b'Sociocultural Barriers to Mental Health in Law EnforcementDrew Davis CampbellSponsor: Dr. Shelly Yankovskyy, Department of AnthropologyThe aim of this research is to examine the barriers and hindrances of law enforcement as it applies to mental health. This research takes note of the overall landscape of law enforcement as a contributing factor to the potency of taboos and mores when making decisions impacting mental health. Taboos and mores are examined in the qualitative interviews of officers serving the public in patrol and police capacity in this profession.Data collected in this research contributes to better understanding of these forces at play in the lives and careers of law enforcement officers.The perception and views expressed in these interviews give tremendous insight into the beliefs and understandings of these officers and why one may elect to avoid mental health treatment or even deny the existence of a problem in regards to mental health within the profession. The importance of this research lies in contributing to the conversations of not only access to mental health, but also its implementation within the public safety spheres. Another goal of this research is to provide a model of research by which to reference to future projects at larger and more impactful scales.Suicide Epidemic: causes and preventionsWalter J. Helmick IIISponsor: Dr. Wilson Huang, Department of Criminal JusticeIn the past 20 years, the suicide rate has risen from 13% to more than 20%. For this reason, researchers and congressmen have come together to address what is known about suicide, its annual statistical rates, methods, current to future prevention strategies, policies and acts. Since the 1950s, the United States started to recognize that suicide was a growing problem across the nation. Thus, preventive matters and studies were set in place for the purpose of decreasing suicide rates. This counterattack on suicide was successful until around the late 1990s where the rate started to gradually increase once again. Main goal of this research is to show how suicide is yet again becoming a major problem. In order to achieve this objective, relevant research articles, ideas, policies and programs were gathered for the purpose of seeing where America is at in basic knowledge and understanding and how close we are to a breakthrough in finding a more efficient preventive strategy.94'