Category: Criminal Justice

Paper 3 Submission

In a 57 page paper (12501750 words),(with the chosen topic 3 an ethical dilemma )choose and analyze an ethical decision situation within the criminal justice system that you think needs to be addressed. For instance, a judge might have to release a serious felon based upon technicalities that have arisen in a court case. Although the judge knows this person is guilty based upon impeccable evidence, the law dictates the judge must dismiss the case. What should the judge do? Override the system and invoke their power as a judge to continue the trial? Release the person? These dilemmas arise regularly in police agencies, courts and prisons.

Write an introduction to the issue. You then need to think about who it involves, who it affects, the various models of ethics that may come into play to justify a decision, and ultimately your position on the decision. What would be your decision? How would you decide and why? Write a brief summary of your ethical situation and decision-making process to close the paper. 

Make sure you use citations and references to support any opinions you posit or statements you make.

Corruption or SOP?

Introduction

This discussion allows you to expand your understanding of the challenges faced in the criminal justice system when ethical decision-making and group mentality occur simultaneously. Sometimes, people make decisions based not upon what is ethically right or wrong, but on the behavior of their peers and what they observe in their environment. Seeing that behavior as a standard operating procedure, if you will.

Discussion Question
Research a case or example of corruption within the criminal justice system that was considered the normative behavior by the participants. What was the agency? Who was involved? What was the ethical breech that was deemed to be acceptable and that was mitigated via group mentality and unspoken standard operating procedures (SOP)? Do you think this is still an accepted practice and mindset in criminal justice agencies? Whether yes or no, support your answer with substantial empirical data.
Your initial post must be at least 200250 words  with references and citations

Annotated Bibliography

Submit an annotated bibliography upon which Paper 3 is to be based. This will act as the foundation of your research and guide your paper. Annotated bibliographies also gather the reference materials and help summarize the articles, books, etc. you will be using in your paper.

Submit an annotated bibliography with at least seven (7) valid sources that you will use as the basis for your paper.

Paper 3 Topic Selection

Begin your third paper by choosing an ethical dilemma that might arise in the criminal justice system. Submit an MSWord document of 250 words on the ethical situation you chose and why you think this is important to address. This will be the foundation for Paper #3.

Ethical Decision Making

Introduction

In this activity, you answer a discussion question based upon the various models of ethical decision-making. Criminal justice professionals are constantly being faced with decisions: ethical, tactical, procedural, legal, etc. In this instance, you discuss the nature of an ethical decision as the rationale for a specific action(s). You will need to fully comprehend the materials in order to satisfactorily participate in this discussion.

Discussion Question

Based upon the assigned reading, do you think criminal justice professionals base the majority of their decisions on the deontological or teleological model of ethics, specifically, the categorical imperative versus the utilitarianism approaches? Explain your answer in full and give examples to support your position.
Your initial post must be at least 200250 words, references and citations.

SOPs Beneficial or Tangential in Decision Making?

Based upon the article, The Role of Experience in Prioritizing Adherence to SOPs in Police Agencies by LaFrance and Day, do you think that a criminal justice professionals experience should guide their discretionary decision-making? Or, should they adhere strictly to the policies and standard operating procedures as written by their agency?
Give an example when discretion might be used as you explain your answer. Also, make sure you support your position with citations and references to literature.
Your initial post must be at least 200250 words  reference and citations.

Paper 2 Submission

Paper guidelines for your chosen policy or procedure: ( Policy from the criminal Justice system topic)
Applying a major criminological, and/or sociological theory of your choosing (i.e., classical, positivist, strain, labeling, etc.), you will develop a proposed policy that you think should be implemented in the criminal justice system.  In a 57-page paper you will give a brief overview of the policy you wish to create.  What is its nature? Who is bound by this policy? Why is there a need for this policy?

Next, analyze the five theoretical models given by Freiberg and Carson. Based on your analysis, upon which model do you think this policy implementation decision should be based? Why?

Make sure you use citations and references to support any opinions you posit or statements you make.

Theory-based Policy Decisin Making

Introduction

Decision making comes in many forms.  The most popular of these is informed, evidence-based decisions and policy derived from empirical findings. For this discussion, your initial post is based upon the article by Freiberg and Carson in regards to alternative approaches to policy making.

Discussion Question

Based upon the article, The Limits to Evidence-Based Policy: Evidence, Emotion and Criminal Justice by Freiberg and Carson, select one of the five alternative models to evidence-based decision making that you feel most represents a prudent approach to implementing policy and procedural decisions. Why do you feel that one is better than the others? Can you think of a policy or procedure that may have used this theory to guide its development?
Your initial post must be at least 200250 words with references and citations.

Topic selection

Begin by research a policy or procedure from the criminal justice system. It may be from federal, state, or local. Submit a 1 page (250 word) document about your chosen Policy, stating why this is important to you. This will be the foundation for the paper you will be writing.

Paper 1 Case Submission

Choose a high-profile, contemporary American criminal case (Aaron Hernandez case)to review. In a 57 page paper (12501750 words), prepare a case write-up that incorporates all aspects of the criminal justice systemfrom police investigation, to arrest, evidence, court proceedings, and eventually sentencing.

Describe the nature of the case, citing it in appropriate legal format (i.e., Miranda v. Arizona, 1966).
Explain the investigation. What legal foundations and constitutional laws and amendments were present? What type of defense, if any, was used?
Describe the court proceedings; pre-trial hearings, indictments, the trial, defense and prosecution arguments, and court outcomeacquittal, guilty, not guilty, NGRI, GBMI, etc.
Finally, describe the correctional phase, if applicable: jail, prison, probation, parole, etc.
Would there be a significant difference if adjudicated in another level of court (i.e, federal)? Would the punishment be more, or less severe? Would the evidence be handled differently?
Summarize the case and offer your analysis of the proceedings. What are your thoughts about the investigation, evidence, court proceedings, and verdict? Make sure you support your conclusions with cited and referenced materials.