CJMS 620 Project Descriptions

CJMS 620 Project Descriptions________________________________________ These followin" rel="nofollow">ing requirements apply to each essay assignment and the fin" rel="nofollow">inal examin" rel="nofollow">ination in" rel="nofollow">in addition to the requirements listed for each project description. Content The content of all written assignments will focus on the adult U.S. correctional system. Avoid research and reference to the juvenile system as well as other world correctional organizations. This is not a comparative analysis course. The focus of this course is the management of adult prison systems and not issues related to probation or jail systems. Peer Reviewed Journals Pay particular attention to the assignment in" rel="nofollow">instructions regardin" rel="nofollow">ing peer review journal requirements. The articles selected to meet this requirement must not be from the same journal. In other words, if the requirement is to utilize three peer reviewed journals, they must all be from different journals. Once the min" rel="nofollow">inimum is satisfied, you may use duplicate journal sources. Please check every peer reviewed journal with ulrichsweb. If ulrichsweb does not identify the journal as a peer reviewed journal (if the journal does not have a black shield icon associated with it), do not use it as one of your total refereed journals. A lin" rel="nofollow">ink to ulrichsweb is found in" rel="nofollow">in the UMUC library site. Additionally, there will be a discussion designed to assist the student in" rel="nofollow">in understandin" rel="nofollow">ing the nature of peer reviewed journals. Use of Sub-headin" rel="nofollow">ings and Abstracts Unless specifically approved by the in" rel="nofollow">instructor, sub-headin" rel="nofollow">ings are NOT to be used. Abstracts should also not be used in" rel="nofollow">in these short academic papers. They merely waste space are are not functional given the length of these assignments. Deductions will be taken for either occurrence. Additional Reference Guidance Do not use quotes or other written material from the in" rel="nofollow">instructor, or web sites as a reference. There may be times when a statistic from a reputable web resource such as the Crimin" rel="nofollow">inal Justice Institute or the Bureau of Justice Assistance site might be useful to document a measurable issue and that is acceptable only after you meet the min" rel="nofollow">inimum requirement for refereed journal articles. Never use sites such as Wikipedia in" rel="nofollow">in graduate research. Avoid references to newspapers and television shows as well. This is a graduate class in" rel="nofollow">in adult correctional management. It may be helpful to consider what sources you select to support your thesis statement if you consider the document as a "white paper" you are goin" rel="nofollow">ing to provide to the Governor as background for a speech he is preparin" rel="nofollow">ing. In such a scenario, you would use only the best sources and most reliable and reputable writers. Such resources reside in" rel="nofollow">in peer review journals. Use of Personal Pronouns Please remember to avoid the use of personal pronouns (I, me, you, we, etc.) in" rel="nofollow">in your essay. There is a discussion of this issue in" rel="nofollow">in the first day of “Class Announcements,” and the use of such pronouns will reflect upon the tone of the essay up to a deduction of a maximum of 10 percent of the total possible grade. You can set your Word spell/grammar check to identify the use of personal pronouns, which will help you fin" rel="nofollow">ind any usage you may have missed when you proofread the paper. Paper 1 (5 pages, 5 references %) - Position Analysis Paper: The Growth of Adult Corrections in" rel="nofollow">in the United States Background: The growth of adult corrections in" rel="nofollow">in the United States is a critical issue for the correctional admin" rel="nofollow">inistrator as evidenced by a number of the readin" rel="nofollow">ings in" rel="nofollow">in the first few weeks of this class. It is a perennial political policy issue for legislators, a difficult challenge for the executive branch of government, and a popular topic for the wide variety of news media available to the public today. Growth affects departmental policy, program opportunities and, most importantly, budget development. Although there are dramatic variations from state to state, there are clear trends that can be analyzed projectin" rel="nofollow">ing future correctional growth. Even if no growth occurs in" rel="nofollow">in caseload, in" rel="nofollow">increases in" rel="nofollow">in the cost of in" rel="nofollow">inflation guarantees that the future budget will be larger than the current year appropriation. Assignment: The objective of this assignment is to evaluate the history of U.S. correctional populations (prisons) sin" rel="nofollow">ince 1980 and some conclusions regardin" rel="nofollow">ing the probable impact of the trend you identify upon the U.S. correctional system and the crimin" rel="nofollow">inal justice system if appropriate. Students are to use library resources to fin" rel="nofollow">ind at least three peer reviewed, refereed or academic journal articles (or other reference documents once this min" rel="nofollow">inimum requirement is achieved) relatin" rel="nofollow">ing to the growth of adult corrections in" rel="nofollow">in the United States durin" rel="nofollow">ing this critical time period. Keep in" rel="nofollow">in min" rel="nofollow">ind that the Federal prison system has nothin" rel="nofollow">ing to do with the state prison systems. The Federal Bureau of Prisons is only one of many system variables in" rel="nofollow">in the United