Browsing by Author "Hogan, Michael, committee member"

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A mirror to humanity: the meaning-making experiences of correctional end-of-life care advocates
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Kaushik, Shivani, author; Currin-McCulloch, Jennifer, advisor; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Yoder, Jamie, committee member; Yuma, Paula, committee member
The purpose of this study was to explore the mean-making experiences of advocates who strive to implement end-of-life programming in correctional settings. The study included five main exploratory aims: (1) to explore advocates' understanding of end-of-life philosophy; (2) motivating factors of advocates that promote end-of-life caregiving opportunities; (3) barriers to the provision of end-of-life care; (4) how personal, social, and political influences related to correctional end-of-life care shape advocates' meaning-making experiences and; (5) to better inform the general public of this integral need and humane service to combat the stigma related to accessing end-of-life care for incarcerated individuals. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), a qualitative approach which aims to provide detailed examinations of personal lived experience, was incorporated with English-speaking participants, residing in the United States (U.S.), who are 18 years of age or older and identify as advocates for correctional end-of-life care. Participants were recruited with the assistance of professionals who work within the field of end-of-life care in the United States and non-profit, correctional health care advocacy groups. Advocates participated in a recorded interview, via Zoom or telephone, consisting of 15 semi-structured questions which addressed their knowledge of end-of-life care in corrections, recommendations for policy reform, and the meaning-making experiences derived from advocating for essential care to the terminally ill. Participant responses were transcribed and analyzed by maintaining an idiographic focus and providing verbatim quotes. The results revealed advocates' multifaceted meaning-making experiences in championing for humane end-of-life care in corrections: daunting work as motivation; the people are the joy; this is what I'm meant to do; and being a mirror to humanity. Advocates revealed the pertinent need to eradicate punitive ideals to deliver compassionate care. Narratives underscored the significant bonds with imprisoned people and fellow peers advocating for empathy at the end-of-life. These advocates additionally highlighted their inherent aspirations for social justice and health equity. Moreover, opportunities to showcase and celebrate the compassionate skill-set and productivity of peer-volunteers delivering care to their dying peers in corrections surfaced as emotional and inspiring experiences for advocates. The exploration of the meaning-making experiences of correctional end-of-life care advocates provided a unique perspective into the motivating factors and multifarious challenges of implementing and delivering compassionate care to terminally ill incarcerated people. Advocates offer significant and hidden insights into the dying experience of this marginalized population, while navigating the complexities of correctional health care. The knowledge and vigor of advocates serve as key factors in ameliorating appropriate end-of-life care for a continually punished population. The study emphasizes the fundamental need to assess current models of care available to dying incarcerated individuals in the United States and how advocates' participation can enhance end-of-life care in corrections. Further research must investigate current end-of-life programming in corrections, with an emphasis on the unique roles of those delivering care. The essential voices of correctional end-of-life advocates should be integrated into policy reform which seeks to amend dated and unjust practices impacting dying incarcerated individuals.
Open Access
Bringing attention to carceral and criminal justice practices in Ghana: critical discourse analysis of international organizations' texts
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Dumavor, Roland, author; Jacobi, Tobi, advisor; Langstraat, Lisa, committee member; Hogan, Michael, committee member
The prison and the criminal justice systems in Ghana are fraught with serious challenges that relate to injustice and inhumane prison conditions. Most of the incarcerated people suffer lack of adequate legal aid, torture, and imprisonment for minor offenses among others. Even though national governance in the area of criminal justice and its related concepts such as legislation, arrest, trial and punishment are obligations and responsibilities of a nation state, international organizations play a key role in ensuring that the nation states execute their duties in ways that meet international standards. The purpose of this study is to investigate how Amnesty International and the United Nations employ discourse, through text, to bring and sustain attention to the issues of human rights abuse and injustice in the Ghanaian carceral and criminal justice systems. The primary question driving this research is: What role do international organizations, specifically Amnesty International and the United Nations play in bringing attention to the issues of criminal injustice and dehumanizing conditions of the places of incarceration in Ghana, and how do they use texts to play this role? In order to address the research question underlying this study, I seek to understand: 1) how these international organizations use their texts to afford or deny agency to prisoners, 2) how the organizations construct identity and relations, maintain human dignity in carceral and criminal justice practices, and 3) how the texts produced and circulated by these organizations effect change in the carceral and criminal justice practices. This study presents a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of six selected texts produced by these international organizations on the carceral and criminal justice practices in Ghana. Norman Fairclough's three-level approach to the CDA (test analysis, discourse practice and social practice) was used to analyze the selected texts. The findings of the analyses identify and explain the discourses of humanization, effective criminal justice, and transformation through representations of power, human rights and justice, prison conditions and identity. Thus, representation and discourse are employed by Amnesty International and the United Nations in their texts to: 1) bring attention to injustice and dehumanization in carceral and criminal practices, 2) call for prison and criminal justice reforms, and 3) create space for the voices of the marginalized (the incarcerated) people.
