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Those That Guard the Abyss: A Mixed-Methods Study of Corrections Culture and Correctional Staff Suicide
No full textCorrection officer suicide is an understudied, yet frightening problem. The culture of silence and machismo acts as a barrier to those struggling to cope with not only the demands of the job, but the distance and challenges it forces upon officers’ personal lives. The correctional field and its unique challenges are not understood by the public. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, this study sought to understand the prevalence of correction officer suicide by examining data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), which resulted in the analysis of suicides from 2018-2020 in the United States (N = 103,187). Of those, n = 270 correction officer suicides and n = 845 police officer suicides were examined. Further, through the analysis of law enforcement narratives of correction officer suicides, context to the victims’ state of mind as well as reasons for why they died by suicide were explored. The aims of the study are: 1) Identify the scope of the problem; 2) Understand the methods that can help in identifying those at high risk of suicide; 3) Identify the services available and offered; and 4) Explore and suggest policy strategies to address the problem and enhance staff wellness. Findings suggest that six key variables are associated with suicide risk among correction officers. These variables are intimate partner relationships, marital status, substance abuse, PTSD diagnosis, job, and financial problems. Amongst the studied populations, firearms were the most used method of suicide, with those who used a firearm being 62% more likely to be in the correction officer suicide group as compared with the general population suicide group. Correction officers died by suicide at a significantly younger age than those in the police group. When examining the qualitative data, the overarching finding through the grounded theory approach were six potential risk factors specific to correction officer suicide: 1) relationship issues, specifically those involving divorce and cheating, 2) those who are facing criminal legal problems, 3) medical issues, particularly chronic pain, 4) experiencing anxiety and/or depression, 5) using drugs or alcohol, and 6) having some other difficult life experience that is a stressor to the individual
Thermocatalytic Degradation of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) Using Hematite and Magnetite as a Reaction Catalyst
No full textThis study investigates the thermal degradation of four pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) and the influence that iron oxides such as hematite and magnetite have on degradation efficiency as catalysts. The four PPCPs include caffeine, ibuprofen, carbamazepine, and sulfamethoxazole. These contaminants are prevalent in wastewater and in surface water systems due to insufficient removal during wastewater treatment before release into natural waters. Results confirm that temperatures above 400°C are highly effective in degrading all tested PPCPs. However, the addition of hematite and magnetite as catalytic media significantly enhanced degradation efficiency at lower temperatures. The effectiveness of each catalyst varied depending on the PPCP: magnetite performed best with caffeine and carbamazepine, while hematite was more effective for ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole. These differences in degradation efficiency are likely due to chemical properties of the PPCPs, as well as the physical characteristics of the catalysts, including surface area, crystalline structure, and the pH of the reaction environment
Determining the Effects of Thermal Decay on Pig Femur Bone Composition Through DNA Extraction and ATR FT-IR Spectroscopy
No full textThis research was designed to determine the effect of thermal decay on the chemical composition of pig femur bones. Two methods were utilized to observe the effect of thermal exposure on burnt samples: ATR FT-IR spectroscopy and DNA extraction with PCR quantitation. The former utilizes infrared spectroscopy with an attenuated total reflectance sampling method to measure a sample’s absorption of IR light. This allows for a better understanding of a material’s composition by providing information about its chemical bonds and functional groups. DNA extraction from samples can also provide information through PCR quantitation, in which the amount of genetic material present within a sample is amplified. It was hypothesized that as the temperature at which the samples were exposed increased, the bone composition would exhibit higher levels of decay due to dehydration, denaturation, and degradation of organic compounds. It was therefore expected that as temperature increased, a decrease would be observed in CO/P ratio calculated from ATR FT-IR peak intensities as well as the quantity of DNA able to be recovered through PCR. Four pig femur bones were utilized in this experiment and cut into three cross sections prior to burning. One cross section each from bones 1-3 were burned at three temperatures, ranging from 100˚ to 280˚C. Cross sections from Bone 4 were left untouched as unburned control samples. Powdered bone samples were collected from each cross section, which were then used for ATR FT-IR spectroscopy and DNA extraction. Both methods of information collection were completed successfully and indicated that an increase of temperature resulted in a slight increase in CO/P ratio and quantity of DNA extraction from 100˚C to 200˚C, before a significant decrease in each from 200˚C to 280˚C. It was also found through analysis of control samples that natural variation has a large effect on the data and should be minimized in future studies. Natural variation acts as a random variable, and when controlled, will allow for a greater understanding of the effects of temperature on the samples
