criminal justice and public health policy reforms to reduce the impact of drug-related crime

The final paper will propose a set of criminal justice and public health policy reforms to reduce the impact of drug-related crime and its health and social consequences.  Your proposed policy reforms should include a theoretical framework for why you believe the reforms would be effective, a historical perspective to argue why current policies are lacking or your proposed policy has merit, and where appropriate, data and prior research to back up your arguments.

Proposed policies or interventions might include changes in sentencing laws, increased access to treatment or prevention, a more or less punitive approach to drug use and drug sale, decriminalization, changes in budget priorities, or other new legislation, social programs, or policies.  Students will be graded on their ability to critically analyze a problem and its causes, and provide a defensible argument in favor of the proposed policy reforms.

The final paper should be 10-15 pages in length (excluding title page, abstract, and reference page). Students are required to utilize at least five scholarly peer-reviewed journals, two social science textbooks, and two websites as their supporting references. Finally, students will then adapt their final paper to a 10-15 Slide PowerPoint presentation that will demonstrate theoretical framework, policy, educational goals, and recommendations.  Students will reveal how they think the PowerPoint presentation could be used to educate various agencies such as the police department, university, community programs, and other outreach programs currently affected by drugs, addiction, and crime.