Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

The Reentry Experience Of Returning Citizens From Prison, Christina M. Kadelski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In 2022, over 1.2 million individuals were housed in federal or state prisons in the U.S., in addition to over 514,000 individuals housed in local jails at mid-year (Bureau of Justice, 2024). As released individuals return to their communities, they face the daunting task of re-integration into the community. The purpose of this study was to identify how returning citizens experience reentry to their communities upon release from prison, their perceptions about their reentry experience, and to learn about their unique responses to the reentry process. This study aimed to explore the experience of these individuals to better understand counseling …

Overlooking The Utility Of The Tattoo As An Investigatory Lead: An Exploratory Study Of Tattoo Documentation Quality Among Investigators And Medical Examiners, Deanna Corsetti

Student Theses

Tattoos have not only served as a subject of interest across cultures and disciplines for centuries, but also serve as a critical component of forensic investigations. Tattoos as traces–when properly identified and documented–serve as a valuable investigatory lead in cold, missing persons and unidentified remains cases. By examining the locations, dimensions, colors, and overall imagery of tattoos, investigators are able to use tattoos as a method of rapid, tentative identification of human remains (Miranda 2019). This study seeks to evaluate the quality and scope of tattoo documentation in cases classified as being unsolved. Specifically, tattoo data was collected from redacted …

Image-Based Sexual Abuse Victimization: Causes, Consequences, And Seeking Justice, Albina Laskovtsov

Theses and Dissertations

As technological advances and innovative communication methods are integrated into everyday life, concerns over the misuse and abuse of such technologies has warranted further interrogation. The particular act of image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) or nonconsensual pornography, has garnered much media and academic attention. IBSA is understood as the creation, dissemination, and/or threatening to create or disseminate illicit sexual images or videos of someone without their explicit consent. This three-article dissertation employs a three-fold approach in exploring the phenomenon of IBSA.

First, it applies a cyber theory of victimization, routine activity theory (RAT), in order to assess the risk of and …

New Tricks? Understanding The Role Of Education, Incarceration, And Reentry On The Older Correctional Population, Angela S. Murolo Phd, Lena Campagna Phd

Journal of Prison Education Research

Abstract

Education in prison provides an opportunity for personal growth and increased professional opportunities upon release. As older people leave prison and return to communities, the need for education serves multiple functions including successful reentry and healthy aging. The aim of this research was to explore the current literature relevant to older people during incarceration and upon release. The authors conducted a systematic literature review on 15 years of research between 2008- 2023 to understand how education in prison impacts older people while incarcerated and upon release. Articles published prior to 2008 were excluded from this study. Twenty-seven articles were …

The Roots And Risks Of Domestic Violence: A Holistic Review For Law Enforcement, Kiley Elsenpeter

Master of Arts in Human Services

Domestic violence (DV) is a global issue that disproportionately impacts women, producing harmful consequences for victims, families, and the community. DV involves a multifaceted interplay of individual, social, cultural, and policy elements, with intimate partner violence (IPV) representing the primary risk factor for intimate partner homicide (IPH), highlighting male-perpetrated DV as a focal concern. This review of existing literature thoroughly elucidates the predominant roots, consequences, and risk factors associated with DV, underscoring the significance of cultural awareness, trauma-informed care (TIC), and the application of evidence-based risk assessment tools within law enforcement (LE) frameworks. LE officers are uniquely positioned to detect …

Understanding The Needs Of The Intellectually And Developmentally Disabled And Autistic Population In The Criminal Justice System, Emily Sateary

Master of Arts in Human Services

This paper explores the inequitable treatment of the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled and Autistic (IDD/A) population in the criminal justice system. Although progress has been made over the past century with understanding the unique needs of this population, they still face challenges at all stages of the criminal justice system. Behavioral, social skills, and sensory challenges make it difficult for the IDD/A population to avoid criminal justice contact and to understand the criminal justice process. Insufficient training for police and attorneys harms both persons with IDD/A and criminal justice professionals. This paper examines current practices in place that are barriers …

