Open Fire: The Expansion Of 9mm Hollow Point Bullets In Relation To Tissue Thickness,
2023
CUNY John Jay College
Open Fire: The Expansion Of 9mm Hollow Point Bullets In Relation To Tissue Thickness, Abigail Wilson
Student Theses
Bullets can be broadly differentiated into jacketed and unjacketed groups. Jacketed ammunition can be further broken down based on the bullet’s design, one of which is hollow points. This research examines a representative brand of jacketed hollow point bullets used in a common caliber cartridge, the 9mm Luger. A jacketed hollow point bullet is designed to expand when it encounters a viscous medium such as tissue. This experiment simulated tissue using ballistic gelatin and simulated skin using a chamois overlay. As a positive and negative control, a series of bullets were fired into a full-size block of gelatin to achieve …
Measuring Success: An Evaluability Assessment For The Grand Forks Domestic Violence Court,
2023
University of North Dakota
Measuring Success: An Evaluability Assessment For The Grand Forks Domestic Violence Court, Adam K. Matz, Roni Mayzer, Samantha Ledahl, Aj Buntrock
Criminal Justice Faculty Publications
First implemented in the 1990s, specialized domestic violence courts represent one of several solutions developed to improve the response to domestic violence and enhance services for victims (Collins et al., 2021). Other solutions have included mandatory arrest and prosecutorial no-drop policies as well as increased funding support for victim services. There are reportedly over 300 DVCs in the United States as well as 50 in Canada and 100 in the United Kingdom (Eley, 2005; Gutierrez et al., 2016; Hemmens et al., 2020; Home Office, 2008; Tutty & Koshan, 2013). Based on input from a variety of key stakeholders including judges, …
Collusive Prosecution,
2023
Arizona State University
Collusive Prosecution, Ben A. Mcjunkin, J.J. Prescott
Law & Economics Working Papers
In this Article, we argue that increasingly harsh collateral consequences have surfaced an underappreciated and undertheorized dynamic of criminal plea bargaining. Collateral consequences that mostly or entirely benefit third parties (such as other communities or other states) create an interest asymmetry that prosecutors and defendants can exploit in plea negotiations. In particular, if a prosecutor and a defendant can control the offense of conviction (often through what some term a “fictional plea”), they can work together to evade otherwise applicable collateral consequences, such as deportation or sex-offender registration and notification. Both parties arguably benefit: Prosecutors can leverage collateral consequences to …
The Relationship Between Social Mobilization, Crime, And Crime Control: A Longitudinal Analysis Of 900 Cities In The U.S. Between 1964-1995,
2023
University of New Mexico - Main Campus
The Relationship Between Social Mobilization, Crime, And Crime Control: A Longitudinal Analysis Of 900 Cities In The U.S. Between 1964-1995, Erin R. Coleman
Sociology ETDs
This dissertation explores the longitudinal relationships between social mobilization, crime, and crime control. The dataset used to explore these relationships combine Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data on crimes known to the police and crime clearances by arrest with decennial census data and data on reported social mobilization events reported in the New York Times between 1964-1995. The data include information from all these sources for over 900 cities in the U.S. Analyses model violent and property crime counts, and well as clearance by arrest rates in the month after the social mobilization events. Results show that social mobilization is often …
Problem Gambling, General-Strain Theory, And Gender,
2023
East Carolina University
Problem Gambling, General-Strain Theory, And Gender, Michelle Malkin
International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking
Prior research identified a host of factors that increase the likelihood that an individual will become a problem gambler, most of which would be identified by criminologists as “strains” under the framework of General Strain Theory (GST). Yet, GST has not been widely used as a possible explanation for why people become problem gamblers. In addition, there has been little examination of how gender interacts with those variables to affect problem gambling. In this research, I display how propositions from GST provide a framework for understanding why people become problem gamblers and whether gender is a moderating factor in this …
Social Creatures: The Impact Of Solitary Confinement On Psychophysiological Health And How Inmates Percieve Their Humanity And Social Well-Being,
2023
Seattle Pacific University
Social Creatures: The Impact Of Solitary Confinement On Psychophysiological Health And How Inmates Percieve Their Humanity And Social Well-Being, Julia Austin
Honors Projects
This paper will define and examine the use of solitary confinement within the United States prison system and review its mental, physical, and social impacts. As social creatures, human mental and physical well-being depends on meaningful social interactions absent in segregation units. As it currently stands, vulnerable populations, including racial minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those with developmental disabilities or psychological disorders, are at risk of irrevocable harm and abuse within these facilities from staff as well as other inmates. With a rotating 80,000 inmates held in solitary confinement every day, the current structure of the prison system deemphasizes rehabilitation and …
A New Pipeline: Building A Transformative Leadership Pipeline For Formerly Incarcerated Individuals,
2023
The University of San Francisco
A New Pipeline: Building A Transformative Leadership Pipeline For Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Jackie Aguilar
Master's Projects and Capstones