States. One of the purposes of this assignment is to develop the student's ability to do graduate level research on a topic. The essay must be a min" rel="nofollow">inimum of five complete pages of text. You may not use an abstract or any subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings in" rel="nofollow">in your essay. Remember not to use personal pronouns or refer to yourself as the writer in" rel="nofollow">in any way. Main" rel="nofollow">intain" rel="nofollow">in an objective voice. Stay within" rel="nofollow">in the time frame of the essay as stated in" rel="nofollow">in this question. Resist the temptation of tryin" rel="nofollow">ing to start sin" rel="nofollow">ince the begin" rel="nofollow">innin" rel="nofollow">ing of time or the origin" rel="nofollow">ins of prisons in" rel="nofollow">in the country. Do not discuss jail or juvenile populations sin" rel="nofollow">ince this question is about adult prison populations and management. The title page and the reference page(s) do not apply to this min" rel="nofollow">inimum requirement. Please in" rel="nofollow">insure that you address the followin" rel="nofollow">ing issues in" rel="nofollow">in your essay: • the overall growth of adult correctional (prison) populations in" rel="nofollow">in the United States (keepin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in min" rel="nofollow">ind that measurement is the key to this element); • Measurement defin" rel="nofollow">initions and related issues. (For example, if the general population in" rel="nofollow">increases durin" rel="nofollow">ing that period by a specific percentage and the prison population grows by the same percentage, there is really no "real" growth associated with that trend. It should be a population growth that is anticipated and funded). Make sure that you identify and discuss the term "in" rel="nofollow">incarceration rate" in" rel="nofollow">in your analysis. • identification of the key factors associated with this growth pattern (what are the documented issues you can identify and cite that have fueled these changes); • the impact associated with this growth on correctional systems (notice this does not in" rel="nofollow">include generic sociological impacts); • the possible solutions to correctional population growth or the contin" rel="nofollow">inuin" rel="nofollow">ing efforts associated with the relief of growth tendencies; • the probable results of the correctional growth trend you have identified. Paper 2 (5 pages, 5 references) - Research Paper: Budget Constrain" rel="nofollow">ints Background: Fiscal management is one of the most important policy decisions that a top prison admin" rel="nofollow">inistrator must deal with in" rel="nofollow">in the course of employment. Fiscal management is a combin" rel="nofollow">ination of budgetin" rel="nofollow">ing skills, political acumen, and operational experience and understandin" rel="nofollow">ing. The fiscal environment is very dynamic and altered by monetary realities, executive branch and legislative branch goals, judicial in" rel="nofollow">intervention, stakeholder pressure, operational realities, and operational (health and safety) necessities. The budget calendar is always in" rel="nofollow">in play and the prison chief executive's job often depends on fiscal outcomes. Although at first blush it may appear that there are few options in" rel="nofollow">in managin" rel="nofollow">ing fiscal resources, this is far from the truth. Great admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators are extremely creative and resourceful. They recognize that all options are always in" rel="nofollow">in play. The chief executive of the system relies upon each facility admin" rel="nofollow">inistrator to plan and submit a budget that will be in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in the overall departmental presentation to the governor and ultimately to the legislature for review, negotiation and adjustment, and fin" rel="nofollow">inal fiscal authorization in" rel="nofollow">in the form of an overall budget bill. This is generally in" rel="nofollow">initiated in" rel="nofollow">in the house rather than the senate. Once approved, it is the chief executive's responsibility to hold each admin" rel="nofollow">inistrator accountable for the overall implementation of the budget allotment for his or her facility. Assignment: You are the warden of a state department of corrections prison, responsible for operatin" rel="nofollow">ing the state prison under your command within" rel="nofollow">in the budget process. Your prison in" rel="nofollow">inmate count has in" rel="nofollow">increased each of the last five years and the prison is thus overcrowded. The legislature does not want to have a tax in" rel="nofollow">increase to fund the in" rel="nofollow">increasin" rel="nofollow">ing corrections budget. The result is that your budget for the upcomin" rel="nofollow">ing fiscal year has not in" rel="nofollow">increased with the exception of the in" rel="nofollow">inflationary in" rel="nofollow">increases to main" rel="nofollow">intain" rel="nofollow">in the same budget levels as durin" rel="nofollow">ing the last year. The legislature has made it clear that the prison admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators must fin" rel="nofollow">ind a way to reduce the cost of operations over the previous year in" rel="nofollow">in order to operate within" rel="nofollow">in the current budget. Once the appropriation is approved by the legislature, there is no returnin" rel="nofollow">ing for a "second bite of the apple." The budget negotiations are over until the next legislative cycle. Your boss, the director/commissioner, has asked you to develop and implement a proactive plan to operate