a) The current event must be related to criminology or criminal justice. It should involve a violation of criminal laws, penal laws or ordinances or must relate to any criminal justice or criminology issues in any of the three fields of criminal justice, such as police (i.e. high speed chases, police use of force in a recent news), courts (wrongful convictions, discrimination in sentencing), or corrections (prison rape). Do not choose a news item or current event that violates any civil law or constitutional law. It will be more difficult to choose a criminological theory that can explain or describe the occurrence.
b) When choosing your topic, always have in mind that you will be trying to explain why it occurred through choosing any theory that we have discussed in detail from Chapters 1 to 7.
c) Discuss the facts or events in detail. Who are the persons/parties involved? Where did the news event occur? What transpired among the parties? When did it occur? Why did it occur? How did it occur? Discuss the chronology of the events from the initial action to the latest occurrence.
d) A broad topic such as death penalty is probably too general and may require specific events (such as specific cases involving the death penalty). If you decide to go with broad topics, please discuss specific examples of current events and news items that are covered by your broad topic. Specific topics and specific current events are preferred over broad topics.
2. Choose a specific theory or two or more theories based on our discussion from Chapters 1 to 7 of Criminology book that you feel may explain this current event, broad topic.
a) Discuss the theory/theories (if more than one theory is applicable) in detail. What does the theory explain? Who are the primary academics/scholars who proposed the theory? What are the relevant research findings of these academics?
b) A reference section in your presentation is necessary since you will be quoting the researchers. This can be the last slide of your presentation. Use APA style.
3. The most important part of your presentation is the third part. Your critique and evaluation. Based on your description and discussion of the theory/theories in number 2, discuss how the theory can be used to explain, evaluate, describe, or predict the occurrence of the news item, current event or topic.
a) Your evaluation must be based on the research and findings of the theory. It cannot be based on personal opinions. MOST IMPORTANT REMINDER: ENJOY THE DISCUSSION. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU UNDERSTOOD THE THEORIES AND HOW WELL YOU CAN EVALUATE CRIMINOLOGICAL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICERELATED EVENTS BASED ON THESE THEORIES!
Critique/Evaluation should be based on the following factors:
1. content of presentation –
• how complete and relevant was the discussion of the facts/ criminological issue?
• how comprehensive was the discussion of the theories and the facts?
2. clarity of presentation
• how clear is the presentation/outline of the criminological issue?
• how clear is the presentation/outline of the theories?
3. organization
• is the sequence of slides relevant, easy to follow, and understandable?
• does the sequence of slides/presentation make sense to you as a reader?
4. visuals
• does the visuals/pictures/images match the concept?
• how do the slides look like and what is the effect on your comprehension of the content?
5. relevance
• how relevant are the theories discussed to the criminological issue?
• do you think that the theories discussed help explain the criminological event/news?
• are the theories appropriate and able to explain the event properly?
were any of the theories discussed irrelevant to the event?
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