Legal Studies Commons^™

Discrimination Of Blue Denim Fibers Utilizing Physical Characteristics, Optical Properties, Fluorescence Microscopy, Ultraviolet-Visible Microspectrophotometry, And Microchemical Testing, Elkin Howard

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Cotton, the most common natural fiber, has numerous uses in the textile industry. This fiber type is ubiquitous in forensic casework due to its prevalence, particularly in blue jeans. The abundance of blue cotton in society and its limited variations in features can diminish the probative value of its presence on items of evidence. While a pair of blue jeans may be constructed with a combination of natural and manufactured fibers, the most likely fiber type to be transferred between sources is cotton. In this study, a comprehensive analytical approach to blue jean fiber analysis was explored to determine if …

Cellular Autofluorescence Signatures For Determining Time Since Deposition Of Whole Blood, Hannah Lamer

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Knowledge of the relative window of time that evidentiary biological material was deposited at a crime scene, referred to as the time since deposition (TSD), would help investigators determine which evidentiary items are most probative and assist with scene reconstruction. One commonly encountered body fluid at a crime scene is blood. Various methods for estimating TSD of bloodstains have been developed, but none to date have been validated for use in the forensic laboratory. Recently, flow cytometry measurements of cellular autofluorescence and size/structure have been investigated as a signature for TSD of saliva and touch epidermal cells. This study assessed …

Overcoming The Effects Of Oily Contaminants On Dna Extraction Efficiency Using Dna Iq™ System, Elizabeth G. Gillece

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

In forensic science DNA extraction and purification are crucial to DNA analysis as evidentiary items vary in DNA quantity and quality. In casework the goal to is maximize DNA yield, remove PCR inhibitors, and develop a full profile while preserving evidence. Extraction methods are developed to target the DNA for optimal isolation. Solid-phase extraction is advantageous as it can extract DNA from a variety of tissue types, it is amenable to automation, and it provides quick and efficient purification of DNA. Solid-phase extraction methods may have complications with contaminants that hinder the quantity and quality of the DNA recovered. In …

A Novel Dual Configuration Dart/Uhplc-Ms/Ms System For The Rapid Analysis Of Psilocybin-Containing Mushrooms And Other Seized-Drug Submissions, Aron R. Jaffe

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

The use and availability of controlled substances is highly dynamic. When a classical or novel psychoactive substance becomes popular, an influx of seized-drug evidence submissions closely follows, contributing to an ever-growing backlog of exhibits awaiting identification. The need for inclusive, rapid, and robust analytical methods is apparent, as demonstrated by recent growth in hallucinogen use. Psilocybin and psilocin, among other entheogens, have become increasingly popular and an increase of psilocybin mushroom seizures by law enforcement has followed. The structural similarity and thermal lability of many entheogens preclude their identification using many conventional analysis techniques. A DART and UHPLC were interchangeably …

Using The Microbiome To Assess The Health Status Of The Individuals Recovered From The East Marshall Street Well, Arian Karim

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

In 1994, during the construction of the Kontos Building on the Medical College of Virginia Campus, a well on East Marshall Street was discovered to contain artifacts and human remains of African descent. Upon archaeological analysis by the Smithsonian, the ancestral remains can be dated back to the mid-19th century, when grave robbing and the use of cadavers for anatomical purposes [BS1] in medical schools were common. The human oral microbiome is the second largest human microbiota, containing over 600 species of organisms. Dysbiosis of the oral microbiome can lead to the overgrowth of pathogenic species, resulting in illness and …

Temporal Discrimination Of Lucilia Sericata Pupae Using Dart- Tof-Ms And Statistical Analysis, Nguyen-Khoa N. Pham

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a forensically important blow fly species. These flies have been extensively studied as they are one of the earliest colonizers of corpses. Adult females blow flies lay approximately 200-2,300 eggs, which upon hatching will feed off the body as they metamorphosize from first to second, and third instars. The third instar larvae then migrate away from the body in a stage known as pre-pupa, and develop into the puparial stage. The adults emerge from the pupa stage, leaving behind their empty puparium. These developmental stages are used by forensic entomologists to determine a minimum postmortem …