your facility for the next year within" rel="nofollow">in the budget restrictions funded by the legislature. If you fail to operate your facility within" rel="nofollow">in the appropriation, you will probably be removed from your position as a warden. Although you must reduce the in" rel="nofollow">increased budget needs, you must also still operate the prison in" rel="nofollow">in a safe and effective manner. Discuss the steps you would take to operate within" rel="nofollow">in the legislatively approved budget. This essay must respond to this question. First, provide a solid, detailed discussion of the issues and challenges associated with this budgetary problem. Such a discussion might in" rel="nofollow">include (this is certain" rel="nofollow">inly not an exhaustive list) political realities, legal responsibilities, and some recognition of the extent of authority that the warden has both from a legal and a practical perspective. Second, discuss the options that appear to be available to you as the prison warden. Third, identify the options you in" rel="nofollow">intend to adopt. This paper must be a min" rel="nofollow">inimum of five pages and must in" rel="nofollow">include a plan to in" rel="nofollow">insure the budget realities are met. This 5-page total does not in" rel="nofollow">include the title page and the reference page. Include some in" rel="nofollow">in-text citations to support your statements, but do not allow the citations to be the bulk of your explanation. Use the library to meet the min" rel="nofollow">inimum of three peer review (refereed) or scholarly journals. This exercise in" rel="nofollow">involves the examin" rel="nofollow">ination of a very practical and real problem one can expect to face at the upper management levels. Keep the followin" rel="nofollow">ing thoughts in" rel="nofollow">in min" rel="nofollow">ind while framin" rel="nofollow">ing a response. Remember to avoid the use of personal pronouns, even though it may appear that this question requires a first person response. Do not use subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings or lists to respond to this question. Discuss each option usin" rel="nofollow">ing graduate level rhetoric and transition from one recommendation to the next. Summarize all of the recommendations in" rel="nofollow">in the conclusion paragraph of the essay. • There are always many ways to approach this problem. Thin" rel="nofollow">ink outside the box if you have to. • Consider the role of both the executive and legislative branch in" rel="nofollow">in the budget process. • The past does not always dictate the future. • Sometimes solutions demand approval from the director/commissioner and sometimes they do not. Are there any operational steps that might help relief the fiscal crisis? • Every management decision at this level can generate new opportunities for an agency. • Keep in" rel="nofollow">in min" rel="nofollow">ind that the yearly budget is similar to a home checkbook. You cannot overdraw the remain" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing balance, sin" rel="nofollow">ince that is illegal in" rel="nofollow">in most jurisdictions without legislative approval. Sin" rel="nofollow">ince that money now has to go a little further than the previous year, you obviously need to fin" rel="nofollow">ind some operational ways to cut the facility spendin" rel="nofollow">ing. • It would be helpful to start with a list of expenses such as staff salaries, staffin" rel="nofollow">ing levels, medical costs, food costs, etc. Conduct research on what items are in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in the operatin" rel="nofollow">ing budget for a facility. • There may be solutions that would save the department money but would also take the approval and implementation by the system executive (the director or commissioner). • Do not suggest any ways to cut recidivism. This is a problem with your current budget (1 year) and no changes in" rel="nofollow">in sentencin" rel="nofollow">ing laws or programs aimed at reducin" rel="nofollow">ing recidivism can affect your current budget. • If some solutions require departmental approval (director/commissioner) and are not under the warden's complete control, discuss that. • You do not have any money to spend for items not in" rel="nofollow">in the current budget. Do not suggest spendin" rel="nofollow">ing more money to save money unless the savin" rel="nofollow">ings is immediate and the return can be demonstrated. Paper 3 (5 pages, 5 references) - Budget and Policy Realities: Inmate Medical Care Background: Paper #1 focused on the growth of adult correctional populations in" rel="nofollow">in the United States in" rel="nofollow">in general terms. This paper will fin" rel="nofollow">ine tune that discussion, and apply it to a practical, real world management problem facin" rel="nofollow">ing every prison system. This paper targets medical programs and specifically addresses the consideration of in" rel="nofollow">inmate populations, budget constrain" rel="nofollow">ints and policy alternatives for top-level management to consider. Controllin" rel="nofollow">ing Inmate Medical Care Cost: The objective of this assignment is to apply what you have learned thus far concernin" rel="nofollow">ing the impact of population and budget constrain" rel="nofollow">ints on a specific program area within" rel="nofollow">in a prison system: medical care. Background in" rel="nofollow">information for the essay: The followin" rel="nofollow">ing real budget numbers from a prison system will be used for this exercise. This reflects the results of budget negotiations that took place reducin" rel="nofollow">ing the origin" rel="nofollow">inal budget request to in" rel="nofollow">insure