Profiling Gene Expression in Epstein-Barr Virus Infected Heart Tissue
Get PDFThe overall purpose of this project is to evaluate active gene expression in heart tissue samples infected by the Epstein-Barr virus. By cataloging active gene expression, one could elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underpin viral infection’s role in the development of heart pathology. This was accomplished by extracting nucleic acids from homogenized heart tissue samples, employing reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) to synthesize cDNA from extracted mRNA), and performing a qPCR to quantify the levels of gene expression from these cDNA samples. The genes explored within this project were: Hsp60, a chaperonin protein involved in mitochondrial stress response; BCL2, an anti-apoptotic protein that inhibits apoptotic signaling from other BCL2 family protein; and Cytochrome C, an electron carrier that is associated with the inner membrane of the mitochondria that also has functions as an apoptotic signaler within the intrinsic apoptotic pathway
How Gender, Verbal Assertiveness, and Relationship Status Correlate to the Ascription of Responsibility in Sexual
Get PDFAcquiesced sex is “consenting to and engaging in undesired sexual activity” (Benoit & Ronis, 2022, p. 577). Research has found that perceptions of acquiesced sex are related to demographic variables, such as gender, and conditions, such as the relationship status of actors in a vignette. The present study considers whether variables such as gender and verbal assertiveness of the research participant affects ascription of responsibility for acquiesced heterosexual sex across two conditions (stranger and dating couple). Data were collected through an online survey administered to undergraduate and graduate University of New Haven students. Results indicate that participants\u27 gender, general assertiveness, and adaptive assertiveness are not related to ascription of responsibility. Aggressive assertiveness was correlated with greater ascription of responsibility to the acquiescing female. In addition, participants assigned the stranger condition were more likely to view the sex as coercive. Participants who had experienced unwanted sex were found to ascribe less responsibility to the acquiescing female. This study provides direction for future research that seeks to measure acquiesced sex
Evaluation of Skeletal DNA From Bones Submerged in Stagnant, Tannin-Rich Blackwater
No full textSuccessful genetic identification of human remains is heavily dependent on environmental factors. This sentiment is stressed when considering those submerged in aqueous environments. However, the range of studies investigating the interaction of DNA degradation and skeletal remains is quite limited - especially those submerged in water. Consequently, this study aimed to quantify and determine the degradation rate of submerged skeletal element DNA in stagnant, tannin-rich blackwater wetland over a four-month period. To mimic human remains in a New England Pond environment, five macerated porcine femurs were submerged in an artificial pond aquarium and allowed to soak for three weeks, six weeks, nine weeks, 12 weeks, and 15 weeks respectively. This aquarium began as an acidic, tannin-rich, and stagnant body of water, that supported plant life. A control sample was left in dry, ambient room conditions and was analyzed in tandem with the submerged samples at the end of each period. Bone samples were cut, dried, then powdered, and DNA was extracted using the Prepfiler™ BTA Forensic DNA Extraction Kit. The following two methods were used for this extraction: the Applied Biosystems™ recommended Prepfiler™ BTA protocol and its updated protocol. Following extraction, samples were simultaneously amplified and quantified using the QuantStudio TM 5 Real-Time PCR System. No experimental samples amplified in the first nine weeks, but three amplified to low template levels(\u3c 0.04ng/µL) at 12 and 15 weeks. Nearly all the dry control samples yielded DNA (~93%). Of those control samples, the recommended Prepfiler™ BTA protocol produced higher DNA yields than the updated protocol at all measurement periods. This suggests that the inclusion of Proteinase K during extraction correlates to higher DNA yield. Consequently, forensic laboratories should prioritize this method in skeletal DNA recovery efforts
Detection of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals at the North Haven Water Pollution Control Facility on the Quinnipiac River