Open Access
Connecting to nature via ecotourism as sustainable development
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) McLane, Daniel Newell, author; Carolan, Michael, advisor; Cross, Jeni, committee member; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Cottrell, Stuart, committee member
This dissertation presents a case study of ecotourism as sustainable development focused on the potential of the tourist as agent of sustainable development when she returns to the global North. This possibility is framed in terms of a tourist "connecting to nature" and thus becoming an agent of sustainable development. This potential is investigated via the comparison of a "real" rainforest and its "simulation" and this also investigates the role of the biophysical in shaping this connection. After describing an initial period of data collection the author explains why he adopted the framework of "environmental imaginaries" as a language to describe the multiple and often conflicting natures to which tourists connect. Using this framework two forms of connecting are identified, "recruiting" and "reinforcing". The role of the biophysical is explored for both forms of connecting as well as the implications for both upon the tourist's return home.
Open Access
Dosage matters: the role of community corrections interventions on client recidivism
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Naday Walker, Alexandra, author; Shelley, Tara O'Connor, advisor; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Opsal, Tara, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
For the last 50 years, effective correctional programs and interventions have been defined by their ability to lower recidivism rates. There is considerable research about what works to reduce an individual's risk for recidivism, yet recidivism rates remain high. The revolving door within the criminal justice system comes with tremendous economic and social costs for individuals, their families, and communities and therefore understanding the impact that interventions have on long term outcomes has become a primary focus area for researchers in the justice space. Using risk/need/responsivity theory as a framework, this study examined the impact of the intensity of nonclinical and clinical interventions, clinical dosage hours, and case management meetings on one- and two-year recidivism outcomes. This study seeks to broaden our understanding of the dosage literature by examining a sample of offenders placed in an open (full access to community with expectations of employment and other responsibilities while in treatment), residential, community corrections (halfway house) setting. The final sample for this study includes 147 adult male and female offenders who successfully discharged from two community corrections (halfway house) programs in Colorado. Findings support prior research suggesting an inverse relationship between clinical dosage hours and recidivism. While the results demonstrated a lack of support for the relationship between nonclinical interventions and recidivism reduction, the intensity of clinical interventions provided to clients were statistically significant at both one- and two- years post program completion. Finally, the results indicate that regular case management meetings play an important role in recidivism reduction.
Open Access
Longitudinal and geographic analysis of the relationship between natural disasters and crime in the United States
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Prelog, Andrew J., author; O'Connor Shelley, Tara, advisor; Peek, Lori, advisor; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Zahran, Sammy, committee member
Natural disasters and crime are ubiquitous in the United States. The public generally views the social disorder associated with disaster events as criminogenic--that is, disasters somehow foster opportunistic criminal behavior. Scientific investigation into the relationship between disaster and crime is more nuanced--and at times has produced contradictory and inconsistent findings. This dissertation research explores the relationship between disaster and crime in the continental United States to investigate the question of whether disasters of different magnitudes and/or types differentially affect crime rates. I employ three sociological theories to inform the analyses. First, sociology of disaster researchers, using the therapeutic community hypothesis, have long asserted that disasters reduce criminal activity both during and after the event. Second, criminologists using social disorganization theory assert that disaster may increase the likelihood and occurrence of crime. Third, researchers using routine activity theory suggest that disaster may increase or decrease criminal activity, depending on how a disaster restructures formal and informal mechanisms of social control, and criminal opportunity. To investigate this question, I use geographic and longitudinal analyses of 14 years of county-level data on socio-demographic predictors of crime, crime rates, and disaster impacts. I statistically model 11 different categories of crime and impacts from 12 different disaster types using geographic information systems, hierarchical linear modeling, and geographically weighted regression. In general, findings indicate that higher crime rates are associated with larger disaster magnitudes. The effect is not consistent for all categories of crime investigated in this research. Findings also indicate that certain types of disasters have a differential effect on crime outcomes, independent of disaster magnitude. This research and results represent the first county-level geographic and longitudinal analysis of disaster and crime for the United States.
