essay

Introduction

It is time to bring everything you have learned so far this semester together in a research paper. This essay will take both the knowledge you have gained about current issues in our justice system and the skills you have learned about academic reading, writing, and research together.

Task

Write an essay that summarizes the problem, analyzes the contributing factors, and makes an argument about the effectiveness of major reform efforts currently underway around the nation.

Requirements: *draw an outline

• A clear summary and analysis of the problem (Use Essay 1 & 2 for this section. You have written on this already)
• A clear argument about current reform efforts (this is not a report. You MUST make an argument and have analysis in your essay to pass)
• Direct quotes from your sources to support your ideas
• Sources should be synthesized clearly
• Analysis of quotes should reflect strong critical thinking skills
• 7-8 pages in length
• 6-7 sources and an annotated bibliography, at least two of your sources must come from an academic journal. The remaining sources must be reliable, but don’t have to be from an academic press (this will be turned in as a separate assignment).

Materials to review

• Criminal Justice Reform Initiative (Links to an external site.), House of Representatives Judiciary Committee 
• Brookings- Criminal justice reform: Issues and options for the next president | Brookings Institution.pdf