Case Study of a Criminal Offender
In this assignment, you will develop a case study for a well-known criminal offender. Begin by selecting one criminal offender from the following high-profile individuals:
Susan Smith
Jeffrey Dahmer
Aileen Wournos
Kip Kinkel
Bernie Madoff
Charles Manson
Research your selected case and complete the following:
Describe the charges against the individual.
Discuss the biological, developmental, and environmental factors that relate to the criminal behavior.
Discuss the theories that could be applied to explain their actions.
Analyze whether mental illness, substance abuse/dependence, or psychopathy factors contributed to the criminal action(s).
Describe your reaction to the court verdict and if you agree or disagree with the final disposition. If you agree, make sure that you thoroughly defend that position. If you do not agree, include what you believe would be the appropriate verdict and use appropriate reasoning.
Remember to provide examples from the offender's history, referring to course materials as well as a minimum of five external sources. For example, journal articles, books, credible Web sites, and newspaper articles may be used to support your explanation. Your external sources must include at least two peer-reviewed journal articles.
Write a 3-5-pages paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Be sure to include a tile page and reference page in APA format.
Grading Criteria and Rubric
Assignment - Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Describe the charges against the individual.
Discuss the biological, developmental, and environmental factors that relate to the criminal behavior.
Discuss the theories that could be applied to explain their actions.
Analyze other factors, such as mental illness, substance abuse/dependence, or psychopathy, that contributed to the criminal action(s).
Describe your reaction to the court verdict and explain whether or not you agree with the final disposition.