Wound Ballistics With The Focus On Projectile Deformation, Nikita Khanov

D.U.Quark

Terminal ballistics, also called wound ballistics, is a field of ballistics that studies the projectile behaviour upon impact with a target. While the physical damage induced by the projectiles (typically bullets) and its medical treatment is well-researched, the deformation that the projectile itself undergoes is often underestimated in importance, and the research on this topic is lacking, although such changes can be a valuable source of forensic evidence. This review evaluates the deformation that occurs to non-fragmenting and various fragmenting bullets upon impact, as well as the effect that the body decomposition has on the bullets. The knowledge and understanding …

Memory Stewardship: Preventing Confabulation In Child Victim Statements, Dixie Blair Ivey

Master of Arts in Human Services

Confabulation consists of a false memory report. Some scholars consider confabulation a clinical symptom of a neurological disorder. Others view the subject more broadly. Regardless of the boundaries of the definition, confabulation is an example of false memory. False memory reports can occur under many circumstances. The details of these circumstances, as well as the general cognitive processes that dictate memory, are important to understand, particularly to those who rely on memory for the purposes of forensic investigations. In order to use memory statements to reliable effect, the investigator or interviewer must understand how their own actions, the actions of …

Juvenile Treatment: A Systematic Review Of Methadone On Juveniles After Incarceration, Joshua Bortieh

Criminal Justice Scholarly Projects

Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) has emerged as a harm-reduction strategy for addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) among justice-involved juveniles. Despite its growing implementation, there remains limited consensus regarding its effectiveness in reducing recidivism, its ethical and legal implications, and the systemic barriers surrounding its administration. This study employed a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine the therapeutic, ethical, and criminological dimensions of MMT in juvenile justice populations. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and synthesized 15 peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2010 and 2023. Data were sourced from four major electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science using …

Volume 16, Maggie Duncan, Madeline Little, Alicia Hoffman, Megan Livesay, Gabrielle Quaresma, Serenity Allen, Laina Pfountz, Ainslie Allred, Sabrina Robles, Nicholas J. Duellman, Trinity L. Deguzman, Melissa H. Savage, Margaret Dudley, Jocelyn Escobar, Olivia Hildreth, Olivia Hopkins, Benjamin Gettier, Lee Kassay, Jade Riddle, Ashley Seiders

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Lee Millar Bidwell

The Hujum Campaign in Uzbekistan and its Consequences by Madeline Little

Wet Cupping Compared to Dry Needling for Treatment of Patients with Low Back Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic by Alicia Hoffman and Megan Livesay

Optimization of eDNA Air Sampling Via 3D Printed Fan by Gabrielle Quaresma

Beyond the Classroom: A Qualitative Study of Teacher Attrition and Retention by Serenity Allen and Laina Pfountz

The Treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome with Platelet-Rich plasma Injections Verses …

Attitudes On Solitary Confinement, Emily Dewey

Undergraduate Theses

Solitary confinement is widespread and recognized as harmful in society. However, it is not as researched as other controversial issues, including immigration, gun control, abortion, etc. Due to this, it is hard to gauge how supportive the public is or isn't of related practices. In a general sense, public support has been established by legislators crafting policy, and by extension United States Supreme Court decision making. This is particularly crucial in discussions on interpretations of the 8th Amendment/ cruel and unusual punishment. Existing case law, such as Peoples V. Fischer, found that solitary confinement was arbitrary and needed reform, including …

Community-Level Analysis Of Anti-Asian Hate Crime, Jisoo Cho, Jinuk Jeong, Christopher Han-Fai Seto

Publications and Research

Motivated by the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines the community characteristics associated with the likelihood of their occurrence from 2020 to 2023 through interracial conflict and social disorganization perspectives. Analyzing data from the New York City Police Department and the American Community Survey across 2,198 census tracts, we find that communities with higher levels of Asian population, racial heterogeneity, and residential instability have higher odds of experiencing anti-Asian hate crime. However, concentrated disadvantage and defended neighborhoods (White, Black, and Hispanic) are not significant across all estimated models. These findings have important implications for …

