Writing Question

PART 1

Touchstone 2: Procedural Justice

Overview

What You Will Learn:
This assignment will help you apply the theoretical framework of procedural justice to issues in policing, courts, and corrections.

Why It Matters:
By considering the four pillars of fairness, voice, transparency, and impartiality in the context of policing, courts, and corrections, you will develop a nuanced perspective on how these principles are applied (and sometimes neglected).

What You Will Hand In:
A Microsoft Word document answering questions about the four pillars of justice, with a reference page, in APA format.

Keys to Success:

• Submit original work written by you.
• Read the directions carefully and answer each question completely.
• Demonstrate an understanding of procedural justice by examining the four pillars in context.

Helpful Links:

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Directions

Step 1: Prepare to Answer the Questions

• Review the table in the describing the four pillars of procedural justice: fairness, voice, transparency, and impartiality.
• Read or download the PDF.
• Read or download the PDF.

Step 2: Write Your Touchstone

Your Touchstone will have six parts:

1. In your own words, briefly introduce procedural justice and define all four pillars (150200 words).
2. Discuss at least two pillars of procedural justice and their relationship to police/community relations (200250 words).
3. Discuss at least two pillars of procedural justice and their relationship to the perception of fairness from the court system (prosecutor, court, trial, etc.) (200-250 words).
4. Discuss at least two pillars of procedural justice and their relationship to controlling behavior in a correctional environment (prisons, jails, probation, parole, etc.). Here, you are not required to address all forms of corrections. You can discuss corrections in general, or you can focus on one element, such as prisons or probation (200250 words). Note: You may choose which two pillars you write for parts 24, but please use each pillar at least once!
5. Describe your own thoughts on procedural justice. Do you believe it is enough to ensure true justice, or are broader systemic changes necessary (150-200 words)?
6. Provide a references page with the two articles from Step 1 above in APA format:

• Kunard, L., and Moe, C. (2015). Procedural Justice for Law Enforcement: An Overview. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
• LaGratta, E.G., (2015). Procedural Justice: Practice Tips for Courts. Center for Court Innovation.
• Sophia Learning. (n.d.). Introduction to Crime and Punishment. Introduction to Criminal Justice.

Remember to also include in-text citations for the tutorial and articles in APA format in your submission.

Step 3: Review and Submit Your Touchstone

• Check your paper against the rubric below to make sure you have met all the goals of the assignment. Once you are happy with it, you can submit it as a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) file.

We hope this assignment will help you broaden and deepen your understanding of the criminal justice system and the complex intersection of justice with community relations and perceptions!

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Rubric

	Advanced (100%)	Proficient (85%)	Acceptable (75%)	Needs Improvement (50%)	Non-Performance
Definition and Overview Provides a definition of procedural justice and an overview of each of the four pillars. (10%)	Provides a compelling introduction to procedural justice and its four pillars (fairness, voice, transparency, impartiality), with accurate definitions.	Provides a foundational introduction to procedural justice and its four pillars with accurate definitions.	Provides a minimal introduction and defines the four pillars, though definitions may lack depth.	Lacks sufficient introduction or provides unclear definitions of the four pillars.	Does not provide an introduction or define the pillars of procedural justice.
Police/Community Relations Includes at least two procedural justice pillars and their relationship to police and community relations. (20%)	Thoroughly discusses at least two pillars, explaining their relevance to police and community relations with specific examples and details.	Discusses at least two pillars and their relevance to police and community relations, but examples or analysis could be more detailed.	Briefly discusses at least two pillars, but explanations lack depth or clear examples.	Does not sufficiently discuss the pillars or fails to relate them to police and community relations.	Does not address this aspect.
Perception of Fairness Includes at least two pillars of procedural justice and their relationship to the perception of fairness from the court system (prosecutor, court, trial, etc.). (20%)	Thoroughly discusses at least two pillars, explaining their relevance to the perception of fairness from the court system with specific examples and details.	Discusses at least two pillars and their relevance to the perception of fairness from the court system, but examples or analysis could be more detailed.	Briefly discusses at least two pillars, but explanations lack depth or clear examples.	Does not sufficiently discuss the pillars or fails to relate them to the perception of fairness from the court system.	Does not address this aspect.
Behavior in Correctional Environment Includes at least two pillars of procedural justice and their relationship to controlling behavior in a correctional environment (prisons, jails, probation, parole, etc.). (20%)	Thoroughly discusses at least two pillars, explaining their relationship to controlling behavior in a correctional environment with specific examples and details.	Discusses at least two pillars and their relationship to controlling behavior in a correctional environment, but examples or analysis could be more detailed.	Briefly discusses at least two pillars, but explanations lack depth or clear examples.	Does not sufficiently discuss the pillars or fails to relate them to controlling behavior in a correctional environment.	Does not address this aspect.
Summary Provides final thoughts on procedural justice. (10%)	Provides a thoughtful reflection on procedural justice.	Provides reflection, but final thoughts could be stronger.	Lacks depth or fails to provide thoughtful reflection.	Weakly reflects on procedural justice.	Does not address this aspect.
Inclusion of Four Pillars All four pillars of procedural justice are present in the submission. (10%)	All four pillars are mentioned in the assignment.	Three out of four pillars are mentioned in the assignment.	Two of the four pillars are mentioned in the assignment.	One of the four pillars are mentioned in the assignment.	None of the four pillars are provided in the assignment.
Conventions Submission follows conventions for standard written English and meets length requirements. (10%)	There are almost no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization; all length and formatting requirements are met.	There are minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that do not impede readability; length and formatting requirements are nearly met.	There are frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that somewhat impede readability; length and formatting requirements are nearly met.	There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability; length and formatting requirements are not met.	Submission does not meet the minimum threshold for points to be awarded.