While developing leadership roles for employers is critical to running an effective organization, building a bridge for those who have directly lived experiences regarding its mission is critical. Bringing back community members you have served to your organization is highly recommended and essential. This capstone research report will focus on building a leadership pipeline for formerly incarcerated individuals within the nonprofit sector. Returning community members can often be tokenized and are never given the tools and resources to develop as a leader. This report will outline the barriers formerly incarcerated individuals face while providing a foundation on the importance of …
Discovering A Pathway To Reestablishing Policing By Consent In The United States,
2023
San Jose State University
Discovering A Pathway To Reestablishing Policing By Consent In The United States, Everett Glynn
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Policing in the 21st century faces issues with leadership and accountability within officer ranks. Police organizations increasingly resemble paramilitary organizations, from their hierarchy to their eagerness to use force. Investigations into the conduct of the Minneapolis, Chicago, and Ferguson police departments uncover widespread, paternal issues of abuse from police officers. The abuse includes paternal excessive force, discrimination, and even the social media targeting of community members of color Solutions proposed from President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, combined with a proposition to espouse Sir Robert Peel’s Principles of community policing, offer a pathway toward regaining the …
Advancements In Technology To Solve Cold Cases,
2023
San Jose State University
Advancements In Technology To Solve Cold Cases, Melissa Hernandez
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the crisis of cold case investigations and discuss the advancements being made in this area over the last four decades. Technology such as CCTV cameras, DNA Phenotyping, and Genetic Genealogy have allowed many cases to be reopened but there are still not enough resources or funds to close the immense number of unsolved cases. There are also ethical concerns being addressed to allow for this technology to continue to be applicable. In some instances, it takes a combination of preexisting technology and new applications to work around previous barriers in investigations. Despite …
Examining The Relationship Between Legal Systems And Forensic Science: Current Issues And Proposed Solutions,
2023
San Jose State University
Examining The Relationship Between Legal Systems And Forensic Science: Current Issues And Proposed Solutions, Rowan Dunton
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Forensics and legal systems are often seen working together, but the relationship between the two disciplines is thornier and more complex than it may appear on the surface. This paper will examine why courtrooms struggle to accommodate forensic fields, how the nature of science can impede its utilization in court, and where legal education may fall short in educating students about the forensic sciences. After the literature is reviewed, solutions will be proposed to address each area of concern. Where possible, these solutions expand on existing infrastructure and ideas to make them easier to incorporate. Since the greater-scope issue is …
Los Angeles Homeless Encampments: East Of Mainstreet,
2023
San Jose State University
Los Angeles Homeless Encampments: East Of Mainstreet, Desarey Castellanos
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Homelessness can impact a person’s ability to navigate public spaces, find employment, meet basic subsistence, and have access to essential social services. Instead, the long-term consequences of homelessness have been focused of the criminalization of unhoused people. This fieldwork analyzes the daily obstacles that individuals face east of main street in downtown Los Angeles. Although wide variation exists from different locations many challenges stemming from mental illness, substance use disorder, and ostracization from mainstream society make these circumstances increasingly difficult to navigate. All these factors are influenced by the policy environments that continuously impact these targeted populations. I will present …
Effect Of Child Abuse On Eating Disorders And Suicidal Behaviors,
2023
San Jose State University
Effect Of Child Abuse On Eating Disorders And Suicidal Behaviors, Hannah Lyons
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The broad range of psychological disorders and correlations with childhood upbringing has resulted in the creation of a complex connection between mental illness in adults as a result of childhood trauma. My research findings indicate that child abuse experienced during youth often leads to higher susceptibility to eating disorders in adulthood. Further, the research reflects that the type of child abuse experienced, influenced the type of eating disorder developed later in life. By researching the relationship of child abuse and eating disorders, it becomes evident that suicidal behaviors are also increased due to childhood experiences with abuse as well as …
Rights That Are Not Guaranteed: Failures Of Government Policy On Homelessness,
2023
San Jose State University
Rights That Are Not Guaranteed: Failures Of Government Policy On Homelessness, Jeffrey Kaspraw
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Since the 1980s, the rising number of homeless people has caused the problem to become a significant political issue. Politicians have made promises in their campaigns to solve the emergency every election cycle. Most of these campaign promises never come to fruition, and we see a continuing rise in homelessness. This paper examines the political context of housing insecurity to argue that housing is a human right, and that homelessness is a failed policy decision. Homelessness comes in four different forms that all require individual attention. The current policies aimed to address homelessness cannot be one size fits all. While …
Blood’S Evidentiary Value Based On Its Biological And Physical Properties,
2023
San Jose State University
Blood’S Evidentiary Value Based On Its Biological And Physical Properties, Samantha Boman