that the state budget remain" rel="nofollow">ined within" rel="nofollow">in the projected revenue, which is a requirement of state law. This state cannot appropriate more funds than it receives in" rel="nofollow">in revenues (taxes are the bulk of the revenue). Prison average population: 13,696 in" rel="nofollow">inmates Annual budget: 282.9 million dollars Average yearly cost per in" rel="nofollow">inmate: $20,656 Average yearly medical cost per in" rel="nofollow">inmate: $3,544 ANATOMY OF THE PRISON BUDGET 85% PERSONNEL (hirin" rel="nofollow">ing, train" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing and retention costs) 5% MEDICAL (total in" rel="nofollow">inmate medical expense) 4% INMATE DRIVEN (items such as food and clothin" rel="nofollow">ing which is allotted per in" rel="nofollow">inmate in" rel="nofollow">in the system) 1% OPERATING AND ASSESSMENTS (utilities, etc.) 1% BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND EQUIPMENT. (Repairs, replacement of such thin" rel="nofollow">ings as a dishwasher, etc.) The Problem: In a study of the screenin" rel="nofollow">ing results of a random population of 469 prisoners for the Hepatitis C Virus Infection (HCV) by Fox et al in" rel="nofollow">in 2015 of the California state correctional system, 34.3% in" rel="nofollow">indicated the prevalence of the in" rel="nofollow">infection and a higher rate of 65.7 % was in" rel="nofollow">indicated for those with a history of in" rel="nofollow">injection drug use. Contrast this rate with the general U.S. population rate of about 1.8%. The conclusion of this study was "HCV in" rel="nofollow">infection is pervasive among the California prison population, in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing prisoners who are non-IDUs and women with high-risk sexual behavior. These results should promote consideration of routin" rel="nofollow">ine HCV antibody screenin" rel="nofollow">ing and behavioral in" rel="nofollow">interventions among in" rel="nofollow">incarcerated men and women." Use this in" rel="nofollow">infection rate for the purposes of this question. The Hepatitis C Virus Infection (HCV) is a very slow developin" rel="nofollow">ing virus and most often one is not symptomatic. There are cures for this virus now, and they are expensive. There are cures, but no vaccin" rel="nofollow">ines again" rel="nofollow">inst future in" rel="nofollow">infection. Thus, the rate of in" rel="nofollow">infection with in" rel="nofollow">injection drug use of other high-risk behavior may be important to this question. Assignment: Research the cost for a vaccin" rel="nofollow">ine for Hep C (there are a number available) and then respond to the followin" rel="nofollow">ing issues in" rel="nofollow">in an essay that is a min" rel="nofollow">inimum of 5 pages of text with at least 3 peer review or academic journals. Remember not to use an abstract or subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings and do not simply "list" responses to these issues. Include them in" rel="nofollow">in a thoughtful essay response: • Would you screen all in" rel="nofollow">inmates comin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">into the system for this disease? • How would you medically respond to in" rel="nofollow">inmates who test positive for Hep C or are symptomatic for the disease? • Consider the cost of this treatment based upon these real budget numbers. • Insure you are aware of the need to remain" rel="nofollow">in with budget constrain" rel="nofollow">ints and analyze what this would do to your budget request. • Consider who you would not treat and why. (if any). • These vaccin" rel="nofollow">ines can in" rel="nofollow">in fact cure the disease but they cannot protect from future in" rel="nofollow">infection. Does this aspect of treatment affect your decision on testin" rel="nofollow">ing and treatment? This is a real medical and budget crisis that faces upper management in" rel="nofollow">in correctional facilities. The Eighth Amendment protections must be balanced again" rel="nofollow">inst the availability of fundin" rel="nofollow">ing. How do you provide adequate medical care and still provide a rational and cost effective delivery of medical care? You may want to consider the rationale of community standards in" rel="nofollow">in a case like this. Remember not to in" rel="nofollow">include any charts or graphs or to use subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings. This is an essay so use good rhetoric to make your poin" rel="nofollow">int. References: Fox, R., Currie, S., Evans, J., Wright, T., Tobler, L., Phelps, B., Busch, M., & Page-Shafer, K. (2015, July). Hepatitis C virus in" rel="nofollow">infection among prisoners in" rel="nofollow">in the California state correctional system. Clin" rel="nofollow">inical Infectious Diseases, 41(2), 177-186. Retrieved May 17, 2016 from http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/ CID 2005:41 Paper 4 (5 pages, 5 references) -Case Study: Prison Threat Groups (Gangs) Background: The events of 9/11 resulted in" rel="nofollow">in new in" rel="nofollow">interest regardin" rel="nofollow">ing threat groups and a renewed vigilance for the potential violence and disruption of civil society from prison gangs. Prison gangs have proven to be a rich breedin" rel="nofollow">ing ground for terrorist recruitment (radicalization) as well as a serious corrections problem that saps fiscal, personnel, and physical facility resources from correctional systems. All correctional admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators need to address the threat of such groups in" rel="nofollow">in the facility and the community, which encourages further study of this important crimin" rel="nofollow">inal justice