Develop a realistic and ethical research question with a measurable aim and objectives. Compile a critical literature review and research methodology. Synthesise research findings and make informed judgements in the light of these. Develop recommendations for future practice and/or further research as a result of findings.

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Government policies that are curtailing the spread of criminal behaviour

The area, which you investigate, must have a link with crime and or crime prevention (victims, perpetrators or process interventions) concerning the justice system. You are encouraged to use your experiences or interests, which relate to issues of crime and criminal justice. This might include experience gained from volunteering/placement, paid work or other areas of experience. Such links can be important in making the dissertation important and interesting for you and your future academic / career development.

The overall aims of the module are to further develop your research abilities. In particular all students will be assisted to:

• Plan a research project (Linking with previous research method modules)
• Identify aims that are achievable, ethical and relevant
• Design a research strategy and utilise a method to achieve aims
• Carry out the research and write up with a description and discussion of results, a set of valid conclusions and recommendations for future practice or further research.

Learning Outcomes:

Assessment
LO1 Develop a realistic and ethical research question with a measurable aim and objectives.

Assessment 1
LO2 Compile a critical literature review and research methodology.

Assessment 1
LO3 Synthesise research findings and make informed judgements in the light of these (Project and Poster).

Assessment 1 & 2
LO4 Develop recommendations for future practice and/or further research as a result of findings (Project and Poster).

Assessment 1 & 2
LO5 Critically reflect on and refine academic and personal goals.

Assessment 1
Demonstrate the ability to meet the research aims and purpose in a dissertation format.

Choose a notable criminal case whose case would likely have received media attention. Briefly describe what the offender did and information about the victim(s). Apply at least 2 criminological theories or points of view that would describe the criminal case and victimization.

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Notable Criminal Case

In this writing assignments students will be selecting a notable critical case that has likely received media attention. This assignment will help students think critically about motivation for the crime, its outcome and effects on others, as well as issues of media coverage. Students will include theoretical application to describe the criminal case and resulting victimization. This gives students an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of the combination of crime, victimization and media coverage as issues we face in society.

Textbook: Wallace, H. & Roberson, C. (2018). Victimology: Legal, psychological, and social perspectives. 5th ed. Pearson publishing.

Note the following formatting standards, minimum requirements and resources:

• APA format

• Use a minimum of 4 outside sources.

o Wiki sources are not acceptable.

• Choose a notable criminal case (e.g., Karla Homolka, Susan Smith, Mary Winkler, OJ Simpson, etc.) whose case would likely have received media attention. If you cannot find articles regarding the case you have selected, you will need to select a different one.

Write a paper that addresses the following:

• Briefly describe what the offender did and information about the victim(s). This section should cover no more than 2/3 of the paper content.

• Apply at least 2 criminological theories or points of view that would describe the criminal case and victimization. These need to be from academic sources or scholarly articles. This section should cover no more than 1/3 of the paper content. Include any incidents of victim blaming in the media.

Apply legislation relevant to Roads Policing in respect of vehicles on the strategic roads network. Examine the methods for information gathering and the use of intelligence under the National Intelligence Model (NIM). Appraise the different approaches to ‘Volume Crime Investigations’ and ‘Serious and Complex’ investigations.

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Task: To produce an appropriate Investigation Plan linked to a ‘serious and complex’ crime (3,000 words).

Built around a case study provided this Assessment asks the learner to produce an Investigation Plan (3,000) linked to a ‘serious and complex’ crime.

 

The learner will be expected to include;

1) Initial Actions

2) Further Actions

3) Legislation, Policies & procedures.

 

They may find the mnemonic UPERE (taken from ACPO Centrex, 2005, pp60-3) useful which states the following may assist during the investigation process;

1)         Understanding the source material.

2)         Planning & Preparation e.g. planning an interview.

3)         Examination e.g. witness account.

4)         Recording & Collation e.g. making adequate records.

5)         Evaluation e.g. identify further action.

 

Case Study.

During 2019, North Yorkshire Police received a number of reports of offences of rape and other serious sexual offences. The modus operandi (method of operation) for the offences reported being young women aged between 18 – 25 years of age, who had been out during the evening, would wake at their home address the following morning to discover that they had been the victim of either rape or a serious sexual offence.

When asked about the events of the previous 24 hours they were able to remember or recite little if anything of what had occurred. It appeared that a number had consumed the rape drug Rohypnol. However some of the victims mentioned getting into a Black cab with the part registration A123 … and that the driver had a visible heart shaped tattoo on his neck.

At 20:00 hours on Saturday 22nd February 2020, Joanna McDonald (22 years) left her flat in Scarborough, making her way to Scarborough centre. During the evening she went into a number of pubs and clubs meeting with friends and consuming a variety of alcoholic drinks.