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Prior to 1955, bloodstain evidence was considered to be unreliable and therefore inadmissible in a court of law. Today, DNA profiles can be derived from leukocytes, which comprise less than 1% of our total blood volume. Aside from genetic profiles, the biological and physical properties of blood can reveal a great deal to investigators. The first landmark case to utilize blood’s class characteristics reliably was in the State of Ohio vs. Samuel Sheppard. This paper explains how viscosity, surface tension, flow, velocity, and Newtonian laws of motion can be used to determine: the relative locations of victims and offenders, handedness …
The Crisis Of Femicides In Mexico,
2023
San Jose State University
The Crisis Of Femicides In Mexico, Alejandra Vela
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Femicides are a growing issue in Mexico. These murders are intertwined with the incompetence of authorities, poverty, corruption, and organized crime. Authorities tend to blame victims by not taking missing reports seriously, nor do they conduct searches in these urgent situations. Authorities do not have DNA databases, space in morgues, and have little forensic science training. Ways of identifying remains involve odontology, bitemarks, and saliva. These provide a means of identifying through individual characteristics and DNA. Evidence is usually mishandled and not tested, or purposely lost to stop the investigation, thus, involving corruption. Criminal organizations, known as cartels, bribe authorities …
The Effects Of Marital Rape On A Woman’S Mental Health,
2023
San Jose State University
The Effects Of Marital Rape On A Woman’S Mental Health, Brisa Victorio
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Marital rape has been a topic that does not receive the awareness it needs. About 14% of married women experience marital rape in the United States, and of that fourteen percent, 77% of those cases go unreported. Women experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, higher levels of anger, fear, and guilt, and begin to hate their bodies, therefore causing their self-esteem to drop. Despite the argument that women who are raped by their husbands suffer less because they have already consented to having sexual relations, it is the opposite. Marital rape victims suffer more severe psychological consequences and for a …
Semi Structured Interview: Public Perceptions Of Family Resource Centers As Seen By Staff Personnel, With An Emphasis On The Undocumented Community,
2023
San Jose State University
Semi Structured Interview: Public Perceptions Of Family Resource Centers As Seen By Staff Personnel, With An Emphasis On The Undocumented Community, Eva Gonzalez
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The value of Family Resource Centers in communities is examined in this research paper, with a focus on legal advocacy in undocumented communities. To begin, do Family Resource Centers provide sufficient resources to the undocumented population? By 2022, there will be over 3,000 FRCs in 30 states, serving over 2 million people per year. Second, how can the Family Resource Center best support Valley Palms' undocumented population? Finally, do Family Resource Centers play an important role in community development? These are some of the questions that helped lead the research when it came down to semi-structured interviews with employees from …
The Student-Athlete Dilemma: The Hidden Truth,
2023
San Jose State University
The Student-Athlete Dilemma: The Hidden Truth, Andrew Jenkins
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
This paper presents an in-depth analysis of student-athletes' challenges transitioning to college life. The findings indicate that many student-athletes struggle with adapting to the academic demands, navigating the social landscape, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. To address these issues, this paper recommends that universities implement comprehensive orientation programs that provide students with the necessary tools, resources, and support to succeed. Additionally, universities should offer targeted interventions such as mentoring, tutoring, and counseling to students who may be at risk of falling behind academically or experiencing mental health concerns. By taking a proactive approach, universities can ensure that students have …
Criminal Injustice: An Examination Of Racial Profiling And Discriminatory Police Practices In Canada And The United States,
2023
San Jose State University
Criminal Injustice: An Examination Of Racial Profiling And Discriminatory Police Practices In Canada And The United States, Patricia Advincula
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
The Black Lives Matter movement swept across the United States after the murders of black people at the hands of law enforcement. Not fully acknowledged in the media are the police brutality cases that have also occurred in Canada, a country that prides itself on tolerance, acceptance, and diversity. Police brutality is an unfortunate reality that stems from racial profiling, one of the many symptoms of historically oppressive institutions. In this paper, I will examine police coercion and racial profiling in Canada and the United States. This paper will employ a theoretical framework of conflict theory and minority threat hypothesis …
Stigma Of Incarceration And Motivation Of Undergraduate Students For Service-Learning,
2023
San Jose State University
Stigma Of Incarceration And Motivation Of Undergraduate Students For Service-Learning, Kapil Sharma
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science
Incarceration can be a long-lasting, stigmatizing life event that significantly impacts one's life and limits ex-offenders in various aspects of their life. The impact of widespread criminal records can obstruct reentry, economic stability, and full participation in society, whether minor, major, old, or new. The study aims to explore the stigma attached to incarceration and the motivation of undergraduate students for Service-Learning. Based on responses from three semi-structured interviews with students interns of the Records Clearance Project of San Jose State University, it was evident that after completing their sentences, ex-offenders come into many barriers that may prevent them from …
