| Panelist |
Graduate Program |
Title |
Abstract |
| Ho-Tu Chiang |
International Crime and Justice, M.A. |
A Comparative Analysis of the Legal Frameworks for the Management of Illegal Wildlife Trade in the United States, Peru, and India |
Illegal wildlife trade has become one of the most lucrative transnational crimes, ranking fourth behind the illegal trade in drugs, humans, and arms. It has significant negative impacts on the environment, the economies of developing countries, and the society as a whole. Countries play very different roles in the nexus of the global wildlife trade. Using the United States, Peru, and India, which are geographically different countries with disparate roles in legal and illegal wildlife trade as case studies, this research aims to examine the various dynamics as they relate to the trade in wildlife and the regulatory mechanisms available to deal with it. The United States is a major importer of wildlife and wildlife products worldwide. Peru is primarily an exporter of wildlife, while India deals with both the local and global demand for its flora and fauna. This research uses the trade database from the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) database managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to cast a critical look at the legal and illegal trade patterns. Additionally, this research assesses the legislation available in these countries and evaluates their utility in dealing effectively with the trade. Through these analyses, this research sheds light on the issue of wildlife trade, identifies management and legislative gaps, and proposes recommendations on the ways forward. |
| Angelina Vasquez |
Race and Criminal Justice, Advanced Certificate |
Ahistorical People: An Autoethnography for How to Navigate the World When You Have Been Devoid of Your History and Left Without a Map |
As a Mexican American, LGBTQ+ identifying woman, I realize that I have many histories, personal experiences, and faults that make me who I am and who I am still discovering. In the following pages of this autoethnography, I relate my own self-discovery to the Chicana/o experience of being an ahistorical people or having a lack of knowledge or perspective about one’s own history. To engage in a better understanding about this forgotten history, I define the key terms: assimilation, double-consciousness, colorism, and uplift suasion. With these terms in mind, I use qualitative methods of self-reflection, journaling, and interviews to analyze Chicana/o community’s continued struggles for representation in the fabric of America.
Taken together, I hope to show that as a society we might have misconceptions about the Chicana/o community that leads to stereotypes and policy disparities. That in order to stake our claim in history, we need curriculum to include the civilizations that existed before “Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492”. Lastly, I hope to engage the readers in their own dialogues where they can question their epistemologies and see if they might have counter-narratives that have also been erased from our modern understanding of American history.
|
| Tauhid Dewan |
Criminal Justice, M.A. |
How are Locations for Terrorist Attacks Chosen? |
The objective of this study was to investigate whether the ethnic distribution of a country is an influential factor in the selection of potential targets by terrorists. Previous research suggests the possibility of ethnic conflicts and civil wars greatly contributing to terrorist activity. Data regarding the ethnic distribution of a country and the locations of terrorist attacks were collected from the Global Terrorism Database and examined in ArcMap, a mapping software. Middle Eastern countries were selected because of the ample amount of terrorist activity to examine, as well as the ethnic diversity of the region. Middle Eastern countries are also known to have porous borders due to their lack of border security or difficult terrain. The results confirm that there is indeed a connection between the ethnic distribution of a country and the terrorist attack locations. The historical circumstances of a particular ethnicity significantly impact the number of terrorist attacks found within that population. The data proves that ethnic conflicts and civil wars positively contribute to the amount of terrorist activity in certain populations. The results of this study are relevant to the literature in Terrorism Studies because it shows that the ethnic distribution of a country is an influential factor in the selection of targets for terrorist attacks in the Middle East. |
| Tyler Brockington |
MPA: Public Policy & Administration |
The People Behind the Peaceful Transfer of Power: An Analysis of Clinton and Obama Presidential Transition Team Demographics |
In collaboration with Dr. Heath Brown, the Presidential Transition Team Demographics research project is centered on the members of different presidential transition teams. The presidential transition period lasts between 72 – 78 days, and the research I am doing involves finding the previous employment history of members of different presidential transition teams. These job titles, along with demographic data like gender, are then coded and aggregated to assess what areas of employment transition team members are made up of and compared with other presidential transition teams. |
| Panelist |
Graduate Program |
Title |
Abstract |
| Kelci Somers |
Forensic Science, M.S. |
Signature Peptide Identification for Body Fluids in Sexual Assault Cases |
Proteins are body fluid specific and can be used to identify semen and saliva traces on sexual assault evidence. This project aimed to validate a method for the detection of multiple body fluid-specific signature peptides by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The assay targets semen and saliva through the signature peptides semenogelin (SEMG) 1 & 2 and submaxillary gland androgen-regulated protein 3B (SMR3B) 1 & 2. In some sexual assault cases, the evidence consists of possible vaginal secretions on the suspect’s hands or clothes. To address this scenario, two peptides for neutrophil gelatinase-associate lipocalin (NGAL) were added to the assay.
