Final Project

For your final project, you will analyze a contemporary issue in criminal justice and provide an evidence-based recommendation to address the issue, selecting an issue of interest on which to focus your brief. You will analyze how the issue has evolved, apply criminological theories to identify causes of the issue, assess the impact of the issue on the community, and propose strategies to address the issue. Professionals in the field of criminal justice are often faced with making difficult decisions related to critical issues in their field. Those that are able to effectively take action to address these issues are seen as leaders in the field. To effectively form conclusions and recommend appropriate action, it is essential that professionals first analyze the background of the issue. Professionals must understand the history of the issue, the contributing factors, and the impact of the issue on the various individuals and groups involved, all through conducting research and applying criminological theories. This information will then inform datadriven recommendations to effectively address the issue. While the scale of these recommendations may vary (as some resolutions may be immediate while others are complete cultural changes), the solutions will all be rooted in data, and the success of results will be continuously monitored. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:  Analyze the evolution of contemporary criminal justice issues for their impact on society  Draw connections between contemporary criminal justice issues and core criminological theories for identifying factors that contribute to the issues  Determine how contemporary criminal justice issues impact institutions, individuals, and the ability of key stakeholders to influencechange  Assess the effectiveness of strategies used by public service agencies in the delivery of criminal justice services  Propose evidence-based strategies to address contemporary issues impacting the delivery of criminal justice services The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Seven. The final case analysis will be submitted in Module Nine. Prompt For this project, you will play the part of a team leader working in a criminal justice agency. You have been asked by the senior leadership to assist with addressing an issue that is negatively impacting the delivery of criminal justice services. You have been asked to write a brief providing an evidence-based recommendation to address the issue, while also detailing your research, which will then inform the solution that the senior leadership will present to the mayor.You will select a contemporary issue that is negatively impacting the delivery of criminal justice services to be the focus of your brief, and then research the history of the issue, select a solution, and propose strategies for implementing the solution. Although you may choose your own topic, you may not choose public policy. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: I. Introduction A. Describe the criminal justice issue you have selected. Specifically, how is this an issue in the field of criminal justice, what is the general impact of the issue on society, and why does the problem need to be addressed? B. Describe the evolution of the selected issue throughout history, providing specific examples. In other words, how did this become an issue? What factors have caused the issue to evolve? For example, a regulation may have been created in the past to address an issue, but the regulation is now irrelevant. C. Describe the evolution of the historical perception of this issue, identifying key events and factorsthat influenced the public perception. For example, did the public always view the topic as an issue? How has technology impacted public perception? II. Issue Analysis A. Select a criminological theory that informs your understanding of the issue, justifying yourselection. B. Identify factors contributing to the issue, justifying your identifications with the selected criminological theory. In other words, what are the factors contributing to the issue? How is the identification of these factors supported by the selected theory? C. Describe how the issue impacts the criminal justice system, providing specific examples of how the branches of the criminal justice system are affected by the issue. For example, how does the issue impact law enforcement, the courts, and corrections? D. Describe how the issue impacts the general public, providing specific examples. Does the issue affect specific populations? E. Determine the key stakeholders of the issue, identifying both the key people impacted by the issue and those with the power to influence change. Justify your selections. F. Describe strategies that are currently employed to address the issue. These strategies may be used in the community with the issue, or in a different community with the same issue. G. Assess the effectiveness of the previously identified strategies in addressing the issue, justifying your assessment. How effectively do the strategies combat the issue, and where are there gaps? H. How does your previous assessment impact the specific branches of the criminal justice system? Justify your response. In which branches are the strategies most and least effective? III. Recommendations A. Propose a solution to address the issue in criminal justice, justifying your proposal with your previous research. In your justification, you may consider the complexity of the solution, the possible adverse effects, and the feasibility of the solution in terms of time and resources. B. Apply criminological theory to justify how your proposed solution will address the underlying causes of the issue. C. Outline the immediate actions that will need to be taken to implement the solution, justifying the necessity and feasibility of these actions with evidence. Consider how you will create buy-in among invested parties. D. Outline the long-term actions that will need to be taken to implement the solution, justifying the necessity and feasibility of these actions with evidence. Consider how you will create buy-in among invested parties.