Law enforcement did not always have the tools for gathering all information needed to prepare a case. Throughout time, laws have been made to secure the rights of criminal investigators to obtain the material needed to substantiate the evidence used in court cases.
· Have the development of new laws made the responsibilities of the criminal investigator change over time?
· Discuss 1 law and how it had an effect upon crime scene investigators.
· Be sure to reference all sources using APA style. For more information on APA, please visit the APASTYLE Lab.
Deliverable Length: 2-3 pages
Week 2
Discuss the role and responsibility of the first officer on the scene before the investigators arrive.
What would he or she prepare for the criminal investigator?
Be sure to reference all sources using APA style. For more information on APA, please visit the APASTYLE Lab.
Deliverable Length: 3-4 paragraphs
Week 3
A crime scene investigator has located a witness at a crime scene, but he/she is uncooperative. The investigator strongly believes that this witness is fearful of something and is uncooperative.
· Describe the handling of witnesses and evidence.
· What would you as the investigator do to elicit the cooperation of this witness and collect evidence for the case?
· Be sure to reference all sources using APA style. For more information on APA, please visit the APASTYLE Lab.
Deliverable Length: 5-6 Pages
Week 4
· Discuss the chain of custody. When preparing a case for court, you find that one package of evidence has not been signed for properly, and a signature is missing. On another package, the seal is broken. It had been previously sent to the lab.
· What is your first course of action?
· Can these situations be fixed?
· Is this acceptable for court why or why not?
· Be sure to reference all sources using APA style. For more information on APA, please visit the APASTYLE Lab.
Deliverable Length: 3-4 Paragraphs
Week 5
Discuss the particulars of the Mapp v. Ohio court case. Mapp v. Ohio had an effect upon search and seizure.
· Research this case, and give an explanation of the case and why it would be deemed illegal.
· How could this have been prevented?
· Be sure to reference all sources using APA style. For more information on APA, please visit the APASTYLE Lab.
Deliverable Length: 3-4 Paragraphs
Drug seizure laws have come into prominence in the United States. When a drug arrest is completed, the law enforcement community may seize property such as a home, a car, or any monies from the criminal enterprise.
· What if the house was rented?
· What if the car belongs to a relative?
· What if the passenger in your car has drugs and does not claim them? The owner of the vehicle is charged. The owner of the vehicle may lose his or her property.
· Do you consider this fair? Why or why not? Explain and support your position with evidence.
· Be sure to reference all sources using APA style. For more information on APA, please visit the APASTYLE Lab.
Deliverable Length: 3-4 pages
SENIOR CAPSTONE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Week 1
DQ
For this assignment, you will be selecting and discussing a contemporary criminal justice issue to pursue as part of your criminal justice research paper for this capstone course. The topic that you select will be the focus throughout this course, so please select your topic wisely. When considering topics, think about the courses you have taken in the criminal justice program, issues that you have studied, and topics for which you developed an interest. You will not want to select a topic that is too broad, such as crime statistics; rather, consider a specific topic, such as how the collection and reporting of crime statistics could be modified to better account for the dark figure of crime.
Prepare 3–4 paragraphs that present your topic to your peers and instructor. You should include the following based on your selected issue:
· Draft a thesis statement on your issue.
· Provide a brief explanation of why you selected this topic.
· What aspects of the topic do you anticipate pursuing in your research?
· What sources do you anticipate using in your research?
IP
Based on the feedback from your instructor and peers regarding your topic, finalize the thesis that you will pursue for your research. Now you will develop a research plan that will include the following:
· Thesis statement: This statement presents the problem or issue you intend to research, and it should be clear and concise.
· Hypothesis: This is a statement of prediction regarding the results of the problem or issue. Briefly identify your working solution to the problem. How might your working solution solve the problem? Be sure to note that your working solution will evolve through continued research and analysis.
· Measurement and analysis approach: Define the key points that you will research and explain how you will gather and analyze the data you find. Intend to incorporate information related to technology and crime statistics that apply to your issue.
· Applicable resources: Identify 5 sources that you have found that are the most relevant and best support your purpose statement. List the sources and then record the main idea as notes to use as part of your research later. Identify case studies, library, Web, and other scholarly resources.
· Ethical standards: What are your ethical and legal responsibilities to ensure that your final report will be of the highest ethical standards?
Deliverable Length: 3-4 pages
Week 2
DQ
Write A TWO PARAGRAPH COMMENT after conducting research on only ONE OF THE THREE TOPICS listed below:
· In your opinion should the US government law enforcement personnel be permitted to arrest terrorists, who commit crimes against Americans in other countries? Or against Americans within the United States, but the terrorist (co-conspirator or leader) remains physically outside of the Untied States?
· In your opinion should the US Government have jurisdiction over cybercrimes which affect US interests within the United States, but the offender commits their crimes outside of the US Borders via the internet?
· In your opinion should the US and state Governments be required to examine DNA evidence in all closed capital offense crimes where the offender was convicted prior to the discovery of a process to examine DNA?
