Alternatives To Incarceration

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Assignment: Alternatives to Incarceration

Worth 120 points

A recent study illustrates that nearly two (2) million juveniles are processed through juvenile courts across the United States each year. Depending on the nature of the crime, juveniles may face detention or incarceration if they are convicted. Given the fact that many courts are reluctant to incarcerate criminal offenders, judges often consider alternatives to incarceration. The driving force behind these alternatives is to save taxpayer money yet still demand offender accountability and impose sanctions for criminal behavior.

Use the Internet or Strayer databases to research the use of sanctions other than incarceration or detention for juvenile offenders.

Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:

  1. Examine the underlying historical and economic reasons behind the quest for alternatives to incarcerating offenders in jails and prisons.
  2. Describe three (3) alternatives to incarceration that juvenile courts currently use. Provide examples of such alternatives in practice to support the response.
  3. Discuss the significant societal and individual benefits of imposing sanctions or punishments that do not involve removing an offender from his / her family or community.
  4. Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

  • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
  • Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

  • Explain how delinquents have been handled throughout history.
  • Contrast the differences between the juvenile and adult justice system in the United States.
  • Identify successful evidence-based treatment modalities for juvenile delinquents and be able to describe the ingredients of effective programs.
  • Use technology and information resources to research issues in juvenile delinquency and justice.
  • Write clearly and concisely about juvenile delinquency and justice using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills,

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Points: 120 Assignment 2: Alternatives to Incarceration
Criteria  

Unacceptable

Below 60% F

 Meets Minimum Expectations

60-69% D

  

Fair

70-79% C

  

Proficient

80-89% B

  

Exemplary

90-100% A
1. Examine the underlying historical and economic reasons behind the quest for alternatives to incarcerating offenders in jails and prisons.

Weight: 25%

 Did not submit or incompletely examined the underlying historical and economic reasons behind the quest for alternatives to incarcerating offenders in jails and prisons. Insufficiently examined the underlying historical and economic reasons behind the quest for alternatives to incarcerating offenders in jails and prisons. Partially examined the underlying historical and economic reasons behind the quest for alternatives to incarcerating offenders in jails and prisons. Satisfactorily examined the underlying historical and economic reasons behind the quest for alternatives to incarcerating offenders in jails and prisons. Thoroughlyexamined the underlying historical and economic reasons behind the quest for alternatives to incarcerating offenders in jails and prisons.
2. Describe three (3) alternatives to incarceration that juvenile courts currently use. Provide examples of such alternatives in practice to support the response. Weight: 30% Did not submit or incompletely described three (3) alternatives to incarceration that juvenile courts currently use. Did not submit or incompletely provided examples of such alternatives in practice to support the response. Insufficiently described three (3) alternatives to incarceration that juvenile courts currently use. Insufficiently provided examples of such alternatives in practice to support the response. Partiallydescribed three (3) alternatives to incarceration that juvenile courts currently use. Partiallyprovided examples of such alternatives in practice to support the response. Satisfactorilydescribed three (3) alternatives to incarceration that juvenile courts currently use. Satisfactorily provided examples of such alternatives in practice to support the response. Thoroughly described three (3) alternatives to incarceration that juvenile courts currently use. Thoroughly provided examples of such alternatives in practice to support the response.
3. Discuss the significant societal and individual benefits of imposing sanctions or punishments that do not involve removing an offender from his / her family or community.

Weight: 30%

 Did not submit or incompletelydiscussed the significant societal and individual benefits of imposing sanctions or punishments that do not involve removing an offender from his / her family or community. Insufficientlydiscussed the significant societal and individual benefits of imposing sanctions or punishments that do not involve removing an offender from his / her family or community. Partially discussed the significant societal and individual benefits of imposing sanctions or punishments that do not involve removing an offender from his / her family or community. Satisfactorilydiscussed the significant societal and individual benefits of imposing sanctions or punishments that do not involve removing an offender from his / her family or community. Thoroughlydiscussed the significant societal and individual benefits of imposing sanctions or punishments that do not involve removing an offender from his / her family or community.
4. 3 references

Weight: 5%

 No references provided Does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices. Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices. Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices. Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.
5. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements

Weight: 10%

 More than 8 errors present 7-8 errors present 5-6 errors present 3-4 er

Role of The Chief Criminal Prosecutor from the Office of the District Attorney

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Group Project

Group Project: presented with a problem involving multiple agencies , the student assumes the agency role of The Chief Criminal Prosecutor from the Office of the District Attorney whose name is Raymond Burr and must devise a plan to identify a collaborative, optimal solution. Individually, you will present the Office of the District Attorney’s description, it’s perspective and role, and research the available resources.

Phase1 – Agency Description The student will be assigned one of the following criminal justice components to represent and for which to serve as advocate:

Courts – Office of the District Attorney Raymond Burr

The student will submit a 3 page paper describing the function and purpose of the designated criminal justice component and how it interrelates to other components.

