Previous researchers have indicated that first responders are in an ever-changing environment, and unfortunately, the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among first responders is increasing. This study sought to better understand first responders' perceptions of emergency preparedness protocols and training, as well as the prevalence of PTSD. This study also examined first responders' thoughts, decision making processes, and protective actions information, communications necessary during situations of emergency preparedness for traumatic events, and how PTSD impacted this process. A sample of 16 first responders of various ages was recruited for the purpose of this study. The participants were made up of firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical services. This study drew from protection-motivation theory, the theory of planned behavior, sensemaking theory, and decision making theory. The researcher used a 15-question, semi-structured interview. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used for qualitative analysis. The following themes emerged: (a) emergency preparedness is perceived as critical; (b) emergency preparedness is perceived as inadequate; (c) first responders are unlikely to seek treatment; (d) the development of psychological disorders is perceived as likely; (e) there can be hesitation or feelings of "freezing" during emergencies; (f) there can be numbness and distraction during emergencies; and (g) first responder training helps to make decision making automatic. Implications, suggestions for future research are discussed, and the need for additional studies in first responder training that consider the location of first-responders as well as the need for first responders' trainings to promote positive social change.

The media have influenced domestic extremists who are targeting the police, and this is related to negative emotions among the police. These extremists are targeting police officers based on how events are framed by the media. In this way, the media have influenced domestic extremists' target selection and caused negative emotions among police officers because they are now the targets. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to understand the perceptions of police officers about how the media have influenced domestic extremists to target them. The narrative of this qualitative inquiry was guided by a semistructured interview sample consisting of 15 patrol officers discussing their views and opinions of the media's effect on domestic extremism and negative emotions among the police. Coding and themes facilitated the analyses of the data. By examining the narratives of police officers, 5 themes developed which include: having a positive attitude, motivational factors, meaning of responsibility, media effects and having a support system and fourteen subthemes were extracted and valuable insights were gained on how patrol officers handled different situations like the media, extremists, and their emotions. Involving the opinions of police officers in developing more efficient response training is critical for social change. These results will promote positive social change by providing a better understanding of police perceptions and the potential to educate the public about the actual work of police officers, to create understanding between the police and the public; and by identifying strategies to update future training programs for the police.

Confirmation bias occurs when a person believes in or searches for evidence to support his or her favored theory while ignoring or excusing disconfirmatory evidence and is disinclined to change his or her belief once he or she arrives at a conclusion. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether emotionally charged evidence and evidence presentation order could influence an investigator's belief in a suspect's guilt. The study included 166 sworn police officers (basic training recruits, patrol officers, and criminal investigators) who completed online surveys in response to criminal vignettes across different scenarios to record their measure of guilt belief. Analysis of variance was used to assess the relationship between the 3 independent variables: duty assignment (recruit, patrol, investigator), scenario condition (child and adult sexual assault), and evidence presentation order (sequential, simultaneous, reverse sequential). The dependent variable was confirmation bias (Likert-scaled 0-10 guilt judgment). According to the study results, confirmation bias was least evident in criminal investigators with more experience and training, and both emotion and evidence presentation order can influence guilt judgment. The findings generalize to criminal investigators and attest to the importance of working to include and exclude suspects and to withhold judgment until all available evidence is analyzed. Investigators benefit from this study and through their improved decision making, society benefits as well. This study will contribute to the need for professional dialogue concerning objective fact finding by criminal investigators and avoiding incidents of wrongful conviction.

The Ferguson effect is a recent hypothesis that suggests police officers have been influenced by negative media coverage of police conduct. The problem this study addressed is how policing continues to deal with perception, civil liability, and accountability issues related to police misconduct when interacting with Latino and African-American communities. The research was conducted to examine influence the Ferguson effect may have had on the culture and perceptions of police officers in local police departments. With a phenomenological qualitative approach, the research data were collected from interviews with 7 police officers across 3 police departments. The theoretical background of Merton's theory of unintended consequences offered insights into how law enforcement functions and the kinds of policies that affect police-civilian relations. Data was analyzed with NVivo 12 data analysis software. Four predominant themes emerged: (1) commitment to service, (2) police officers' perception of the media, (3) impact of the Ferguson Effect, and (4) attitudes toward civil liability. The research indicates that the officers shared a strong commitment to service as well as being satisfied overall with the police department where they work. In addition, the participants acknowledged the Ferguson effect but did not believe it prevented them from performing their sworn duties. With this research study, the police officers' voices can be added to the national debate regarding the Ferguson effect and their perception of its impact on their culture in local police departments, community engagement with minority citizens, and civil liability.

The growing number of individuals suffering from mental illnesses and their inability to access intervention methods has adverse effects on the criminal justice system. These impairments increase the likelihood that police officers will have negative attitudes about persons with mental illnesses. This study sought to understand whether police officers' empathy, education, experience outside of work as well as on the job, and officers' training in the field of mental health all related to police officers' attitudes relating to persons with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to expand the body of knowledge and determine how factors such as police officers' empathy, education, experience on the job and personal experience, and officers' training in the field of mental health relate to police officers' attitudes regarding persons with mental illness. Gilbert's model of attribution process served as the theoretical model for this study. A mixed methods research methodology was used to determine the relationships between mental illness and officer empathy, experience, education, and training. Twenty-four participants completed face-to-face interviews and the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire was utilized for data collection. Empathy scores were analyzed for all study participants. QDA Miner Lite was used for qualitative data analysis. The perception of the training and the officers' outside experience with the mentally ill both have positive impacts on the attitudes towards the mentally ill while on duty. While empathy could not be linked to these relationships, personal experiences and perceptions cannot be dismissed as unrelated to empathizing with a specific population. Ultimately, the police gain knowledge and understanding resulting in positive community perception of police, better community service and creating an overall positive social change.