At 02:00 on Sunday 23rd February 2020, Ms McDonald left the Blue Oyster Club, getting into a black cab with the part registration A123 … , whilst in the back of the cab the driver a white male aged  between 40 – 45 years of age who had a visible heart shaped tattoo on his neck struck up a conversation with her in which he suggested that he had recently won a large sum of money, (he showed her a plastic carrier bag in which there appeared to be a large quantity of £20 and £10 Bank of England notes), he went onto ask Ms McDonald whether she wished to celebrate with him offering her some champagne, when she declined he offered her water.

Although Ms McDonald took the bottle of water she did not consume any of it. Subsequently Ms McDonald was dropped off at her home address.

At 11:00 on the same day Ms McDonald reported what had occurred to the North Yorkshire Police. Following some initial enquires you as a Senior Investigator with one of the Public Protection Unit (PPU) within the North Yorkshire Police led a number of officers to the home address of Richard Smith, aged 43 years (Smith has a heart shaped tattoo on his neck).

Following the arrest of Smith a search of the home address recovered a plastic bag containing in excess of £3,000 made up of £20 and £10 Bank of England notes. Near to the address was a Black cab registered number A123 JWS, you discovered keys for the vehicle in Smith’s address. Upon searching the cab in the boot you recovered what appears to be a home-made kit consisting of Rohypnol tablets, plastic drinking glasses, 4 x bottles of water and 3 x small bottles of champagne, there is also a selection of ‘sex toys’.

Having led the initial enquiries and as a Senior Investigator within the PPU you have now been tasked with planning/organising the investigation that needs to take place. Your plan needs to look at a number of factors/issues including; current legislation, time restraints, Forensics and future lines of enquiry.

Learners may wish to familiarise themselves with the Centrex (2005) document titled ‘Proactive Advice on – Core Investigative Doctrine’.

The Preface to the document conceptualises its content when it states:

‘The performance of the police in the area of investigation is continually under scrutiny by the government, the criminal justice system and the media. There is widespread recognition within the police service that there is a need to improve the professionalism of the investigative process.

The Professionalising the Investigation Programme (PIP) was introduced by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Crime Business Area as a key initiative within the Police reform agenda…

Core Investigative Doctrine provides definitive national guidance of all investigations as defined by PIP on the key principles of criminal investigation irrespective of the nature or complexity of the investigation’.

 

 

Completion of this assessment will address the following learning outcomes:
Apply legislation relevant to Roads Policing in respect of vehicles on the strategic roads network.
  Examine the methods for information gathering and the use of intelligence under the National Intelligence Model (NIM).
  Appraise the different approaches to ‘Volume Crime Investigations’ and ‘Serious and Complex’ investigations.

Critically assess the notion of an ‘ideal victim’ and how it has been used in media portrayals of crime. What are the demographic characteristics of the victim?

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VICTIMS OF CRIME

Question: Critically assess the notion of an ‘ideal victim’ and how it has been used in media portrayals of crime

What are the demographic characteristics of the victim (eg Madeline McCann, young child, white girl, child to working parents)

-Think of gender,race,age playing a big role in ideal victim

-Refer to how media portray an ‘ideal victim’ / Moral panic/ News exaggeration

Refer to Media representations of victims

Who are seen as ‘ideal’ & ‘worthy’ victims?

Refer to victimisation in media

-over-representation

-under-representation

THE “IDEAL VICTIM”

“A person or category of individuals who – when hit by crime – most readily are given the complete and legitimate status of being a victim” (Christie 1986:18) Film and television stories focus increasingly on the plight of victims, whose suffering is portrayed more graphically and often constitutes the driving force of the story (Reiner et al. 2001)

In the end, was Jay more guilty than Adnan because of his coverup, or was Adnan more guilty looking because of his inconsistent statements and lack of remorse towards the whole situation, and inability to properly defend himself by speaking up?

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Serial Episode Ten

https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/10/the-best-defense-is-a-good-defense

Part I – Listen to the Serial Episode and post a thoughtful question in our class forum as described in the Syllabus.

Part II – Respond thoughtfully to at least one other student’s question as described in the Syllabus.

After listening to the episode in this week of serial, I am yet troubled by the presented events. One is whether, during Adnan’s bail hearing, he was denied simply because of his race and religion or since Koenig mentioned that it was heard that he had an uncle back in Pakistan that could make people disappear if they ever got to him. I think this idea is BS, and you can’t argue for someone’s danger of not showing up at a later time when the potential threat is thousands of miles away. I would think that that happening is slim because of his inability to fly. Additionally, I believe that the prosecution used the avenue of Adnan being infuriated because of the breakup to pin the murder onto him since it was a discrediting aspect of his religion when a man couldn’t control his woman. This could be an aspect of approach for them since they would argue for his enraged status just based on this thing. But, I think it wouldn’t work simply because there are not enough quality evidence and testimonies to prove this aspect. Another thing that puzzled me was that the defense attorney Cristina went on the rampage to defend Adnan and blame it on Jay; I think that Jay got off way too quickly despite the argument of his involvement in hiding evidence, faking statements to it would fit the prosecuting side, but also the aspect of covering his tracks, destroying evidence and much more to less the view of his involvement. I think that Jay now looks more guilty because of his actions and the deal he made with the prosecuting side. He likely made the statement because of his guilt, feeling that he had to give back since they offered him free legal aid. I think this aspect has to be investigated more because the statement made was incorrect and made not voluntarily. So, in the end, was Jay more guilty than Adnan because of his coverup, or was Adnan more guilty looking because of his inconsistent statements and lack of remorse towards the whole situation, and inability to properly defend himself by speaking up?

