12691 research outputs found
Sort by
Unmasking the color behind human trafficking
Get PDF\u3e Human Trafficking as a Global Crisis: Recognized as the second-largest criminal industry in the world, human trafficking affects millions worldwide.
\u3e Legal Framework: The Trafficking Victims Protections Act (TVPA) (2000) introduced these primary strategies: Prevention Protection Prosecution
Definition of Trafficking: The illegal coercion and transporation of individuals for exploitation.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos25/1036/thumbnail.jp
Rewilding the ”Wild West”: Restoring Bison Populations in the American Prairie
Get PDFHistorically, North America was home to a biodiverse and environmentally rich land, from beavers, mountain lions, numerous bird and insect species, and North America’s largest land mammal, the bison (Figure 1). The American bison (Bison bison), also referred to as buffalo, are a keystone species in their environments, meaning their absence can have detrimental effects on other species. Bison are environmental engineers that create a “mosaic of habitats” with their behaviors including wallowing, grazing, and defecating (American Prairie Foundation 2024). Bison once roamed from Canada to Mexico with a population estimated around 50 million but were tragically almost wiped to extinction, with just a few hundreds remaining in Western rangelands (Schneider 2023). This genocide of buffalo was driven by American settler colonialism with the U.S. government endorsing buffalo hunting as a means to decimate Indigenous American populations, since bison are intertwined into Native American culture and hold a highly significant kinship to tribes (Schneider 2023). While an unsavory piece of American history, it is crucial to understand the importance of restoring bison populations (Figure 2). A more radical form of ecological restoration that is making its way to the forefront of environmental policy is “rewilding” – a term used to describe a more hands off approach to conservation by restoring the ecological functions of a habitat and then letting nature figuratively take the wheel. Although this term was coined in the 1990s, it is now becoming a subject of interest thanks to multiple rewilding projects occurring across Europe, including the restoration of European bison (Jepson and Blythe 2022). To restore bison to their habitats as ecological engineers, I believe rewilding principles should be incorporated into their conservation; this project focuses on current bison conservation efforts in North America, and how they can be improved.https://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos24/1036/thumbnail.jp
Assessing Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Behavioral Responses to Discriminative Stimulus During Dolphin Interaction Programs (DIPs)
Get PDFDolphin-human interaction programs (DIP) References have become a popular experience offering humans an opportunity to interact or swim with cetaceans, most often bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).
● Previous studies on dolphin-human interactions have been centered on therapeutic results for humans (Brensing et al., 2005), guests’ future conservation efforts, and educational efficacy (Miller et al., 2013) rather than welfare or outcomes for dolphins (Smith, 1981).
● Under human care, trainers request behaviors from dolphins typically via a hand signal as a discriminative stimulus (SD).
● Resulting behavioral responses to these SDs during interaction programs may suggest willingness to participate (WTP), and potentially indicate overall health and welfare (Clegg et al., 2019). The goal of the present study is to investigate potential relationships between behavioral repertoire variety included in a session, and directed attention of a trainer, with the number of incorrect responses from a dolphin in a DIP. We hypothesize that:
H1: Increasing the variability of behaviors requested will be associated with fewer incorrect responses emitted by the dolphin in a DIP.
H2: Increased trainer attention will be associated with a decrease in number of incorrect dolphin responses in a DIPhttps://commons.stmarytx.edu/rscpos24/1031/thumbnail.jp
Addressing Witness Coaching by Cross-Examination
No full textIn preparing a witness, may a lawyer script the testimony by taking the witness through repeated rehearsals to fabricate a narrative in the form directed by the lawyer and to use words that the lawyer suggests are more favorable for the represented party? Suppose the lawyer believes a suggestion to the witness regarding the specific substance or word choice of testimony does not introduce a falsehood but rather produces a more favorable spin on the witness narrative. May the lawyer justify that shaping of testimonial content as legitimate zealous representation of a client?
Given that any such suggestion by the lawyer will deviate from the witness’s own story and choice of words in describing events, is it not inevitable that some element of deception has now been introduced into the testimony? Indeed, preparatory activities may overwhelm the witness’s autonomy, with the result that the testimony becomes that of the lawyer with the witness being only a mouthpiece.
Most importantly, the trier of fact should be permitted to learn about the extent of witness preparation, including possible scripting of witness testimony. Rather than invoking the disciplinary process, the use of ordinary tools of trial advocacy may serve us better.
By emphasizing the proper role of cross-examination in uncovering attempts, whether ethically indefensible or simply doubtful, we may achieve the greater good of allowing the trier of fact to evaluate the substance and credibility of the witness testimony. In addition, if the lawyer anticipates that witness preparation will be within the scope of rigorous cross-examination, the lawyer may be more careful not to indulge in means that appear designed to sway the witness from the straight path of genuine testimony
St. Mary\u27s Research Showcase 2025
No full texthttps://commons.stmarytx.edu/rsc5photo/1012/thumbnail.jp
St. Mary\u27s School of Law Graduation, 2018
No full texthttps://commons.stmarytx.edu/grad2018/1019/thumbnail.jp
St. Mary\u27s School of Law Graduation, 2018
No full texthttps://commons.stmarytx.edu/grad2018/1024/thumbnail.jp
St. Mary\u27s School of Law Graduation, 2018
No full texthttps://commons.stmarytx.edu/grad2018/1027/thumbnail.jp
St. Mary\u27s School of Law Graduation, 2018
No full texthttps://commons.stmarytx.edu/grad2018/1037/thumbnail.jp
St. Mary\u27s School of Law Graduation, 2018
No full texthttps://commons.stmarytx.edu/grad2018/1048/thumbnail.jp