Controlled samples were made using human vaginal swabs, vaginal secretions, semen, and saliva. The assay’s performance was tested for detection limit, effect of stain substrate, and detection in a mixed sample. The samples were extracted through a trypsin digest, and the DNA and protein fractions were separated with a Microcon DNA Fast Flow tube. The LC-MS/MS was utilized in MRM mode to analyze the protein fractions. Detection of the peptides was based on their transitions determined from optimization, the retention time, and the ion ratio. The DNA fractions were quantified using Quantifier Trio DNA Quantification kit. The results were very promising. The peptides for the semen samples were detected in the mixtures and had good overall sensitivity. Saliva identification through SMR3B was less sensitive and only detected saliva as a major component in the mixture. Vaginal secretions were detected in both vaginal swabs and liquid secretions, but only one of the two target peptides gave a signal. DNA quantification of Y-chromosomal male DNA showed that the dual extraction method generated sufficient male DNA for all the semen and most saliva samples. More assay design and testing will be required to improve vaginal secretion detection.
|
| Ines Cedillo-Cruz |
Forensic Science, M.S. |
Studying Biological Factors Affecting DNA Shedding Propensity |
Recovery of trace DNA is important in forensic casework because it is the main type of biological evidence found in both violent and non-violent crimes. Researchers have been trying to determine if there are individual differences in shedding propensity – how much DNA an individual leaves behind. A model for determining this would benefit evidence interpretation if passive transfer scenarios are being considered as it can affect the probative value of DNA evidence. This study compared the amount of DNA collected with adhesive D-Squame tape disks from the fingers of individual’s washed non-dominant and dominant hands after 30 minutes of no activity and 60 minutes with controlled activity, with the goal to correlate DNA content to other biological characteristics. Two tape disk samples were taken from each hand of 22 volunteers and extracted using QIAamp DNA Investigator chemistry (QIAGEN, Germantown, MD). Quantification was performed using Quantifiler Trio (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, MA). Dominant hand samples (60 minutes with activity) showed a higher average DNA concentration than non-dominant hands (30 minutes no activity). This difference was not significant. The 22 participants provided skin surface measurements for hydration, sebum, and melanin content, and questionnaire information covering other biological factors. The amount of DNA recovered did not correlate to biological factors like melanin content, skin hydration, and BMI. There was some correlation between DNA concentration and finger sebum measurements, or self-declared sweating characteristics. A larger sample population will be collected to further analyze the possible correlation between sebum content, sweating, and shedding propensity. |
| Michaela D’Argenio |
Forensic Mental Health Counseling, M.A. |
A Look at Borderline Personality Disorder and Trauma in BIPOC Women |
Borderline Personality Disorder is a personality disorder that has a prevalence of 1.6% in the general population with a lifetime prevalence of 5.9%. However, the prevalence in outpatient is 11% and 20% in inpatient settings. Although Borderline personality disorder has been widely studied, much of the research has focused on the likelihood of childhood sexual abuse, as well as physical abuse and neglect as precipitating events for borderline personality disorder. However, the majority of the research to date has focused primarily on White women and other types of trauma such as racial and ethnic discrimination have largely been ignored. Understanding the role of racial trauma and whether there are differences between racial and ethnic groups is imperative to having a clearer and accurate understanding of borderline personality disorder and its presentations in inpatient and outpatient settings. The decision to focus on BIPOC women versus men and women is to highlight the disparities with diagnosing of borderline personality in BIPOC women in conjunction with other personality disorders. Overall, there needs to be more research done to detail the differences in the effects of trauma in BIPOC women and the diagnoses that follow. |
| Demisha Forrester |
Forensic Mental Health Counseling, M.A. |
Save Her from Human Trafficking |
This policy analysis will explore potential solutions to reduce human trafficking of women in the state of California. Human trafficking is kenned as modern-day slavery. In terms of organized crime, human trafficking is rated second in the United States, with traffickers making a profit of about $150 billion. In 2016, there was an estimated of 40.3 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. Out of 40.3 million victims, 89% of victims in human trafficking are women and girls. Between 45,000 and 50,000 women and Children are trafficked into the United States every year for sexual exploitation. In 2015, the Human Trafficking Hotline recorded 817 sex trafficking cases in California. By 2019, California cases rose to 1,118. Natural disasters and pandemics have left many individuals unemployed and homeless. Traffickers prey on vulnerable susceptible women who are jobless, homeless, abandoned by their family, and immigrants. The analysis will consist of defining and detailing the problem through reading peer reviewed articles, news stories, journal, and books. Second, identify several alternative policies based on the information gathered in the first step. Comparing three programs Coalition to Abolish Slavery Trafficking (CAST), Waymakers, and Refugee Services of Texas. Each program will be defined and thoroughly reviewed. The best program will be selected to help aim to reduce human trafficking in the state of California. |
