Category: Law : Criminal Justice

Read The Language of Psychopaths: New Findings and Implications for Law Enforcement and reflect on your studies of psychopaths, sociopaths, and serial killers. Answer the following questions:
Which type of personality disorder can you relate to the most, and why?
Has your opinion of psychopaths and sociopaths in popular culture changed?
Explain. If you were working as a law enforcement agent, how would you interview and interact with a psychopathic suspect based on what you have learned in this course?

Introduction:In this assignment, we will explore the field of forensic serology, which is a branch of forensic science that deals with the study of various bodily fluids and their evidentiary value in criminal investigations. By the end of this assignment, you should have a better understanding of the key concepts and techniques used in forensic serology.Task 1: Explaining Forensic SerologyCompose a short essay or description (250-300 words) explaining what forensic serology is and its importance in criminal investigations. Be sure to highlight its connection to biology and its role in helping to identify suspects and victims. Task 2: Serological Evidence ExamplesProvide three real-life examples where serological evidence played a vital role in solving criminal cases. Describe each case briefly, specifying the type of bodily fluid involved (blood, saliva, semen, etc.), and explain how the serological evidence implicated or cleared a suspect.Task 3: Blood Typing and Its SignificanceCreate a brief infographic or flowchart explaining the different blood types (A, B, AB, and O) and their compatibility for transfusion purposes. Include a section highlighting how blood typing can be utilized in forensic serology and its potential for narrowing down suspects or identifying victims.Task 4: The Role of DNA Analysis in Forensic SerologyWrite a paragraph discussing how DNA analysis revolutionized forensic serology. Explain how DNA profiling allows for more specific and reliable identification of individuals from bodily fluid samples. How has this advancement impacted the field of forensic science as a whole?Task 5: Ethical Considerations in Forensic SerologyCompose a short reflection (150-200 words) discussing the ethical considerations surrounding the use of serological evidence in criminal investigations. Address potential issues such as privacy, consent for DNA sampling, and the potential for misinterpretation or misuse of serological evidence.Conclusion:In conclusion, this assignment has provided an overview of forensic serology and its significance in criminal investigations. By exploring various aspects such as blood typing, DNA analysis, and ethical considerations, we have gained a better understanding of how this field contributes to the pursuit of justice. Note: This assignment assumes a basic understanding of biology. Use credible sources to support your responses and be sure to properly cite any references used.

Interviews with Sexual Assault Victims: Trauma-Informed Techniques and Communications 
No directly quoted material may be used in this project paper. 
For this Project, you are to assume the role as Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) of a large police department. Recently, you were approached by another department’s Chief (located in Maryland) that has received criticism for its handling of several sexual assault investigations. Complaints from survivors, and advocates sitting in on law enforcement interviews, included insensitive treatment during interviews, victim-blaming questions, issues with language used in reporting documentation (i.e. had sexual intercourse v. nonconsensual sexual assault) lack of consistent follow-up and communication, and failure to provide information about supportive services during and beyond the investigation.
You have been approached because your department underwent significant changes and updated Standard Operating Procedures to ensure investigative approaches are consistent with trauma-informed practices. From this, community assessments of survivors’ experiences have shown increased trust in the reporting process, improved community-police relationships, and an overall increase in reports of sexual assault.
For this Project, you have been asked to provide a department training and procedures guide for the Chief of the partner department that includes recommendations on investigations techniques and treatment of sexual assault survivors.
Required Research & Analysis:
Provide a brief background on the crime of sexual assault, including prevalence rates, vulnerable populations, and barriers to reporting.
Offer analysis regarding how historical rape laws and current rape myths have influenced investigative approaches.
Suggest what topical education should be required for officers and detectives interacting with victims reporting sexual assault and explain why?
Address what training is required for detectives in order to insure interviews with victims are consistent with trauma-informed techniques?
What considerations should departments make regarding timelines of initial victim interviews and follow-up interviews given our current understanding of trauma exposure and memory recall?
How is trauma memory recall different from our traditional understanding of considerations when assessing reliable memory?
How has the FETI interview approach been shown to combat the consequences of trauma and why does this approach provide more reliable and valid data?
How should law enforcement expect survivors of sexual assault to act during interviews?
What considerations should be made when documenting reports of sexual assault?
What information, notice, and support should be provided to all victims under Maryland victims’ rights laws? Are there any special requirements for victims of sexual assault?
What do Maryland law guidelines suggest in terms of victim treatment by law enforcement?
How do positive victim experiences with law enforcement impact overall reporting rates, crime data, and ultimately the resources dedicated to policing and solvability of sexual assault cases?
Required Support: You must cite to course materials to support your analysis in your memo. Your memo should include a References Page with at least 5 resources from the course using the American Psychological Association (APA) formatting standards. Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
Required Formatting:
While it may be possible to adequately cover the material in under 8 pages, that is the minimum length recommended to ensure you fully answer the questions asked.
Paper must be double spaced, Times-New Roman, 12-point font and 1” margins all around.
All APA 7th edition format requirements must be followed (cover page, in text citations, references page). Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
You must have at least 5 resources to support your thoughts/opinions/information.  These must be cited both in text as well as at the end of the document. Your paper should not contain direct quotes, sourced material must be paraphrased.