issue. Assignment: The objective of this assignment is to select one (1) of the prison threat groups listed below from those operatin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in an adult U.S. state prison system of your choice with one exception. You may not select the State of Maryland. • Aryan Brotherhood • Black Guerilla Family • Mexican Mafia • Nuestra Familia • Mara Salvatrucha Provide background in" rel="nofollow">information in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing the history and development of this group in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing an emphasis on the history and development within" rel="nofollow">in the state you have chosen to in" rel="nofollow">investigate. For example, if a gang began in" rel="nofollow">in a state such as California (as the Aryan Brotherhood did) then there should be a detailed section concernin" rel="nofollow">ing the history and development in" rel="nofollow">in California. If you are researchin" rel="nofollow">ing another state, however, then you should also discuss how that gang began and developed in" rel="nofollow">in this other state under study (this speaks to proliferation of the gang). This discussion would in" rel="nofollow">include the membership characteristics, gang goals, mission, reason for the group's existence, etc. This is a good issue to use peer review journals in" rel="nofollow">in addition to the departmental web sites for documentation. Avoid web sites with no authors, etc. because there is no way to confirm or challenge that data. Evaluate the degree to which this group is a threat to that prison system and the communities of the particular state you have selected for study. Discuss the strategy used in" rel="nofollow">in that state to identify and control gang membership and activity. In addition, discuss a variety of options and strategies used by at least two other specific states you must name (best practices) to control and contain" rel="nofollow">in threat groups. Identify the names of their programs, names of their specific databases, etc. Be specific in" rel="nofollow">in their approach to gang control. Fin" rel="nofollow">inally, arrive at a conclusion as to whether the current strategy is workin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in the jurisdiction you have selected for study and provide any alternative approaches that have a proven track record that the state should consider. (These alternative approaches would come from the other states you have considered). To this end, the in" rel="nofollow">instructions for this assignment follow: Students are to use library resources to fin" rel="nofollow">ind at least three peer review, academic or refereed journal articles (or other reference documents once this min" rel="nofollow">inimum requirement is achieved) which can be used to identify and validate the history and characteristics of the selected threat group, defin" rel="nofollow">initions of threat groups (gangs), or the variety of strategies implemented to contain" rel="nofollow">in and control threat groups in" rel="nofollow">in a prison environment. It is also recommended that you document the management approach from the web site and rules and regulations of the agency you are studyin" rel="nofollow">ing as well as possible statutes implemented to assist in" rel="nofollow">in gang control. One of the purposes of this assignment is to develop the student's ability to do graduate level research on this topic. The essay must be a min" rel="nofollow">inimum of five complete pages of text. You may not use an abstract or any subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings in" rel="nofollow">in your essay. The title page and the reference page(s) do not apply to this min" rel="nofollow">inimum requirement. This is an exercise in" rel="nofollow">in academic research, graduate level thin" rel="nofollow">inkin" rel="nofollow">ing and academic writin" rel="nofollow">ing ability. Do not discuss jail gangs at all in" rel="nofollow">in this essay. This essay is focused on prison gangs which may be quite different in" rel="nofollow">in operation and controls from a jail system. The laws governin" rel="nofollow">ing detention facilities can be quite different from a prison that houses convicted felons. Do not discuss juvenile gangs in" rel="nofollow">in this essay. This course focuses on adult corrections. The followin" rel="nofollow">ing elements should be in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in your essay's rhetoric (Remember not to use any subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings! These are identified merely to assist you in" rel="nofollow">in developin" rel="nofollow">ing a framework for your response). • Cover page: Include the title of the paper, your name, class title and date of submission. Please see the sample essay provided in" rel="nofollow">in the Course Content for additional assistance. Remember not to use an abstract! • Introductory paragraph(s): Make an in" rel="nofollow">introductory statement about the topic of your paper and what threat group you in" rel="nofollow">intend to examin" rel="nofollow">ine. These first paragraphs should provide the purpose of your paper (the thesis). This is also an excellent place to defin" rel="nofollow">ine your terms such as prison threat group, prison gang, etc. Avoid usin" rel="nofollow">ing generic dictionaries. Federal research sites can be useful here where defin" rel="nofollow">initions are often in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in their studies. • Rhetorical content: discuss the history of the group (perhaps some defin" rel="nofollow">inition and history of prison gangs). Include a discussion of the strategy employed by the state under study to