6/12/23, 12:19 AM Project Two Guidelines and Rubric – CJ-230-T5246 Discretion in Criminal Justice 23EW5
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Competency
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:
Describe best practices used in discretionary decision making
Scenario
You are the public represenative of a rape victim’s family. The judge ordered a jail sentence of six months with a lifetime registration as a sex offender for the defendant. The family is
not satisfied with the judge’s ruling. You have been asked to write a memo to be submitted to the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. Using the full scenario and the template (both
linked in the Supporting Materials section), compose a memo regarding the actions and discretionary decisions made by the judge.
Directions
You will be creating a written memo to submit to the head of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. Your memo should have all sections identified and should address all of these
required elements:
1. Explain parts of the decision-making process in which discretion can be applied in accordance with law and policy. Answer the following questions in your explanation:
What laws or policies may influence criminal justice professionals (in this scenario, the judge) to reach decisions in the stages of the criminal justice process (arrest,
indictment, conviction)?
How does discretion impact the decisions made in accordance with law and policy?
2. Analyze discretionary decisions made by criminal justice professionals. Address the following in your analysis:
What decisions were made by the judge?
Who is affected by the decisions?
Do they have negative or positive impacts?
3. Identify specific steps in the discretionary decision-making process that may lead to negative and legal impacts. Address the following in your identification:
What are the specific steps in the discretionary decision-making process that may lead to negative impacts?
Could the judge have done anything differently in any specific step to have made a positive impact?
4. Describe the role discovery plays in the decision-making documentation process.
What role did discovery play in this process?
Which step in the decision-making process does discovery fall under?
What to Submit
To complete this project, you must submit the following:
Memo to the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee
Using the scenario and template linked in the Supporting Materials section, create a written memo regarding the judge and practices used in discretionary decision making. The
statement should address the rubric criteria listed above: discretion, law, and policy; analyzing discretionary decisions; impacts of steps in the decision-making process; and discovery.
Your submission should be a 2- to 3-page Word document with 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and one-inch margins. Any sources should be cited according to APA
style.
Supporting Materials
6/12/23, 12:19 AM Project Two Guidelines and Rubric – CJ-230-T5246 Discretion in Criminal Justice 23EW5
https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1310359/viewContent/24202039/View 2/3
The following resources support your work on the project:
Document: Project Two Scenario PDF
Base your work on this scenario.
Document: Project Two Template Word Document
Download this template and use it to create your memo.
Project Two Rubric
Criteria Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Articulation of Response Exceeds proficiency in an
exceptionally clear, insightful,
sophisticated, or creative
manner
Clearly conveys meaning with
correct grammar, sentence
structure, and spelling
Shows progress toward
proficiency, but with errors in
grammar, sentence structure,
and spelling
Submission has critical errors
in grammar, sentence
structure, and spelling
15
Discretion, Law, and Policy Exceeds proficiency in an
exceptionally clear, insightful,
sophisticated, or creative
manner
Explains parts of the decisionmaking process in which
discretion can be applied in
accordance with law and
policy
Shows progress toward
proficiency, but with errors or
omissions; areas for
improvement may include
additional details or
clarification explaining parts of
the decision-making process
in which discretion can be
applied in accordance with
law and policy
Does not attempt criterion 20
Analyzing Discretionary
Decisions
Exceeds proficiency in an
exceptionally clear, insightful,
sophisticated, or creative
manner
Analyzes discretionary
decisions made by criminal
justice professionals
Shows progress toward
proficiency, but with errors or
omissions; areas for
improvement may include
additional details or
clarification analyzing
discretionary decisions made
by criminal justice
professionals
Does not attempt criterion 30
6/12/23, 12:19 AM Project Two Guidelines and Rubric – CJ-230-T5246 Discretion in Criminal Justice 23EW5
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Criteria Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Impacts of Steps in the
Decision-Making Process
Exceeds proficiency in an
exceptionally clear, insightful,
sophisticated, or creative
manner
Identifies specific steps in the
discretionary decision-making
process that may lead to
negative and legal impacts
Shows progress toward
proficiency, but with errors or
omissions; areas for
improvement may include
additional details or
clarification identifying steps
in the decision-making
process or whether the judge
could have done anything
differently in a specific step
Does not attempt criterion 20
Discovery Exceeds proficiency in an
exceptionally clear, insightful,
sophisticated, or creative
manner
Describes the role discovery
plays in the decision-making
documentation process
Shows progress toward
proficiency, but with errors or
omissions; areas for
improvement may include
additional details or
clarification describing the
role discovery plays in the
decision-making process
Does not attempt criterion 10
Citations and Attributions Attributes sources where
applicable using citation
methods with very few minor
errors
Uses citation for ideas
requiring attribution
Attributes sources where
applicable, but with major
errors
Does not attribute sources
where applicable
5
Total: 100%
