The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate a modern, criminal justice issue and critically evaluate how criminal justice organizations can properly address this issue moving forward. Students are encouraged to think creatively to provide functional solutions while demonstrating how inter-related criminal justice organizations can best work together. At a minimum students will address the following:
a. An evaluation of how criminal justice systems currently address the issue, from inception to conclusion
b. Analysis of how the issue impacts society and criminal justice organizations
c. Current methodology and practices by organizations addressing the issue
d. Procedural factors restricting or enhancing addressing the issue (both legal and practical)
e. How the criminal justice system, as a whole, addresses the issue
f. Improvements for the criminal justice system to address the issue
g. A comprehensive plan of action for criminal justice organizations to most effectively address the chosen issue
h. How the use of technology impacts the issue you selected
The paper can focus on any topic related to course discussion. It may be on the same topic as any of our weekly assignments. The paper can be one of three types: historical; focused on a contemporary policy or practice that is debated or controversial; or directed toward a future policy that can be supported by research (e.g., where should we go from here?).
While opinion and interpretations are permitted, this is primarily a research paper . Do not write in the first person, but as in any well-organized research paper, any opinion or idea not referenced is obviously that of the author. Your primary source of materials must be recently published, scholarly academic articles and books. Avoid newspapers and news magazines for this assignment, except if such stories first piqued your interest. If so, include them.
Synthesis-level understanding of the themes discussed in this course is expected. For example, if your paper is on the history of policies used to handle female offenders, then you must critically evaluate awareness all of the major theoretical models used to explain these policies that are embedded within the course text reading. This is the only reason to refer to materials in the course reading list in your paper; if you do so be sure to include them on your paper’s reference list. Your own unique research is to be based on the other books and scholarly articles you collect to write the paper.
