Task One

Individual Portion

• Search the library and the Internet and research a problem solving court (i.e. drug court, veterans court, teen court, re-entry court or homeless court)
• Each team member will address the following in 250-500 words individually:
  • Generally speaking, what are some of the criminological theories that serve as a foundation for these specialty courts? Explain.
  • You have been tasked to create a new problem solving court that addresses a special type of offender. Discuss the components of the court and its approach to dealing with these special offenders based upon criminological thought.
  • Remember to post your submission as soon as possible in order to allow enough time to complete the Group Portion of the project.
• Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.

Task 2

In the past few years, there have been several studies on psychopathic personalities. Psychopathology has always been considered a psychological theory of crime. With these new studies (where they have tested the firing neurons in the brain), there is now a controversy over whether a psychopath would fall under the category of a psychological or biological theory.

For example, one study showed incarcerated psychopaths a series of slides that showed not only photos of happy families and pleasant landscapes but also photos of gruesome crime scenes. It was noted that in what was deemed the normal population, the neurons fired in several sections of the brain when the pleasant photos were shown and in a different section when the gruesome photos were shown. In the psychopathic population, all neurons fired in the same area of the brain.

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

• Do you think psychopaths are more likely to exhibit violent criminal behavior? Why or why not?
  • What factors could increase the likelihood that a psychopathic individual will engage in criminal behavior? Explain.
  • What factors do you think could reduce the likelihood that a psychopathic individual will engage in criminal behavior? Explain.
• Do you believe that the person who is deemed a psychopath would fall under a psychological theory or a biological theory? Why or why not? Explain your rationale.
• Should this make a difference in the incarceration of this person? Why or why not? Explain.

Task 3

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas:

• Which CIKR sectors do you think you and your community rely on most? Why?
• What do you think are the most significant vulnerabilities that exist in the most important assets associated with each of CIKR sectors? Why?
• What types of hazards do you think are most likely to adversely impact the assets you described? Why?
• Out of all of the 16 Critical Infrastructure sectors, what do you think is the most significant vulnerability? Explain.
  • What mitigation efforts would you suggest to mitigate the vulnerability selected?
    • Be sure to address cost, implementation, practicality, and past results.

Task 4

You are the emergency manager in a city with a population of 250,000 in the southeastern United States. Your city manager wants to aggressively reduce the city’s vulnerability to natural hazards and wants you to develop a policy to facilitate the city's vulnerability to natural hazards.

In a policy proposal of 750–1,000 words, explain how your city could reduce the city’s vulnerability to natural hazards. Provide at least 1 recommendation for improving the city's protective measures for critical infrastructure. All recommendations must be sufficiently justified or backed up by academic sources. You should ensure that you address each of the 16 CIKR sectors.

Demonstrate an understanding of vulnerability by identifying 1 vulnerability in each of the 16 CIKR sectors.

For example, in the Agriculture and Food sector (among many others), a common vulnerability is flooding. Flooding is routinely mitigated by structural controls such as levees and dams (another sector).

Assignment Guidelines

• Address the following in a policy proposal of 750–1,000 words:
• For each CIKR sector, do the following:
  • Identify 1–2 vulnerabilities that exist in your locality.
    • Describe the vulnerability or vulnerabilities, and explain their significance to the sector.
  • Provide 1–2 recommendation for improving the city's protective measures for critical infrastructure.
    • How will the vulnerabilities be addressed (mitigation)?
      • Consider cost, practicality, complexity, danger, and maintenance in your recommendations.
      • For example, in the Agriculture and Food sector, a common vulnerability is flooding. Flooding is routinely mitigated by structural controls such as levees and dams.
  • Conclude your proposal with a summary of your findings.
    • Provide an overview of how your city could reduce its overall vulnerability to natural hazards.
• Compile your responses into your final proposal, and submit the file to your instructor.
• Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.