Criminal justice professionals rely on informed leadership to prepare their organizations to combat cybercrime.
How does society strategically combat cybercrime? How effective are employee training and professional development in combatting cybercrime within an organization? If you were in a leadership role for a criminal justice organization, which public policies, administrative processes, and research-based practices would you implement to reduce the impact of cybercrime on society?

appropriate web resources) to locate at least 10-15 scholarly articles published within the past 5 to 10 years on your selected topic.
Create a list of 10-15 citations and briefly explain how you might use this information in your final proposal (one paragraph per citation is sufficient description). Use a proper annotated bibliography format. Keep your sources organized by concept and you will have an easier time when your begin your literature review. 
I will be able to use this list of references to help you build sound research questions. The reference sheet should be considered a living document and can be added to throughout the term to help you complete your research proposal.

appropriate web resources) to locate at least 10-15 scholarly articles published within the past 5 to 10 years on your selected topic.
Create a list of 10-15 citations and briefly explain how you might use this information in your final proposal (one paragraph per citation is sufficient description). Use a proper annotated bibliography format. Keep your sources organized by concept and you will have an easier time when your begin your literature review. 
I will be able to use this list of references to help you build sound research questions. The reference sheet should be considered a living document and can be added to throughout the term to help you complete your research proposal.

Criminal justice professionals in management positions are accountable to the public and to their teams, supervisors, and subordinates for the decisions they make in the line of duty. Individuals in every branch are expected to analyze the complexity of different situations and to determine ethical ways of responding to them. As a manager, you will need to be ready to speak to the ethical factors that inform decision-making strategies used in various criminal justice environments.
Imagine that you manage a team at an agency that has been invited to participate in a focus group for the ethics board. The focus group plans to compile a report on best practices in ethical decision-making to manage situations and dilemmas. For this assessment, you will prepare a response that you would present in the focus group.
Select one of the following criminal justice environments at the state or federal level as your focus for this assessment:
Interaction between law enforcement and the community
Crisis scenario or disaster situation
Pretrial assessment
Pretrial detention
Correctional facility (e.g., prison, jail, juvenile detention center)
Clinic with diversion program for individuals with mental health issues
Parole environment (e.g., halfway house)
Research a case that calls into question the ethical conduct of a criminal justice professional within the selected criminal justice environment. Choose a real case published in the media and investigate the ethical considerations in the situation. Research best practices for handling similar issues.
Assessment DeliverableCreate a 15- to 18-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation as if you were a criminal justice manager presenting to a focus group on best practices in ethical decision-making to manage various situations. Your presentation should include the following information supported by evidence from your research: 
Summarize the case that you selected and explain the ethical considerations in the situation. Describe the environmental and cultural factors involved and relevant background information.
Identify the originating causes influencing the dilemma. Determine ethical solutions for addressing these causes and preventing similar issues in the future. Summarize the protocol or process that the individual should have followed and identify any process changes since this incident. 
Explain how you would respond to the situation and how you would apply ethical decision-making strategies in a similar situation. 
Conclude with a statement about your level of confidence to make ethical decisions in a managerial role. Summarize your expectations for the ethical conduct of your team.
Cite the appropriate Code of Ethics for your selected criminal justice environment in your response and at least 2 peer-reviewed sources according to APA guidelines.
Formatting Requirements Download and review the Presentation Template. This template has been customized to reflect the required components of your presentation and will help you get a better idea of how to organize your presentation so you can focus on the slide content. Inputting your content into this presentation template is optional; you can use presentation software and design layouts of your choice to customize your presentation’s appearance (e.g., color, images, font). Ensure you have faculty member approval in advance to use other software. 
Whether you use the presentation template example or another template of your choice, include the following slides and topics in your presentation: 
Title 
Introduction 
11–13 content slides 
Conclusion 
References 
Presentation recording link (if recorded with video software) 
Format citations and references for any sources and images according to APA guidelines. Include citations either within the slide’s content or in the speaker notes for the slide on which they are mentioned. Use the references slide to list your references. Cite at least 2 peer-reviewed sources. 

