Category: Criminal justice

Exercise Content
The rates of emotional, behavioral, learning and developmental disabilities are much higher in juvenile offenders than their incidence in the rest of the population. It is estimated that between 60 to 75 percent of the youth in the juvenile justice system have one or more diagnosable disabilities. These can include emotional and behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, and developmental disabilities. The most common diagnoses include Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, (ADHD), Learning Disabilities (LD), Depression, Developmental Disabilities (DD), Conduct Disorder, Anxiety Disorders and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse (Pacer.org)
Most youth with disabilities will not become involved in delinquent or criminal behavior. The risk factors for delinquency and criminal behavior are complex and interconnected, and can include lack of attachment to school, chronic school failure, criminal behavior in the family, family history of mental illness, drug use, experiencing violence or trauma or other issues.
In addition to the presence of disabilities that may be associated with school failure, truancy and delinquency, other contributing issues include:
• Limited access to effective mental health services
• Inadequate or inappropriate school supports
• Misdiagnosis of disabilities or attribution of problematic behavior to willfulness
• Zero tolerance policies that disproportionately impact students with disabilities and youth of color
• Higher rates of suspension and expulsion in school, which in turn, reinforce school failure and opportunities for delinquent behavior
The presence of a disability is never an excuse or rationalization for illegal behavior. Awareness of, or suspicion about a disability, however, requires that greater efforts be made to identify students whose problematic behaviors or school failure may be a result of anxiety, depression, learning challenges or other stressors.
Knowledge about a disability should also raise the following questions by an attorney, probation officer or judge:
• Can the youth read? Is he or she able to understand questions?
• Did the youth receive special education services in school? If so, does his or her Individualized Education Program include appropriate interventions that address disability needs?
Does the information about this youth and his or her behavior suggest that further evaluation may be necessary? (For example, do records show histories of abuse and neglect, violence, etc. that might symptoms suggest that the youth has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?)
Is the youth’s family able to understand his or her disability needs?
If no formal determination of a disability exists:
Do the youth’s behaviors seem to indicate that further evaluation is warranted Are they able to read or write, or understand questions? 
Do school records show a pattern of academic and behavioral problems?
Has there been a recent traumatic event in the youth’s life?
There are no simple or short formulas for reducing criminal behavior. Research consistently demonstrates that collaborative interventions that address needs at school, in the home and in the community can reduce the risk for involvement in delinquent or criminal behaviors. Many youth can benefit from:
• Identification of and attention to disability needs (understanding the cause of behaviors)
• Programs that promote self-awareness, academic, vocational and social skill building and competencies, and strategies to reduce impulsive and inappropriate behavior.
• Family-based interventions that increase awareness of disability characteristics and needs, as well as problem solving and child management skills. Where family support is not available, similar efforts should be made with foster parents, surrogate parents and mentors.
Reference 
Adapted from Pacer Center (2022). The connection between Juvenile Justice and Disabilities, Retrieved from https://www.pacer.org/jj/issues/
ASSIGNMENT
After reading the preceding passage choose one area of interest and research the ways in which contemporary society views the issue. You can choose any topic and take any perspective. Remember you are conveying your position to your reader.
All Research paper submissions must follow apa writing standards and format which include narrative format, proper page and paragraph line spacing with properly formatted citations and references. Each submission requires a 1) Title page, 2) 6 pages (minimum) of content and 3) a reference page. In addition, research of any topic requires multiple sources. (3 minimum).

You are a community policing officer assigned to 55 precinct Beat “1” which is a very diverse beat. Within the beat, there are newly arrived immigrants who do not trust the police because of experiences they faced in their home countries Describe initiatives you would create to build trust and get them involved in solving problems. 
Your response should be a minimum of three paragraphs, 200-300 words typed – double-spaced.
Your paper must be submitted in an APA format with references as appropriate.

This week we are discussing what law is and where it comes from. Using academic quality resources from this course, the library or the internet, answer the following questions:
What are the four main sources of law? Please define and give an example of each. How have the definitions changed over time, if at all?  Please make sure you also summarize your analysis of each of the examples you have cited for the class and tell us something new that you discovered about each.  In addition, please share your thoughts about how conducting legal research on this topic helps you to better understand it. 

Imagine your local city council has asked your agency to provide the budget summary at the next town hall. The city council wants to understand how your budget is developed and managed. 
Write a 700- to 1,050-word summary explaining the agency’s budget strategies and policies and how the agency’s governing policies determine budget administration.
Include the following details in your summary:
Governing Policies: Governing policies help an organization develop and implement procedures or policies that result in efficient, consistent operations.
Summarize the published mission of the agency.
Summarize 1–2 governing policies related to the agency’s mission.
Explain how the policy/policies support the agency’s mission.
Strategic Plan: Organizations use strategic plans to define present and future vision, goals, and objectives.
Summarize 2–3 primary goals and objectives outlined in the agency’s strategic plan.
Explain how the goals and objectives align with the agency’s mission.
Public Sector Funding: Most criminal justice organizations are funded by government entities; these funds are often determined by economic factors.
Describe 2–3 programs or initiatives that are funded by the agency budget. Include costs associated with each.
Describe the various sources of budget revenue used to fund the programs or initiatives. Be sure to differentiate between local, state, and federal revenue as well as private donations.
Of the sources you identified, specify the type of public funds used to support the programs or initiatives (e.g., sales tax, property tax, income tax, grant funds, donations).
Describe how changes in economic conditions could potentially affect these funds.
Identify policies that direct the use of these funds.
Fiscal Responsibility: Ongoing review of income and expenses is essential to budget management.
Identify policies that govern how the agency ensures accountability and transparency in reporting the budget to constituents. 
Explain how the agency reports outcomes related to the mission and budget.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a paragraph summarizing the effectiveness of the budgeting process within the agency.
Provide a link to the website of the agency and the budget you reviewed.
Cite at least 1 scholarly source in addition to the textbook.
Format your citations according to APA guidelines.
Submit your assessment.