identify membership and to control gang activity. What strategies does the research of at least two other specific states recommend and to what degree have they been effective? How do they differ and where have the competin" rel="nofollow">ing strategies been in" rel="nofollow">ineffective? How do you measure program success for an in" rel="nofollow">intervention program such as this? • Conclusion content: This paragraph(s) is based on your research. Based on your analysis of the threat group, the articles and their conclusions, and in" rel="nofollow">information regardin" rel="nofollow">ing the efforts of the jurisdiction under study, what are your conclusions as to the solutions currently in" rel="nofollow">in place? Can you provide a viable alternative if you are not satisfied with the status quo? Remember not to have a subheadin" rel="nofollow">ing of "Conclusion" etc. Just move right in" rel="nofollow">into the fin" rel="nofollow">inal discussion and let your rhetoric carry the day. Your choice of wordin" rel="nofollow">ing will make the conclusion clear to the readin" rel="nofollow">ing. The better your writin" rel="nofollow">ing, the clearer your conclusion will be to the reader. Reference Page: References must be correctly cited on a separate reference page in" rel="nofollow">in perfect APA format. Fin" rel="nofollow">inal Examin" rel="nofollow">ination (11 pages, 10 references) - Defin" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing Recidivism and the Impact of that Defin" rel="nofollow">inition on Conclusions regardin" rel="nofollow">ing Program Effectiveness Background: In the classic and frequently cited article “What Works? Questions and Answers about Prison Reform", Robert Martin" rel="nofollow">inson (1974) evaluated over 200 programs, treatments and other in" rel="nofollow">interventions in" rel="nofollow">in correctional in" rel="nofollow">institutions and he concluded, “nothin" rel="nofollow">ing works”. Martin" rel="nofollow">inson’s conclusion had a direct impact on the correctional in" rel="nofollow">investment in" rel="nofollow">in programs and the subsequent shift from the “medical model” adopted by corrections in" rel="nofollow">in the 70s in" rel="nofollow">in favor of the warehousin" rel="nofollow">ing and in" rel="nofollow">incapacitation model more prevalent in" rel="nofollow">in the 80’s and 90’s. This shift away from the medical model resulted in" rel="nofollow">in a correspondin" rel="nofollow">ing decrease in" rel="nofollow">in the in" rel="nofollow">investment in" rel="nofollow">in correctional programs. Many contend that the direct consequence was the dramatic in" rel="nofollow">increase in" rel="nofollow">in the correctional population leadin" rel="nofollow">ing to overcrowdin" rel="nofollow">ing and in" rel="nofollow">increasin" rel="nofollow">ingly scarce fiscal resources. A complex meetin" rel="nofollow">ing of policy issues surroundin" rel="nofollow">ing budgetin" rel="nofollow">ing, resources, and social pressure has resulted in" rel="nofollow">in a change in" rel="nofollow">in direction once more with the mission focus of many jurisdictions on reduction in" rel="nofollow">in recidivism and rein" rel="nofollow">integration programs. Some content that the social direction for corrections has come full circle and the country is once again" rel="nofollow">in in" rel="nofollow">in the 1970's policy min" rel="nofollow">indset. Jurisdictions are once again" rel="nofollow">in searchin" rel="nofollow">ing for and implementin" rel="nofollow">ing effective programs in" rel="nofollow">in a correctional settin" rel="nofollow">ing for a variety of reasons that were the subject of further study in" rel="nofollow">in week 11. The "Second Chance Act of 2007" (enacted April 9, 2008 by President Bush) has added philosophical fuel and fundin" rel="nofollow">ing opportunities to that search. There has been an in" rel="nofollow">increased emphasis on the performance of correctional systems in" rel="nofollow">in producin" rel="nofollow">ing a “better product” (i.e. an in" rel="nofollow">inmate who has improved skills as a result of his in" rel="nofollow">incarceration). Lawmakers and correctional stakeholders are now realizin" rel="nofollow">ing that in" rel="nofollow">inmates ill prepared for reentry in" rel="nofollow">into their communities create a public safety risk and a public cost burden, and a variety of mega-studies have demonstrated that some programs do in" rel="nofollow">in fact “work”. Ed Latessa is one of the champions of research measurin" rel="nofollow">ing the concept of the "bang for the buck" in" rel="nofollow">in identifyin" rel="nofollow">ing programs that demonstrate outcomes that "work". As with any philosophy, there are also many who still contend that no matter what programs one implements, or how much money is spent, there will be no difference in" rel="nofollow">in the recidivism rate over time. Included in" rel="nofollow">in the topics of study this semester are concepts of vision and mission, strategic plannin" rel="nofollow">ing and the budget process as. Recidivism is a central issue for these program and policy arenas and it is a term that enjoys wide acceptance as a measurin" rel="nofollow">ing stick for program success. It is also a term that is elusive to many practitioners and a critical step in" rel="nofollow">in any valid study of program outcome must defin" rel="nofollow">ine recidivism at the very start of any program implementation. It is obvious that there is not always universal agreement between the stakeholders as to the actual defin" rel="nofollow">inition of the term "recidivism." What does it mean to say that a program “works”? How does one defin" rel="nofollow">ine the measure of success in" rel="nofollow">in a correctional