This assignment will help you to achieve the following course learning goals (also outlined in syllabus):
- Describe and critically evaluate the justification and evidence for specific crime policies.
- Articulate a coherent and persuasive argument for various crime and public policy strategies based on empirical research.
Find a law that is currently in existence and argue why the law should be eliminated. Your assignment should include:
- An introduction describing the existing law. What problem was this law intended to address? Why was this law created? Which goal(s) of crime control (deterrence, retribution, incapacitation, rehabilitation) is reflected in this law? Provide any relevant history regarding this law.
- At least three reasons the law should be eliminated (each reason should be its own paragraph) which are supported by outside research.
- A paragraph addressing “the other” perspective. Are there any benefits associated with this law? Your argument will be strengthened by acknowledging that there may be valid opposing arguments.
- A conclusion paragraph summarizing your argument as to why the law should be eliminated.
- Your assignment should include a minimum of 3 research citations. The textbook and Wikipedia (c) do not count as research sources. Google Scholar is a good place to start your research (https://scholar.google.com) (Links to an external site.). Often, article PDFs are provided next to the link. In addition, note that under the article there are blue options: “cited by, related articles, all versions, cite, save, and more.” These are useful tools. Specifically, the “cite” option provides an APA citation which can be helpful when making your reference list (but check to make sure the reference is correct!). In addition, the ASU library has many resources to help you find research sources (https://lib.asu.edu/find-articles) (Links to an external site.).
- Your assignment should be 2-4 pages long. The page requirement is for actual content, meaning your own writing. A cover page and/or your research references are not counted towards your page requirement
- Your assignment is expected to be typed in 12 point – Times New Roman font. Further, your assignment should have 1-inch margins, be double spaced, and submitted as a Microsoft Word document.
- Demonstrate skills in writing, organization and presentation. You must show that you understand the issue, understanding of the process and procedures, and are able to clearly articulate an evidence-based argument.
