Understanding Processes That Produce Racial Disparities In California Death Sentences: A Review Of The Literature,
2025
Michigan State University College of Law
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 …
Transformative Outcome Of Correctional Education On Ex-Offenders In Mzimba, Malawi,
2025
Mzuzu University, Malawi
Transformative Outcome Of Correctional Education On Ex-Offenders In Mzimba, Malawi, Rajab Philip Mota, Mavuto Tembo
Journal of Prison Education Research
Prison service offers correctional education programs to the incarcerated individuals as a vital component of crime fighting strategy. Although the role of correctional education is to fight crimes, relapse in criminal behaviour which results in the re-incarceration of ex-offenders continues to be a predicament, thereby questioning the relevance of correctional education programs after imprisonment. Therefore, this mixed methods study analysed the transformative outcome of correctional education programs on ex-offenders in Mzimba, Malawi using the empowerment theory. The study utilized questionnaires, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews as data collection tools, whereby quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 20 while …
Keith Allen Harward's Wrongful Conviction,
2025
Fort Hays State University
Keith Allen Harward's Wrongful Conviction, Matthias Pearce
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Keith Allen Harward served 33 years in prison in Virginia for a rape and murder (The Innocence Project, 2025). The main evidence for his conviction was bite marks found on the rape victim’s legs. Someone broke into a house and murdered a man and raped the man’s wife. The rape victim described the man who had assaulted her, saying he was wearing a sailor’s outfit. A shipyard security guard nearby reported a man in a blood-spattered E-3 sailor’s uniform. Dental records of all E-3s were obtained and tested, and Harward was identified as the assailant (Keith Allen HARWARD v. COMMONWEALTH …
Wrongful Convictions In The United States,
2025
Fort Hays State University
Wrongful Convictions In The United States, Connor J. Schoenberger
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Wrongful convictions occur too frequently in the united states. A wrongful conviction occurs when a person is found guilty and sentenced for a crime that he or she did not commit. Wrongful convictions occur for a number of reasons including false confessions and prosecutorial misconduct, to name only two. This study considers how wrongful convictions affect society and consequences for those who are wrongfully convicted and then later exonerated. One cannot put a price tag on the harm done as a result of wrongful convictions.
Attorney Perceptions Of Plea-Bargaining,
2025
Bellarmine University
Attorney Perceptions Of Plea-Bargaining, Sarah K. Edelen
Undergraduate Theses
The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how criminal prosecutors and defense attorneys describe the negotiation process of plea-bargains, and the roles and discretion they exercise during it. Additionally, plea-bargaining is not well understood by many members of the public, so this research allows the public to gain insight and knowledge into the process. This study consisted of in-depth, qualitative interviews with both prosecutors and defense attorneys. The results of the study were analyzed through a content analysis. Overall, it was found that the way the plea-bargaining process is described through the existing literature differs …
Desistance, Emancipation, Empathy, And Pedagogy: The Incarcerated Teaching Artist’S Approach To Poetry,
2025
Merced College
Desistance, Emancipation, Empathy, And Pedagogy: The Incarcerated Teaching Artist’S Approach To Poetry, Ghostwrite Mike
Journal of Prison Education Research
The Art of Recovery and Therapy (ART) leisure time activity group at Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla, California, is a resident-led arts and humanities-based self-help forum that has been available to carceral state residents for more than a decade and is administered in collaboration with full-time, non-custody, civil servant facility staff (CDCR site, n.d.). ART is among the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) longest running and most autonomous creator habitats founded and facilitated entirely by resident practitioners. ART wields a codified state regulatory authority to function and fundraise (Cal. Code Regs. § 3233-3237, 3240) as well as …
Does Social Media Have An Impact On Inciting Violence?,
2025
Fort Hays State University
Does Social Media Have An Impact On Inciting Violence?, Cora Thorne
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
What is social media? What comes to mind? What is if for? What is its purpose? Is it the variety of popular applications such as Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, Facebook? Or, is it the headlines that come across those apps? Headlines about crime and criminal justice, major events, and politics? Among all the different platforms and the many people on them there is one common theme, hate and violence.
The Effects Of Faith-Based Programs In Prison,
2025
Fort Hays State University
The Effects Of Faith-Based Programs In Prison, Emmery Huber
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Faith based programs in prison is a cheaper way that the DOJ has found to be able to reduce recidivism rates. Studies show that these programs help inmates find purpose and joy during their situation. However, there is also a question to whether these programs break the establishment clause in the Constitution.
