Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7
Description
The completion of this thesis analyzes the growing influence of social media in criminal cases. As social media has made a growing impact on our society, it by virtue is also impacting courtroom outcomes. This paper explores five current criminal cases, in which the primary component of evidence was usage of social media. The primary component of evidence was derived by social media and was used to determine the verdict of a case. Using a case study methodology, each case was analyzed in terms of how it was used in court, how social media influenced the final verdict, and possible justice implications. The findings of this paper determined how “beyond reasonable doubt”, authenticity, and reliability were the main issues that emerged when using social media as primary evidence. This project discusses how the given issues leave reason for questioning, and how it plays a part in the judicial implications that come along with using this kind of evidence. Overall, the findings demonstrated how the questions of reliability, that social media entails, create problems within the courtroom requiring judicial interpretation and decision making.
ContributorsSaigh, Alexa M (Author) / Broberg, Gregory (Thesis director) / Mayhall, Jeff (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This thesis explores the connection between how the stigmatization of mental illness may be perpetuated by health care workers and the effect this has on individuals using mental health care services, focusing on how it negatively impacts the outcome of treatment. Much research and studies have been done on the topic of stigma, but few have surveyed how mental health care service users are directly impacted by stigma, specifically from members of the health care community. The Tempe Mental Health Court, a local alternative program for individuals who have diagnosed serious mental health issues and have committed misdemeanor offenses, is an exemplar of a treatment program that may be impacted by this stigma. Literature research collected for this paper analyzed how stigmatization is perpetuated through actions and words, and how this negatively impacts the stigmatized. Additionally, research was also gathered on how mental health care workers may play a part in the stigmatization of mental illness. A survey based off of The Stigma Scale developed by Michael King and his associates was administered at the Mental Health Court to be taken by participants of the program (2007). The survey aimed to figure out whether stigma was present at the court, if so, how it was being presented, and what role health care professionals and other members of the court had in perpetuating it. The survey was administered online and totaled 30 questions. Afterwards, survey data was compared and analyzed to the information gathered through literature research. Solutions for intervening in the stigma were derived from the survey as well as outside research. Based on these survey results as well as the outside research conducted, proposals for further research were suggested at the end of this paper.
ContributorsBoon, Jessica (Author) / Broberg, Gregory (Thesis director) / Kane, Kevin (Committee member) / School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Economists, policy-makers, and various intellectuals have consistently debated the strongest way to support citizens. Lately, however, the simplest idea has managed to gain an unbelievable amount of traction. Maybe, rather than a complex policy solution targeted towards to certain demographics and with various work requirements we should simply give people money. The beauty of the idea is in its simplicity – and it is a key reason for its growing popularity. Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a policy proposal that has been steadily gaining momentum throughout the United States and across the world. Recently, it has been viewed as a stimulus to the economy in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as well as a solution to labor-displacing technological advancements. Additionally, many economists, politicians, and various thought-leaders have portrayed basic income as a one-stop solution to many challenges facing the world. The idea behind UBI comes down to this idea – basic income will not solve all your problems – it makes your problems easier to solve. Many UBI advocates use that phrase to argue in favor for a basic income, but it is important to ensure that it doesn’t add to most people’s problems by discouraging work and encouraging seemingly unhealthy habits.
ContributorsRamesh, Neel (Author) / Hill, Alexander (Thesis director, Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor, Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
To address and evaluate opioid legislation in the United States and its effectiveness in combating the opioid epidemic.
This paper will assess current and past legislation, on both the state and federal level, in terms of its effectiveness by cross-examining it with existing data. This paper also examines failures on the state and federal levels to properly target at-risk groups. Furthermore, this paper makes recommendations for future legislation to properly allocate resources to localities most affected by the opioid epidemic, and contribute to the decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths.
This paper will assess current and past legislation, on both the state and federal level, in terms of its effectiveness by cross-examining it with existing data. This paper also examines failures on the state and federal levels to properly target at-risk groups. Furthermore, this paper makes recommendations for future legislation to properly allocate resources to localities most affected by the opioid epidemic, and contribute to the decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths.
ContributorsKelly, John C (Co-author) / Kapadia, Kajol (Co-author) / Hill, Alexander (Thesis director) / Foote, Nicola (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The purpose of this document is to explore the aspects of the UNABOM investigation in search of the key factors that contributed to Theodore J. Kaczynski’s ability to evade capture from law enforcement for 17 years. Kaczynski, the Unabomber, was a serial bomber, domestic terrorist, intellectual, mathematician, ersatz philosopher, and published author-by-extortion of the late twentieth century. His actions resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injured twenty-three others. As such, the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched a full-scale manhunt over the span of almost two decades to catch Kaczynski. This paper analyzes the factors that allowed for Kaczynski to avoid detection through a multi-step process of first listing off the chronological timeline of events in Kaczynski’s life, then examining his three major bombings that resulted in fatalities, using results/concepts from forensic linguistics to identify key information that might allude to his ability to avoid detection, and conducting a overall analysis of the societal, economical, technological, and law enforcement capabilities of the late 20th century. This present-day look into Kaczynski’s reign of terror will not only unveil any trends, factors, and methodologies used in his crimes, but it will most importantly signify that if Kaczynski’s actions were to be repeated in the exact manner today, the manhunt would take just as long and be equally as tragic as it was three decades ago. The end goal is to reveal that the only factor that allowed Kaczynski to evade capture for as long as he did was Kaczynski himself.
ContributorsKelso, Quinn W (Author) / Broberg, Gregory (Thesis director) / Fitzgerald, James R. (Committee member) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-12
Description
Juvenile restorative justice has become an increasingly common alternative to punitive justice in recent decades. This project evaluates best practices and strategies that have been effective in reducing recidivism while upholding the key tenets of restoration. The goal of this project is to compile a reference for best practices and recommendations for the implementation of a juvenile restorative justice program at the Tempe Municipal Court. Through a comparison of two court-based restorative programs in the United States and a compilation of relevant research, a recommendation of Circle Conferencing is appropriate for the needs of the Tempe Municipal Court.
ContributorsBarger, Courtney Elizabeth (Author) / Broberg, Gregory (Thesis director) / Kane, Kevin (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
To address the costs of Universal Basic Income (UBI) implementation while promoting new perspectives and broader thinking.
This paper will introduce UBI as a concept and a program to better understand its implementation around the world and the underlying theory of how to afford its sustained use. The paper examines several different implementation and funding mechanisms that are all focused on economic growth as the sole measure of success. It displays how UBI's program costs make it insufficient for further use under those metrics. This paper introduces the need to change the narrative to focus less on GDP-growth and more about the positive benefits of income distribution to raise the poverty line, decrease income inequality, and increase the overall well-being of each citizen in the United States.
This paper will introduce UBI as a concept and a program to better understand its implementation around the world and the underlying theory of how to afford its sustained use. The paper examines several different implementation and funding mechanisms that are all focused on economic growth as the sole measure of success. It displays how UBI's program costs make it insufficient for further use under those metrics. This paper introduces the need to change the narrative to focus less on GDP-growth and more about the positive benefits of income distribution to raise the poverty line, decrease income inequality, and increase the overall well-being of each citizen in the United States.
ContributorsGordon, Chandler Robert (Author) / Hill, Alexander (Thesis director) / Wong, Kelvin (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05