Law - Criminal Assignment III

Writing Assignment III: Reflective Essay on Criminological Theory and Contemporary

Instructions:

Read/browse the following two policy/research briefs (attachments are reading 1 and reading 2):

1. Rosenfeld, Richard, and Ernesto Lopez. 2021. “National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice.” Council on Criminal Justice

2. “Research Brief: Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Restrictions on Homicide and Property Crime.” United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2021.

Use social theory (in this case, criminological theory) to explain, or account for, what our society is witnessing regarding very recent crime trends. While I want this to be general and reflective, students should ruminate on the following issues:

1. Discuss some of the key findings regarding trends in various crimes during the pandemic. In particular, realizing there may be some differences between the global and American data, are various forms of crime increasing or decreasing during the pandemic? Do you think this “trend” in criminal behavior is impacted by the pandemic, or is something else at work? Why or why not?

2. Based on the course of the pandemic (i.e., from both a public health, social-distancing standpoint, as well as an economic standpoint), do you think any current trends in criminal behavior will continue in the short-term (1-3 years) future, or will the situation reverse course?

3. Lastly, employ the use of criminological theory to explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has, at least initially, impacted crime. Students are encouraged to use different theories to explain why some of the crime-impacting effects of the pandemic have been different across crime type (e.g., some crime types might have increased during the pandemic, while some may have decreased).

Keep in mind that there are necessarily no right or wrong answers here, but I am more interested in assessing your ability to apply criminological theory to real-world events. In other words, use the readings and the theories to make your arguments!!

Format:

-The assignment should be approximately two pages.

-No PLAIGIARISM