Discussion—Applying to Graduate School

In the first two modules, you explored your career options and identified available positions related to your interests. You also determined which of those positions required a master’s or doctoral degree. For this assignment, research graduate school programs for the selected career using your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet.

For this assignment, you will need to complete the following:

• Select one of the careers that require a graduate-level degree.
• Identify at least threegraduate school programs you would consider attending. For example, if you hope to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC), you would first need to earn a master’s degree at the very least. You would want to research programs that provide master’s degrees in counseling. Include research on whether or not you would fulfill the requirements for licensure in your state of residence if you completed those specific programs. Cover the following:
  • Indicate which license you would seek and which programs would or would not prepare you to be eligible for licensure.
  • If you want to become licensed, you want to ensure that those programs meet your state’s requirements for licensure. For example, if you wish to become an LPC, you would have to review the American Association of State Counseling Boards at: http://www.aascb.org/ and locate your state’s licensing board Web site address.
• For each of the three graduate school programs, research and discuss the institution’s accreditation. Is it nationally or regionally accredited? Most state licensing boards require the higher-level of those two options, which is regional accreditation.
  • You might want to review the following Web site to determine if the school is regionally accredited:
    • US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. (2011). Retrieved from http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/
  • Most states also require a specialized accreditation for licensure as an LPC or psychologist. For counseling licenses, most states honor programs that have the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs designation. For psychology licenses, the American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation is usually required. Go to the following to find programs with the CACREP designation:
    • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). (2011). Welcome to Cacrep. Retrieved from http://www.cacrep.org/template/index.cfm
• Discuss any concerns you may have about applying to or attending graduate school. List any questions you have about the application or licensure process.
• Provide at least two authoritative references or sources for the information you have discussed. One of these can be the textbook.

Write your initial response in a minimum of 300–400 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

Here’s What Happened:

 

Mary White, age twenty-five, is a Hispanic female. She has been on probation for twelve months of a five-year probation program. She is on supervision for the felony charge of possession of a controlled substance. During her period of supervision, that is, probation, White has tested positive for the use of amphetamines on two separate occasions, failing to participate in outpatient treatment and failing to abide by the stipulations set forth by the court.

 

Recently, White violated the conditions of her probation by getting arrested for driving while she was intoxicated and tampering with a vehicle. White was sentenced to sixty days of incarceration within the county jail for her violations. The police report, which was obtained for the violation of probation hearing purposes, stated:

 

Centervale Police Department (CPD)

CPD Case Number:

11-XXXX

Incident:

 

Tampering with a Vehicle

Reporting Officer:

R. T. Smith

 

Date of Report:

April 1, 2012

 

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on April 1, 2012, I, Officer R. T. Smith was dispatched to a stolen vehicle complaint at 123 Main Street in Centervale. I met with the complainant, Jane Daugherty, who said that she had parked her car by a meter while entering into Fuzzy’s Furniture Store. Before returning to her car she had stopped at the sandwich shop to pick up dinner. Daugherty returned to her car at approximately 10:30 p.m. This is when she discovered her car had been stolen.

Daugherty described her car as a 2009 black Toyota Corolla. The registration is 123-ABC. The car is valued at approximately $13,000 and has a sunroof and a dent on the back left fender from a grocery cart.

Daugherty stated that she had locked the car after exiting but did not have the keys with her at the time. She also said that she had left the keys in a lock box in the gas tank so that she did not have to worry about losing them. Daugherty stated that she had not given anyone permission to take her vehicle and was current on her auto payments so there was no possibility of repossession.

In my survey of the crime scene, I was unable to locate any items of evidence. There was no broken glass near the meter where the vehicle was parked and there were no items to photograph. Daugherty’s vehicle information was entered into the National Crime Information Center database and a

Be on the look-out

(BOLO) was issued for her vehicle.

 

At approximately 12:15 a.m. on April 2, 2012, information was received that Centervale Officer W. S. Wright was in pursuit of the suspected stolen vehicle. He entered into a traffic stop after the car came to a stop outside Freddy’s Bar in South Centervale. The driver of the vehicle was later identified as Mary White by her driver’s license. White appeared to be intoxicated and resisted Officer Wright at the scene. White was arrested for driving while intoxicated and tampering with a motor vehicle. The car was towed to Fred’s Salvage. I made contact with Daugherty to notify her that her vehicle had been recovered and that I would contact her once the vehicle was processed for evidence and could be released.

White had two new charges pending in addition to her violation. She was found guilty of the felony of tampering with a motor vehicle. The misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated was dropped given her felony conviction. White was assigned to Officer Myers with the Centervale Probation and Parole Office to complete a sentencing assessment report for the court. The portions of the sentencing assessment report include the narratives from the police reports, history of the offender, education, employment, substance abuse, specialized training, and a recommendation regarding the ability to succeed under a period of supervision. Given her recent history of supervision, White was sentenced to five years within the department of corrections.

 

While incarcerated, White was given a parole hearing date within eighteen months of her incarceration. She appeared in front of the Parole Board and was given a release date after twenty-four months of incarceration.

 

Here’s What You Need to Do:

 

Use APA format and citation guidelines to compose a paper (8- to 10-page, not including the title page or references page), on the parole system and process based on White’s case that addresses the following:

 

• Explain how the history of probation and parole influences the decisions that are made in the Adult Court System toward the supervision of adult offenders, highlighting the differences between past and present processes and practices.

• Determine whether White was on probation or parole during her first period of supervision. Analyze the opportunities that were given to her during that period. When White was released from the Centervale Jail, determine her supervision status. Explain whether it was different from her first period of supervision. Analyze and discuss the reasons for any changes you discover.

• Analyze how White violated her probation and describe each offense.

• In detail, identify and describe the presentence investigation information needed in order to complete the process before the judge renders his or her decision in the sentencing stage. Explain the importance of the presentencing investigation process in White’s case and the reason why the guidelines for sentencing must be followed in every case.

• Identify the parole parameters you would set for White if you were on her Parole Committee. Explain the impact White’s release might have on Daugherty. Then compare stipulations set forth by the Court and the Parole Board. Explain whether the Court and the Parole Board aim for the same goal. Defend your position using examples.

 

2078 Words

8 Sources

APA Format