Sociology Commons^™

Eyewitness Recall And Identification Accuracy: Effects Of Stress In An Extreme Haunt And A Haunted House, William Blake Ridgway

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The impact of stress on eyewitness recall and identification accuracy has been studied extensively but with somewhat inconsistent results. Understanding the effects of stress are important if they are to be generalized to victims or witnesses of real crimes. This study consisted of two experiments that used an extreme haunt and a haunted house to examine attendees’ ability to recall details of and identify actors encountered, as a function of state anxiety and in the context of Deffenbacher’s (1994) catastrophe model of memory performance under anxiety. The results showed that physiological (i.e., heart rate) and psychological (i.e., State Anxiety Inventory) …

Implicit Attitudes, Explicit Attitudes, And Priming: A Preliminary Analysis Of Factors Affecting Use Of Force Decisions, Christopher Allen Forepaugh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines the effects of priming, situational factors, and attitudes on deadly force decision making. A small sample of undergraduates completed high-fidelity deadly force simulations. Simulation results were compared across experimental conditions and various attitudinal and demographic factors. Participants were generally accurate when assessing the threat posed by suspects. Participants primed to expect a threat were more accurate in their decisions but were no more likely to shoot an unarmed suspect. Participants were more accurate when responding to unarmed suspects. Participants more likely to exhibit implicit bias were less accurate. Several attitudinal and demographic traits were associated with deadly …

Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment: The Additive Value Of Victim Reported Risk, Jennifer Joanne Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects millions of people in the United States, causing negative generational consequences to the victim and the community. The criminal justice system has increased its preventative strategies to combat this issue through mandatory arrest laws and the use of risk assessment tools for determining the likelihood of offender recidivism. Risk factors included in standardized and actuarial risk assessment tools have been found to be relatively good predictors for violent recidivism.

This study assesses the predictive accuracy of risk factors through bivariate correlations and multiple logistic regression analysis. The risk factors analyzed include demographic information, mental health …

The Relationship Between State-Level Dynamics, Firearm Policies, And County-Level Homicides, Shawn M. Ratcliff

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation examines the causes and effects of four major firearm-related policies in the United States: Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW), Stand Your Ground (SYG), Child Access Prevention (CAP), and Universal Background Checks (UBC). Applying a social movement approach, the first research question addresses how a social movement organization (SMO) has employed resources to shape the adoption of (counter-)movement-related legislation. Using the gun rights movement as a case-in-point, I explore how campaign contributions – conceptualized as a professionalized SMO resource – have been employed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to shape the adoption of CCW, SYG, CAP, and UBC laws …

The Effect Of Money Supply(M2) On Real Magnitudes In The Economy Of Jordan A Rational Expectations Approach_X000d_, Hussain Talafha, Monther Share

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This study applies a neo-classical model to test the impact of anticipated and un anticipated growth in money supply (M2) on some key economic variables in the Jourdan economy for the period (1968:1-1988:4). The model consists of four equations: (i) the money supply growth equation;(ii) the growth in unemployment rate equation; (iii) the real growth in GNP equation; and (iv) the growth in price level equation (inflation rate). The study investigates the relationships and hypotheses using two stage least square method which is applied at the first difference logarithm structural equations. The first stage is applied to the money supply …

Analysis Of Construction Industry In Jordan 1980 - 1990, Mohammed A.S. Hiyassat, Hasan M. Tantawi

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the performance of the construction industry in Jourdan during the past decade. For this purpose, the authors addressed the following issues: 1- The size of the industry which is expressed in terms of volume and contribution to gross domestic products (GDP). In this section, the causes and effects of fluctuations are discussed. 2- Contribution of the industry to the country’s fixed asset formations, and finally 3- The structure of construction contractor_x000D_ _x000D_

Eliminate The Harassment Of Putting Shame On Someone For Something, Mr. Subhi Al-Bassam

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

Some old linguistics said that the verb Aiyara (Reproach) with the preposition Al-Ba a (of) is not a good language. But some of them said it is not a very good language, this article proves, through the investigation of classic Arabic prose and poetry, and through grammar, that the verb Aiyara (Reproach) with the preposition Alba a (of) is highly correct. And is better than to be without the preposition Alba a (of).