Quantitation And Visualization Of Epithelial Cells On Cartridge Cases, Paige Kibler, Christopher Ehrhardt, Katherine M. Philpott, Jody H. West, Stephanie Walcott

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Fired cartridge cases are a common type of evidence submitted to forensic DNA profiling but are challenging to analyze because they usually contain only trace amounts of biological material. As such, there is a significant need in caseworking units for new screening techniques to determine if biological material is present and is in high enough quantity to attempt DNA profiling. The goal of this study was to test a new method for quickly visualizing biological material on cartridge cases. Biological deposits were created by handling fired and unfired cartridge cases through a series of conditions. The biological material was collected …

Further Optimization Of A Simplified Protocol For Tooth Sample Preparation For Analysis Using The Applied Biosystems™ Rapidhit™ Id Instrument, Yen H. Dang

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Due to the destructive nature of mass casualty incidents (MCIs) or mass fatality events (MFEs), tooth samples are often one of the only viable sources for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) because of the incredible integrity of the enamel layer surrounding the tooth. However, the resilient structure of the tooth requires harsh chemicals and a labor-intensive sample preparation protocol to ensure successful STR profile development. Considering this difficulty, one of the promising resolutions is the Applied Biosystems RapidHIT™ ID ID platform, which is a fully automated system that is designed to perform cell lysis, DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, …

Impacts Of Sex Work Criminalization On Sex Workers In Oregon: A Pilot Study, Stephanie Wahab, Katie Shammel

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Executive Summary

Context for the Study
In July, 2023, Oregon legislators voted to fund research exploring the impacts of the criminalization of sex work in Oregon. Unfortunately, the Governor vetoed the budget item, stating that the private sector should fund this type of public health research and noting the need for additional public discussion about the issue. To date, there have been no attempts to study the impacts of prostitution laws on the people most impacted by them in Oregon. The research presented in this report seeks to address this gap.

This qualitative pilot study was designed to better understand …

The Pursuit Of Peace: Adlai Stevenson’S Impact On The Cuban Missile Crisis, Alexandra M. Buonanno

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

This paper explores the idea that Adlai Stevenson was a more significant member of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council and voice for peace than given credit for. It includes the betrayal of Stevenson by JFK during the Bay of Pigs fiasco and how many members of the Kennedy administration felt Stevenson was too naive and weak to be an ambassador to the United Nations during the Cold War. This papers seeks to prove that without Adlai Stevenson the Cuban Missile Crisis would have ended horrifically rather than peacefully.

Eco-Illusions: Unveiling Greenwashing Techniques On Corporate Social Media, Madeline B. Davis

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

As the climate crisis continues, businesses are becoming savvier with how they communicate their environmental impact to their audiences. Greenwashing, the act of making unsubstantiated claims about the environmental friendliness of products, is becoming more popular amongst unsustainable corporations. Past research shows that companies are using specific techniques to deceive consumers. By conducting a content analysis of five corporate Instagram accounts from companies with past greenwashing allegations, this research used four main criteria to categorize greenwashed posts: color palette recurrent language, pleasant nature imagery, and vague appeals. Vague appeals were most commonly used online. Understanding how companies are perpetuating greenwashing …

Jimmy Carter’S Dilemma: The American Boycott Of The 1980 Summer Olympics, Grace E. Schoales

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Amidst strong political tension and the global uncertainty of the Cold War, an unlikely group of American college students took their skills to the Olympic ice in 1980, unknowingly preparing to make history. They defeated the notoriously tough Soviet Union team, boosting American pride across the nation. This victory left the U.S. feeling unstoppable and ready to face off against the Soviets again in a few months at the Moscow Summer Games. There was just one problem- the Carter Administration would soon announce the United States’ official boycott of the Games. This followed heightened Cold War tensions due to the …

