<p> This research study focused on identifying the protection of critical infrastructures and enhancing cybersecurity. The most recent cyber practice that is in place to protect critical infrastructures was also explored. From the literature review, it was concluded there are security loopholes in critical infrastructures. The study also uncovered that the federal government uses the newest cybersecurity tools, but does not share cyber vulnerabilities and risks with the private sector operating the infrastructures. The study also included an in-depth examination of Congressional documents pertaining to cybersecurity. However, it concluded that implementing rules and regulations is an ardouous step for the US Congress due to conflicts of interest. Finaly, the studied uncovered robust training, information sharing, and a contingency plan as the DHS's strategy to adapt to cyber threats that are emerging. Key Words: Critical Infrastructure, Cybersecurity.</p>

<p> While an estimated one-third of the United States population has a tattoo, tattoos are still seen as a sign of deviance. The appearance of the first tattoos in the United States were relegated to the bodies of the lower classes and outcasts of society. Over the past few decades tattoos have migrated on to the celebrity skin of today's pop culture icons. In the past twenty years, tattoos have moved from deviant subcultures to the mainstream, and yet are still considered to be a mark of the disfavored factions of society. The dominant culture continues to regard the bearers of tattoos as social deviants, while at the same time appropriating tattoos for use as fashion statements, beauty enhancements, and mechanisms for continued oppression. While tattoos make their way from the prison cell to the pop culture runway, how are they perceived by law enforcement? Are tattoos still seen as markers of deviance or has law enforcement adopted the mainstream culture's perception and view tattoos as self-expressive artwork? Do tattoos negatively influence law enforcement's judgment where individual discretion is exercised? The purpose of this study was to examine the arrest patterns of arrestees with visible tattoos using a critical theory perspective to determine if tattoos and arrest seriousness are related. This study also examines tattoo placement and type in affecting the severity of arrest charges. The data used in this study is a random sample of 2011 Pinellas County Florida arrestees (N=3,733). Numerous logistic regression models were utilized in this analysis and resulted in no consistently significant association between tattoos (visibility, placement, or type) and severity of offense charges. This provides evidence that the use of tattoos as a marker for deviance does not appear to influence police behavior any differently than other characteristics such as race.</p>

<p>Lying is sometimes more difficult than telling the truth because it requires more cognitive resources or "cognitive load." Implementing high cognitive load has been suggested to help facilitate the observation of deceptive behavior. Research suggests that people can correctly judge when individuals are lying only about 50% of the time when observing their nonverbal behavior. Individuals tend to restrict movements in their legs and feet when they are lying, perhaps in an effort to avoid giving off any nonverbal cues that might be interpreted as possible guilt. In the current study, it was hypothesized that participants would have significantly less movement in their legs and feet when lying than when telling the truth, as measured by total duration of time. Fifty-five participants were recruited from the University of California, Irvine and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Irvine. Participants were asked to respond to a total of 4 questions, in which 2 of their responses were truths and 2 were lies. They simultaneously played a game on a computer with the intent to increase cognitive load and decrease available cognitive resources to create a believable lie. Analyses of data were conducted using repeated-measures ANOVA. The results revealed some significant differences in the amount of time participants moved their lower body, but for only 1 of the lie questions. The results of the study support the idea that more research is needed to determine how to detect deception via nonverbal behavior more accurately, especially when implementing high cognitive load.

The goal of this study was to explore the use of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for a variety of human hair analyses. / Optimization of the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) operating parameters, radiofrequency (RF) power and carrier gas flowrate, for solid sample introduction showed more than one operating condition can (1) produce a statistically similar maximum elemental signal and (2) have statistically similar optimum signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios. The use of an internal standard was shown to increase the number of operating conditions with statistically similar optimum S/N ratios, and the value of S/N ratios. The high degree of precision exhibited by 34S along hair strands from the same individual (2 - 3 % hair strand to hair strand RSDs) suggests that sulphur may be a suitable internal standard for elements in hair. / The single and multi ablation detection limits (DLs) obtained for elements in powdered hair certified reference materials (CRMs) were similar to what was expected for biological materials using LA-ICP-MS. / The possibility of using LA-ICP-MS to depth profile elements in a hair strand was explored. With the correct operating conditions, LA-ICP-MS may be an effective analytical tool for depth profiling elements in a hair strand. / LA-ICP-MS was used to construct mercury calibration plots using powdered hair CRMs and calibrated hair strands having R2 values of 0.9775 and 0.9522, respectively. / Exogenous deposits lead to confusion in the interpretation of findings from hair. LA-ICP-MS was used to remove an artificial exogenous deposit from a hair strand.

<p> Sexual assault on college campuses in the United States has been a major social problem for many decades, however, in the past few years, many colleges and universities have been under investigation by the Department of Education and Office for Civil Rights for the lack of policy and response regarding this issue. </p><p> Using the model of insider ethnography, this study looked to compile the experiences of campus sexual assault survivors. The intention of this study was to gather a collection of sexual assault responses, while also collecting ideas from survivors as to how they could have been better supported in the aftermath of being sexually assaulted during their college experience. Several themes emerged amongst the participants in this study: (1) Arrived at college having already experienced sexual assault or rape, (2) Sexually assaulted within the first semester of college and in a campus housing structure, (3) Two of the four participants reported the sexual assault to local and/or campus police, (4) All four participants were sexually assaulted while under the influence of alcohol, (5) The first person each participant told about being sexually assaulted was a friend, (6) Two of the four participants dropped out of college as a result of being sexually assaulted, and (7) Each participant expressed the desire for educational programming that differentiated sex from sexual assault. </p><p> This thesis is intended to serve as a platform and megaphone for survivors of campus sexual assault. The hope is to raise awareness around the intense reality of sexual assault that still exists on U.S. college campuses, in addition to providing suggestions for how campus administration might better respond to sexual assault in light of current research and the experiences of survivors.</p>

<p> Becoming employed after release is one of the most effective ways for returning citizens to successfully reintegrate into the community and to prevent recidivism. However, individuals recently released from jails and prisons face unique challenges, both personal and environmental, that impede this process. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a microtrial intervention for 47 recently released ex-offenders actively seeking employment. This intervention, tailored from the Michigan JOBS program, was designed to keep job seekers motivated. The researcher hypothesized that the intervention would increase levels of job search efficacy, self-efficacy, and job search behaviors both immediately after the intervention as well as at the two week follow-up, and that this relationship would be moderated by the personality factor of impulsivity. Previous research has linked higher levels of impulsivity with diminished follow-through and reduced engagement in goal-directed behaviors. The outcome of this study did not support this model, as impulsivity did not moderate this relationship, neither immediately after the intervention nor at the two week follow-up. Impulsivity was assessed using both self-report and behavioral measures. While it was predicted that the three measures of impulsivity would correlate highly and form a latent factor, the behavioral measure did not correlate strongly with one of the self-report measures, and therefore moderation analyses were run separately for each measure. Testing the effects of the intervention without the impulsivity moderator found that the inoculation against setbacks module increased levels of job search efficacy immediately after the intervention, but this effect faded by the two week follow-up. No other effects of the intervention by condition were found. The benefits and drawbacks of the microtrial methodology are described in greater detail, and future directions for interventions with this population are suggested. </p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1995. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-04, Section: B, page: 2851.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2000. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 60-06, Section: B, page: 2948. Adviser: Bruce Bonger.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2001. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-07, Section: B, page: 3380. Adviser: Bruce Bongar.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2001. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-11, Section: B, page: 5373. Chair: Cynthia Rosengard.