Acoustic Factors In Forming Arabic Structure, Dr. Mohammed Jawad Al Nouri

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This paper is a study of the sound factors, which control the mechanism of sound changes, affecting Arabic sounds, when they hold adjacent positions, in certain morphological structural formations. It becomes clear to us, through linguistic patterns and examples in this paper, which are more influential than other adjacent sounds, that those sounds are characterized by certain features which make them dominant in the process of structural formation, most important among them are features of sibilant, velarization, voicedness, plosion, nasalization, being rolled, length of place of articulation, and the vowel characteristics called, in Arabic, (madd and liin). Moreover, it becomes …

The Perceptions Of Al-Yarmouk University Students To Practice Global Announcement Materials Which Are Concerned Human Rights In Jordanian Society., Amin Mohanna, Muhammad Al-Khawaldeh

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This study tries to reveal the university students viewpoint in practicing the article of the international declaration of human rights in Jordanian society > this was done through a random sample consisting of 192 students of facilities of arts and education in Yarmouk University > to measure this viewpoint the researchers designed an instrument for this purpose which included all the articles of the international declaration of human rights and monitored the responses of the members of this samples to these articles according to an evaluative scale consisting of four levels (4) being the highest and (1) the lowest . Eight independent …

Rain In The Modern Arabic Poem, Dr. Hussein Yousef Kharyush

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This research discusses the domains and the implicature of rain in the modern Arab poetry. Since the rain is connected to the origins of life, and is a symbol of renewal, the use of rain in the Arab poetry, in this way is considered among daring usages because it recaptures the historical symbols. And it’s used to express something about the Arab situations in this age. Finally, the new meaning dedicates new implicature of rain that is connected to the truth and reality when the poet loses this reality and seeks salvation.

Punishment In International Relief Agency Schools At Jordan As Teachers And Students See It., Dr. Muhammad Mustafa Abu Alia

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The purpose of this study is to know the viewpoints of teachers and pupils in UNRWA schools in Jordan towards punishment. A specially designed questionnaire was given to (862) pupils and (315) teachers from a random sample taken from five areas in Jordan. The Questionnaire consists of (34) items covering the following five domains: causes, aims, kinds, consequences of punishment as well as alternative and attitudes to punishment. The data obtained from the questionnaire were subjected to x2 (chi square) for the purpose to determining significant differences – in the above domains- between the teachers and pupils. The present study …

Critical Vision Of Novel By Abed Al- Mohsen Bader, Dr.Yousef Abu Al-Odoss

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This paper investigates Abdul-Muhsin Bades methodology in study and criticism of the novel. The paper concentrates on the following points: 1-The conditions necessary for the writer’s vision. 2- Abdul-Muhsins view of the Idealism, romanticism and Aestheticism. 3-The character and its role in writing the novel. 4- Importance of time and place in the structure of the novel. 5-language and style of the novel. 6-Some general comments.

Vowels Between Theoretical Standards And Pronunciation Characteristics, Dr. Samir Stitiah

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This research aim at classifying the theoretical and practical principles of vowels. Some of these principles are related to the acoustic features. The acoustic features can be observed in sonority and friction. The contextual criteria are observed in the phonological usages and practical linguistic level. However, the practical criteria can be easily observed in the articulatory features such as narrowing and the obstruction of the air- system. Cardinal vowels represent the duality of vowels, they represent the theoretical and practical aspects of vowels. Cardinal vowels are divided into: primary, secondary, and additional vowels. All cardinal vowels are defined according to …

Grammatical Analysis By Eben Hisham Al-Ansari, Dr. Abdel Hamid Mustafa El Sayed

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The writer made a presentation of syntactic analysis by IBN HISHAM AL – ANSARI in his book named (MUGHANI AL-LABEEB). He discussed his conception of (THE SENTENCE) agreeing with some of his conclusions and asking for reconsideration of others. He concluded his research by submitting some remarks that got the attention of the contemporaries during their consideration of the scope recent linguistics aspects. Afterwords the writer tried to exhibit the principles that IBN HISHAM followed in the field of syntactic analysis. He explained that IBN HISHAM took advantage of the principles of grammarians scattered through their judgments of linguistic structure. …

Prosecutorial And Judicial Decision-Making In Federal Sovereign Citizen Cases, Kyle Kaminicki

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how ideology and extralegal factors shape prosecutorial and judicial outcomes among sovereign citizens (“sovereigns”) compared to other terrorists accused of committing non-violent crimes in the United States. This study is informed by focal concerns theory (Steffensmeier et al. 1998), which suggests that perceptions of blameworthiness, risk, and other practical implications shape prosecutorial and judicial decision-making.

