Case Study
This assignment will allow you to explore the experience of a specific group within the criminal justice system. Specifically, you will choose a group of individuals and research the history of their experiences in this nation with a specific emphasis on the criminal justice system. This will require you to do outside research. This assignment will consist of four parts (which will be described in greater detail below): a brief introduction to your topics, a summary of how this group has been treated by the criminal justice system, a discussion of recent changes surrounding this group, and a conclusion that examines what the future may hold for this group. This assignment is due on Wednesday, August 23. Below is a summary of each section and how it will be graded. Before the end of the third week of the course (i.e. before Sunday, July 30) you will inform me (via email) the group you intend on examining. I
Section 1: Introduction
In this section, you should provide a brief summary of the specific group you selected. You can focus on any group you would like (i.e. any socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, age group, or other human difference), You will introduce your group and discuss why you chose to research them. Specifically, you should begin with an examination of what membership in this group means. In addition, you should present and discuss any relevant terms, concepts, facts, figures, and statistics. This section should be between one and two pages (600 to 800 words) and will be worth 20% of your Case Study grade. This section will be examined on the following rubric:
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15 points |
Clarity of introduction: Was the introduction of the group clear, complete, and logical? |
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5 points |
Use of fact and figures: Did the introduction include relevant and accurate facts and statistics? |
Section 2: Historical Development
In the second section, you will discuss the history of how this group has been treated by the criminal justice system. You should focus on the origins and evolution of the treatment of the group, both within and outside of the criminal justice system (though, with a focus on how this outside treatment impacted their treatment within the criminal justice system). In particular, you should consider any specific laws developed in reference to this group or the differing application of laws to this specific group. This section should be between two and three pages (1000 to 1200 words) to and will be worth 25% of your Case Study grade. This section will be examined based on the following rubric:
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10 points |
Discussion of Origins: Was the discussion of the origins of the treatment of this group clear and complete? |
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10 points |
Discussion of Early History. Was the discussion of the early treatment of this group clear and complete? |
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5 points |
Use of Specific Laws/Example: Were clear and logical examples used to support the discussion? |
Section 3: Recent Changes
In the third, section you will continue to discuss the history of this group. However, here you will focus on any recent changes. you may want to include specific media stories and examples. Again, you should consider any specific laws or court rulings that have recently occurred. You may also want to include specific media stories and examples, if they are particularly salient to the group you are discussing. This section should be between two and three pages (1000 to 1200 words) and will be worth 25% of your Case Study grade. This section will be examined based on the following rubric:
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15 points |
Discussion of Recent Changes: What the discussion of recent changes in the treatment of this group clear and complete? |
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10 points |
Use of Specific Laws/Examples: Were clear and logical examples used to support the discussion? |
Section 4: Future Directions
In the fourth and final section of this assignment you will discuss what you think the future holds for this group. Based on your research do you feel that things will change for this group? If so, how will they change? If not, why not? This section should be between one and two pages (600 to 800 words) and will be worth 15% of your Case Study grade. This section will be examined based on the following rubric:
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10 points |
Discussion of Future: Is the discussion clear, concise, logical, and stem from previous aspects of the paper. |
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5 points |
Thoughtfulness of discussion. |
The remaining 15 points of your Case Study grade will come from two places. First, 5 points will come from spelling and grammar. The remaining 10 points will come from the sources used for your paper. You are expected to use at least five outside sources. These sources should come from academic, evidence-based sources. More discussion and guidance on what this means will be provided in class. However, if you ever have any questions about whether or not you are using an appropriate source the best practice is to run it by me.