abstract: Following a sexual assault, victims are advised to have a medical forensic exam and undergo a sexual assault kit (SAK) collection. The SAK is then held in police storage until it undergoes testing at a crime lab. Unfortunately, tens of thousands of SAKs in the United States remain untested. This thesis examines SAK submission by organizational decision makers in sexual assault case processing. Guided by Black's theory of law, this paper seeks to examine if white and minority victims systematically experience differential access to justice in terms of getting their respective SAKs submitted. Using data from a 1982-2012 Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Study in Los Angeles, California, the current study explores the relationship between race and SAK submission, legal (eg., case specific) and extralegal (eg., victim characteristics) variables across 1,826 backlogged SAKs and 339 non-backlogged SAKs. Results from the logistic regression analysis indicate that victims of nonstranger sexual assault are more likely to experience backlog of their SAK while victim race does not appear to affect SAK submission. Implications for theory, research and criminal justice practice are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Criminology and Criminal Justice 2016

This Dissertation-in-Practice introduces a law enforcement concept-to-practice model designed by combining tested methods of organizational analysis often utilized by those in the discipline of education. The model incorporates a two phase design with the first phase focusing on implementing and evaluating innovative changes within a medium size law enforcement agency for a micro-level analysis. A second phase examines the ability to replicate the concept program on a statewide, macro-level, by incorporating a re-design method utilizing organizational resource and structure frames. The concept applied to this model was the introduction of a therapy dog interaction during investigations involving crimes against children to reduce anxiety and increase communication. The first phase concluded that the introduction of therapy dogs during law enforcement investigations had a statistical significance in the reduction of anxiety and increased disclosure rates with child victims, without interfering with judicial policies and procedures. The second phase produced a series of flexible options allowing law enforcement agencies of all types to replicate therapy dog programs that are consistent, cost effective, and sustainable. The overall results indicate the use of this concept-to-practice model was successful in examining and introducing an innovative concept that provided a significant impact in the complex organizations of the justice system.

<p dir="ltr">Open-source intelligence is utilized to identify individuals and compare changes in social media profiles and content. The proliferation of social media platforms and apps has facilitated the creation, distribution, and consumption of material related to human trafficking. Social media and internet service providers are not obligated to monitor users for trafficking-related activities or content. </p><p dir="ltr">However, an increase in minors joining social media leads to a rise in predatory activity. With the escalation of predatory behavior, research can focus on communication patterns, grooming, and victim profiles targeted by criminals. Technology has been developed to identify biometric points, aiding the identification of victims and criminals. Open-source intelligence is just one step toward gathering information about victims and criminals. It can be utilized throughout the investigative process to prevent human trafficking and related crimes.</p><p dir="ltr">This research employs open-source intelligence to provide investigators, law enforcement, and government agencies with preventative solutions for this global issue. The study focuses on extracting, collecting, and analyzing social media and OSINT, specifically social media intelligence (SOCMINT). Classification patterns were identified, and suspicious behavior indicative of human trafficking was detected using the JAPAN principle approach, reducing information overload. <br><br>Additionally, the research introduced a standardized investigation framework based on gathered data. This framework demonstrated the effectiveness of selected SOCMINT tools in enhancing human trafficking investigations. The study emphasizes the need for adaptive tools in SOCMINT, complemented by innovative approaches, to strengthen law enforcement efforts in deterring human trafficking. </p>