John Jay College of Criminal Justice

At present, the traditional anthraquinone method is the main method for producing high-quality and high-concentration H2O2, but it involves the use of H2, resulting in high carbon emissions and certain risks. The double-electron oxygen reduction reaction has become a more environmentally friendly alternative method for producing H2O2. However, at high overpotentials, the production and conversion rates of H2O2 are still limited. Here, we report an electrochemical method that can convert H2O and formaldehyde into high-concentration H2O2 and high-value formate salts with high product purity under environmental conditions. At a current density of 30 milliamperes per square centimeter, continuous operation for 5 hours can produce 6.522% (m/v) H2O2, and the product does not contain acid, alkali, or excessive impurities. Faraday efficiency reaches 83%. The chronopotentiometry method shows stable current performance of the electrode after 360 hours of operation. This low-carbon, safe, and sustainable approach provides a promising alternative to traditional H2O2 production.

This study investigates how people in certain online communities engage with and adopt hateful rhetoric, specifically examining the escalation of antisemitic language in two deplatformed QAnon-related subreddits. Utilizing a lexicon of implicit and explicit antisemitic terms, the research analyzes over 1.26 million Reddit posts and comments. This study’s objective is to describe the process through which users become more deeply engaged with antisemitic content within hate-filled subcultures found online. Through the application of survival models, chi-square tests, and logistic regressions, the findings reveal that most users do not begin their engagement using antisemitic language and instead engage with antisemitic content before posting it on their own. Moreover, users who transition to posting antisemitic language typically commence with posts containing implicit terms, progressively transitioning from implicit to explicit hate speech. This escalation is particularly pronounced among users demonstrating higher levels of engagement and those interacting with influential community members, often referred to as hyper-posters. The results indicate increased involvement, exposure, and interaction with antisemitic language, especially with hyper-posters, significantly predict increased and more extreme antisemitic language. These findings illuminate the dynamic and socially contingent process through which users engage with and internalize antisemitic language within subcultural digital spaces. The study posits that language radicalization is a structured process shaped by both individual user behavior and the broader community’s social architecture.

Womens' and girls' safety in public places is undermined by sexual harassment, yet the environmental correlates of risk remain poorly understood. Using the environmental criminology framework, this mixed-method research aims to map and analyze reported incidents of sexual harassment in Delhi, India. Spatial and descriptive analyses revealed high concentrations and patterns of significant situational factors associated with both physical and nonphysical sexual harassment incidents. Field observations of these hotspot locations provided valuable insights into the social environment and dynamics that contribute to sexual harassment. The findings have implications for place-based situational prevention strategies to address sexual harassment incidents worldwide.

Latine Americans, the largest racial minority group in the United States, exhibit significant intragroup diversity in physical appearance. Research shows that Latine people are perceived as racially ambiguous, with few facial features used to reliably identify them. Our research examines the role of skin tone in the implicit categorization and stereotyping of Latine Americans. Across three studies (N = 782), we found that Latine individuals with medium skin tones were more likely to be implicitly associated with the Latine category (Studies 1a and 1b) and perceived as foreigners compared to those with lighter skin tones (Study 2). Although all participants associated darker skin with being Latine and foreign, Latine participants did so to a lesser extent than non-Latine participants. These findings suggest that skin tone plays a key role in how both Latine and non-Latine individuals implicitly categorize someone as Latine, with prototypical targets more likely to be associated with negative stereotypes.

