Write a 1,400- to 2,100-word paper on one of the following faculty-assigned topics:
· Crime, justice, law, and politics: There are common public misperceptions about crime. Members of the public, for example, think murder occurs frequently, but statistics show it is least likely to occur. Discuss the implications of forming crime control policies by legislative bodies that are influenced by such opinions. Prepare the results of your discussion for presentation.
· Crime causation: Select a well-known criminal offender, such as Al Capone, Jeffrey Dahmer, or Charles Manson. Describe his or her criminal activities and any background information you know or research about him or her. Discuss how various theoretical schools of crime causation would explain that criminal's behavior. Prepare the results of your discussion for presentation.
· Goals of components of the criminal justice system: Consider each component- police, courts, and corrections-of the criminal justice system and their goals. Define and explain each goal. Develop pros and cons associated with each goal, then rank the goals of police courts and corrections from most to least desirable. Create a hypothetical criminal justice system that addresses your concepts.
· What society expects of the criminal justice system: Discuss and compare the criminal justice system from the following perspectives:
o Society: What does society expect of police, courts, and corrections? How is this realized? In what way are these expectations unfulfilled?
o Employees of the system: What are the goals and expectations of those employed by the police, courts, and corrections? What are the temptations of the position? How do employees' goals differ from those of society?
o Individuals charged by the system: What are the legitimate and non-legitimate needs of individuals during their police contact, court hearing, or confinement? How effective is the system in fulfilling legitimate needs and preventing illegitimate needs? In what way are individuals' needs charged differently from those of society and employees?