Assignment 1: Identifying the Challenge

For your senior project, choose one of the following major criminal justice areas: law enforcement, prisons/corrections, the courts, Homeland Security, private security, or emergency management. This component will serve as the area for which your senior project will be based.

Next, identify a challenge or area of improvement within your chosen area. (For example, one may choose corrections as the topic area and violence in prisons as the problem). Over the weeks of this course, you will progressively research, learn about, write and present on a solution to the challenge or area of improvement from both a tactical and administrative perspective. Receive approval from your professor on your chosen topic. Additional project expectations are described in week 8.

Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you address the following:

1. Outline the context of the problem or challenge, including the history and any policy decisions that have contributed to the situation.
2. Why is it important that the problem be addressed?
3. Who is impacted internally and externally?
4. Why do you feel the problem hasnt already been solved?
5. Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format.
• Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the students name, the professors name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Explain how historical analysis informs the context of policy or situations.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in criminal justice.
• Write clearly and concisely about criminal justice using proper writing mechanics.

Click here to view the assignment rubric.