PART 2

Touchstone 4: Analyzing Components of the Criminal Justice System

Overview

What You Will Learn:
This assignment will help you understand the fundamental concepts in the criminal justice system.

Why It Matters:
This assignment will help you develop a deeper understanding of how key components of the justice system interact and evolve, preparing you for more advanced discussions and critical analyses in the field.

What You Will Hand In:
A Microsoft Word document including a description of your chosen concept, an overview of its role in the system, an analysis of its application in real-world scenarios, and a conclusion reflecting on the current challenges and future directions in criminal justice, with a reference page in APA format including one outside source and 34 tutorials from your course.

Keys to Success:

• Submit original work written by you.
• Read the directions carefully and include all sections and sources. Aim for 7501000 words.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts in the criminal justice system through your chosen concept.

Helpful Links:

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Directions

Step 1: Choose a Concept and Find Sources

Choose one of the following criminal justice concepts covered in the course to write about:

• Law Enforcement Practices: The role of police in maintaining order, responding to crime, and engaging with communities.
• The Courts System: The process of criminal trials, sentencing, and the role of judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys.
• Corrections: The operations of jails, prisons, probation, parole, and the goals of punishment versus rehabilitation.
• Juvenile Justice: The handling of minors within the criminal justice system, including the difference between juvenile and adult justice processes.
• Victimology: The study of victims’ roles in crime, victim impact, and victim assistance programs.

For this assignment, you must use one credible external source (e.g., academic journals, government reports, or reputable organizations) and 34 Sophia tutorials to support your analysis and provide evidence for the current state of the concept.

hint

Avoid non-credible sources like social media or Wikipedia.

When referencing this source or any Sophia tutorials in your response, include an in-text citation using APA format. Visit the resource for more information.

Step 2: Write Your Touchstone

Your Touchstone will have four parts:

1. After selecting your topic and sources, write an introduction that, in your own words, defines and explains the chosen concept in the context of the criminal justice system (200250 words). In the introduction, consider addressing:

• A brief definition of the concept.
• The purpose of this concept within the broader system of criminal justice.
• Any relevant statistics or data that showcase the importance of this concept (e.g., crime rates, incarceration rates, victimization rates).

2. Discuss how this concept operates in real-life situations (300350 words). Provide examples of how this concept is applied in the criminal justice system today, considering challenges or controversies that arise.

There are many applications, but here are some things you could consider:

• If you choose Law Enforcement, you might discuss police-community relations or the use of body cameras.
• If you choose The Courts System, you could analyze plea bargaining or sentencing disparities.
• If you choose Corrections, you could discuss how prisons and jails manage offenders, or how programs like education and job training help people avoid reoffending.
• If you choose Juvenile Justice, you could look at how the system treats young offenders differently from adults, focusing on rehabilitation through programs like counseling or community service.
• If you choose Victimology, you might examine how the criminal justice system supports victims of crime, such as through victim compensation programs or advocacy for their rights in court.