 

The background information for this assignment is below:

The Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance

For the past 11 months, the Virtual Police Department has applied a variety of investigative resources and strategies and is prepared to bring a number of criminal charges against the members of the Very Bad Bike Club. These started out as investigations of individual calls-for-service, complaints and criminal investigations. They merged into a collective effort as the pattern of activities and participants began to form. Based on the investigations, the department believes it has probable cause to arrest and charge nearly every one of the 63 VBBC members for conspiracy to manufacture illegal drugs, conspiracy to sell illegal drugs, and participation in a criminal enterprise. Additionally, numerous individual VBBC members can be charged with combinations of individual criminal violations, including possession of illegal drugs, illegal possession of firearms, robbery, attempted robbery, aggravated assault, and attempted murder. Despite the confidence the Chief of the VPD has in these cases, no information has been conveyed to the Office of the District Attorney nor has there been any involvement with the Grand Jury. As far as the Chief of the Police is concerned, this is the chance to destroy the VBBC once and for all.

The VBBC has plagued Virtual for over a decade. Efforts to stop criminal activity by members of the VBBC have been made almost exclusively by the police department, with little or no support from the rest of the Virtual criminal justice system. In the past most criminal charges brought to the Virtual prosecutor’s office by police detectives have resulted in outright dismissal for lack of probable cause or plea bargained agreements that reduce potential felony charges to misdemeanors with payable fines. There have been however, two prior instances of massive arrests of VBBC members. Approximately 7 years ago raids resulted in the confiscation of drugs and weapons and the ultimate conviction of 12 VBBC members. Six of these members are on parole and still reside in Virtual; two others are currently in the county detention center awaiting trial for new criminal charges and four others are confined to the State prison near Virtual. A similar sweep three years ago produced nearly identical results. These sweeps appear to have been ineffective. In short, the VBBC has a network of members in jail, in prison, on parole in the community and free on the street. The current police investigation has affirmed that all of these VBBC members are in near constant communications with each other.

Robert “Buddy” Pole is the “president” of the VBBC. While currently on parole for manufacturing methamphetamine, Buddy Pole continues to orchestrate the criminal enterprise that is VBBC. Provisions of his parole agreement that prohibit association with known criminals have gone unenforced. Robert Pole, Jr, (a.k.a. “Little Buddy” or “Bud Lite”) is currently in the Virtual Detention Center awaiting trial for carrying a concealed weapon. He seems to be in no hurry to make the affordable bail. Jail officials believe he is trying to organize a drug network within the jail. Two Detention Center correctional officers were recently disciplined for attempting to smuggle cell phones into the lock-up. It is believed they were destined for Little Buddy’s use. The youngest member of the Pole family is Patricia (a.k.a. “Tripper”). A chronic truant and trouble maker in school, Tripper was suspected of providing marijuana to her junior high school classmates and has continued the practice in high school. At age 19 and legally an adult, she is just about to complete her senior year of high school. Tripper’s collections of miscreant friends, most of whom are VBBC members or “wannabes”, congregate regularly around the Virtual Mall and commercial centers. Her boyfriend, John Henry Maxwell applied for a job as a Dunbar Security Force officer but was rejected because of his record.

In order to rid the city of Virtual of this criminal gang, Virtual Police Department Chief Clayton Moore called upon his criminal justice partners:

The head of the Virtual Police Department VBBC task force, Captain Jay Silverheels

The chief criminal prosecutor from the Office of the District Attorney, Raymond Burr

The Security Chief of the state correctional facility, Major Allen Irongates

The District Supervisor for the state department of parole, Martha Street

The Operations Director of the Virtual Security Force, James Dunbar

The Virtual Security Force, a private security company hired by the Virtual Commercial Merchants Association to provide security personnel, equipment, etc. to supplement the resources of the Virtual Police Department in designated business and commercial areas of the city. VSF personnel hold special police commissions, have arrest authority on the property of their clients and may or may not be armed depending on their assignment and qualifications.

At their initial meeting Chief Moore made it clear to these partners that they had a single goal, to end the reign of terror emanating from the VBBC and victimizing Virtual’s citizens. Clearly if there was any hope of success, each criminal justice partner has to do their part for the collective good of all. The Chief’s remarks were met with wholesale agreement. It was decided the Virtual Criminal Justice Alliance would attack the VBBC on two levels (1) the pursuit of the current police investigations and prosecutions, and (2) a strategic plan to work collaboratively to reduce crime in Virtual. When the initial meeting adjourned Chief Moore had designated Captain Siverheels as his delegate. He was not sure, however, that every agency representative in the room felt his level of commitment or truly understood the consequences of failure. He was also curious as to what resources each “partner” was willing to bring to this operation and what would be held back.

