Criminal Justice Topics Discussion Essay Project

Criminal Justice Topics Discussion Essay Project

Discussion Forum One: Topic for Problem/Solution Research Paper

Directions for the Discussion Question Response 

The Problem/Solution Research Paper must present an argument, so you will be showing a problem and suggesting a solution that readers need to be convinced by.  You will be writing on ONE problem only. You will have to find an area to investigate, learn the current situation, and propose a change. In the discussion this week, you will be doing some initial planning to help you with this.

Please review the assignment for the Problem/Solution Research Paper as you think about possible topics. (See the link for it here: Problem/Solution Research Paper.

Next week you will be writing a Proposal to formalize your topic choice. As noted in the research paper assignment prompt, the argument must relate to crime or criminal justice in some way. In addition, the topic must be arguable, must not be so current that there would not be good academic research on it, must not be so large that your paper cannot cover it in detail, and must use verifiable data, rather than faith-based or personal preference-based data. Basically, if the topic is less than one year old, there won’t be academic research on it.

In your initial discussion posting, explain two potential topics and suggest whom you might direct the paper to (the audience) for each.  The ultimate goal for the Problem/Solution Research Paper will be to show that there is a problem, investigate the reasons why the problem has not been solved, and try to persuade the audience to accept your solution to the problem. Explain the topics in complete sentences and give both the potential thesis and the anti-thesis. If you cannot give an anti-thesis that someone might reasonably argue, then you don’t have an arguable topic.

The first topic I am considering for my research paper is that of education in prisons. I would like to explore the history of education for incarcerated individuals, the impact of the 1994 federal aid ban, and the research surrounding the outcomes of educating prisoners. The focus of my thesis will be to advocate for the official continuation of the release of the 1994 ban (the ban was lifted in 2020 as part of Covid-19 relief funds, but the government has until 2023 to decide whether or not to reinstate the ban). The audiences I would be writing to would be the Department of Education and lawmakers as well as prison and university administrators. I chose these audiences because it is important to offer an effective argument to those who have the power to change the laws regarding federal educational aid for prisoners and also to those who will be affected by that change: the prisons and universities.Potential thesis: Based on decades of research, it has been shown that offering educational programs to incarcerated individuals offers personal and societal benefits that far outweigh the costs. This has led many experts to agree that the federal Pell Grant should be permanently reinstated and available to those who are incarcerated, allowing them to receive life-changing educational opportunities.Potential anti-thesis: While studies have shown that educating prisoners can be beneficial, the costs of such programs, the disparity prison education creates within society, and the complications of offering a typical education in restrictive environments leads many experts to believe that the federal aid ban should be reinstated.The second topic I am considering is that of the validity of eye-witness testimony. I would like to research the history of convictions that were greatly influenced by eye-witness testimony, the psychological research behind eye-witness testimony, the current practices and regulations regarding eye-witness testimony in court, and the possibility of regulation and reform of how eye-witness testimony is received and shared within the criminal justice system. The focus of my thesis would be to advocate for more regulations on how eye-witness testimony is obtained and used within the criminal justice system. My audiences would be law makers (at a state and/or federal level) and those involved with the trial system (arresting police officers, lawyers, judges, etc.). These would be the people who have the ability to effect change and those who would be affected by that change.Potential thesis: Psychological research and past wrongful convictions have both shown that eye-witness testimony is far from reliable. While the usefulness of eye-witness testimony cannot be denied, it should be obtained and used within strict regulations to ensure that justice is not hindered by unreliable evidence.Potential anti-thesis: Though eye-witness testimony can be subjectively prone to variation and externally influenced, its usefulness in criminal justice has shown to far outweigh the negative effects. Restrictions on eye-witness testimony would only increase the probability of criminals not receiving due justice and undermine the impact and validity of crimes on its victims.

 

PLACE THE ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!