Data come from the American Terrorism Study (ATS) where several measures are used including terrorist background and other extralegal factors (age, race, gender) for sovereign citizens and terrorists affiliated with other ideologies. Data on 308 sovereign citizens indicted in 158 federal court …

Immigrants And Crime, Daniel L. Stageman

Publications and Research

The gap between public perception of immigrant criminality and the research consensus on immigrants’ actual rates of criminal participation is persistent and cross-cultural. While the available evidence shows that immigrants worldwide tend to participate in criminal activity at rates slightly lower than the native-born, media and political discourse portraying immigrants as uniquely crime-prone remains a pervasive global phenomenon. This apparent disconnect is rooted in the dynamics of othering, or the tendency to dehumanize and criminalize identifiable out-groups. Given that most migration decisions are motivated by economic factors, othering is commonly used to justify subjecting immigrants to exploitative labor practices, with …

Reflective Writing In Prisons: Rehabilitation And The Power Of Stories And Connections, Sandeep Kumar

VA Engage Journal

The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. Even though the rate of crime is dropping, incarceration rates remain fairly steady. What’s more, recidivism (i.e., re-offending after conviction for other crimes) is also very high in the US. If offenders continue to offend, even after completing their sentences in a correctional system designed to address their underlying criminal activity, what is the point of having such a system? Can the system be made more accountable and better? Have we considered all the options for criminal reform? This article explores these questions using effective rehabilitation principles to …

Differences In Characteristics Of Criminal Behavior Between Solo And Team Serial Killers, Matthew Woster

Dissertations

Criminal Profiling and classification of serial killers has been an expanding area of research for decades. Recent research has called into question the accuracy and utility of these systems, and calls for further research and development. This study aims to use the Serial Killer Database (SKDB) to examine and classify differences in criminal behavior between serial killers who act alone versus those who act in pairs, groups, or teams. The specific aim of this study is to examine whether there are significant differences between Solo Serial Killers and Team Serial Killers in the Number of Victims, Length of Career, Method …

The Influence Of Social Media On Murder, Brandy Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research contains information on how much or if at all social media influences murder. Social media has such a big impact on the lives of many around the world, it is almost impossible to avoid. There is research on how social media effects brain processes and may even cause addiction. And there is research on why people commit murder, but there is little to no research on the role social media can play in some murders. Social media is almost like an alternate universe where people can pretend to be the people they want to be in real life, …

Going Viral: Youth And Sexual Assault In The Digital Age, Anna Gjika

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the growing phenomenon of using digital media technologies to capture and perpetuate sexual abuse. Focusing on instances of high-profile juvenile sexual assault, I use case studies, interviews, focus groups, and thematic media analysis to investigate (a) how crime, gender, status and technology intersect for young people growing up digital, and (b) the ways technology intersections with sexual abuse to create new forms of crime, new ways to victimize and perpetuate harm, as well as new opportunities to investigate and address sexual violence both through the criminal justice system and in the public. I argue that young people …

Sanctuary Cities And Their Respective Effect On Crime Rates, Adam R. Schutt

Undergraduate Economic Review

According to the U.S. Center for Immigration Studies (2017), cities or counties in twenty-four states declare themselves as a place of “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants. This study addresses the following question: Do sanctuary cities experience higher crime rates than those cities that are not? Using publicly available data, this regression analysis investigates the relationship between crime rates in selected cities and independent variables which the research literature or the media has linked to criminal activity. Results of this research reveal that sanctuary cities do not experience higher violent or property crime rates than those cities that are not sanctuary cities.

Criminal Injustice: Considering White Privilege And Colonization In The Examination Of Racial Bias In The United States Criminal Justice System, Jane E. Sanders

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Laws and institutions in the United States have consistently marginalized people of color throughout the country's history. This research examines the United States' criminal justice system while considering how the country’s past of oppression has resulted in a racially biased system. Through analysis of policies, literature, and quantitative data, the primary goal of this research is not only to exhibit that racial discrepancies exist within the criminal justice system, but also to question how they persist in order to determine a solution. By utilizing both qualitative data collected through existing social theory as well as quantitative data showing varying perceptions …

School Violence Threat Assessment: Professional Development Training For K-12 Educators, Christopher J. Potter