Judging Firearms Evidence, Brandon L. Garrett, Eric Tucker, Nicholas Scurich

Faculty Scholarship

Firearms violence results in hundreds of thousands of criminal investigations each year. To try to identify a culprit, firearms examiners seek to link fired shell casings or bullets from crime scene evidence to a particular firearm. The underlying assumption is that firearms impart unique marks on bullets and cartridge cases, and that trained examiners can identify these marks to determine which were fired by the same gun. For over a hundred years, firearms examiners have testified that they can conclusively identify the source of a bullet or cartridge case. In recent years, however, research scientists have called into question the …

An Overview Of Youth Crime And Violence In The Caribbean Community (Caricom), Marika Dawkins-Cavazos

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Redefining Rehabilitation: Evaluating The Washtenaw County Pre-Plea Diversion Program, William Ellsworth

CMC Senior Theses

The Washtenaw County (MI) Prosecutor’s Office’s Pre-Plea Diversion Program (PPDP) aims to divert eligible misdemeanor defendants from the criminal justice system, offering rehabilitative programming to reduce reoffending and minimize the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction with case dismissal. This research assessed whether PPDP participants were less likely to be re-arrested in the six months following program completion compared to a sample of defendants facing similar charges within the same court. It was hypothesized that the PPDP would effectively reduce re-arrest, with community service and mental health counseling proving particularly impactful. Employing a quasi-experimental design, data from 90 successfully diverted …

Exploring The Factors That Influence Female Offending In The U.S. And Mexico, Dana Villasenor

CMC Senior Theses

Hollywood has painted a picture of the criminal woman as a sexy, sneaky, and often psychotic female fatale. This is because men run Hollywood. Much like movies, research on why women offend had historically focused on men as their stellar. However, towards the turn of the century and with the disproportionate rise in female incarceration, literature caught up to the fact that women and men do not experience the same socialization, standards, or reality and, therefore, have different reasons for and ways of offending. This research explores those reasons for women in the U.S. and Mexico and paints the picture …

Police Flight Oversight: Lapd Drone As First Responder Implementation, Nathaniel Worley

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores the feasibility of implementing a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program within the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), analyzing the operational, social, and financial implications compared to traditional police helicopter usage. The thesis investigates helicopter flight patterns, demographic correlations, and the potential for drones to provide a less invasive and more cost-effective aerial support system. Key findings include the use of incorrect identifying hex codes by LAPD helicopters, suggesting potential transparency issues in aerial operations. The thesis recommends DFR due to substantial cost savings and enhanced surveillance transparency and asserts that a DFR program can mitigate negative …

Comparative Analysis Of Prosecutor-Led Diversion Programs: Insights To Japan’S Suspension Of Prosecution For Recidivism Prevention, Mio Hagino

LL.M. Essays & Theses

Around 60% of all crimes in Japan are committed by repeat offenders, and therefore preventing recidivism is a central concern in Japan. Recognizing the importance of early intervention, some prosecutors’ offices collaborate with social workers and provide necessary measures for recidivism prevention when prosecution is suspended. To promote prosecutor-led recidivism prevention, there is an ongoing discussion to legislate the approach currently taken by prosecutors’ offices. However, concerns remain about procedural fairness, transparency of prosecutorial discretion, and collaboration with other agencies. In the United States, prosecutor-led diversion programs are adopted in many states, with ongoing research on their effectiveness and challenges. …

Exploring Police K-9 Deaths, Their Causes, And Possible Remedies, John Wise

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Police K-9s face daily dangers due to their work. Data collected by the Officer Down Memorial Page from 2000-2023 on K-9 deaths (N = 405) shows that of K-9s that die in the line of duty, many fall victim to heat stroke. Research was conducted comparing heat stroke to all other causes of death. Through an exploration into the history of mankind’s use of working dogs, the unique capabilities of both dogs and K-9 specific dog breeds and applying Routine Activity Theory and Lifestyle Routine Activity Theory to police K-9s, this study’s objective is to bring awareness to, and …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2024, 144th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Aeronautics and Space Science Poster Session

Anthropology: Humans Past and Present

Maiben Lecture: "Platte Basin Timelapse: A Watershed in Motion," Grant Reiner

Applied Science and Technology

Biological Sciences

Biomedical Sciences

Chemistry

Earh Sciences

Environmental Sciences

Physics

Science Education