Open Access
Reconsidering Randy Shilts: examining the reportage of America's AIDS chronicler
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Stoner, Andrew E., author; Landers, James, advisor; Champ, Joseph, committee member; Plaisance, Patrick, committee member; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Breaux, Richard, committee member
The role of openly-gay reporter and author Randy Shilts (1951-1994) is examined related to his use of journalistic practices and places him on a continuum of traditional reporting roles as considered in the context of twentieth century philosophers Walter Lippmann and John Dewey. Reporter functions demonstrated by Shilts are examined, including those dictated by expectations of either strong journalistic influence over society and media consumers, or those more aligned with democratic practices where education and participation emphasize strong roles for society and media consumers. Using a biographical approach including 17 primary source interviews of former colleagues, critics, sources and family/friends, the examination of Shilts work as both a reporter and noted author is presented as being heavily influenced by his forthcoming attitudes about disclosure of his sexual orientation from the start of his career and his desire to explain or unpack aspects of gay culture, and ultimately the AIDS crisis, to heterosexual audiences. Careful examination of the posthumous critique of Shilts' work - including his construction of Patient Zero - is undertaken. The study concludes that Shilts fully engaged a Lippmann-esque approach embodied in an authoritarian role for journalism that sought to change the world in which it was offered, and did so perhaps most influentially during the earliest days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in America.
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Research on prisoners: an alternative to animal testing
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Abbate, Cheryl Elizabeth, author; Rollin, Bernard E., advisor; Cafaro, Philip, 1962-, committee member; Hogan, Michael, committee member
Members of the biomedical community justify biomedical research on sentient beings by depicting the benign results which are regarded as necessary for scientific and medical progress, which in turn is absolutely necessary for maintaining human health, well being, and life. Rather than take for granted that the burden of biomedical research should rest only on nonhuman animals, I will explore whether or not there is a more appropriate class of sentient beings that we should conduct our biomedical research on. I will argue, based on utilitarian principles, that if we can maximize overall happiness by conducting our research on a different group of beings, then we should opt to conduct our biomedical experiments on these beings. My central proposal is that our decision to experiment on nonhuman animals is not the best alternative available; rather, if we were to experiment on violent criminals, we would increase overall happiness. Since conducting biomedical research on this particular group of prisoners would fulfill the aims of retributive punishment, deter violent crime, and procure optimal scientific results, we would produce the maximal amount of benefits by experimenting on these transgressors. Thus when faced with the choice to experiment on either violent criminals or nonhuman animals, the morally commendable decision would be to perform research on violent criminals.
Open Access
Risky air: an analysis of risk perceptions, punitive attitudes, and regulatory support towards corporate violations of the Clean Air Act
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Tullis, Matthew Thomas, author; Shelley, Tara O'Connor, advisor; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Davis, Charles, committee member
This research explores whether perceptions of environmental risk influences support for social control measures, with specific reference to violations of the Clean Air Act. Drawing on national survey data collected between April and September of 2013, the research assesses whether environmental risk perception affects support for social control measures in the form of regulation and punishment. Risk perception is measured using a risk theory developed by Robert O'Connor, Richard J. Bord, and Ann Fisher (1999), which includes three components: 1) problem awareness, 2) negative consequences to be experienced by oneself and others, and 3) knowledge of the causes of the problem. The research findings indicate that perceived negative consequences to self and/or others and knowledge of the causes of the problem are significant predictors of regulatory support while problem awareness was not. Two of the three forms of risk were generally not relevant for understanding public support of punishment in response to corporate environmental crime. The notable exception was negative consequences to self and others, where people who favored stricter forms of punishment were those who perceived the most negative consequences associated with air pollution. In sum, it appears that O'Connor et al. (1999) risk perception theory is salient for understanding regulation but only partially relevant for understanding punishment preferences for environmental corporate crime.
