Capstone Paper, Topic is Prison Reentry and Rehabilition

CCJ 4497

Professor Leimberg

Capstone Paper

Directions

You will critically analyze and evaluate a criminal justice policy and make an evidence-based recommendation on whether or not the policy should be eliminated. For your research, you can choose from the list of criminal justice policies provided on Canvas that may be of interest to you.

This paper will be written in the form of a Policy Brief. It should:

· Provide enough background for the reader to understand the problem.

· Convince the reader that the problem must be addressed urgently.

· Provide information about alternatives

· Provide evidence to support one alternative

· Stimulate the reader to make a decision.

Please keep the following requirements in mind:

· Your typewritten paper should be approximately 2,000 words (+/- 500 words); this number does not include the title, abstract, and reference pages. Please include the word count in the title page.

· The paper will require an APA title, Abstract, and reference page (Not included in the total pages required) .

· The paper must be double-spaced , with 1.0-inch margins , in Times New Roman , 12-point type size, font.

· Your paper must draw from a minimum of 10 sources , which must be cited correctly in the text and be documented correctly in the reference page. These sources should be articles from academic journals or books published by an academic press, or other credible sources (NO Wikipedia, Huffington Post, Washington Post, CNN). Your textbook may be used as a source but does not count towards the 5 that are required .

· Do not include theses or dissertations as references. References and in-text citations must be in APA format.

· You need to write your paper in a professional manner. You should review it for grammar and mechanics errors. If you need any additional assistance with your paper, you may make an appointment with FIU’s Center for Excellence in Writing for tutorial services. Be sure to do so in advance as spots fill quickly. The link for more information is: https://writingcenter.fiu.edu/make-an-appointment/

· Assume that I lack any knowledge on your topic.

· The capstone paper should include five sections: Introduction, Review of Previous Research, Policy Effectiveness, Recommendation(s), and Conclusion.

· Your paper is subject to review for text comparison by Turnitin.com , a plagiarism detection service. Any papers that yield a higher percentage (typically above 20%) will be investigated thoroughly. Please refer to the syllabus regarding penalties and disciplinary actions that may result from plagiarism. When in doubt, cite!

· To submit your paper, you will upload your Word document electronically through a link located on the CCJ 2020 Canvas portal on or before the day and time that your paper is due.

· This writing assignment will be graded according to the criteria indicated in the rubric.

· This writing assignment is worth 40% of your final grade.

· Late assignments will NOT be accepted and will result in a grade of “0.”

Additional Information

Title Page

The title page should be the first page of your writing assignment. Directions on how to construct a proper APA title page may be found at this link: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/. Also, see example provided in the Week 6 Module on Canvas. The title aims to catch the attention of the reader and compel him/her to read on, thus your title should be descriptive, punchy, and relevant.

Abstract

The abstract should be a 200-250 word summary of your research and thesis. The purpose of this element is to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper's purpose. Also, see example provided in Week 1 Module on Canvas.

Introduction (Context and importance of the problem)

The purpose of this element of the brief is to convince the target audience that a current and urgent problem exists which requires them to take action. The context and importance of the problem is both the introductory and first building block of the brief. It should include: a clear statement of the problem, an overview of the root causes of the problem, and a clear statement of the policy implications of the problem which clearly establishes the current importance and policy relevance of the issue.

Review of Previous Research/Policy Effectiveness

The aim of this element is to detail shortcomings of the current approach or options being implemented and therefore, illustrate both the need for change and focus of where change needs to occur. It should also detail the evidence about what will likely work better. This section should include: an overview of the policy option(s) in focus and the evidence illustrating why and how the current approach is failing and why and how another option is not failing.

Policy Recommendations

The aim of this section is to provide a detailed and convincing proposal of how the failings of the current policy approach need to change. This can be achieved by including: a breakdown of the specific practical steps or measures that need to be implemented. It could also be useful to emphasize the importance of action.

Conclusion

This section should summarize briefly what the readers should take away from your policy brief. This section should briefly restate your thesis and summarize your main points. Any future

implications or additional insights may be added here.