Major Irongate has her own issues with VBBC. Their presence in the state prison has settled down what had previously been a powder keg of gang-related unrest. VBBC has become the dominate force in the prison. John “Jacky” Pole has been able to get the warring national/international gang members in the prison to suspend their violence and focus on drug-related profits. With tensions simmering just below the surface, Irongate knows the self-serving truce may be short lived. Major Irongate was also asked to represent the Virtual Detention Center. This facility holds arrestees awaiting a bail hearing, denied bail prior to trial or in transitional housing from the state prison to attend court. The jail also holds offenders serving short sentences for convictions on misdemeanor charges. Nearly all of the prison’s inmate population came through the Detention Center and may return there to be available for court appearances. Major Irongate is convinced that these “traveling” inmates are being used as “mules” for drugs and contraband cell phones.

Of the persons assembled by Chief Moore, only Dunbar represents a commercial, profit-driven agency. Simply put, these profits are the difference between the costs for the security provided and the fees Dunbar charges. Dunbar is eager to demonstrate a successful partnership with VPD and the Virtual Commercial Merchants’ Association as a stepping stone to contracts with larger jurisdictions. In any case, Dunbar’s primary motivation is to make money.

Raymond Burr would applaud Chief Moore’s plan if he could, but as a pragmatist he feels that this is a waste of time. He understands, if no one else at the table does, that plea bargaining is to only way the criminal justice system can do business. He has also warned the chief before that his detectives need additional training on establishing probable cause, proper interrogation procedures, appropriate charging, etc. If the VPD could get its act together he would love to prosecute a good solid case against the VBBC, but prosecuting a “looser” case will not solve the problem or help his own political ambitions.

The student will submit a 3 page paper describing the function and purpose of the designated criminal justice component and how it interrelates to other components.

The paper should be done in APA format with references

No directly quoted material may be used in this project paper.

Resources should be summarized or paraphrased with appropriate in-text and Resource page citations.

Juvenile Offender Assignment

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ASSIGNMENT

 

Read the University of Phoenix Material: Juvenile Offender Case Studies document. Select one of the case studies as the foundation for this assignment. Once you have selected a case study, select and complete one of the following assignments:

Case Study:

Xander L. is a 17-year-old African American male and documented gang member. His prior juvenile adjudications include purse snatching, breaking and entering, and drug possession. His first juvenile adjudication occurred when he was 13 years old. He has served a year of custody in a juvenile correctional facility and has been placed on probation twice previously. His current arrest is for possession of a concealed weapon, to which he has pled guilty.

Xander lives with his mother in Section 8 housing. He reports no contact with his father. His mother presently works two jobs. Although she is supportive of him, and Xander reports a close relationship with his mother, she does not approve of his conduct. In the past, she has reported him to the police. Xander indicates that he has dropped out of high school, but he would like to get his general equivalency diploma to make his mother proud.

 

BASED ON LOUISIANA STATE LAWS

 

Juvenile Offender Paper

 

Write a 900- to 1,050-word paper based on your selected juvenile offender.

Address the following in your assignment:

 

Describe the process the juvenile will follow after arrest—from intake through court, sentencing, and punishment or rehabilitation. Consider any accommodation necessary for juveniles with special needs. The process should be based on actual state laws and practices of your state.

 

Include a brief corrections plan created in the mode most appropriate for the level of offense, such as a recommendation memo to Child Protective Services or the school principal for a status offense, a letter to the judge regarding sentencing for a nonviolent offense, a proposal for a community intervention strategy, or a report to corrections for a violent offender.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Myths And Reality Of Crime

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As we learn in the video, Crimes of the Powerful (Link below),  our justice system tends to focus on street crime, often ignoring much  more significant problems such as white-collar, corporate, and state  crime. The video also discusses euthanasia, although the point of this  reference is to illustrate how the law can be used as a tool for social  change. The video also discusses moral values with a focus on media  coverage of harm to children. Laws have changed in direct response to  these incidents and the resulting media coverage. In effect, this  coverage becomes an engine for social change. The video ends with a  discussion of crime theory, reminding us that many criminological  theories fall short when applied to people with wealth and high status.

Write a paper discussing the myths and realities of crime. Please elaborate on the following points in your essay:

  • Imagine asking 100 strangers to describe a criminal. Predict whether  those descriptions would be likely to focus on street criminals, or the  variety of topics covered in this video.
  • Describe how society defines crime. Do not provide a definition – instead, explain how the definition is reached.
  • Discuss how society decides what to define as a crime.
  • Present a clear statement about a particular crime, something we  know to be absolutely true. Illustrate how we know that this is an  accurate statement.
  • Present an example of a widely held myth or misconception about  crime and society. Determine how we know that this is a myth. Explain  why this myth is so difficult to abandon.

The paper must be three to four pages in length and formatted  according to APA style. You must use at least two scholarly resources . Cite your  resources in text and on the reference page.

Video link: https://fod.infobase.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=47476&aid=18596&loid=137445&Plt=FOD&w=320&h=240