in" rel="nofollow">intervention? How can correctional systems ensure that program monitors are measurin" rel="nofollow">ing the proper outcomes to make conclusions regardin" rel="nofollow">ing program success or failure? While correctional admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators are rarely researchers, they are consumers of research and it is important to understand what questions to ask and how to defin" rel="nofollow">ine terms to in" rel="nofollow">insure that those questions are bein" rel="nofollow">ing answered correctly and usefully. Most importantly, the program outcomes are needed to report to the legislature that funds the programs and to the chief executive (generally the Governor) who has supported the agency efforts. Directors/commissioners of correctional agencies must be confident that scarce fiscal resources will only be spent on programs that are effective, efficient, and result in" rel="nofollow">in accomplishin" rel="nofollow">ing the mission, vision, and strategic plan for the program and agency. The agencies need to defin" rel="nofollow">ine terms and analyze similar program outcomes before proposin" rel="nofollow">ing new programs, contin" rel="nofollow">inuin" rel="nofollow">ing existin" rel="nofollow">ing programs, explorin" rel="nofollow">ing alternative in" rel="nofollow">interventions, or recommendin" rel="nofollow">ing the elimin" rel="nofollow">ination of existin" rel="nofollow">ing programs which the admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators determin" rel="nofollow">ine “don’t work. It is critical to avoid in" rel="nofollow">investin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in programs proven in" rel="nofollow">ineffectual in" rel="nofollow">in managin" rel="nofollow">ing and preparin" rel="nofollow">ing offenders for reentry. Wastin" rel="nofollow">ing public dollars in" rel="nofollow">in today’s economy will only result in" rel="nofollow">in the in" rel="nofollow">inevitable wrath of political and public criticism over program failure and for the top admin" rel="nofollow">inistrator, often the loss of employment. Correctional admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators are usually appoin" rel="nofollow">inted public officials and when the public or the legislature loses confidence in" rel="nofollow">in that stewardship, it generally translates in" rel="nofollow">into a resignation and subsequent search for an admin" rel="nofollow">inistrator who can deliver the fiscal economy and programmatic results they are lookin" rel="nofollow">ing for. Although most admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators serve at the pleasure of the Governor, a Governor will almost always request that resignation before the program failure reflects on the Office of the Governor. That is why this issue is important to study in" rel="nofollow">in coursework leadin" rel="nofollow">ing to an advanced degree in" rel="nofollow">in crimin" rel="nofollow">inal justice management. Almost every study dealin" rel="nofollow">ing with the success or failure of a correctional program in" rel="nofollow">includes the discussion and measurement of recidivism. There are many alternative defin" rel="nofollow">initions of recidivism to consider. As a pragmatic professional, keep in" rel="nofollow">in min" rel="nofollow">ind that no matter what the rhetoric is by those who develop correctional policy, the fiscal effect on the system is really the bottom lin" rel="nofollow">ine. Few programs survive that do not demonstrate that fewer offenders return to prison which drives up the demand for bed space and the ultimate cost of the correctional system. This is referred to generically as the “recidivism rate.” It is arguably one of the most important measures of success that lead to what has been called the most “bang for the buck.” As you will see, however, recidivism is a very elusive term and it is so important that this class will study the issue of recidivism in" rel="nofollow">in detail prior to arrivin" rel="nofollow">ing at the last week’s main" rel="nofollow">in topic of “what works in" rel="nofollow">in corrections.” This term is bandied about in" rel="nofollow">in the media and durin" rel="nofollow">ing legislative hearin" rel="nofollow">ings with little understandin" rel="nofollow">ing of the essential parameters that must be defin" rel="nofollow">ined before makin" rel="nofollow">ing program decisions. As a crimin" rel="nofollow">inal justice professional, it is time to study this term in" rel="nofollow">in detail. It may be one of the few times you have the luxury of focusin" rel="nofollow">ing so in" rel="nofollow">intently on the recidivism issue. Assignment: The fin" rel="nofollow">inal exam is worth 25% of the total class grade and thus it requires that the student put forth the best effort possible with a deliverable that demonstrates graduate level writin" rel="nofollow">ing and research ability. The paper should be written usin" rel="nofollow">ing proper American Psychological Association (APA) format. There are a few exceptions to the APA format that will apply to this essay: 1. Do not write an “abstract” of the essay. An abstract merely wastes space on a short essay such as this that is not designed for publication. 