Week 2 - Discussion 1



Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Reference the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

         
Looking ahead at your Final Capstone Project in Week Five, provide an outline highlighting the major points of your project for review and discussion among your classmates and instructor. In your outline, include at least five major ideas your Final Capstone Project will address, with brief (one to two sentence) explanations for each. At the end of this week, reflect back on the feedback your classmates and instructor have provided.

Your outline content should be entered directly into the body of the discussion. Do not attach a Word document.

As with all well-researched and organized writing, your topic (first) sentences of your paragraphs contain the major ideas of your paper. Therefore, this outline can be used in the construction of the body of your Final Capstone Project in Week Five.

Review several of your classmates’ posts. Respond to at least two classmates by providing substantial feedback, in at least 150 words each, regarding their organization of major points and by supplying them with a scholarly resource you think may be helpful for the preparation of their Final Capstone Project. Replying to two classmates is required, though it is encouraged that you reply to as many classmates as possible to increase the constructive feedback being shared in the forum. 
Week 5 - Final Capstone Project

Solution Proposal

The focus of the capstone project is to solve a contemporary social and criminal justice issue through the application of information from a variety of related fields, which may include sociology, law, psychology, and ethics. In developing a proposed solution to a modern social and criminal justice issue, you are encouraged to use scholarly and primary sources, multimedia, and interviews with professionals in the field (if possible) to identify and devise a workable plan.

Within the Final Capstone Project, complete the following:

1. Identify a clear thesis statement to address your chosen criminal and social justice issue.
2. Summarize your chosen social and criminal justice issue.
3. Propose the resolution to the social and criminal justice issue.
4. Examine the operations of the criminal justice system as it relates to your chosen issue and resolution. This may include operations related to crime scene investigation techniques and security; the collection, preservation and presentation of evidence; and processes related to correctional institutions, incarceration, and release.
5. Analyze how the criminal and social justice theories (in relation to the United States Constitution) and landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions impact your chosen issue and support your resolution.
6. Explain how social and criminal justice systems promote social equality and fairness for all and how this impacts your issue and resolution. Consider how poverty, racism, and religion apply to contemporary social and criminal justice.
7. Assess how the centralization of criminal justice agencies in the United States, The Patriot Act, the U.S. Homeland Security Act, and international aspects of social and criminal justice impact your issue and resolution.
8. Identify and describe at least two careers in criminal justice (existing or to-be-created) for agencies that may be involved in addressing the issue and resolution you have chosen.

The paper must be at least 20 pages in length, excluding title and reference pages, and formatted according to APA style. You must use at least ten scholarly resources (at least four of which can be found in the Ashford Online Library) other than the textbook to support your claims. You may consider referencing documentaries, contemporary news reports, multimedia, and interviews with professionals in the field. Cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar.

Writing the Final Capstone Project
The Final Capstone Project:

1. Must be at least 20 double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:    
   1. Title of paper
   2. Student’s name
   3. Course name and number
   4. Instructor’s name
   5. Date submitted
3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
6. Must use at least ten scholarly resources, including a minimum of four from the Ashford University Library.
7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.