issues in criminal justice

Group Project: presented with a problem involving multiple agencies, each student assumes an agency role and a project role to identify a collaborative, optimal solution. Individually, each student will present an agency description, the agency’s perspective and role, and research the available resources. Students will then form groups, and each group will present a collaborative, optimal solution. In the last week of class, each group will present the consequences for not finding or not fully implementing the solution. Throughout this project each student is to assume the character (role play) of the leader of their assigned component agency when dealing with their counterparts from other agencies within their jurisdiction.

Phase1 – Agency Description The student will be assigned one of the following criminal justice components to represent and for which to serve as advocate:

• Law Enforcement
• Courts
• Institution-Based Corrections
• Community-Based Corrections (i.e., Parole/Probation)
• Private Security

The student will submit a 3 page paper describing the function and purpose of the designated criminal justice component and how it interrelates to other components.

Phase 2 – Agency Perspective and Role The student will describe the perspective and role their agency has in dealing with the Group Project problem as assigned buy the instructor.

• What are the traditional and practical approaches for the agency’s dealing with the problem?
• Why is/has there been a reluctance to change approaches/strategies?
• What motivations would be required to affect a different approach or strategy (other that direction from a higher jurisdictional authority)?

The student will submit a 3 page paper describing the perspective and role of the designated criminal justice component to include the considerations referenced above. This description will be supported by 2 outside resources.

Phase 3 – Research/Resource Availability The student will identify and describe the resources available to their designated agency for addressing the Group Project problem.

• What resources are available within the agency to address the Group Project problem?
• What resource shortfall precludes a more effective response?
• What data (identify and summarize) supports their current role or level of involvement
• What data (identify and summarize) may dictate a change in that role.

The student will submit a 3 page paper describing the resourced and data available to their designated criminal justice component to include the considerations referenced above. This description will be supported by 2 outside resources.

Phase 4 – Group Collaboration and Presentation Each Group will submit a collective paper which will address:

• A summary of the problem assigned to the group
• A brief description of each criminal justice agency’s traditional role in dealing with this issue
• A description of how the group came together to identify a solution to the issue while maintaining their role as representative and advocate for their respective agencies
• A description of the solution to the assigned problem and each agency’s role in it.

The spokesperson will submit an 8 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) page paper reflecting the Group’s work and addressing each of the Phase 4 required elements. This description will be supported by 4 outside resources. Additionally, each member of the Group will submit a Peer Evaluation form, ranking the participation and cooperation of each member of the Group.

Phase 5 – Consequence of Inaction Each student will submit a 2 page paper addressing the impact on the criminal justice agency they represent if the solution presented by their Group is not adopted. This opinion will be supported by 2 outside resources.

Formatting for Group Project papers

Individual papers will include a heading identifying the student, the number and title of the class and Project Phase the paper is addressing and the date of submission.

Group papers will include a cover page (not included in the page count), identifying the number and title of the class, the Group designation, students in the Group and their criminal justice agency, and the date of submission.

All papers will be double spaced, with 1 inch margins, and 12 point font type.

Resource page (not included in the page count) Resources other than course instructional material must be referenced using APA formatting.