Prompt:
What is social justice in the arena of criminal justice?
Select a topic of your own choosing from the course material, to wit: Section I, Crime (Defining, Classifying, Measuring, Criminal Law, Criminology, Crime and Inequality); Section II, Policing (History of, Modern Policing, Police Deviance); Section III, Courts and Trials (Courts, Criminal Trials); or Section IV, Corrections and Special Topics (History of Punishment, Prison Life, Prison Alternatives, Death Penalty, Juvenile Justice)
Describe how your chosen topic has or has not reflected social justice in the past, how it might better reflect social justice in the future, and what reforms or changes it would necessarily take to achieve social justice as you define it.
This is designed to be a critical thinking activity, and not a regurgitation of class material. If in the case you need to cite an outside source and/or current event, please cite it using APA format. This Reflective Writing is to be a minimum of 350 words and no more than 700 words. Failure to meet the minimum word requirement or go over the maximum will result in a loss of points. Only portions of the response that are substantively related to the question and materials will count towards the minimum word requirement. Avoid a lengthy introduction/especially rephrasing questions (get to the point and show you have thought about what you write) and avoid the use of vague open ended rhetorical questions to pad your response. At the end of your Reflective Writing include the word count.
Grading will be based on your ability to:
1) identify and explain the issue(s) you are addressing and who is interested and who is affected by them,
2) evaluate the empirical evidence and make appropriate theoretical conclusions that support your perspective, and
3) support your position.