Should Courts Trial Juveniles As Adults,
2025
Fort Hays State University
Should Courts Trial Juveniles As Adults, Dylan Velasco
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
The question of whether juveniles should be charged as adults in the criminal justice system is a controversial issue. Some scholars argue that charging juveniles as adults for serious offenses, such as violent crimes, is necessary for ensuring accountability, protecting public safety, and deterring future crimes. Charging juveniles as adults sends a clear message about severity of criminal actions, regardless of the perpetrator's age, and provide a means to safeguard communities by incarcerating dangerous individuals on adult facilities. However, other scholars highlight that developmental differences exist between juveniles and adults. For instance, adolescent brains are still maturing, particularly in areas …
Does Media Influence Public Perception Of Crime,
2025
Fort Hays State University
Does Media Influence Public Perception Of Crime, Dylan Leach
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Media encompasses anything that can spread mass communication, such as news outlets, social media, music, etc. This study includes a review of various scholarly sources to determine the impact that various forms of media have for influencing public perceptions of crime in our nation as well as nations across the world. Initial findings implicate exposure to local news media and rap music influence public perceptions of crime, to include but not limited to increases in violence, concern about local crime rates, and negative perceptions of law enforcement. This study reports some of those results.
Does Crisis Intervention Training Reduce Negative Encounters With The Mental Health Population,
2025
Fort Hays State Universtiy
Does Crisis Intervention Training Reduce Negative Encounters With The Mental Health Population, Jayden Smith
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Law enforcement officers frequently interact with individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. These encounters can lead to negative outcomes including escalation, use of force, or unnecessary incarceration. Crisis intervention training (CIT) aims to equip officers with the necessary skills to recognize and respond to people with mental health conditions. This research examines the effectiveness of CIT in reducing negative encounters between law enforcement and the mental health population in communities. Analyzing data on arrest rates, use of force incidents, and officer and community perception will show whether CIT leads to safer interactions. However, critics say that CIT is ineffective due …
Sentencing Disparities Towards Racial And Ethnic Minorities,
2025
Fort Hays State University
Sentencing Disparities Towards Racial And Ethnic Minorities, Hannah Loomis
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Society and those working in the criminal justice system have been at odds for decades regarding the question of whether racial and/or ethnic minorities experience disparities in sentencing decisions by the courts. When looking at data, evidence clearly indicates a history of disparities towards African American and Hispanic populations. Despite the evidence, controversy still exists. Some researchers argue that over the years the level of bias has declined, and any level of disparities is an insignificant amount. While evidence may show a decrease, there is still a presence of disparities, and any bias is too much.
Gender, Parenthood, And Crime: What People Expect When You’Re Expecting,
2025
University of South Dakota
Gender, Parenthood, And Crime: What People Expect When You’Re Expecting, Madelyn Blaser
Honors Thesis
Decades of research have underscored the importance of personal demographics on criminal sentencing outcomes. Race and gender have gained increasing attention within this area, while parental status, particularly expectant parenthood, has largely been neglected. The current study seeks to examine the influence that an offender’s gender and parental status have on how they are viewed by the public. Using a vignette-style survey of American adults, this paper examines how gender and parental status influences public perception of an offender’s character. The survey also highlights the impacts that gender and parental status have on perceptions of a fair correctional outcome. Results …
Forensic Evidence And Its Effect On The Criminal Legal System,
2025
Fort Hays State University
Forensic Evidence And Its Effect On The Criminal Legal System, Kelsie L. Winter, April Terry
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
The use of forensic evidence is a relatively new initiative, gaining momentum and popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, for its role in addressing wrongful convictions. Yet, with advancements still being achieved, mistakes have been uncovered. In the criminal legal system, inaccurate evidence and/or information can be a barrier for seeking justice. Collectively, estimates suggest forensic errors occur in anywhere between 46-100% of forensic cases, with varying errors occurring based on the type of evidence (e.g., forensic pathology vs. seized drug analysis). As such, this literature review outlines the unreliable aspects of forensic evidence, the misinterpretation of such findings, and …
Prison Foodways In “Orange Is The New Black”,
2025
Coastal Carolina University
Prison Foodways In “Orange Is The New Black”, A. E. Stearns, Morgan Wilson, Mckenzie Richard
Qualitative Criminology (QC)