| Panelist |
Graduate Program |
Title |
Abstract |
| Beomsoo Kim |
International Crime and Justice M.A. |
Police Racism or Protecting Citizens? |
There are many extremism issues made by police against black civilians. What I have been thinking was ‘there are white supremacy and Far-Right inside police against black civilians.’ However, I was inspired by several resources. They were not academic resources, but they influenced me to try seeing the police shooting or searching from another perspective. Among the resources, the one that most inspired me was an interview of Milwaukee Police Chief that ‘80% of shooting victims of Milwaukee are African American, 80% of shooting offenders are African American,’ ‘we are risking our lives to protect “citizens.”‘ Thus, I researched about ‘robbery’ cases in NYC. It was map research using spatial analysis. And I had found the fact that ‘most black victims are victimized by black victims rather than white offenders’ and ‘white victims are victimized by white offenders’ in rates. |
| Raymond Hakimi |
International Crime and Justice M.A. |
NYPD Intelligence Division and NYPD’s Muslim Surveillance Program: Its Success and Failure and Does It Make Us Safer? |
NYPD Intelligence Division was created after 9/11 with the intent of creating a separate intelligence division that would be independent from federal law enforcement jurisdictions such as the FBI. The NYPD decided to spy on the Muslim community and as a result much different organization protested stating it violated the civil rights of the Muslim community. This capstone project will delve into the effectiveness and complexities of the NYPD surveillance program and how the NYPD intelligence divisions operate. |
| Kortni MacDonald |
Criminal Justice, M.A. |
Red Collar Crime: The Field Re-Examined |
The white-collar criminal is often thought to be a nonviolent criminal. Traditionally these viewpoints are often held by academic and nonacademic professional groups. However, with continued research, it has been proven that white-collar crime can encompass some of the most violent types of criminal activity. With continued research, a subgroup of white-collar crime was coined by Frank S. Perri, red-collar crime. This is the exact point when white-collar crime turns violent. The red-collar offender is motivated to prevent the detection and or disclosure of their fraud schemes through violence. This thesis will discuss where the concept of red-collar crime was developed and its author. It will also debunk misconceptions of the white-collar offender profile. It will also address current research on the antisocial qualities displayed by this specific offender group. Additionally, it will reevaluate behavioral risk factors such as narcissism and psychopathy that have previously been discovered by researchers. This may help to offer some explanation as to why some of these offenders may resort to violence while others do not. A retest of the case analysis performed by Frank S. Perri will also help to draw upon genders distinctions, and workplace violence and homicide methods used to illustrate red collar criminality. This thesis will demonstrate that red collar crime is not an anomaly and is not something to ignore due to a lack of research. |
| Judith Vargas |
International Crime & Justice, M.A. |
Torture and Enhanced Interrogation Techniques in the United States |
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, the United States under the George W. Bush administration launched the War on Terror and a military invasion in Afghanistan. The War on Terror resulted in the authorization to use unlawful detentions and disturbing interrogations practices to suspected al Qaeda members and others believed to be involved in the attacks. Another name for these “enhanced interrogation techniques” is torture. These cruel treatments occurred in secret overseas CIA prisons or black sites. The methods utilized included waterboarding, stress positions, short shackling, walling, confinement in a large or small box, sleep deprivation, among many other inhuman methods. The government justifies that these torture acts were effective in extracting information or confession from individuals and protecting the United States from any other terrorist attacks. However, many human rights groups demand accountability for the CIA torture program, while the U.S. government keeps classified documents and keeps men detained in Guantanamo, many of them have never been charged and convicted of a crime. This research will demonstrate that the application of torture is only ineffective. It has inflicted profound and long-lasting psychological and physical pain on the men it targeted and even the aggressors. It would explain how the torture techniques the United States used were immoral and violated international laws and human rights laws. Also, how the United States has been an example to other countries on how leaders can receive impunity and that anyone can get away with torture. |
| Panelist |
Graduate Program |
Title |
Abstract |
| Ashley Lino-Frazier |
MPA: Public Policy and Administration |
The Poverty Crisis in New York City |
