Your final paper is worth 300 points and your draft paper assignments are worth 200 points or 30% of your final. Because of the importance of this paper, you will need to pay careful attention to content, organization, and grammar. This paper is designed to assess your knowledge of theory, the criminal justice system, the ability to use external information to craft an argument, and the ability to use critical thinking skills. This paper further serves as your final thesis project for the CCJ major. We will be assessing your paper in an effort to measure whether you have met the goals and objectives of the CCJ program. In addition to assessing the content of the paper, I will also be examining your grammar as well as citation and writing styles. Thus, you will receive 100 points for format and 200 points for content. Guidelines are provided below to show you how the paper will be assessed.
Your final paper is due on Monday, May 6 at 11:59 pm (EST). To receive full credit each of you are to upload a 12-20 page double spaced (not including tables, graphs, references or cover page), typed paper using one inch margins, a 12 point font, and include page numbers responding to the questions/outline (listed below) to the TURN IT IN link on Canvas. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR PAPER TO THE TURN IT IN PAGE, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN AUTOMATIC 0 FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT—NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are not sure that Turn it In has accepted your paper, please ask for verification.
You will be assigned a topic at the beginning of the semester. Because of the nature of the topics, you will need to narrow down the subject for your paper from your presentation. For example, one person may be assigned to present on Homicide. Because this topic can be quite broad, you will need to narrow your focus. Do not attempt to write on all forms of homicide in your individual paper. You can meet with me either in person or via Zoom to discuss any questions that you might have. You will, however, write your paper on the narrowed topic and present the information to the class (see presentation assignment for specific details). Your paper MUST BE WRITTEN IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND VOICE.
Prior to submitting the final paper you will be working on the document in pieces. Thus, In addition, students are required to submit the separate sections/subheadings on the dates listed on the separate assignment sheets. On those sheets you will find instructions, due dates, and point totals. The draft sections are worth a total of 200 points. Your paper will be graded on format, meeting the paper criteria/requirements, and mechanical errors. Students should take the feedback and improve their final paper. Failure to address the comments given back by the professor may result in a 0 for your final paper. This portion of the assignment is worth an additional 300 points. The following serves as the guidelines I will be using to grade your paper.
Minimum Format Criteria (100 points)
Below is a list of the minimum formatting criteria. Pay careful attention to this section. There is NO reason to lose points for these violations.
Includes a title page with Title of Paper; Student Name; Name of Class; Due Date of Paper.
You must cite and reference this paper using either APA style 7th edition. Failure to cite within the text of your paper or include a separate reference page will result in an automatic 0 for your paper.
You must include a minimum of 12 FULL written pages and no more than 20. The page length does not include your title or reference pages. Failure to meet the 12 page text minimum requirement or exceeding the 20 page text maximum requirement will result in a one letter grade deduction per page infraction. Therefore, when I say 12 pages I mean a full 12 pages of text not including the cover or reference pages and when I say 20 pages maximum I am referring to the same. I will not read any material presented after the 20 (the maximum) written pages. Supplemental materials such as tables or graphs do not count in this number. If using tables or graphs, they should be included at the end of the paper after the references.
You must include page numbers. Failure to include page numbers will result in a minimum of a one letter grade deduction.
You must use one inch margins. Failure to use one inch margins will result in a minimum of a one letter grade deduction.
You must use a 12 point font such as Times New Roman. Failure to use a 12 point fontwill also result in a minimum of a one letter grade deduction.
You must type your paper. Failure to type your paper will result in a one letter grade deduction.
You must upload the document to Turn It In. Failure to do either of these will result in a grade of 0 for the Final Paper Assignment.
You MUST use subheadings. The subheadings should reflect your topic. Also remember you are creating a Referencepage not a Bibliography page or a Works Cited page. When citing references, the authors should remain in the same order in which they are presented on the paper (e.g., Lambert, Hogan, & Barton, 2012). They should also be placed in alphabetical order on the reference page (beginning with the last name of the first author), NOT numbered in your reference page, nor are they placed in the order in which they appear in the paper.
You must use a minimum of 12 academic resources outside of the required course material. At least 6 of those resourcesmust be obtained from peer-reviewed journals. This means that you must have 12 ACADEMIC resources besides your required texts. The Tibbetts and Tonry books and the posted readings will not count as one of the 12 resources.
Includes a separate Reference page.
Minimize the number of direct quotes. Sometimes this is a difficult proposition. There are ways to minimize direct quotes.
Remember to cite even when paraphrasing. The only time you do not have to cite is when something is common knowledge. For example, if I am discussing violent crimes, I would not have to cite a statement indicating that “violent community events often receive the top story designation on the nightly news”. However, if I was discussing a specific violent event then I would need to cite that material, e.g., James Holmes.
You will be graded based on the number of Typographical and Grammatical errors in your paper. If you have more than either of these per page, you will be given a 0 for this portion of the grade.
Minimum Paper Guidelines (200 points)
Below are the minimum guidelines and expectations for the Content of your paper. Neglecting to minimally address these topics will result in at least a one letter grade reduction up to failing the assignment. Use the comments from your developmental papers to help frame your final paper. I will be checking to make sure that you incorporated those comments. Failure to incorporate the comments will result in a minimum of a one letter grade deduction. Remember you must use subheadings in your paper.
