tends to consider legal socialization in the school and in interactions with the police as distinct processes related to offending, neglecting the potential influence of school contextual factors; and yet, because the incorporation of carceral features (e.g., exclusionary discipline, restrictive security, and enhanced …

Bench Vs. Jury Trials: Sentencing And Conviction Outcomes For Criminally Charged Police Officers, Bethany R. Sager, Chloe Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association in Chicago, IL, on September 24, 2021.

On-Duty Fatal Police Shootings:Patterns Of Officers Charged With Murder Or Manslaughter, 2005-2020, Chloe Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association in Chicago, IL, on September 24, 2021.

Detecting Child Sexual Abuse Images: Traits Of Child Sexual Exploitation Hosting And Displaying Websites, Enrique Guerra, Bryce G. Westlake

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background
Automated detection of child sexual abuse images (CSAI) often relies on image attributes, such as hash values. However, electronic service providers and others without access to hash value databases are limited in their ability to detect CSAI. Additionally, the increasing amount of CSA content being distributed means that a large percentage of images are not yet cataloged in hash value databases. Therefore, additional detection criteria need to be determined to improve identification of non-hashed CSAI.
Objective
We aim to identify patterns in the locations and folder/file naming practices of websites hosting and displaying CSAI, to use as additional detection …