Assignment:
The Case
Stella is a 42-year-old married mother of two. She works as an occupational therapist at a private nursing home. She is a respected member of the local community and is a member of the parent teacher association (PTA) at her kids' high school. Stella's husband Peter formerly worked as an investment banker but is currently unemployed. He was convicted of federal tax evasion in 2007 and served 15 months in prison for this offense.
Stella has just been convicted of state income tax evasion, because she had not paid state income tax for the past two years. Other than this offense, she has no previous record of any convictions. It was determined in court that she owes the state $4150 in back taxes and interest.
The maximum punishment for state income tax evasion is a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for 25 years.
Based on your research and findings, prepare the PSI report for Stella. Include the following in your report:
? In the recommendation section of the PSI report, indicate what type of sentence you would recommend.
? If you recommend probation, state the reasons for doing so and specify any conditions that you recommend the court impose.
? If you do not recommend probation, justify your recommendations with appropriate reasoning.
? Explain how your recommended punishment will deter Stella from committing similar crimes in the future.
Cite your sources using APA guidelines.
Assignment 1: 5 to 8 pages Improving Community Corrections
In January 2015, Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan signed two bills into law creating a special commission that would be responsible for "exploring alternatives to incarceration, promoting rehabilitation programs, and making recommendations to the Legislature. The bills aim to improve local alternatives to prison for eligible non-violent offenders and create court consistency across the state" (Michigan House Bills 5828 and 5829, 2015).
You have been appointed to a similar commission in your state. Prepare a report in Microsoft Word that addresses the tasks given below. As you can see from the governor's press release, tasks such as the following are actual real-world tasks that criminal justice professionals may encounter:
? Briefly describe the alternatives to incarceration available in your state. Identify the goal that each program seeks to accomplish (e.g., rehabilitation, deterrence, restoration, etc.).
? Evaluate the effectiveness of pretrial diversion in preventing recidivism. Should pretrial diversion be expanded? What are the benefits to the offender and the state? Are there any drawbacks?
? Evaluate the use of probation in your state. Describe how probation officers may utilize community-based resources for the purpose of rehabilitating probationers.
? Conclude by offering at least three well-reasoned recommendations for promoting rehabilitation programs and providing viable alternatives to incarceration for your state.
In a report of this type, data should accompany any recommendations to support the points being made. For this assignment, you might find the following resource helpful, along with your textbook, classroom material, and other appropriate outside sources:
A National Survey of Criminal Justice Diversion Programs and Initiatives
Source:
Michigan Office of the Governor. (2015, January 12). Gov. Rick Snyder signs bills to boost public safety through DNA collection at time of arrest.
Cite your sources using APA guidelines.
Assignment 2: 3 to 4 pages Juvenile Group Home
You work for the administrator in charge of juvenile corrections in your county. She is considering adding a secure group home to the juvenile system and has given you the task of researching the issue. Prepare a report in a Microsoft Word document that addresses the following points and cite all your sources in APA format:
? Explain how group homes can be effective as an alternative to incarceration for juvenile offenders.
? Review any drawbacks, including concerns regarding costs, security, and impact on the offenders.
? Discuss the challenges associated with using group homes as an alternative to incarceration.
? Discuss other programs that can reduce the recidivism rate of juvenile offenders.
? Explain how group homes can be used in conjunction with restorative justice.
? Conclude by recommending whether or not a group home is a good solution and explain your reasoning. If it is a good idea, then specify the types of offenders it would be appropriate for.
In this assignment scenario, you are a member of your state's parole board reviewing an inmate's case.
Case:
John White is eligible to be considered for discretionary parole. He was convicted of armed robbery and has been in prison for eight and a half years. The robbery resulted in two broken fingers and concussion for the victim. John was originally sentenced to ten years. Two of John's high school friends were also convicted of the robbery, one of whom has already been released.
John is 25 years old and never married. He has no known children. The pre-sentence investigation (PSI) report indicates he had methamphetamine in his system at the time of arrest. He did not finish high school but earned a GED while in prison. He has a tattoo which might indicate that he is, or was, a member of a local gang.
John's brother owns a convenience store and has offered to hire him as a manager if he is released.
As a member of the state's parole board, answer the following:
? create a proper parole agreement for this offender. The agreement should use proper terminology and lay out the conditions that the offender must meet. To view a sample parole agreement, click here. Use this sample agreement as a guideline only. You will need to create an agreement specific to the scenario in this assignment.
? In a separate section, justify any conditions that you included in the agreement.
? Indicate what additional information, if any, you would seek before determining whether to grant parole in this case.