Indiana Prison Writers Workshop: The Power Of Group Cohesion And Creative Expression Among Incarcerated Individuals, Lindamarie Olson, Debra Des Vignes, Amy Mclean, Bailey Wester, Uche Nwatu

Journal of Prison Education Research

Objective: The present study describes the development of the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop (IPWW), a creative writing workshop, based in group theory and designed for incarcerated settings. Methods: Quantitative evaluation data from IPWW workshops conducted from 2023-2024 were analyzed using IBM SPSS V. 29. Prior to the workshop, 149 men responded to questions on class expectations and goals, and 115 men responded at workshop conclusion. Open-ended qualitative responses from post-workshop data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Quantitative data demonstrates the effectiveness of IPWW in teaching writing skills and reflects participants’ agreement that the workshops provide opportunities to share their …

Warriors And Guardians: Police Recruit Role Orientation And Heterogeneity, Robert Boxerman

Dissertations

American police have experienced an expansion of duties over the last century, and their function has become increasingly diverse. As a result, researchers have developed role orientation typologies to understand how officers view themselves, their attitudes toward their work, and their responsibilities. One such typology is the warrior/guardian framework, where warrior-oriented officers see themselves as crime-fighting soldiers in conflict with criminals, while guardian-oriented officers view themselves as protectors of the community and providers of broader public services. Despite its popularity, there is limited empirical evidence supporting this framework. Further, little research examines how police recruits differentially view their role as …

Investigating Cold Homicide Cases In Michigan: Combining Systematic Research With Experiential Insight, Jaqueline Chavarria

Honors Theses

According to the Michigan State Police (2023), murder/non-negligent manslaughter, commonly known as homicide, is the “willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.” The Murder Accountability Project suggests there could be over 20,000 unsolved homicide cases in Michigan between 1965 and 2023 (2024). Despite the prevalence of unsolved cases, scholarly analysis on the topic is limited. This study examines solvability factors, also known as clearance factors, for cold homicide cases in Michigan by conducting a systematic literature review with news publications. Additionally, this study incorporates experiential insight, offering a holistic exploration of solvability factors. Using a systematic approach, 15 …

Association Of Driving With Blood Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol: A Systematic Review, Danial Behzad, Sampson Zhao, Reena Besa, Bruna Brands, Christine M. Wickens, Marilyn A. Huestis, Bernard Le Foll, Patricia Di Ciano

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Driving under the influence of cannabis increases the risk of motor vehicle collisions. In some jurisdictions, deterrence rests on the ability to detect delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in blood. Recent evidence suggests that there may be a nuanced relationship of blood THC to driving.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize all published papers investigating the presence of a linear relationship between blood THC and driving, primarily measured by simulated driving in the lab.

OUTCOMES: The main outcomes assessed included "weaving"/lateral control (eg, standard deviation of lateral position), speed, car following (following distance; coherence), reaction time, and overall …

Gendered Rehabilitation: Male And Female Offenders' Experiences In Reintegration, Ellie Hansen

Student Research Symposium

• Gender: Socially constructed roles, behaviors, and expectations assigned to women, men, girls, and boys (World Health Organization).
• Gender specific (responsive) programing: Tailored interventions addressing distinct learning styles, relationship dynamics, and life circumstances of men and women (The Oregon Intermediate Sanctions for Female Offenders Policy Group 1995).
• Recidivism: Relapse into criminal behavior after sanctions or interventions (NIJ).
• Reentry: The inevitable consequence of incarceration (Visher 2015).
• Rehabilitation: Programs reducing crime by addressing root causes and improving reintegration outcomes (NIJ).
• Reintegration: Reconnecting individuals with societal institutions as both a process and goal (Visher 2015).