Deliverable Length: 2 Paragraphs
IP
You have just graduated from the AIU Online Criminal Justice program and acquired your dream career working with the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). You love to write articles of criminal justice interest, and because the NCJRS provides links to millions and millions of criminal justice references, you find yourself in awe of your career. For your first assignment, you have been asked present a report at an upcoming criminal justice conference. This report will help your colleagues better understand how databases, technology, polices, and so forth affect the administration of justice and the outcome of court cases in particular. Your training coordinator expects you to highlight several examples of how criminal justice databases, computer technology, and policies have changed the way crimes are investigated and how criminals are brought to justice. Address how 2 of the following databases, technology tools, and policies have changed the legal landscape in the United States in your paper of 3–4 pages. On the two topics selected, you should address the history, administration, purpose, and so forth:
· Fingerprint analysis
· DNA databases
· Ballistics testing
· Tire tread analysis
· Tracking of illegal pornographic images
· Modus operandi databases
· Three strikes laws
· Gun control laws
· The USA PATRIOT Act
· Megan’s law
· Domestic violence laws
· The exclusionary rule
· Lie detectors
· Inmate classification systems
· Truth in sentencing laws
Week 3
DQ
Your supervisor informs you that each criminal justice agency in your community has to develop a new crime fighting strategy for the coming fiscal year that must be based on a crime causation explanation to be presented to the city council for funding your department. Using the library and other available resources, prepare a brief summary of a policy linked to a theory that you would proposed.
In your response, please address the following:
· The purpose of the policy
· The theory guiding your policy
· Anticipated benefits
· Benefits and disadvantages of your policy
· The implementation plan
When commenting to other students’ posts, consider the following:
· Do you agree with the viability of their policy?
· Do you see any additional advantages or disadvantages to their policy?
Deliverable Length: 3-4 paragraphs
IP
Based on the feedback you have received on your introduction paragraph, begin writing a 3–4 page rough draft of the body paragraphs of your research paper, which should have a clear focus, problems and solutions, and reliable/scholarly sources as support. You should currently have a good supply of research notes to bring into each of your arguments. Be sure your rough draft includes the following:
· An introduction that has been revised based on prior feedback
· Body paragraphs organized around focused analysis and supporting evidence for each of the key points that you are researching
· In-text citations and a reference page to document sources being used
Week 4
DQ
You have been asked to participate in a local radio program to address the role of corrections in the community. The audience is specifically interested in discussing whether corrections should be focused on one or all of the following functions:
· Rehabilitation of offenders
· Punishment of offenders
· Isolation of chronic offenders
After carefully considering available information and points of view on the subject, decide which role you believe should be the focus of the community’s corrections policy. To prepare for the program, create 5 questions you believe callers may ask. Explain your point of view on the role of corrections in the criminal justice system to each of the questions asked, and draw a connection to the topic you are researching for this course. How do issues in corrections correlate with the topic you are researching?
Deliverable Length: 3-4 Paragraphs
IP
Using the feedback you received from your instructor and colleagues over the last few weeks, you will now revise your rough draft into your final research paper. As you revise, feel free to continue to expand your paper by adding additional supporting evidence and analysis where you see a need. Have you incorporated the information related to technology, corrections, and any theories or policies related to the issue you are researching?
Your final draft must be no less than 4 pages, not including the reference page. It must be longer and more refined than your Unit 3 Individual Project. This paper must follow APA style format, and include in-text citations and a reference page. Be sure to proofread your final paper and run the spell and grammar checkers before submitting.
Deliverable Length: 4-6 pages
Week 5
DQ
Reflection and utilizing feedback are effective methods of enhancing your presentation skills. Write 1 paragraph of self-reflection analyzing how you feel you did on your oral presentation. Consider the following elements, among others, in your reflection: comfort level (e.g., nervousness); articulation (e.g., tone, professional word choices, etc.); and inflection (e.g., if your voice clear).
Write 1 paragraph of constructive feedback for 2 other members of your presentation group. Consider the following elements, among others, in your feedback to peers:
· Was the presentation clear and well-organized?
· Were you left with questions or an unclear message? If so, how could it be improved?
· What impression did the presenter convey to you as an audience member?
· Without having seen your group members, what visual image did you get based on the person’s voice, tone, demeanor, and so forth?
· In what ways could the presentation be improved?
Deliverable Length: 3-4 Paragraphs
IP
Prepare and deliver a professional presentation on a selected topic in criminal justice. Your presentation must be at a minimum of 10 PowerPoint slides excluding the cover slide and reference slide.
Your supervisor was impressed with your research and has asked you to create a presentation to share what you learned with the department. You will be given 2–3 minutes to present the findings of your research in a formal oral presentation to your instructor using a PowerPoint file as visual support.
You and your instructor will need to find a mutually agreeable time to meet online. Click here for a review of the microphone instructions.
1. Send the file that you and your instructor are to have open during your presentation prior to the scheduled meeting time.
2. Prepare to present prior to the last day to allow time for the Discussion Board assignment, where you will be reflecting on presentation.
3. Use the microphone provided to you, along with the live chat features of your computer.
4. Give the presentation.