10/21/2017 Criminal Investigations

Assignment 1: Consent—What does It Mean in Sexual Assault Cases?

Centervale Police Officer Michael James has received a call to investigate an alleged sexual assault. He knows that there are several important issues in the investigation of sexual assaults. The same tenets of investigations apply to these cases. In addition, there are some unique aspects of these crimes that are important for the investigator to note. One of those items is the question of consent.

Submission Details:

By the due date assigned, in at least 250 words, post to the Discussion Area your responses to the following questions:

• What are some of the important points for the investigation?
• How would the behavior of the investigating officer toward the victim impact the investigation? How important is it for the investigator to be fair and neutral toward the victim?
• How will the age of the victim affect the investigation?

Registrants—The Effect of Investigation

The investigation in this sexual assault case results in a conviction with several penalties. One of those penalties results in registration as a sex offender. This registration with local authorities continues for the entire life of the offender.

Answer the following questions:

• What do you think about the need to have those with convictions in this area register with local authorities?
• Should there be a limited time as a registrant, or should the registration go on forever? Does the duration depend on the crime?
• What are some of the minor offenses, and which of them should be excluded from registration?
• How has the Sex Offender Registry Program impacted society? Is it worth it? Are there certain types of individuals convicted of sexual crimes who should not be mandated to register?

Through the end of the module, respond to at least two of your classmates' posts by commenting on their examples and explanations.

Discussion Grading Criteria and Rubric

All discussion assignments in this course will be graded using a rubric. This assignment is worth 40 points. Download the discussion rubric and carefully read it to understand the expectations.

Grading CriteriaMaximum PointsQuality of initial posting, including fulfillment of assignment instructions16Quality of responses to classmates12Frequency of responses to classmates4Reference to supporting readings and other materials4Language and grammar4Total:40