CJ 500 4-1 Legal Policy Short Paper

1. Issue Presented: Summarize the issue in the form of a brief one-sentence question. 2. Short Answer: Provide a short answer which summarizes the conclusion of the paper. 3. Statement of Facts: Describe how the issue may negatively affect public perception of the criminal justice system. 4. Discussion: Provide a brief discussion of the issue, including the recent history of the issue and any legal precedents related to it. 5. Conclusion: Provide a conclusion based on the details of the issue outlined in the Discussion section. 6. Recommendations: a) What recommendations should be in place to make sure that the jury pool contains a fair cross section of the community? b) What are types of evidence-based practices can be employed to have people of lower socioeconomic status more willing to serve on a jury? c) Based on your analysis of the issue using conflict theory, what are the best practices to ensure random selection of individuals to serve on a jury? d) Address what the impact of this issue is on the criminal justice system. Are more organizations than only courts affected by this? Include examples of the impact on the different branches of the criminal justice system

TOPIC IN RUBRIC

CJ 500 Module Four Legal Policy Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric

Overview: For this assignment, you will write a short paper addressing the controversial issue of obtaining a fair cross section of jurors to serve on a jury. By
analyzing this specific issue, this paper will help prepare you for your Milestone Two submission in Module Five, where you will provide an in-depth analysis of
the contemporary criminal justice issue that you have selected for your final project.

The continuing underrepresentation of some groups—including minorities, young adults, and the poor—remains a concern in attempting to create a fair cross
section of the community represented on juries. One reason for this underrepresentation is obvious racism, bigotry, and prejudice. Another reason is that the
poor often cannot afford to be on juries, because they will miss work and be compensated at a much lower wage to serve on the jury. Social class plays a strong
role in conflict theory, as the theory suggests socioeconomic status directly affects the selection of jurors and the disparity in social class of those incarcerated in
this country. Often, attorneys use peremptory challenges to exclude jurors, which require no show of cause or reasonable grounds to exclude. These peremptory
challenges are often utilized when a juror seems apathetic or disinterested in the process. Peremptory challenges are limited in number, whereas challenges for
cause (some type of conflict, bias, or affiliation with the involved parties) are unlimited.

Prompt: Address the following critical elements in your paper:

1. Issue Presented: Summarize the issue in the form of a brief one-sentence question.
2. Short Answer: Provide a short answer which summarizes the conclusion of the paper.
3. Statement of Facts: Describe how the issue may negatively affect public perception of the criminal justice system.
4. Discussion: Provide a brief discussion of the issue, including the recent history of the issue and any legal precedents related to it.
5. Conclusion: Provide a conclusion based on the details of the issue outlined in the Discussion section.
6. Recommendations:

a) What recommendations should be in place to make sure that the jury pool contains a fair cross section of the community?
b) What are types of evidence-based practices can be employed to have people of lower socioeconomic status more willing to serve on a jury?
c) Based on your analysis of the issue using conflict theory, what are the best practices to ensure random selection of individuals to serve on a

jury?
d) Address what the impact of this issue is on the criminal justice system. Are more organizations than only courts affected by this? Include

examples of the impact on the different branches of the criminal justice system.

Reference your course readings in your submission to support your answers.

Guidelines for Submission: Your submission should be 2 to 3 pages in length (in addition to title and reference pages) and should use double spacing, 12-point
Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Use APA style to cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page.

Refer to the Criminal Justice Library Tips for assistance in finding and citing outside sources.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Issue Presented Meets “Proficient” criteria and

question is a succinct and clear
summary of the issue

Summarizes the issue in a one-
sentence question

Summarizes the issue in a one-
sentence question, but summary
contains inaccuracies

Does not summarize the issue in
a one-sentence question

6

Short Answer Meets “Proficient” criteria and
short answer is a succinct and
clear summary of the conclusion

Provides a short answer that
summarizes the conclusion of
the paper

Provides a short answer that
summarizes the conclusion of
the paper, but summary lacks
detail or contains
inaccuracies

Does not provide a short answer
that summarizes the conclusion
of the paper

6

Statement of Facts Meets “Proficient” criteria
substantiated with evidence to
support description

Describes how the issue may
negatively affect public
perception of the criminal justice
system

Describes how the issue may
negatively affect public
perception of the criminal justice
system, but description lacks
detail or contains inaccuracies

Does not describe how the issue
may negatively affect public
perception of the criminal justice
system

12

Discussion Meets “Proficient” criteria
substantiated with research to
support discussion

Provides a discussion of the
issue, including the recent
history of the issue and any legal
precedents related to it

Provides a discussion of the
issue, but does not include the
recent history of the issue or any
legal precedents related to it

Does not provide a discussion of
the issue

12

Conclusion Meets “Proficient” criteria
substantiated with evidence to
support discussion

Provides a conclusion based on
the details of the issue outlined
in the Discussion section

Provides a conclusion based on
the details of the issue outlined
in the Discussion section, but
conclusion lacks detail or
contains inaccuracies

Does not provide a conclusion
based on the details of the issue
outlined in the Discussion
section

12

Recommendations:
Fair Cross Section

Meets “Proficient” criteria
substantiated with evidence to
support identification

Identifies the recommendations
that should be in place to make
sure the jury pool contains a fair
cross section of the community

Identifies the recommendations
that should be in place to make
sure the jury pool contains a fair
cross section of the community,
but with gaps in detail or
recommendations that include
inaccuracies

Does not identify the
recommendations that should
be in place to make sure the jury
pool contains a fair cross section
of the community

12

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

http://snhu-media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository/graduate/cj/cj500/cj500_criminal_justice_library_tips

Recommendations:
Evidence-Based

Practices

Meets “Proficient” criteria
substantiated with citations from
the course readings to support
practices

Identifies the types of evidence-
based practices that can be
employed to have people of
lower socioeconomic status
more willing to serve on a jury

Identifies the types of evidence-
based practices that can be
employed to have people of
lower socioeconomic status
more willing to serve on a jury,
but with gaps in detail or with
strategies that contain
inaccuracies

Does not identify the types of
evidence-based practices that
can be employed to have people
of lower socioeconomic status
more willing to serve on a jury

12

Recommendations:
Random Selection

Meets “Proficient” criteria
substantiated with citations from
the course readings to support
best practices

Identifies best practices to
ensure random selection of
individuals to serve on a jury
based on analysis of the issue
using conflict theory

Identifies best practices to
ensure random selection of
individuals to serve on a jury
based on analysis of the issue
using conflict theory, but
analysis lacks detail or contains
inaccuracies

Does not identify best practices
to ensure random selection of
individuals to serve on a jury
based on an analysis using
conflict theory

12

Recommendations:
Impact

Meets “Proficient” criteria
substantiated with research to
support description

Describes the impact of the issue
on the criminal justice system,
including examples of the impact
on the different branches within
the system

Describes the impact of the issue
on the criminal justice system,
but does not include examples
of the impact on the different
branches within the system, or
description lacks detail

Does not describe the impact of
the issue on the criminal justice
system

12

Articulation of
Response

Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization, and is presented in
a professional and easy to read
format

Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas

Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas

4

Total 100%

• CJ 500 Module Four Legal Policy Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric