8-3 Practice Activity: create and investigate a research question on Criminal Justice program

Overview

For your final course in the Criminal Justice program, you will be expected to create and investigate a research question. To help you prepare for that task, each course in the program will include an assignment in which you will review various research topics and submit at least one research question to your instructor for feedback. You will record your questions from each course in an ePortfolio so you can easily access them to develop your final research question.

Prompt

Using the topics listed below (or others covered in this course), create one to three research questions and submit them to your instructor. This assignment is graded based on completion, and instructor feedback should help you strengthen your questions for future use. After you have submitted these questions to your instructor, upload the questions (and the list of potential topics below, if you wish) to your ePortfolio PDF.

To view some sample research questions, refer to this research resource from the Shapiro Library. There is also a helpful page that addresses research question creation and expectations that you may want to explore.

Note: If this is the first time you are submitting a research question to support your work in the final course, you should create a folder within your ePortfolio with the title “Research Questions,” as you will be adding questions to this folder throughout the program. Follow these ePortfolio instructions PDF on creating a folder within your ePortfolio.

Topics:

• Types and classifications of offenders as defined by law
• Types of crime as defined by law
• The relationship between sociology and criminology
• How classical and positivist schools of thought have influenced criminal justice practices
• How biological and psychological theories have influenced criminal justice practices
• How sociological theories have influenced criminal justice practices
• How critical and interactionist theories may explain criminal behavior and influence the criminal justice system
• How criminal justice professionals utilize criminological theories
• How cultural views and values drive human behavior
• The importance of applying theory versus making broad generalizations to explain behavior
• The role of ethics in the application of theory
• The correlation between criminal behavior theory and criminal justice practice
• The importance of integrating biological, sociological, and environmental factors in an effort to explain criminal behavior

Specifically, the following rubric criterion must be addressed:

• Submit one to three research questions based on a topic covered in this course.

7-2: Describe behavioral and environmental factors that lead to criminality

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

• Describe behavioral and environmental factors that lead to criminality

Scenario

You are a lead criminal profiler assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Last week, you were selected to be a presenter at the International Homicide Investigators Conference in Washington, D.C. that will be held in two months. You will be discussing serial killers in America. At your speaking engagement, you will discuss two case studies derived from the scholarly journal article, Serial Murder in America: Case Studies of Seven Offenders. You will provide an expert opinion as to which criminological theories most likely explain the criminal behavior and which theories apply to the offender based upon the case study. You will focus on comparing and contrasting not only the theories and application of the theories for each case, but also any behavioral, sociological, and environmental factors in each.

Directions

Using the provided scenario and resource, choose two case studies to focus on for your speaking engagement. (Note: It is important to consider the theories and their application when reading and selecting the cases to use for this project. Some theories may not be applicable to certain cases.)

For each case, do the following:

1. 1. Describe the criminal behavior present in each case. Include the following in your description:
      1. Identify the case.
      2. Provide a brief summary of the case, focusing on the criminal behavior.
   2. Describe how the classical school of thought has influenced criminal justice practices specific to each case. Include the following in your analysis:
      1. How has classical theory impacted the criminal justice system in regard to the criminal behavior, laws, and policies in each case?
   3. Analyze the criminal behavior in each case by focusing on how the positivist school of thought (biological, psychological, sociological theories) has influenced criminal justice practices. Include the following in your analysis:
      1. Which theory in each category (biological, psychological, and sociological) is most applicable to the case?
      2. How may this theory influence criminal justice practices in relation to the criminal behavior in the case?
   4. Explain how critical and interactionist theories interpret social structures and influence professional practice specific to each case. Include the following in your explanation:
      1. What are the social structures and professional practices identified in the case?
      2. Which critical and interactionist theory is most applicable to the case?
      3. How may critical and interactionist theories influence professional practices in the case?
   5. Explain the similarities and differences between the two cases you chose. Include the following in your explanation:
      1. Which theories are used to analyze each case?
      2. How is the application of theories similar or different in the cases?
      3. How are behavioral and environmental factors similar or different in the cases?

What to Submit

To complete this project, you must submit the following:

For this assignment, you will create a presentation. Choose the format that works best for you. This could include one or more of the following: poster, handout, presentation slides, brochure, written description, or video. Whichever format you choose, your submission should address the rubric criteria listed above.

Any sources should be cited according to APA style.

An optional template (linked in the Supporting Materials section) has been created to assist you in completing this project.

Supporting Materials

The following resource(s) may help support your work on the project:

Document: Project Two Template Word Document (Optional)
While this template is not required to complete your project, you may find it helpful.

6-2 Module Six Assignment: explain how cultural views and values drive human behavior, and explain the importance of applying theory versus making broad generalizations to explain behaviors

Overview

In this assignment, you will explain how cultural views and values drive human behavior, and explain the importance of applying theory versus making broad generalizations to explain behaviors.

Prompt

In Module Five, you learned how cultural views and values drive human behavior. In this module, you learned how to explain the importance of applying theory versus using generalizations to explain behaviors. You will now apply this knowledge to using theory when analyzing criminal behavior in general. This application of knowledge will help you prepare for the submission of Project Three in Module Eight, in which you will focus on specific criminal behavior.