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

While threats of violence are relatively common in U.S. K-12 schools, the likelihood of a threat being carried out is very low. School leaders must take all threats of school violence seriously but must also have evidence-informed means to discern less-serious, transient threats from more serious, substantive ones. School violence threat assessment training is a vital professional development tool, to ensure safer schools while avoiding unnecessary labeling of students or overly harsh consequences through disciplinary over-reaction. This manual supplements an abbreviated professional development training presentation on school violence threat assessment based on research and models developed by Dr. Dewey Cornell, …

Keep Kids Out Of Prison: Community-Based Alternatives For Nonviolent Juvenile Offenders, Anessa L. Pennington

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Abstract

While juvenile crime has dropped over the past 20 years, tens of thousands of juvenile offenders are still incarcerated around the country, many of whom are nonviolent offenders. Researchers have found that detention centers, sometimes indistinguishable from adult prisons, do little to reduce recidivism and rehabilitate the offender. Rather, detention brings about more adverse effects than it does benefits. If incarceration isn’t working, how are the United States and other countries to deal with and deter juvenile crime? Community-based programs are a promising alternative to incarceration; instead of jumpsuits and cramped cells, community-based programs rely on community resources and …

Juvenile Diversion Programs: Comparing Minnesota County Characteristics To Determine Their Role In Pre-Trial Diversion Programs, Kaydin Schmitt

Political Science Theses and Capstones

The main goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate offenders and prevent youth from entering the adult justice system. One approach is through the use of diversion programs. The state of Minnesota requires all counties to offer at least one type of pre-trial diversion program. However, there is no ubiquitous program; the number and types of programs differ between counties, and the reason for these differences between jurisdictions is under-researched. I analyze the number and types of pre-trial diversion programs in Minnesota counties and compare them to various county characteristics to determine which characteristics play a role in …

Examining Crime Reporting Behaviors In The Presence Of Body-Worn Cameras, Tanya Dudinskaya

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research study was designed to gain a better understanding of the potential impacts a body-worn camera can have on a witness reporting a crime to an officer. This study uses an online survey distributed through Qualtrics and asks participants to respond with their likelihood of reporting the crime they are prompted (such as property damage, DUI, drug sale, assault, and robbery) in the presence or absence of a body-camera, and the recording of their statement. The main concept that is being examined is whether there are potential negative consequences of body-cameras such as preventing witnesses from coming forward because …

Hispanics And The War On Drugs: An Explanation For The Rise In Hispánica Imprisonment, Bryan James Haakma

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to understand racial disparities that persist throughout the criminal justice system. Since the early 1970s, the U.S. female prison population has risen at a faster rate than the male prison population (Harmon & Boppre, 2016; Morín, 2008, 2016). Overall, a plethora of research has linked the rise in imprisonment to the War on Drugs and the criminalization of drug use. This thesis examined these questions: 1) are drug crime initiatives driving the rise in Hispanic female imprisonment in comparison to Black and White females and 2) using Blalock’s (1967) theory on group threat, do …

Hot Spots Of Crime: Seasonal Patterning Of Campus Crime, Karen Zahid Armenta Rojas

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Provisions of the Clery Act require institutional reporting of crime on college campuses. Using the Clery Act data from Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, this study examines crime type fluctuation through seasonal patterns using a hot spot analysis. The data are mapped to identify geospatial patterns of crime through the seasons. This study investigates if certain crime types peak depending on the season and if the introduction of resident housing locations shift hot spots around campus using 2012-2018 Boise State Crime Logs. Results illustrate varying patterns of crime on campus through the seasons but general stability in the spatial …

Invisible Harm: Verbal Sexual Coercion Among College Students, Char Chezanne

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This paper provides a review of literature and research on verbal sexual coercion on college campuses by focusing on heterosexual dynamics. The studies involved explore the factors that influence sexually coercive behavior, including parenting styles, heteronormative beliefs, and risk-taking behaviors. Furthermore, this paper reviews current informal and formal responses to campus sexual coercion by focusing on the overlooked power dynamics that influence sexual consent. This paper concludes that restorative justice serves as an alternative to traditional justice for campus-based sexual coercion because of its flexibility and applicability to nuanced sexual assault cases.

Extreme Ideologies, Situational Factors, And Terrorists’ Target Selection, Evan Mudgett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to examine how ideology and situational factors shape terrorist target selection in the United States. While a growing number of studies have examined target selection by terrorists, the current study is the first to consider how combinations of factors present situated opportunities for terrorists to select particular types of targets as opposed to others. Guided by the situational crime prevention approach, this study relies on data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS) to measure attributes of incidents perpetrated by far-right and Islamic extremists and target selection. The outcomes of interest include government versus …