Open Access
Understanding the role of probation: observing the effectiveness of probation as an alternative to incarceration in Larimer County, Colorado
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Hilgendorf, John, author; Opsal, Tara, advisor; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Moore, Scott, committee member
Probation is the largest component of the United States criminal justice system, and its population has significantly grown over the past few decades. However, probation is an understudied area of criminal justice research, even though so many individuals fall under the supervision of probation. The purpose of this thesis is to observe if probation is serving its intended purpose as an alternative to incarceration, or if revocations from probation result in future jail sentences. The study uses data from Larimer County Criminal Justice Services in Larimer County, Colorado to understand how successful different probation sentences, with varying levels of surveillance and monitoring, serve as diversions from traditional forms of incarceration. The findings show that probation sentences with higher levels of supervision commonly result in probation revocations, and as a result, jail sentences due to revocations. Therefore, the findings suggest supervised probation sentences do not successfully divert offenders from incarceration, but rather contribute to jail populations in Larimer County.
Open Access
Unresolved homicide: a cross-national perspective
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Greenwood, Ian Daniel, author; Unnithan, N. Prabha, advisor; Hogan, Michael, committee member; Mao, KuoRay, committee member; Snodgrass, Jeffrey, committee member
Administrative justice research seeks to understand both the intended and unintended consequences of social action, institutional outcomes, and resulting sociological meanings. The study of homicide informs social science of one set of phenomena, while investigating unresolved victimization provides a contrasting framework of analysis. Unsolved or cold case homicides represent both terrible acts of harm and indicators of some deficiency in the ability of law enforcement to adequately respond. This dissertation expands on the current understanding of unresolved homicide by conducting a cross-national comparison of outcomes. Beginning with a framework for understanding homicide, an analysis of unresolved homicide as a unique outcome is examined from a hierarchical theoretical perspective. This research proposes that there are linkages across social strata of macro governance, meso law enforcement institutions, and micro direct-contact predatory violations that display distinct patterns at an international level. This dissertation investigates the macro and meso Weberian (1947) bureaucratic structures that engages a micro Routine Activities Theory (Cohen and Felson 1979) process of post-homicide administrative justice outcomes. The research is informed by a combination of recommendations from prior literature, as well as introducing new techniques for measuring complex data. Utilizing information from the United Nations, World Bank, the Varieties of Democracy dataset from the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and relevant secondary sources, a multiple step process analyzes thirteen hypotheses. This includes verification of the constructed dataset, the replication of prior studies, and the implementation of speculative exploratory abductive research (i.e., inferential observational testing). Moving from the bivariate correlations of homicide to measures of formal contact by the police, to judicial convictions for homicide, 100 nations are compared across two sets of predictive independent variables through a process of multiple linear regression analyses. The first set of predictive independent variables tests are for macro level societal indicators, while the second set examines aspects of meso to micro interactions that affect opportunities for offending and victimization. The findings support the validity of the dataset, achieve replication of prior cross-national homicide research, and from this a speculative unresolved homicide proxy measure is constructed. Deriving from the difference between the number of reported homicides and the reported number of formal contact police events in a country for a given year, a speculative examination of outcomes is conducted. Further exploration of the unique patterns identified by the unresolved homicide proxy measures are tested to provide further opportunities for theoretical explication. Most of the hypotheses support past findings for homicide rates in producing patterns of correlations and significant predictive relationships. Mixed results from subsequent analyses contribute to a broader understanding of cross-national homicide and unresolved homicide events in context to macro and meso level social indicators. Measures of social inequality, economic development, civil unrest, impartial enforcement of the law, fairness of public administration, and equity of available public services contribute to the understanding of cross–national patterns affecting unresolved homicide rates.