"The current study adds to the literature on prison foodways and media studies by exploring the role of prison food on the show Orange is the New Black (OITNB). Specifically, this project aimed to better understand the nature of televised incarceration experiences through the way in which incarcerated characters interacted with food in the scenes. Through an analysis of 601 food-related scenes in OITNB, findings suggest: 1) food is a vehicle for additional layers of institutional control of captive bodies, 2) food plays myriad non-food roles such as medicine, a transactional medium, a vehicle for contraband, and even sexual pleasure, …
An Exploratory Study On The Practice Of Procedural Justice And Use Of Force In Police-Citizen Encounters,
2025
Cal State University-Fullerton
An Exploratory Study On The Practice Of Procedural Justice And Use Of Force In Police-Citizen Encounters, Charles Cunha
Qualitative Criminology (QC)
"Procedural justice is a philosophy and theory demonstrating that the practice of its four principles improves police-community relations. This means that citizens view law enforcement as a legitimate entity of government. Much controversy has stemmed from alleged unlawful killings of suspects in the past decade. These incidents question whether law enforcement acted legitimately. Since then, scholars have researched training in using the four principles of procedural justice. They have also researched the use of procedural justice in police-citizen encounters. The current research study addresses law enforcement officers’ perspectives on the use of force and the use of the four principles …
“They Are Usually Borderline Homeless”: Exploring The Nexus Of Homelessness, Housing Instability, Successful Reentry, And Long-Term Reintegration,
2025
University of Nevada
“They Are Usually Borderline Homeless”: Exploring The Nexus Of Homelessness, Housing Instability, Successful Reentry, And Long-Term Reintegration, Emily I. Troshynski, Carolyn Willis
Qualitative Criminology (QC)
"For previously incarcerated persons, affordable and safe housing options are scarce. Barriers to securing housing include federal mandates (i.e., eligibility requirements) as well as local rules and regulations (i.e., zoning and ordinances). When housing is available, disclosing criminal history on applications impacts individuals’ chances to rent (Philips & Spencer, 2013). A lack of a consistent rental history, no personal and/or employment references, and securing capital to cover security deposits are added challenges. Since parole rules direct ex-convicts not to associate with others that have a criminal record, living with partners, friends, and family members may not be an option. Research …
Perceptions Toward Wrongful Convictions And Needed Reforms In The Criminal Justice System: Does Working Experience In Law Enforcement Matter?,
2025
Governors State University
Perceptions Toward Wrongful Convictions And Needed Reforms In The Criminal Justice System: Does Working Experience In Law Enforcement Matter?, Natalia Ermasova, Aubrey Adams, Lisa Jackson
Qualitative Criminology (QC)
"This study proposes to investigate how public views on the wrongful conviction issue are connected with the perceived need for criminal justice reform and whether the professional experience in law enforcement influences these perceptions. This study employs a qualitative research design, deriving its conclusions from the comparative analysis of the survey responses concerning the issue of wrongful convictions and the criminal justice system collected from 45 law enforcement professionals and 35 individuals without such experience. The comparative results reveal that for the respondents without working experience in law enforcement, racial/ethnical bias was one of the most substantial issues of wrongful …
"Nobody Gives A Damn If You Don't Know The Rules": Poverty, Strain, And Crime,
2025
University of West Florida
"Nobody Gives A Damn If You Don't Know The Rules": Poverty, Strain, And Crime, Chrystina Y. Hoffman, Dana R. Dillard, Erin King, Angela Blackburn
Qualitative Criminology (QC)
"General strain theory posits that individuals commit crimes when they experience negative emotions following various sources of strain. One such source of strain is poverty. In this study, researchers use focus group data and apply a general strain framework to analyze criminal offending during the Missouri Community Action Network's Poverty Simulation© (2022) at a regional comprehensive university in the Southeast region of the United States. A total of 99 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the focus groups at the end of the simulation. Findings support Agnew’s (1992) theory with examples of sources of strain stemming from poverty leading to …
Research Brief: Ghosting In The Realm Of Research: The Realities Of Conducting Social Science Research In The Digital Age,
2025
Caldwell University
Research Brief: Ghosting In The Realm Of Research: The Realities Of Conducting Social Science Research In The Digital Age, Lena M. Campagna, Angela S. Murolo
Qualitative Criminology (QC)
"Social science research does not occur in a vacuum. Competing for time and attention is the norm in a society that has become more isolated. Because of this, the effects of ghosting are prevalent everywhere. As social scientists, we are not immune to ghosting or its effects. In this research brief, two junior faculty members discuss their efforts to overcome ghosting at every level of the research process and its impact on hiring student workers, knowledge production, and meeting grant funding requirements. Lastly, the authors offer suggestions for overcoming the effects of ghosting and its effect on the challenges of …
