Write a paper explaining which of the 4 theoretical purposes of punishment you feel the judge in the above video is promoting. Do you feel the sentences are effective in accomplishing the goal.
Category: criminal justice
Faced with the challenge of obtaining a confession from a suspect
PROMPT:
You are a homicide investigator and are interrogating someone you believe picked up a 9-year-old child in a shopping mall, and then molested and murdered the child. He is a registered sex offender, was in the area, and although he doesn’t have any violence in his record, you believe he must have done it because there is no other suspect who had the means, opportunity, and motive. You have some circumstantial evidence (he was seen in a video following the child) but very little good physical evidence. You really need a confession to make the case. You want to send this guy away for a long time. After several hours of getting nowhere, you have a colleague come in with a file folder and pretend that the medical examiner had obtained fingerprints on the body that matched the suspect’s. You tell him that he lost his chance to confess to a lesser crime because now he is facing the death penalty. He says that he will confess to whatever you want him to if the death penalty is taken off the table.
• Do you tell the suspect what you did at any point? Do you tell the prosecutor? Explain your response.
• Did you find that you are making an exception to what you would usually do because of the heinousness of the crime? If you are making an exception to what you would normally do, how would you address the potential Constitutional violations if the confession appears coerced, and what about the presumption of innocence?
Eyewitness Evidence: The Challenge of Accuracy in the U.S. Legal System
Discuss the issue of eyewitness evidence, the leading U.S. Court cases concerning the admissibility of eyewitness identifications, and recent suggestions for improving their accuracy.
Comparative Analysis of Adversarial and Inquisitorial Systems in Criminal Trials
Compare and contrast the pros and cons of the adversarial system of criminal trials in the United States and the inquisitorial system of criminal trials in a country of your choice. Examples of countries that use the inquisitorial system include France, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy, among others.
Format of Paper:
Paragraphs 1-2 should introduce the topic, the purpose of the paper and the countries of comparison.
Paragraphs 3-6 should describe the differences between the inquisitorial and adversarial systems of criminal trials including their origin, how they operate, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. In paragraphs 7-8, reflect on whether you believe the adversarial system as practiced in the United States is fair and balanced and whether it should be changed. Be sure to base your argument on a factual source of information. Include a references page of works cited and use APA citation style. Turn in a hard copy. Deposit in eportfolio.
The War on Drugs: Success or Failure?
Has the War on Drugs been a success or a failure? Propose other solutions to our country’s drug problem.
Domestic Terrorism and the Constitution
Term Paper Topic: “Domestic Terrorism and the Constitution.” The paper must describe types of domestic terrorism, identify methods of radicalization of persons and discuss appropriate and constitutional steps to combat this radicalization of U.S. persons and domestic terrorist activities? Discussion must include consideration of First Amendment issues.
Examination of Criminological Theories: Classical vs. Positivist Schools of Thought
Prompt
In Module Two, you learned about concepts from the classical school of thought. In this module, you have learned about biological, psychological, and sociological theories of criminology in the positivist school of thought. This assignment will help you gain a better understanding of the differences between these theories and their impact on the criminal justice system, and will assist you in the completion of Project Two in Module Seven.
Use the Module Three Assignment Template to address the following:
• Define the following in 25-50 words each: o Classical theory of criminology o Biological theory of criminology o Psychological theory of criminology o Sociological theory of criminology
• What are some of the major themes or concepts associated with each theory? Create a 3-6 item bulleted list in the template.
• What are some of the criticisms or weaknesses associated with each theory? Create a 2-3 item bulleted list in the template.
• How has each theory impacted the criminal justice system?
In 100-150 words for each theory, address the following: o How have laws and policies been affected? o What was the impact on law enforcement? o What was the impact on courts and sentencing? o What was the impact on corrections?
The Role of Magistrates’ Discretion in the Local Court: A Crucial Aspect of Justice Dispensation
“Magistrates’ discretion in the local court is fundamental to the effective and efficient dispensation of justice”. Discuss with reference to your court observations and additional literature.
Sociological Theories of Criminal Behavior: A Comparative Analysis
Prompt
As you’ve learned in this module, there are three categories of sociological theories of criminal behavior. These theories all seek to explain criminal behavior as a response to social forces. Two of the sociological theories, strain theory and cultural deviance theory, were formulated in the early part of the 20th century, yet remain significant in the field of criminology today. Using the provided template, identify 2 to 4 key points for each of ;-ie six theories listed (Durkheim’s Anomie Theory, Merton’s Strain Theory Agnew’s General Strain Theory, Social Disorganization Theory, Differential Association Theory, and Culture Conflict Theory). Next, identify a policy or program that was created to reduce crime in response to a strain theory, and one created in response to a cultural deviance theory. Then, in 25 to 50 words for each, describe how that policy or program attempts to reduce crime.
Specifically, the following rubric criteria must be addressed:
• Identity 2 to 4 key points for each of the six theories listed in the template.
• Identify a policy or program that was created to reduce crime in response to a strain theory.
• Describe how the identified policy or program in relation to a strain theory attempts to reduce crime.
• Identify a policy or program that was created to reduce crime in response to a cultural deviance theory.
• Describe how the identified policy or program in relation to a cultural deviance theory attempts to reduce crime.
The Importance of Factors in Violence Risk Assessments
In your initial posts to your peers, discuss the different factors that are important in violence risk assessments. Discuss static, dynamic, and protective factors, and think about how utilizing them may or may not improve the accuracy of the risk assessment. Also, explain the weaknesses of risk assessment and how the factors may play into the weakness.
In response to your peers, do you agree with their assessment of the accuracy? Why or why not? Do you agree with the weaknesses? Explain why you agree with the weaknesses, or why you do not. What would you add to their assessment? What are the legal implications?