Geological materials, including soil and dust, are ubiquitous and often inadvertently transferred during crime events. Forensic geologists use a range of particle-based analytical approaches to characterize the inorganic fraction for sample-to-sample comparisons. While analysis of the inorganic component often provides sufficient information to answer case related questions, there are inevitably cases where analysis of the organic fraction could be beneficial. In this study we assessed whether the biological communities associated with the organic fraction of North Carolina surface soils could allow for sample separation at four spatial scales: 1) sub-site samples - three samples collected 1 m apart, 2) small - A and B sites at a single location in close proximity (median distance of 66 m apart), 3) moderate - multiple locations within the same research station (median distance of 1.1 km apart), and 4) large - multiple locations within each physiographic region (Coastal Plain, Mountains, Piedmont) separated by up to 250 km. DNA metabarcoding coupled with Illumina® sequencing was used to amplify ∼200 bp regions of the following in each surface soil sample (n = 180): 1) 16S for bacteria, 2) ITS1 for fungi, 3) ITS2 and p6 loop of the trnL-UAA intron for plants, and 4) COI for arthropods. Generated sequences were taxonomically classified and subsequently organized into eight taxonomic combinations each analyzed at four data levels (unique sequence level and family rank, with and without removal of the 25 % most common taxa). Beta diversity was used as input for ANOSIM and PCA analyses to determine the optimal biological communities and data level to permit separation across the four spatial scales. The biological communities that permitted separation between samples varied based on the spatial scale being examined. At small spatial scales, datasets that included bacteria had the highest success of separating samples. At moderate spatial scales, the combination of plants + fungi or plants alone provided the highest success of separation. Finally, at the examined largest spatial scale, all combinations of biological communities tested performed comparably, likely due to the large diversity in habitat, land-use and geologic parent material between locations. Across all examined spatial scales, the optimal biological community combinations performed best when analyzed at the most granular unique sequence level. The results of this study demonstrate the value of biological communities for differentiating soils across varying spatial scales, providing a complementary analysis method for samples where the inorganic fraction lacked exclusionary differences.

There is evidence that anticipated and self-stigma are associated with decreased engagement in first episode psychosis (FEP) treatment. It is therefore plausible that addressing stigma in FEP treatment could potentially improve treatment engagement and facilitate outcomes related to recovery. Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT) is a structured group-based intervention that has been found to be effective at reducing self-stigma among persons diagnosed with severe mental illnesses in multiple RCTs; however, a review of the manual determined that it was not appropriate for use with people with FEP in its standard form. The purpose of the present study was to adapt NECT for FEP youth and determine its acceptability/feasibility. We discuss the process of manual adaptation, including: optimising fidelity, optimising fit, balancing fidelity and fit, and pilot testing. Acceptability and feasibility were assessed as a function of treatment fidelity, attendance, and treatment satisfaction in an initial implementation (using a modified version of the Narrative Evaluation of Intervention Interview [NEII]). A case example of a group implementation is also presented. Mean overall fidelity ratings were good (4.33 on a 1-5 scale); among the three participants who attended at least one session, attendance was acceptable, with 77.8% of scheduled meetings attended. Findings from the NEII revealed that all participants perceived benefit from the intervention. Findings supported the potential acceptability and feasibility of the adapted form of NECT geared towards youth who have experienced FEP (NECT-YA).

This study examines how equity-driven curriculum design can catalyze transformative leadership within multicultural school systems. As global classrooms become increasingly diverse, traditional curricula often fail to address disparities experienced by marginalized learners. Through qualitative library research and content analysis, this study synthesizes theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented perspectives to explore how culturally responsive curricula promote inclusive learning ecosystems. The findings highlight that equity-driven curriculum design requires not only the integration of diverse cultural perspectives but also the dismantling of hidden power structures embedded in instructional practices. Transformative leadership emerges as a crucial driver, demanding cultural competence, collaborative decision-making, and critical pedagogical reflection from school leaders. The study emphasizes that effective equity implementation depends on teacher empowerment, distributed leadership models, and coherent policy frameworks that align curriculum, assessment, and institutional values. Moreover, technology-enhanced learning, accessibility principles, and Universal Design for Learning strengthen equity outcomes in increasingly digital environments. Overall, this research underscores the interconnectedness of curriculum, leadership, and policy in fostering democratic, socially just educational systems that affirm students’ cultural identities, reduce achievement gaps, and empower communities. The study concludes that achieving equity requires systemic transformation grounded in cultural responsiveness, shared accountability, and continuous professional development.

Abstracts Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have mobilized for decades in response to violence against women and femicide, and in the process have evolved into hybrid forms, continuing traditional advocacy while also providing wide-ranging services. In this article, we explore the ways in which NGOs have changed over the years to dissect the complex relationship that NGOs have with the state. We draw on evolutionary theory and the literatures on organizational ecology, management, and governance, and develop an ecological approach to NGO change. Our ecological approach brings to light the various adaptive responses that NGOs have used over time and, in doing so, clearly identifies different types of symbiotic interactions between NGOs and state actors. Through interviews and secondary data from Latin American countries, we demonstrate how NGOs have engaged in different morphological (structural) and behavioral responses, as NGOs have had to learn to work closely with, within, against, and beyond the state to continue their mission of ending violence against women.