This project consists of a content analysis that focuses on the potential ways to decrease poverty in New York City. In the United States, the current poverty rate as of 2020 was 11.4% which indicated a troubling trend as it was the first time in five years that there has been an increase in the poverty rates after significant declines in the previous years. The poverty rate in New York City as of 2019 was about 17.9% and the median household income was $63,998. Nonetheless, there are various factors that contribute towards poverty which includes a lack of education, the higher costs of living, and limited access to resources to help those in need. There are also significant racial disparities that play a role in poverty that greatly impact black and brown communities. Homelessness is another contributing factor to poverty in New York City. Approximately as of August 2021, homeless shelters in New York City have estimated its highest number of people sleeping in NYC shelters at 47,979. This is the highest it has been in the city since they have been documenting this information from 1983-2021 which is a significant increase, whereas in 1983, it was just around 12,600. In 2019, 50% of African Americans and Latinos were considered as having low income and being in poverty. Additionally, 50% of white adults received higher incomes compared to African Americans and Latinos. Poverty disproportionately impacts people of color in a very negative way. However, this paper will discuss potential solutions that will decrease poverty for struggling families and will establish an equal playing field for residents in New York City. These solutions include creating better paying jobs that would provide reasonable wages to help support families, investing more money in education to provide families the opportunity to gain skills to enter the job market, expanding access to healthcare, providing more financial support to charities and organizations that help people in need, and reforming the criminal justice system. Mass incarceration has played a significant role in poverty which impacts the family of the individual that is incarcerated and the incarcerated individual themselves. Having a record creates significant barriers for those that want to reenter society due to the difficulties of finding employment, housing and acquiring benefits. The groups and individuals that would have an interest in this work would include those that have a focus on reducing poverty levels, finding alternative solutions for formerly incarcerated individuals, and individuals that want to help people living below the poverty line find better solutions to decrease the ongoing homeless crisis in New York City. |
| Vanessa Diez |
MPA: Public Policy and Administration |
The Three Pillars of Inclusive Workplace & Classroom Settings |
Public affairs education is just now in 2022 beginning to devote greater attention to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) topics. These DEI efforts include revisiting mission, values, and vision statements, holding DEI events, and building a culturally responsive curriculum. Gender is an important component of DEI education; yet, gender remains largely absent from public affairs education in three central ways: how courses are structured, the content of courses, and the practice of pedagogy. This article will explain the value and need for gender inclusive pedagogy as well as provide practical recommendations for how to enact a gender inclusive pedagogy based on the extant scholarship and guidance from leading think tanks and advocacy organizations. |
| Nicole DiMaria and Antonio Pagan |
Forensic Psychology, M.A. |
Gender Equity in New York City: Understanding Local Efforts to Create More Inclusive Policy |
Effective strategies to foster gender equity in municipalities can positively impact the quality of life of those who have historically been marginalized. New York City provides resources for parenting, housing, and education via a website launched in 2018 that aims to improve women’s quality of life by providing tools related to parenting and successfully navigating life in New York City (Women.NYC, 2018). A promising trend is municipalities broadening their definition and appraoch to gender equity by going beyond traditional, heteronormative, binaries (i.e. “women” and “men”) to include sex, sexual orientation, gender idenity and expression in their gender equity policy. The purpose of this research is to examine progressive municipal efforts designed to promote gender equity. We ask, how does municipal policy address gender equity? To answer this question, we explore New York City legislative policy that targets gender equity under the DeBlasio administration. Using Atlas.ti, we code and analyze gender equity legislation (n ≥ 94) passed under the DeBlasio administration. Ultimately, this research is significant for three reasons: first, it contributes to our limited understanding of municipal efforts to promote gender equity. Second, it explores relationships between executive priorities and legislation. Third, it provides practical insight into how policy defines and constructs gender policy targets. This work serves as a basis for asking future questions surrounding gender equity policy adoption and implementation. |
| Meghan Scarlott |
Forensic Psychology, M.A. |
Gender in the Workplace: Pressing Challenges and Future Avenues |
Since the pandemic, issues surrounding gender in workplaces are of prime importance. These gender issues range from retaining mothers and caretakers to adopting remote work and flexible schedules, and devising new employee policy. This research is a cursory investigation into what is needed to build a gender equitable workplace post-pandemic. To do this, I perform a content analysis of three key data sources: 1) academic literature on gender in the workplace, primarily from the disciplines of public administration, business, psychology, and sociology; 2) leading think tank and policy organization reports and data; and 3) professional association newsletters and policy briefs. These sources are analyzed for major themes in order to understand what the major gender equity issues are, what tools are available to address these issues, and how workplaces are leading to take on these challenges. |