Description
Assignment Details
When looking at various assessment and diagnostic techniques, an individual must know how to accurately classify offenders. The best way to get this experience is by completing the Adult Offender Matrix. The purpose of the matrix is to assess both the type of crime and the offender.
Adult Offender Matrix
Complete the following:
Complete the Adult Offender Matrix (linked above) by placing an x in the appropriate cells.
In a 2-page Word document, explain how you came to your decisions for offender classification.Were there any classifications of which you were unsure?
What other problems did you come across?
Place your completed matrix and Word document in a .zip file, and submit it to your instructor.

The assignment should cover the four questions below in numerical order.
Discuss the different views (I.e., interactionist, consensus, conflict) that influence how crime is defined. Which do you think is the best definition and why? Your “why” should be supported with facts.
Discuss two strengths and two weaknesses of each of the various measures of crime. Which method do you think is best and why?
Discuss two ways in which you think we can lessen the dark figure of crime.
Based on your answers to questions 1-3, propose a new way in which you think crime data should be collected. *Note—this question involves critical thinking and should be your unique idea. You should, however, use course material to back up your thoughts.
Format Directions:
Your paper must be double spaced, 11- or 12-pt font, and 1” margins all around.
All APA 7th edition format requirements must be followed (cover page, in text citations, reference page). You must have four resources to support your thoughts/opinions/information. These must be cited both in text as well as at the end of the document. Your paper should not contain direct quotes, sourced material must be paraphrased.
This should NOT be in flowing prose—you should answer in 1, 2, 3, 4 format.

Assignment Content
HW Question Your textbook talks about levels of proof and their applications in legal proceedings.
Part I Based on your readings in the textbook please place the following list of degrees of certainty in the correct order starting with the lowest level of certainty to the highest level of certainty required in legal proceedings. (Hint: read chapter 3 and you should be able to do this HW with no problem.) Note: for Part I you can list the letters in order. You don’t need to write the words again. As an example: B,J,A,C,D,E,I,H,G,F.
A) Reasonable suspicion
B) Suspicion
C) Reasonable doubt
D) Hunch
E) No information
F) Absolute certainty
G) Guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
H) Clear and convincing evidence
I) Probable cause
J) Preponderance of the evidence
Part II From the above list what level of certainty would you require in a criminal trial and why
In a different page you’ll answer 
This week you learn about the Exclusionary Rule. Now is your chance to voice your opinion on if you think it is something that is needed in criminal procedure, Please take a position and explain why you feel that way.

Students are also required to write a major research paper focusing on any sociological issue related to the criminal justice system. This paper should be 10-15 pages in length (excluding title page and references) and should be based on library research. The final paper must include at least ten academic references, and may use APA reference style. 
Proposals should be a 1–2-page overview of your topic with a partial reference list of at least 3 sources.
Papers will be assessed by consideration of the following:
Originality
Organization
Substantive sociological analysis
Clarity of discussion/arguments
Use of supporting literature
Grammar, punctuation, sentence and paragraph construction
Use of citations and notes
References, and appendices

This paper requires you to write 5 pages, not including the title page, abstract and reference page. You should also use a total of five or more sources, one of which should be the Criminal Procedure text.
Topic:
You are a legal assistant working with a criminal defense attorney on a homicide case. At the defense team’s strategy meeting the lead attorney points out that there is a disturbing amount of physical evidence linking your client to the murder and if this evidence is fully presented to the jury there is a strong likelihood that you will lose the case and your client will be convicted. However, there is also evidence that the police conducted searches of your client’s vehicle and residence in violation of his constitutional rights.
Your boss intends to focus on preventing the introduction of this evidence and you have been given the responsibility of researching the possibility of your team successfully doing so.
Using the excellent Criminal Evidence: Principles and Cases text and at least four other sources, put together a paper addressing the following:
Discuss the exclusionary rule and how it might benefit your client? 
How might the fruit of “the fruit of the poisonous tree” apply to the benefit of your client in this scenario? 
If the judge denies your request to exclude evidence using both the exclusionary rule and the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, how else might the admissibility of this evidence be challenged by your defense team? 
If the evidence is excluded using the exclusionary rule are there still potential avenues the prosecution may use to admit this evidence under certain situations? 
If you are successful in excluding evidence does that mean the case will necessarily be dismissed? Explain. 
IMPORTANT: This assignment is not asking you to make up facts for a scenario. You need only discuss the items above by providing insight as to how the legal concepts would apply knowing only the information the above scenario provides. Do not make up facts about a murder. There is no need to do so

Is the role of modern media affecting the way Policing in criminal justice works? 
By using at least 10 peer-reviewed academic articles, provide the theoretical framework and literature review, in which you:
Discuss theories relevant to your research question/hypotheses. You should bring scholarly arguments (or theoretical framework) on how research variables are related to each other.
Summarize what is already known about the field. Include a summary of the basic background information on the topic gleaned from your literature review. Cite your references.
Discuss some major critical studies that have already been done in this area (cite according to APA style).
Point out why these background studies are insufficient. In other words, what question(s) do they leave unresolved that you would like to study?
Specify research question(s) you are pursuing in your research proposal