Exam Content
Once a criminal justice professional has completed a program or policy evaluation, they may identify a problem that needs to be addressed. They will need to apply problem-solving skills to address it, and there are many problem-solving methods a criminal justice professional can choose from. Consistently selecting the appropriate strategy for a problem will not only improve program and policy outcomes, but also improve operations management overall.
In this assessment, you will analyze the intersection of problem-solving and policy evaluation, while also addressing ethical considerations.
Preparation
Research problem-solving models and consider how you could use these models to evaluate criminal justice issues or programs.
Select a local, state, or federal criminal justice policy and research it. This could be the policy you researched and analyzed in Weeks 1–3 or select a different policy of your choice. Potential topics include:
Stand your ground policy/castle doctrine
Registries for individuals who have committed sexual offenses
No bail policy/bail reform
Plea bargaining
Three-strikes policies
Counterterrorism policies
Note: Speak with your faculty member if you need assistance selecting a policy for this assessment.
Assessment Deliverable
Create a 12- to 15-slide presentation in which you explain how your selected problem-solving model can be applied to evaluating a criminal justice policy. This presentation will be included in a workshop for new hires who will be evaluating criminal justice policies and programs.
Address the following in your presentation:
Explain the value of evaluating criminal justice policies.
Summarize the criminal justice policy selected.
Specify whether the policy is applicable in local, state, or federal contexts.
Include relevant details about the criminal justice policy’s purpose and its relevance to contemporary criminal justice issues.
Analyze the ethical considerations regarding the policy. Include relevant details about:
The advantages and challenges of the policy
The public perception toward the policy
The success of the policy in curbing criminal offenses
Any unintended outcomes or consequences of the policy
A problem or issue with the policy that needs a resolution
Summarize the problem-solving model you selected for evaluation. Consider reviewing the problem-solving resources in the Assessment Support section.
Explain how the problem-solving model can be used to evaluate and/or address ethical concerns related to the policy.
Describe the process and intended outcomes of applying the problem-solving model to resolve the identified policy issue.
Include speaker notes with your presentation.
Cite 2 scholarly sources, in addition to the textbook.
Format your citations and references according to APA guidelines.