The Effect Of A Dance-Like Martial Arts Training On Prisoners’ Concentration Ability, Uta Czyrnick-Leber, Kiara Kuhrs, Christian Kraft, Pamela Wicker, Bernd Groben

Journal of Prison Education Research

A cognitive prerequisite for education and (re)entry into the labor market is the ability to concentrate for a long period. Conducted with 39 participants, the present study examines the effect of a six-week dance-like martial arts program on prisoners’ concentration ability in an open prison in Germany (n=15), and compares their concentration ability with a control group of prisoners (n=5), as well as a treatment (n=11) and control group (n=8) of university students. Concentration ability is assessed using the d2-R concentration and attention test before, after, and six weeks following the program. The program’s participants showed significant improvements compared to …

It’S Time For A Change: A Proposal To Abolish Solitary Confinement From Canadian Prisons, Amy Rico

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

Despite Canada’s reputation for being a leader in human rights, its treatment of prisoners requires a closer examination. In particular, prisoner and human rights advocates have widely criticized the use of solitary confinement in Canadian federal and provincial prisons as a form of torture. Solitary confinement imposes excruciating and demeaning conditions on prisoners, jeopardizing their mental and physical welfare. Following court decisions deeming solitary confinement unconstitutional, the federal government replaced the formal use of solitary confinement with structured intervention units. However, these units continue to be a reformulated version of the original practice, sustaining the torturous conditions subjected to inmates. …

Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Public Perceptions Of Victim Forgiveness And Offender Reparative Effort, Samantha Does

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

Passing judgment is an inevitable aspect of human behaviour, particularly in cases of severe wrongdoing or crime. These assessments can affect the individuals implicated in the transgressions, including the victim and offender. This research enhances our understanding of how third parties judge offenders and victims of crime, exploring whether offender participation in rehabilitation, offender remorsefulness, and the victim's forgiveness following a crime influence the third party's judgement of the victim and offender. Participants were presented with a scenario depicting a significant transgression, after which they responded to prompts concerning their perceptions of the event and the people involved. The findings …

Criminal Justice Update - April 2025, Mia Agudelo

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
• Updates from the PA Legislature
• 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

Cyber Offending Among Adolescents: The Role Of Thoughtfully Reflective Decision-Making And Victimization, Revital Sela-Shayovitz, Tamar Berenblum, Sharon Toys

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

There has been growing attention to the role of the decision-making process in crime involvement in recent years. However, less is known about the association between the decision-making process and adolescents’ online offending. The present study examined whether thoughtfully reflective decision-making (TRDM) and cyber victimization are related to adolescents’ cybercrime. Data were obtained from self-report questionnaires administered to 510 Israeli adolescents aged 13-20. The results indicate that TRDM is negatively associated with engagement in online offending. Furthermore, cyber victimization is significantly associated with online offending. In addition, a significant predictor of online offending is intense activity on social media. We …

Vocational & Life Skills: Quarterly Report - Grant Cycle Five, Quarter Five July-September 2024, Nebraska Center For Justice Research, Janee Pannkuk, Abby Hayes, Katelynn Towne

Reports

The Vocational and Life Skills (VLS) program was created by Nebraska Legislative Bill 907 in 2014 with the purpose of easing the transition for individuals who reenter the community after incarceration. The VLS initiative is evaluated by the Nebraska Center for Justice Research (NCJR) to identify the impact service providers and programming have in increasing meaningful employment and prosocial lifestyle improvements among the justice-involved population. As part of the evaluation, NCJR provides trainings to support grantees as needed and provides feedback and information to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) regarding the implementation process and data updates on a …

A Theoretical Defense Of Police Recalibration In Columbia, South Carolina, Sanya Singh