Introduction
Your introduction is one of the most important parts of your paper. It sets the stage and the outline for the rest of the manuscript. It is here that you strive to identify your topic and establish why it is important to study. For example, you need to grasp the attention of the reader by identifying the extent of the problem (this includes numbers and percentages) and explaining why this topic is important to the reader. You should include citations in the introduction as well as a reference page. Remember, the final sentences or paragraph in the introduction should include the thesis/purpose statement for your paper (see the next paragraph for a sample purpose statement that can be used in your paper).
Your purpose statement can be as straightforward as saying the purpose of this paper is fivefold: First, to define (your topic) and its variations. Second, to discuss the extent of (your topic) (in the United States, globally or however the information is collected and discussed) (identify the time period in which you will be discussing the topic, e.g. the occurrence of robberies in the United States between the years 2000-2021). This will include a discussion of both the offenders and victims of (your topic); Third, to briefly explain (e.g., social learning______) theory and how it may be used to explain (your topic); Finally, a policy to assist in the prevention of (your topic) will be identified and discussed. The purpose statement is probably the only time in the semester that I will tell you it is okay to quote directly from me. You may alter the purpose if you would like, however, you must tell the reader what they should expect to find in the paper. If you need additional examples of how to write a purpose statement, you may want to consult the following web page: https://faculty.washington.edu/ezent/imwps.htm
Definition of (Your Topic)
In this section of the paper, you will be discussing the exact working definition of your crime used in your paper. This section is not only important but depending upon the topic it could be lengthy. For example, if you were to discuss human trafficking, there has only recently been agreement on how to define the concept. You would need to use the literature and official data to describe this. Thus, it would be good to include a discussion of the inconsistencies in how your topic is both defined and measured. You may use official data as well as the literature to support these arguments (e.g., what is homicide? What are the various definitions?). Be sure to describe the variations within your topic. For example, with homicide you have involuntary, premeditated, self-defense, etc. With prostitution, there are distinctions between adult and teenage prostitution. Do not use dictionary.com or other online dictionaries for this section. You will receive an automatic two letter grade deduction if you use online dictionaries for this section. You need to use the literature to find out how the term has been defined. There may be multiple definitions.
Scope of the Problem
In this section, you will be discussing the scope of the problem including the characteristics of the victims and offenders. The scope refers to the extent of the problem. How many of your specific offenses occurs in a given year and discuss the specific trends. You will need to describe who is most likely to be a victim and who is most likely to be the perpetrator (offender). In collecting your data, you should at a minimum consult the UCR, NIBRS, NCVS, or any other resources that may be available on your topic. Use the most recent data available. In most instances, data will be drawn from 2019, 2020, or mid-year 2021. I do not want you to report data from 2007 as the most recent data available. You will lose points for not consulting original resources. Some web sites you may want to review are as follows: Federal Bureau of Investigation http://www.fbi.gov/ ; Bureau of Justice Statistics http://www.bjs.gov/ ; National Criminal Justice Reference Service https://ncjrs.gov/. These are not the only sources of data. You may include in your discussion a description of the perpetrators as well as the victims.
Theory Defined and Applied
For this portion of your paper and assignment, you will be identifying a theory that may be used or has been used to explain your topic. Use the literature to do this. You should examine journal articles as well as your text book. Once you have identified the theory, you must first explain the tenets of the theory. For example, if you are applying Routine Activities theory, you must discuss Cohen and Felson’s original theory and the convergence between motivated offender, lack of guardianship, and available target. You must then discuss how the convergence of these come together to create crime. Remember you MUST use the literature to define your topic. This is one section of the paper that your books will be useful in writing your paper. I also recommend using other resources just not introduction to criminology or criminal justice textbooks (i.e., Siegel).
Once you have identified and explained your theory, you should apply it to the topic/subject. You must use the literature to apply the theory. For example, find an article where researchers have already used your topic to test a particular theory. This will include a discussion on the causes of the crime. For example, if I am using a biological approach to explain violence, I could argue that damage to the frontal lobe could cause an individual to have low impulse control, thus when placed in certain situations they may be more likely to respond in a violent impulsive manner than someone who does not have damage to their frontal lobe. Similarly, if you are writing on violence and you are applying a structural-cultural theoretical perspective, you may use the following article:
Oliver, W. (1989). Sexual conquest and patterns of black-on-black violence: A structural-cultural perspective. Violence and Victims, 4(4), 257-73. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.indstate.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/208562591?accountid=11592
Policy Development
For this section of the paper, you should use the literature to identify/create a policy based upon the theory that could be implemented to decrease or prevent your assigned topic/crime. Think of these policies as preventative. Again, you must use the literature to support your argument. The required text books are not enough. You need to consult academic peer reviewed journal articles. For example, if you are writing on robbery, you could use the following article to make recommendations regarding the development of policies:
Hunter, R. D. (1999). Convenience store robbery revisited: A review of prevention results. Journal of Security Administration, 22(1), 1-13. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.indstate.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/195765514?accountid=11592
If you are writing on juvenile justice, you might cite the following:
Tsui, J. C. (2014). Breaking free of the prison paradigm: Integrating restorative justice techniques into Chicago’s juvenile justice system.Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 104(3), 635-666. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.indstate.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1564021579?accountid=11592
Conclusion
The final section of your paper is the conclusion and should be labeled as such. You should end your paper with a brief discussion that summarizing the entire paper not just the policy section. You should be sure to cite this material just like the rest of the paper.
