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Syllabus
Course Description
Policy Analysis in Criminal Justice is the introductory course for the
Masters in Criminal Justice and is required of all students. It is a research
and writing oriented seminar that will prepare students for conducting
criminal justice policy analysis. In the first part of the course, we explore
basic concepts associated with policy, policy making,
and policy analysis. Topics include the role of interest groups and
organizational participants in the policy process, types of policies, and
models of policy research. In the second part of the course, we examine
current criminal justice policies using a straightforward framework for
analysis, which considers the development, implementation, and evaluation of
policies. We will examine what has occurred in policy, why, and at what
benefits or costs. We will also consider policy formulation, which involves
the development of new policy options to remedy public problems.
Course Objectives
The learning objectives of this course include being able to: (1) identify
the varieties of criminal justice policies that currently exist; (2) identify
various influences on crime policy; (3) apply simple steps of policy analysis
to a current policy; (4) apply simple steps of policy development to a
current crime problem; and (5) be prepared to critically analyze criminal
justice policies.
Course Materials
Course notes and handouts appear on the course schedule page. A number of
articles will be submitted in class. The required
books include:
Welsh, W.N.,
& Harris, P.W. (1999).
Criminal Justice Policy and Planning. Cincinnati: Anderson
Publishing Company.
Mauer, M., & Chesney-Lind, M. (2002). Invisible Punishment:
The Collateral Consequences of Mass Imprisonment. New York: New Press.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5/E. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
Course Requirements
Grading Scale: A = 90-100 B =
80-89 C = 70-79 D =
60-69 F = <60
Policy
Statements
This
course is a graduate seminar and is therefore dependent upon discussion and
active participation by each student. Each student must come to class prepared
to discuss the readings and analyze the issues raised therein. To facilitate
discussion, each student will prepare a policy statement for each of the
readings. The policy statements are worth 20% of your final grade. Bring two
copies to class, submitting one at the start of class and retaining the other
for reference during discussion. Late material is not accepted. Policy
statements are short forms of policy briefs (about four pages double spaced), written for use by policy makers,
planners, and researchers in the development and evaluation of policies. The
statements you write will prove quite informative and useful in that they
will highlight timely,
important, and controversial
policy issues and will give
you a deeper understanding of the challenges in policy
making.
In some cases, the reading is clearly about a particular policy and its impacts
while other readings might not discuss policy specifically, but rather imply
policy solutions or highlight how individuals and groups may influence
policy, or challenges in policy making for example.
Your
statement has two parts.
Part
I - Your statement begins with a description of the
issues at hand and the points of view of authors (when relevant). Place the
theme of the reading within a particular policy or set of policies if
relevant. When doing this is not relevant, describe what you see as the
broader ideological perspective(s) or issues highlighted in the reading and
the meaning of the material to criminal justice policy. For example, the Hojnacki reading is about policy making generally (and
presents a variety of issues relevant to policy). The Lipsky
reading is about how groups may affect how policy is actually carried out
(this presents challenges in policy making and may imply
how policy makers can improve the success of policy).
(Part
II) Then address ONE of the following:
A)
Describe the controversial issues involved and when relevant, both sides of
the policy (and ethical) debate as you would describe it (who is involved or affected,
how and at what benefits and costs?)
B)
Describe in specific form what your policy solution would be to address
problems described in the reading. Write it in such a way as to persuade a
policy maker to adopt your point of view and your policy.
Student
Discussants
Each student will serve as discussion leader for one of those readings as
assigned. When you are assigned discussion leader, your statement for that
reading will address both tasks in Part II above so that you are prepared to
discuss the material. As discussion leader, begin by briefly (not more than a
couple of minutes) placing the article in context (Part I of the statement)
and then introduce the ethical debate, open the floor to discussion, and then
when appropriate, move to a discussion of potential policy solutions. Draw
others into discussion. Then summarize the discussion. Each student will be
assigned discussion leader for one reading. This task is worth 5% of your
final grade.
Policy
Research Paper
The
major project for this course is a policy research paper, presented to the
class and submitted electronically as well as in hard copy form. Students have
two options. First, students may prepare an ex post policy analysis. This
involves selecting a current criminal justice or juvenile justice policy and
performing a policy analysis using the steps to policy analysis presented in
class. Your objective is to detail the background of the policy, the specific
nature of the policy, assess the impact of the policy, and make
recommendations. Second, students may complete an ex ante policy analysis.
This involves studying a social problem, selecting a policy option among a
set of alternatives, and planning for policy implementation, monitoring, and
evaluation. Students would submit three drafts of this paper in outline form
over the course of the semester and the final document on as scheduled. The
paper will follow APA format (see required books)
and an outline to be discussed in class. You may use whatever technologies
you wish in your presentation (power point, outlines, etc.). In addition to
submitting the policy research paper, you will distribute to the class a
written summary of your presentation. This project is worth 40% of your final
grade. Late material is never accepted.
Final Exam
The final exam will be in essay format. The exam is worth 35% of your
final grade.
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