Senior Theses

This paper defends police recalibrationism as the best means of reforming law enforcement. Columbia, South Carolina, will serve as a case study to demonstrate the philosophical and practical justifications of recalibrationism. Police recalibration, which aims to reconceptualize the role of police by reallocating extraneous responsibilities to other entities, offers a more comprehensive and viable solution than abolition, fiscal restraint, and managerialism. The paper further examines proposals that align with police recalibrationism through the lens of the philosophical frameworks of social contract theory and utilitarianism to demonstrate how the reform would fulfill the proposed goals of the American criminal justice system. …

Beyond The Bickering: Examining Event, Victim, And Offender Characteristics For Sibling Abuse Incidents In Oregon, Isabella M. Starr

University Honors Theses

Sibling violence (SV) is the most prevalent form of intrafamilial and domestic violence, yet it remains underrecognized and lacks the systematic attention given to other forms of family violence. Often minimized or misclassified as typical sibling rivalry, SV can inflict serious and lasting physical, emotional, and psychological harm on its victims. This study explores the characteristics of sibling violence incidents reported to law enforcement in Oregon between 2016 and 2023, using data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Through an analysis of 5,793 single-victim, single-offender incidents, the research examines demographic patterns among victims and offenders, incident dynamics, and typological …

Global Crossroads Of Cybercrime: Youth, Enterprise And State Vulnerabilities In The Digital Age, Christopher S. Kayser, Kyung-Shick Choi

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

No abstract provided.

Cybercrime As A Threat To The Banking Sector: A Perspective From Commercial Banks In Bangladesh, Hasibul Hossain, Rezaul Karim Shohag, Nikhil Chandra Nath, Sushmita Das Dalia

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Cyber and technology related crimes are gradually increasing all over the world due to rapid transitions and transactions in the digital world and cyberspace. Cyber related threats are increasingly becoming universal, multi-faceted, sophisticated and transnational in this tech-driven age. Governments, law enforcement agencies, IT professionals, scholars, and researchers worldwide have been concerned about digital deviance and crime. The transition to this widespread cybercrime is particularly difficult for developing countries. Recently, the banking sectors in Bangladesh have seen the emerging threats to its system and reserves through cyberspace, e. g. cyber-attacks or taking illegal access. Cybercrime is becoming a threat to …

Need Of Paradigm Shift In Cybersecurity Implementation For Small And Medium Enterprises (Smes), Shekhar Pawar, Hemant Palivela

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

The increasing digitization of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has significantly increased their attack surface, creating opportunities for various cyberthreats. In the global market, there are various cybersecurity standards and frameworks available, but there are still many cyber news stories from each corner of the world talking about increasing sophisticated cyber-attacks among organizations. According to recent studies, one out of five cyberattacks is targeting SMEs. Even though SMEs are relatively smaller as individuals, they are responsible for maximum contribution towards the betterment of the global economy, including the highest role in GDP and various employment opportunities. As compared to large …

Understanding Processes That Produce Racial Disparities In California Death Sentences: A Review Of The Literature, Catherine M. Grosso, Michael Laurence, Jeffrey A. Fagan

Faculty Scholarship

A robust and extensive body of empirical research, and a rich historical record, documents a recurring and pervasive influence of race in the application of California’s death penalty. This article reviews the legal and social science research to document multiple paths through which institutions and processes produce these racial disparities over many decisions in many cases across four decades. The article reviews relevant literature by decision, institution, or actor and presents key findings. This includes documenting the history of the broad statutory design of the California capital punishment statue. The review also considers research on policing, including the influence of …

Understanding Undergraduate Aspirations For Law Enforcement Careers And Motivation In The Classroom, Gabriella N. Burt

Honors Thesis

This study investigates the factors shaping undergraduate student interest in law enforcement careers. By surveying students from various Midwestern universities, this research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between social influences, gender, and curricular exposure in shaping law enforcement career aspirations. Specifically, it examines how motivations for pursuing a public service career, external influences, and background characteristics shape career interest overall. The study also examines how these factors shape career interest between men and women and overall motivation to engage with specific law enforcement course topics. Findings inform policy and curriculum design.