Causes and Reaction to Controversy

CJ 560 Milestone Two Guidelines and Rubric Overview: This milestone will allow you to complete the Causes of Controversy and Reaction to Controversy portions of your final project. You will identify and analyze the underlying cause(s) of the controversy related to the court case. Then explore whether the courts could have taken any alternative courses of direction that would have remedied the situation more appropriately and effectively. Prompt: In this milestone, create a draft of the Causes and Reaction to Controversy portions of your final project. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Causes of Controversy A. Media Coverage: Assess the impact of media coverage of the case on the judicial process. For instance, how did the news media shape public

perception of the case? How did this, in turn, affect the court proceedings? Or, how did the selection of photographs and videos used by the media impact public opinion and the judicial process?

B. Fairness: Assess the fairness of the administration of the judicial process in your case. In other words, how fair and equitable was the judicial process? Why did the judicial process cause such a controversy?

II. Reaction to Controversy

A. Reaction Explanation: Explain the reaction by the criminal justice court system, the media, and local, state, or national politicians to the perceived equality of the judicial process, supporting your response with specific examples. For instance, were politicians acting in a way that caused bias? Did local media provide objective coverage of the case? Did national media demonstrate sufficient, in-depth knowledge of the facts?

B. Reaction Defense: Justify, with evidence, the appropriateness and effectiveness of the court system’s reaction to the controversy during the trial. Ensure that you communicate your justification clearly and effectively.

C. Alternatives Explanation: How could the court system have responded more appropriately and effectively to the controversy during and after the trial? In other words, what alternative courses of direction could the court system have taken? How could the judicial system have worked in a more fair and ethical way?

D. Alternatives Defense: Defend, with evidence, your conclusions about how the court system could have taken an alternative course of direction that might have remedied the situation more appropriately and effectively. Ensure that you communicate your defense clearly and effectively.

Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your draft of the Causes of Controversy and Reaction to Controversy portions of your final project will be submitted as a presentation and must include speaker notes or a transcript. Audio and video are strongly encouraged because of the importance of communication in the criminal justice profession. Your presentation should have 5–7 slides, although this is a minimum requirement; depending on the controversial court case you select, you may need more slides to comprehensively analyze your court case. You should use current APA style guidelines for your citations and reference list, with a minimum of three sources.

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (90%) Not Evident (0%) Value Causes: Media

Coverage Assesses the impact of media coverage of the case on the judicial process

Assesses the impact of media coverage of the case on the judicial process, but response lacks sufficient detail or has gaps in logic

Does not assess the impact of media coverage of the case on the judicial process

15

Causes: Fairness Assesses the fairness of the administration of the judicial process of the case

Assesses the fairness of the administration of the judicial process of the case, but with gaps in detail or logic

Does not assess the fairness of the administration of the judicial process of the case.

15

Reaction: Reaction Explanation

Explains the reaction by the criminal justice court system, the media, and local, state, or national politicians to the perceived equality of the judicial process, supporting response with specific examples

Explains the reaction by the criminal justice court system, the media, and local, state, or national politicians to the perceived equality of the judicial process, but with gaps in detail or support

Does not explain the reaction by the criminal justice court system, the media, and local, state, or national politicians to the perceived equality of the judicial process

15

Reaction: Reaction Defense

Clearly and effectively justifies, with evidence, the appropriateness and effectiveness of the court system’s reaction to the controversy

Justifies, with evidence, the appropriateness and effectiveness of the court system’s reaction to the controversy, but with gaps in clarity, effectiveness, or logic

Does not justify, with evidence, the appropriateness and effectiveness of the court system’s reaction to the controversy

15

Reaction: Alternatives Explanation

Determines how the court system could have responded more appropriately and effectively to the controversy during and after the trial

Determines how the court system could have responded more appropriately and effectively to the controversy during and after the trial, but response has gaps in detail, clarity, or logic

Does not determine how the court system could have responded more appropriately and effectively to the controversy during and after the trial

15

Reaction: Alternatives Defense

Clearly and effectively defends, with evidence, conclusions about how court system could have taken an alternative course of direction that might have remedied the situation more appropriately and effectively

Defends, with evidence, conclusions about how court system could have taken an alternative course of direction that might have remedied the situation more appropriately and effectively, but with gaps in clarity, effectiveness, or logic

Does not defend, with evidence, conclusions about how court system could have taken an alternative course of direction that might have remedied the situation more appropriately and effectively

15

Articulation of Response

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

10

Total 100%