Get PDFThe presence of estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) was detected using vacuum filtration and solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by methods measured through chemical analysis. This research aims to quantify the presence of estrogenic EDCs in the Quinnipiac River located in Connecticut. Samples from influent, effluent, and downstream river locations from a Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) in North Haven, Connecticut are tested for the presence of estrone and 17α-ethinylestradiol. Findings from the study will provide insight to improve treatment efficiency of EDCs in WPCFs
Effect of Invasive Phragmites Australis on Soil Chemistry and Beneficial Bacteria in Tidal Marshes of the Lower Quinnipiac River
No full textSalt marshes play a vital role in coastal ecosystem health yet are increasingly threatened by spread of invasive plant species, such as Phragmites australis, which can alter native vegetation structure and disrupt underlying ecological processes. While the impacts of such invasions on aboveground biodiversity have been studied extensively, there has been limited research on their effects on soil microbial communities and soil chemistry, leaving much to be understood in this area. This research investigates how Phragmites australis affects microbial diversity and soil chemistry in the Quinnipiac River Meadows by comparing soils dominated by the invasive species to those dominated by the native Spartina alterniflora (aka Sporobolus alterniflora. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, we assessed microbial community structure across six taxonomic levels (Kingdom to Genus), alongside alpha and beta diversity patterns. Clear distinctions in microbial structure emerged at finer taxonomic levels. Spartina soils exhibited greater diversity at broader taxonomic levels, while Phragmites soils supported more diverse and compositional shifts at Family and Genus levels. Additionally, we measured total nitrogen (TN), soil organic carbon (SOC), and C:N ratio to evaluate relationships to plant composition. Mean TN and SOC stocks did not differ significantly between vegetation types. Phragmites soils had TN and SOC values of 0.172 ± 0.017 kg/ha and 2.955 ± 0.285 kg/ha, respectively, while Spartina soils had 0.161 ± 0.011 kg/ha and 3.035 ± 0.208 kg/ha (TN: p = 0.570; SOC: p = 0.821). However, Spartina soils had significantly greater C:N ratio (18.944 ± 1.310) than Phragmites (17.403 ± 1.720; p = 0.002), suggesting slower litter decomposition and limited nitrogen availability. Conversely, Phragmites- dominated soils may foster copiotroph microbial taxa due to higher inputs of labile organic matter and enhanced oxygenation via root activity. These findings underscore the strong role of dominant vegetation on microbial assemblages and nutrient dynamics, with implications for salt marsh function, resilience and management of invasive species in coastal ecosystems
The Influence of Religion on Anchoring and Adjustment in Sentencing Decisions
Get PDFReligious beliefs and values often color people’s perceptions and interpretations of the world around them. This research has explored the relationship between religion and the anchoring and adjustment heuristic, with regard to how this affects sentencing decisions. The study served to determine whether certain beliefs held by participants – Catholicism and Wicca –along with the anchoring and adjustment heuristic, impact the sentence issued by a potential juror. Participants were undergraduate students from the University of New Haven who were provided with a vignette depicting an armed robbery and then issued their sentencing decision in years within the frame that they were given. Results highlighted no significant relationship between the religious views of the defendant and the impact of anchoring and adjustment on sentencing decisions issue by participants; however, the anchoring and adjustment heuristic alone did impact the decisions provided by participants
Sharing Leadership in the Context of Socioeconomic Diversity: Combining Shared Leadership and Socioeconomic Diversity for the Greater Good
No full textShared leadership involves a collective effort where multiple identities, perspectives, skills, and experiences are incorporated into relational and decision-making processes. As such, we argue that diversity is a critical consideration in the presence of shared leadership. Specifically, we argue that socioeconomic diversity is an important consideration when engaging in collective forms of leadership; nevertheless, organizational research has yet to adequately understand shared leadership in this context. We identify this as a critical gap and draw upon qualitative data in our study of a large non-profit organization in Latin America to extend and develop theory on shared leadership in the context of socioeconomic diversity. We examine antecedents to shared leadership, ways in which leadership is shared, outcomes of shared leadership, and mechanisms by which these outcomes are achieved in the context of socioeconomic diversity. We conclude with directions for future research and implications of shared leadership when team members have disparate socioeconomic identities and backgrounds