Discuss how the results of your proposed study could be used to develop recommendations that inform the literature, policy, and practice. Discuss the significance and value of your proposed study as it relates to those studies discussed in your literature review, and how it can benefit those in positions leadership, such as administrators, stakeholders, and the public in practical application.

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Develop Expected Results and Recommendations section of Capstone

For this assignment, you will draft the Expected Results and Recommendations section of your Capstone Project research proposal. B on your understanding of your topic, the related studies/findings discussed in your literature review, and your own plans for proposed d collection and analysis, consider what you would expect to find if you were to conduct your study. Next, discuss how the results of your proposed study could be used to develop recommendations that inform the literature, policy, and practice. Discuss the significance and value of your proposed study as it relates to those studies discussed in your literature review, and how it can benefit those in positions leadership, such as administrators, stakeholders, and the public in practical application. Your paper must be 4-6 pages in length and in An introduction that includes a one-paragraph overview of your research proposal topic and a one-paragraph overview of your dat collection and analysis plan

A discussion of the results you would expect if your study was actually conducted
A discussion of how these anticipated findings relate to the findings from studies discussed in your literature review, contributing to current trends in research
A discussion of how your expected results could be used to identify at least four principles of leadership to inform administrators, stakeholders, and the public in terms of policy and practice related to your topic. In other words, what practical applications might y study findings have for organizational leaders and policy makers? Identify a minimum of four specific applications from your expect findings.

Be sure to write in a scholarly and objective tone, avoiding the use of first person, personal pronouns, contractions, and colloquial or conversational language. Use citations from scholarly, peer-reviewed sources throughout to support your content and credit sources of information and ideas.

Note: This assignment requires outside research. Use at least four scholarly, peer-reviewed sources in addition to the Reading materia throughout your assignment to support your content and credit sources of information and ideas.

Provide an in-depth analysis of private prisons within the United States and the effects the privatization of prisons within the United States has on incarceration and rehabilitation within the criminal justice system.

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An analysis of private prisons and their effects on incarceration and rehabilitation

For this paper, provide an in-depth analysis of private prisons within the United States and the effects the privatization of prisons within the United States has on incarceration and rehabilitation within the criminal justice system.

With supporting academically evaluated examples critically appraise which type of crime prevention, situational or social, works the best in theory and practice?

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Controlling crime

With supporting academically evaluated examples critically appraise which type of crime prevention, situational or social, works the best in theory and practice?

Compare and contrast a chosen topic which in this case is International Terrorism.

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Future Directions in Criminology

Compare and contrast a chosen topic which in this case is International Terrorism. With 2 other topics from this list.

– Sex Work

– Cyber Crime

– Green Criminology

– Rural Crime

– Media and Crime

– Miscarriage of Justice

A Template has been provided as well as an assessment brief.

Did he have the means and motive to kill her since he was the ex-boyfriend after all that has happened between them two and others?

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Serial Episode Nine

https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/9/to-be-suspected

Part I – Listen to the Serial Episode and post a thoughtful question in our class forum as described in the Syllabus.
Part II – Respond thoughtfully to at least one other student’s question as described in the Syllabus.

After listening to this week’s podcast material, I was left with a lot of ‘???’ reason for this is that in the previous episode, we got to know that the phone calls made on the day that Hae was murdered were a vital piece of evidence. Especially the 2:36 call argued in previous episodes to be a critical link in the evidence chain putting it all in place. In this episode, it is strange that they now start to challenge that narrative that even took place. Before, it was said the phone call came from a booth close to BestBuy, but now it was argued by Koenig and others that it didn’t even exist at all. At the same time, I question whether it happened at BestBuy or at the public library, which is Chris’s narrative of events that day. Still, it seems strange that it would have occurred at a library because it was a very open place, according to Koenig describing it. I don’t think Adnan would have murdered Hae there because it was way too loose, which is another factor that complicates matters more for him. I find it very interesting that the contact between Adnan and Aisha at 6 pm challenges that narrative of time because none of them could, with definite proof, say that they called each other first. Another area that I want to touch on is that Adnan’s complete denial of what had happened blamed him much more than before; his denial and utter complete shock further put him in the presumption that he either didn’t do it since he wanted to get the trial over with as soon as possible to start the appeals process or that he was the actual killer because he had motive and means to kill Hae as per the judge’s words. He used his intellect, physical strength, and charismatic ability to manipulate everyone. So, the question truly is, did he have the means and motive to kill her since he was the ex-boyfriend after all that has happened between them two and others?