• First, review the Project Three Guidelines and Rubric.
• Next, in 100–150 words, explain how cultural views and values drive human behavior. Include the following in your explanation:
  • What is the correlation between deviance and culture?
  • How do culture and geographical location influence whether certain acts are deemed violations of law?
• Then, in 100–150 words, explain the importance of applying theory versus making broad generalizations to explain behaviors. Include the following in your explanation:
  • What are the advantages of applying theory to explain behaviors?
  • What are the disadvantages of making broad generalizations?

Specifically, the following rubric criteria must be addressed:

• Explain how cultural views and values drive human behavior.
• Explain the importance of applying theory versus making broad generalizations to explain behaviors.

What to Submit

This assignment should be 200–300 words in length. Any references must be cited in APA style. See the Shapiro Library APA Style Guide for more information on citations.

5-2 Project One: Analyze the relationship between criminology and law

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

• Analyze the relationship between criminology and law

Scenario

You are a local law enforcement officer and representative for the Los Angeles Metro Task Force on Violent Gangs. You are asked to create a presentation on criminal activity relating to the Hellfire Pistons Motorcycle Gang, an outlaw motorcycle gang based in Los Angeles. Using the scenario linked in the Supporting Materials section, create a presentation that describes the crimes associated with the gang, identifies offenders who commit the crimes, describes social and environmental factors that may lead to crimes, and explains how criminal justice professionals use data and theories to address crime problems. Your presentation will be used for the professional development of police officers in your department.

Directions

Using the provided scenario, create an oral or written presentation on criminal activity relating to the Hellfire Pistons Motorcycle Gang that focuses on crimes, offenders, environmental and social factors, and the use of data and theories to address criminal problems. The following required elements should be included:

1. Identify crimes in relation to this gang. In 25–50 words, be sure to include the following in your identification:
   1. What types of crimes do members of the gang commit?
   2. What are the nature and extent of the crimes?
2. Describe the offenders who commit crimes. In 50–100 words, be sure to include the following in your description:
   1. What are the types of the offenders?
      1. Are the offenders first-time or habitual?
      2. Are the offenders adults or juveniles?
      3. What types of crimes do the offenders commit (e.g., violent)?
   2. What are the classifications (legalistic/technical, situational, pathological, avocational, career) of the offenders?
3. Describe how aspects of sociology can be applied to issues in criminology. In 150–300 words, be sure to include the following in your description:
   1. How can social learning theory be used to understand the crimes identified for the gang?
   2. Which environmental and social factors may relate to the crimes you identified for the gang?
      1. What environmental factors (presence of guardians or lack thereof, social disorganization, structural strain) may lead to the crimes?
      2. What social factors (integration, conflict, inequality, control) may lead to the crimes?
4. Explain how criminal justice professionals use data and theories to address crime problems. In 150–300 words, be sure to include the following in your explanation:
   1. What is the importance of data and theories to criminal justice professional roles, both sworn and civilian?
   2. How do crime data and criminological theory inform the creation of policies, programs, and laws?

What to Submit

To complete this project, you must submit the following:

For this assignment, you will create a presentation. Choose the format that works best for you. This could include one or more of the following: poster, handout, presentation slides, brochure, written description, or video. Whichever format you choose, your submission should address the rubric criteria listed above.

Any sources should be cited according to APA style.

An optional template (linked in the Supporting Materials section) has been created to assist you in completing this project.

Supporting Materials

The following resource(s) may help support your work on the project:

Document: CJ 340 Project One Scenario PDF
Base your work on this scenario.

Document: CJ 340 Project One Template PPT (optional)
While this template is not required to complete your project, you may find it helpful.

4-2 Journal: Reflect on ways that criminal justice professionals make practical use of criminological theories.

Overview

In this assignment, you will reflect on ways that criminal justice professionals make practical use of criminological theories.

Prompt

You have learned about numerous criminological theories and how each attempts to explain why people commit crimes. How do those theories help prevent or reduce crime in real and practical ways? For this 350- to 500-word journal activity, do the following:

• Choose a theory that criminal justice professionals use in one of the branches of the criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts, or corrections).
• Describe a real-life example of how this theory is being utilized in law enforcement, courts, or corrections. Consider the following and address the relevant questions for the criminal justice branch you selected (not all questions below pertain to all branches):
  • Is there a program or policy in place that improves police-community relations?
  • Is there a program or policy in place that aims to reduce delinquency?
  • Has a law or policy been created in response to this theory that aims to reduce incarceration?
  • Does this theory influence approaches to sentencing?
  • Does this theory influence correctional procedures?
• Assess the effectiveness of the example you provided in terms of preventing or reducing crime. Use data or evidence from your resources to support your response.

Specifically, the following rubric criteria must be addressed:

• Identify a criminological theory that criminal justice professionals use in one of the branches of the criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts, or corrections).
• Describe a real-life example of how this theory is being utilized in that branch. Assess the effectiveness of the example you provided in preventing or reducing crime.

What to Submit

This assignment must be 350 to 500 words in length. Any references must be cited in APA style. Consult the Shapiro Library APA Style Guide for more information on citations.

Note: For journal assignments, you can receive a Proficient, Needs Improvement, or Not Evident score on each of your rubric criteria. There is no Exemplary score for this assignment, because you will receive feedback and make revisions to improve beyond proficiency in these concepts.