Interviews with Sexual Assault Victims: Trauma-Informed Techniques and Communications 
No directly quoted material may be used in this project paper. 
For this Project, you are to assume the role as Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) of a large police department. Recently, you were approached by another department’s Chief (located in Maryland) that has received criticism for its handling of several sexual assault investigations. Complaints from survivors, and advocates sitting in on law enforcement interviews, included insensitive treatment during interviews, victim-blaming questions, issues with language used in reporting documentation (i.e. had sexual intercourse v. nonconsensual sexual assault) lack of consistent follow-up and communication, and failure to provide information about supportive services during and beyond the investigation.
You have been approached because your department underwent significant changes and updated Standard Operating Procedures to ensure investigative approaches are consistent with trauma-informed practices. From this, community assessments of survivors’ experiences have shown increased trust in the reporting process, improved community-police relationships, and an overall increase in reports of sexual assault.
For this Project, you have been asked to provide a department training and procedures guide for the Chief of the partner department that includes recommendations on investigations techniques and treatment of sexual assault survivors.
Required Research & Analysis:
Provide a brief background on the crime of sexual assault, including prevalence rates, vulnerable populations, and barriers to reporting.
Offer analysis regarding how historical rape laws and current rape myths have influenced investigative approaches.
Suggest what topical education should be required for officers and detectives interacting with victims reporting sexual assault and explain why?
Address what training is required for detectives in order to insure interviews with victims are consistent with trauma-informed techniques?
What considerations should departments make regarding timelines of initial victim interviews and follow-up interviews given our current understanding of trauma exposure and memory recall?
How is trauma memory recall different from our traditional understanding of considerations when assessing reliable memory?
How has the FETI interview approach been shown to combat the consequences of trauma and why does this approach provide more reliable and valid data?
How should law enforcement expect survivors of sexual assault to act during interviews?
What considerations should be made when documenting reports of sexual assault?
What information, notice, and support should be provided to all victims under Maryland victims’ rights laws? Are there any special requirements for victims of sexual assault?
What do Maryland law guidelines suggest in terms of victim treatment by law enforcement?
How do positive victim experiences with law enforcement impact overall reporting rates, crime data, and ultimately the resources dedicated to policing and solvability of sexual assault cases?
Required Support: You must cite to course materials to support your analysis in your memo. Your memo should include a References Page with at least 5 resources from the course using the American Psychological Association (APA) formatting standards. Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
Required Formatting:
While it may be possible to adequately cover the material in under 8 pages, that is the minimum length recommended to ensure you fully answer the questions asked.
Paper must be double spaced, Times-New Roman, 12-point font and 1” margins all around.
All APA 7th edition format requirements must be followed (cover page, in text citations, references page). Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
You must have at least 5 resources to support your thoughts/opinions/information.  These must be cited both in text as well as at the end of the document. Your paper should not contain direct quotes, sourced material must be paraphrased.

Victims’ Rights & Compliance v. Enforcement: An Analysis of the Adnan Syed Case
No directly quoted material may be used in this project paper. 
For this Project, you are to assume you are a judge for the Supreme Court of Maryland. You recently heard oral argument for the case of Adnan Syed v. Young Lee, as Victim’s Representative, et al. You were provided with the following multiple sources for background on the case by both sides:
Timeline—The Adnan Syed Case (New York Times)
Adnan Syed Ask Appeals Court to Deny Request from Victim’s Family (ABC News)
Adnan Syed Case: Brief Seeks to Uphold Ruling(WBALTV)
Adnan Syed’s Murder Conviction (WBALTV)
You have also reviewed the lower court’s decision causing this case to arise to the Supreme Court.
Required Analysis:
You have been asked to write a court opinion addressing the following legal questions about the Adnan Syed case:
Provide a brief overview of the facts of the case that was the subject of the Serial Podcast(https://serialpodcast.org/season-one)
Was reasonable notice given to Mr. Lee (Haw Min Lee’s brother) by the Baltimore City prosecutor? If yes, why? If not, what would reasonable notice look like?
How does reasonable notice impact a victims’ ability to be present at a trial or hearing?
How does presence impact a victims’ ability to be heard?
Did the prosecutor in this case comply with Article 47 of the Maryland Constitution requiring, “A victim of crime shall be treated by agents of the State with dignity, respect, and sensitivity during all phases of the criminal justice process.” Why or why not?
What processes could have been established by the prosecutor’s office to ensure there was no question that Mr. Lee had been afforded all of his rights under Maryland law?
Who is ultimately responsible for the delays in this case resolving, the victim or the government? Explain your analysis here.
How has this cased illustrated the general public’s lack of understanding of the difference between compliance of victims’ rights (the concept that those obligated to afford the rights under the law do so) v. enforcement of the rights (the ability to seek redress through the courts when rights are violated)?
Required Support: You must cite to course materials to support your analysis in your memo. Your memo should include a References Page with at least 4 resources from the course using the American Psychological Association (APA) formatting standards. Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
Required Formatting:
While it may be possible to adequately cover the material in under 4 pages, that is the minimum length recommended to ensure you fully answer the questions asked.
Paper must be double spaced, Times-New Roman, 12-point font and 1” margins all around.
All APA 7th edition format requirements must be followed (cover page, in text citations, references page). Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
You must have at least 4 resources to support your thoughts/opinions/information.  These must be cited both in text as well as at the end of the document. Your paper should not contain direct quotes, sourced material must be paraphrased.

Describe the interventions that you believe, based on your research, will be effective in preventing future crisis. Explain how the recommended intervention strategies would meet the individual’s needs and discuss interventions that would not be appropriate based on his or her personality disorder. How will the proposed intervention strategies prevent future crises from occurring?