3. In your conclusion, reflect on the future of this concept within criminal justice (250300 words). Consider questions such as:

• What challenges does the criminal justice system face in applying this concept effectively?
• How could reforms improve its application or fairness?
• What might the future hold for this concept in light of evolving public attitudes, policy changes, or new technology?

4. Develop a reference page in APA format. Include evidence and information from 34 tutorials and from one outside source to support your responses.

Step 3: Review and Submit Your Touchstone

Review the rubric to ensure that you understand how you will be evaluated and confirm that your Touchstone is complete.

With this assignment, youve broadened your understanding and analysis of a concept within the criminal justice system and established its real-world connections. Congrats!

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Rubric

	Advanced (100%)	Proficient (85%)	Acceptable (75%)	Needs Improvement (50%)	Non-Performance
Introduction Clear definition and explanation of the chosen concept within the criminal justice system. (25%)	Provides a comprehensive and clear introduction to the concept. Effectively defines the concept and explains its significance within the criminal justice system. The introduction is well organized and fully addresses the topic with rich context and relevant details.	Clearly defines the concept and describes its role within the criminal justice system. The introduction is organized, but it may lack some depth or additional context. The explanation is accurate but could be more thorough.	Provides a basic definition and description of the concept but lacks depth or may miss some key aspects. The introduction may feel somewhat incomplete or generalized.	The introduction is unclear or lacks sufficient details. The definition of the concept may be vague or inaccurate, and the explanation of its significance is weak or missing.	Fails to define or explain the concept. The introduction is missing, unclear, or does not adequately introduce the topic.
Real-World Application There is a detailed analysis of the concepts application in practice, supported by real-world examples. (30%)	Provides a thorough and insightful analysis of how the concept is applied in real-world situations. Demonstrates a clear understanding of the concept’s real-world implications with multiple, specific examples. Includes challenges or controversies that are relevant and well explained.	Gives a clear analysis of the concepts application with at least one specific example. Shows a good understanding of the real-world implications but may lack depth or additional examples. Mentions challenges or controversies, but with less detail.	Provides a basic explanation of how the concept is applied in real life but may lack specific examples or sufficient detail. Challenges or controversies are mentioned, but the analysis is superficial or underdeveloped.	Provides a general explanation of the concept’s application but lacks specific real-world examples. The analysis is vague, and challenges or controversies are not addressed or are unclear.	Fails to adequately address the real-world application of the concept. No relevant examples or discussion of challenges/controversies.
Conclusion Conclusion summarizes the essential elements of the assignment and makes a statement about the future of the topic. (25%)	The conclusion fully summarizes each of the above rubric components and makes an appropriate statement about the future of the topic.	The conclusion generally summarizes the above rubric components and generally makes a statement about the future of the topic.	The conclusion summarizes most of the above rubric components; however, some key elements are missing and the statement about the future of the topic is ambiguous or inaccurate.	The conclusion does not summarize the essential elements of the assignment and the statement about the future of the topic is missing or inaccurately applied.	No conclusion or statement about the future of the topic is provided.
References Sources are appropriately identified and integrated. (10%)	Evidence from four tutorials and one credible outside source is provided and cited in text and in the reference page. Proper APA formatting is used.	Evidence from three tutorials and one credible outside source is provided and cited in text and in the reference page. Proper APA formatting is used.	Evidence from two tutorials and one credible outside source is provided and cited in text and in the reference page. Errors may exist in APA formatting or in-text citations.	An attempt to cite sources is made. Serious errors in source credibility and APA formatting may exist.	No citations or references are provided.
Conventions Submission follows conventions for standard written English and meets requirements. (10%)	There are almost no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization; all length and formatting requirements are met or exceeded.	There are minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that do not impede readability; length and formatting requirements are nearly met.	There are frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that somewhat impede readability; length and formatting requirements are nearly met.	There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability; length and formatting requirements are not met.	Submission does not meet the minimum threshold for points to be awarded.

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