Responses to Crime

As you read, many defendants in the criminal justice system are prosecuted in state courts, which means that for the most part prosecutors rely on state case law and statutes as guidelines for whether or not they should be charged. In this assignment, you will select a defendant who has been prosecuted in your state court. Describe, in 1 page, the case against the defendant and the crimes for which the defendant has been charged. Examine the punishment assigned to the offender. If the offender you chose was acquitted or has not yet reached the punishment stage, you will still be able to examine the punishments that were available.

Use both the textbook and outside resources such as the Internet and the Argosy University online library resources to locate the article or case. Also, consider searching for criminal cases in local or national news outlets.

Tasks:

Write a 2- to 3-page report describing the punishment that was handed down to the offender. Be specific and use proper terminology. In

your paper, include the following information:

Explain the purpose associated with the punishment that was imposed.

Describe any other choices the judge could have selected.

Explain the reasoning behind the sentence.

Provide your opinion and analysis. Was the punishment correct, in your view? Explain why or why not.