Pick one thing that you believe could be done to improve the relationship between police and communities of color and discuss in detail offering support for your position. The change can be to the community or to the police department/officers.
I suggest one thing and say to discuss it in detail because I want to avoid getting a string of vague phrases. We're entering week two of reading about the criminal justice system so you are probably developing an educated opinion about such things.
If you don't feel like you have enough knowledge related to police relationships with communities of color to write the paper, there are plenty of resources available.
You might consider:
- How would your suggestion be implemented?
- Would it be necessary for police officers to "buy into" your suggestion and if so, how would you achieve that "buy in"? "What's in it for them?
- Is the cost a significant factor in why your suggestion has not already been implemented?If so, from where would you suggest police departments or the community get the money?
- Is the thing to be changed a new problem in police departments/the community or has it always been present? If it has always been present, why is it just now causing problems (assuming that is the case)?
- How would the success of your change be measured-what would success look like?
- What are the likely obstacles to your suggestion being implemented? Unimaginative leaders, resistant front-line officers, community members/leaders, funding, etc.?
- How do you believe the other group (either the police or the community--depending on where the change is to be implemented) will react to the change?
You need not address any of these and you are welcome to address any other issues. In addition, if you feel it necessary to address more than one related suggestion for improving the relationship between police and communities of color, that is permissible so long at they are supported.
No directly quoted material may be used in this project paper.
Resources should be summarized or paraphrased with appropriate in-text and Resource page citations.
Mini-Papers are single page reflections on a question or exercise. The paper is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate their comprehension of the course material and to apply it to the situation presented. The paper is also an opportunity for the student to demonstrate composition skills. Feedback will be provided for both content and composition. The instructor will create one (1) mini-paper topics/questions.
The mini-paper will be scheduled to be available to students at the beginning of the week corresponding with the mini-paper "Due Date" in the Course Schedule. A designated Mini-Paper rubric will be used to grade and provide feedback on this one-page assignments. Although the mini-paper is NOT a research assignment per se, it may be appropriate to require at least one outside source. Instructors may choose any course-relevant topic they wish, including any current event germane to the course.
Assignment: In a week that includes a Mini-Paper, a separate assignment will appear in the Discussion section of the classroom. These special Mini-Paper questions are NOT to be answered in the Discussions. The one-page response is to be submitted as a MS WORD document by the due date specified.
Format:
- One full page, headed with the student's name
- Narrative must be with 1 inch margins, in #12 font type.
- References from any supportive resource materials must be cited in the narrative and on a separate Bibliography page using the American Psychological Association (APA) format.