A substantial body of scientific and medical research has examined the relationship between conductive energy devices and their physical risk to humans. This phenomenological study focused on the psychological impact of Taser utilization in police officers. This research explored how the experience of using a Taser in the line of duty affected officers from the conceptual framework of stress inoculation training and its applicability to Taser certification; the typical mental processes associated with using less-lethal weapons, perceptions of Taser training; and, the preparation provided in training for citizen injuries and deaths. Fifteen officers who had deployed a Taser were included as participants. The sample consisted of 2 randomized groups of 5, and 1 convenience group of 5 officers involved in Taser-related deaths. Data were collected through digitally recorded interviews of the officers' lived experiences. Data were analyzed using a 5-step method of constant comparison to develop and code themed clusters using the officers' own words. Findings showed officers believed the Taser was the best non-lethal device available but they preferred not using a Taser on citizens. In addition, Taser training may not be legally sufficient as defined in relevant court cases. A recommendation is that stress inoculation segments should be included in Taser training courses. Findings indicate Taser-related deaths have the potential to cause extreme stress and trauma in the officers, changing their lives and that of their families forever.

Act 33 of 1995 is an amendment to Pennsylvania's Juvenile Act (2008). This amendment changed jurisdictional boundaries for juvenile offenders who committed violent crimes with weapons. As a result, youth who committed violent crimes with weapons were automatically transferred to the adult criminal justice system. Using punctuated equilibrium as the theoretical foundation, the purpose of this study was to determine if Act 33, as a punctuating event, resulted in an increase in the number of youth transferred to the adult criminal justice system and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in an urban county in Pennsylvania. Secondary data (N = 143) were acquired from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections on juveniles sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in Pennsylvania pre and post Act 33. Chi-square test with 2-way contingency table analysis was used to analyze the data. Results did not indicate a statistically significant association between the numbers of juveniles transferred to the adult criminal justice system and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole and the implementation of Pennsylvania of Act 33. The positive social change implications of this study include recommendations to the Pennsylvania legislators to increase state funds in order to implement service integration for juvenile lifers returning to the community.

For the past several decades, the county jail in a large metropolitan city in the southeast United States has been overcrowded, which has resulted in violence within the jail, excessive costs to the Sheriff's Office, and a requirement of Federal oversight of the jail from 2005 to 2015. In spite of these events, little is understood about why jail overcrowding is prevalent in the county and what impacts overcrowding may have on the communities around the jail. Using Shaw and McKay's social disorganization theory as the foundation, the purpose of this case study was to understand the unique circumstances around in the geographic region that may contribute to overcrowding in order to avoid the risk of future federal government intervention. Data were collected through interviews with jail administrators and staff, commissioners, and judges. Additionally, publicly available data related to the operations of the jail were collected. These data were inductively coded and then subjected to a thematic analysis procedure. Key findings identified the primary causes of overcrowding to include increases in the number of correctional clients with mental health problems, increases in the number of youthful offenders, and deficiencies in capacity at the primary jail facility that has not kept pace with population changes in the county. Positive social change implications include recommendations to jail administrators and lawmakers to use statutory authority to alleviate some of the problems in and around the jail facility. These recommendations may reduce the financial and legal risk for the county and promote public safety both within and outside the jail.

Lack of elder abuse awareness and underreporting is an increasing problem in the United States in that only 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse is reported. The failure to report incidents of elder abuse and suspected elder abuse allows further abuse of elders and for elder abusers to go unpunished. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to understand the relationship between race, gender, and elder abuse awareness and fill the gap in elder abuse literature. Research questions tested mean differences between race and gender, respectively, and elder abuse awareness. The theoretical frameworks for this study were the social cognitive theory, self-perception theory, and Dunning Kruger Effect. The study included a convenience sample of 75 federal corrections retirees with diverse educational and professional backgrounds living in the United States. Data were collected using an online survey that ascertained the respondents' attitudes toward elder abuse and knowledge of elder abuse laws. Independent samples t tests were performed to test the mean differences of elder abuse awareness between different races and genders. Results of the study revealed African Americans have a statistically significant higher mean than Caucasians. However, there was not a statistically significant mean difference between males and females, respectively, and elder abuse awareness. The implications for social change include aiding public and private sector elder abuse prevention advocates adopt programs and policies that will increase elder abuse awareness campaigns, increase elder abuse reporting behavior of different races and genders, and prevent deaths resulting from a lack of elder abuse awareness.

Individuals who sell drugs are often mandated by legal forces to substance abuse treatment because of their criminal offenses and the belief they may have a drug problem. Previous researchers have noted this population may be disruptive in the treatment process, but it has not been explored in depth. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to learn the lived experiences of counselors who work with individuals who report a primary problem of selling drugs, not substance abuse, who are mandated to a substance abuse treatment program. Thirteen semi structured interviews were conducted with counselors who have worked with individuals who sell drugs that were mandated to participate in a correctional-based therapeutic community substance abuse treatment program. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed with the assistance of NVivo for meaning and themes. Data were examined through the theoretical lens of the social learning theory (SLT). The results of the study indicated counselors were prepared for their jobs through education and training to have longevity in working in a correctional environment and provided treatment services. The counselors found that individuals who sell drugs had a history substance use, which the individuals minimized. During treatment, counselors sought to challenge individuals who sell drugs to think and explore the effects of their behaviors. Counselors found individuals who sell drugs were able to engage in treatment to avoid negative consequences. The results of this research can encourage positive social change by initiating a discussion about assessments prior to drug treatment, characteristics of drug treatment program participants, and counselor training to improve quality of drug treatment services provided.