2. Do not use subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings in" rel="nofollow">in this essay. This essay examin" rel="nofollow">ines how outcomes or success is defin" rel="nofollow">ined in" rel="nofollow">in the correctional literature. There are many outcome measures, but this essay will focus on only one measure: recidivism. Recidivism has become the most accepted outcome measure. Why has this become the most accepted outcome? Many studies utilize recidivism as a measure they do not always defin" rel="nofollow">ine it in" rel="nofollow">in the same way. Why are there alternative defin" rel="nofollow">initions of this term? This examin" rel="nofollow">ination should answer these two questions and additionally explore the various defin" rel="nofollow">initions of recidivism and the dimensions that impact each defin" rel="nofollow">inition, how changin" rel="nofollow">ing the defin" rel="nofollow">inition impacts the results found and recommendations for admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators in" rel="nofollow">in readin" rel="nofollow">ing program outcome studies and for researchers on the future. In the conclusion of the essay, in" rel="nofollow">insure that a preferred defin" rel="nofollow">inition of recidivism is arrived at that you would consider adoptin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in the measurement of program outcomes if you were the admin" rel="nofollow">inistrator of a correctional system. The outcome must be consistent with the mission, vision and strategic plan of your agency. Please remember not to restate the assignment parameters discussed in" rel="nofollow">in this document at the begin" rel="nofollow">innin" rel="nofollow">ing of the essay. That would merely waste valuable space in" rel="nofollow">in the essay. Simply begin" rel="nofollow">in with the thesis statements in" rel="nofollow">in the first paragraph or two and move on to develop the essay. The submitted examin" rel="nofollow">ination must be a min" rel="nofollow">inimum of 10 pages. This examin" rel="nofollow">ination should be min" rel="nofollow">inimally 10 pages in" rel="nofollow">in length, double-spaced and adhere to all relevant APA guidelin" rel="nofollow">ines as previously mentioned, and submitted accordin" rel="nofollow">ing to the directions given in" rel="nofollow">in your syllabus and the guidance you have received. An essay that is less than 10 pages will be unacceptable and receive a deduction of ten percent (10%) which is the equivalent of 2.5 poin" rel="nofollow">ints for every page less than 10 full pages of text. The cover sheet and the reference page(s) do not apply to this total. If any deduction is taken for a paper that does not meet the min" rel="nofollow">inimum requirement for length, this will be the startin" rel="nofollow">ing grade poin" rel="nofollow">int, and then the paper will be read and deductions taken from that score. If, for an example, a paper is submitted that in" rel="nofollow">includes only 9 pages of text, then the startin" rel="nofollow">ing grade is reduced from 25 poin" rel="nofollow">ints to 22.5 poin" rel="nofollow">ints and any further deductions will be taken from that total possible score as the paper is read and scored. Please do not write an essay greater than 15 pages exclusive of the title page and reference material. A rich topic such as this could easily result in" rel="nofollow">in a very lengthy essay, but it is important to be able to focus and complete this assignment within" rel="nofollow">in the parameters that are provided. As previously stated, the cover page and reference age are not in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in the page count. You are required to utilize and provide at least five academic references (peer review, refereed, or academic journals) in" rel="nofollow">in this essay as defin" rel="nofollow">ined by the ulrichsweb resource that can be found in" rel="nofollow">in the library lin" rel="nofollow">ink and is discussed in" rel="nofollow">in the course content. The five (5) articles selected to meet this requirement must not be from the same journal. Once that min" rel="nofollow">inimum is met, articles from the same journal may be utilized freely. Remember to revisit the reference provided in" rel="nofollow">in the course content and conferences regardin" rel="nofollow">ing the defin" rel="nofollow">inition of peer review, refereed and academic journals before completin" rel="nofollow">ing this assignment. There shall be no use of web site references in" rel="nofollow">in this essay. This is purely an exercise in" rel="nofollow">in academic research and graduate level thin" rel="nofollow">inkin" rel="nofollow">ing and writin" rel="nofollow">ing ability. This essay exam must be submitted in" rel="nofollow">in the grade book usin" rel="nofollow">ing Word software as required in" rel="nofollow">in the syllabus and by UMUC. Please remember to avoid the use of personal pronouns (I, me, you, we, etc.) in" rel="nofollow">in your essay. This issue has been discussed in" rel="nofollow">initially in" rel="nofollow">in the syllabus and repeated in" rel="nofollow">in numerous areas of the course content. The use of such pronouns will reflect upon the tone of the essay up to a deduction of a maximum of five percent (5%) which is the equivalent of 1.25 poin" rel="nofollow">ints. As with the length of the paper, this deduction will be taken at the begin" rel="nofollow">innin" rel="nofollow">ing of the scorin" rel="nofollow">ing process and then other deductions will apply. The paper will be done completely n New Times Roman with 12-poin" rel="nofollow">int font and double-spaced. Do not in" rel="nofollow">insert multiple hard returns between paragraphs. This examin" rel="nofollow">ination will follow a broad APA outlin" rel="nofollow">ine. As stated, do not use additional subheadin" rel="nofollow">ing underneath each section. This outlin" rel="nofollow">ine organization is provided for guidance and not to be duplicated as sections in" rel="nofollow">in the fin" rel="nofollow">inal essay. • Title page. Insure that there is a title or cover page as with the course essays. This can be page 1 of the fin" rel="nofollow">inal or the title page can be left unnumbered and the pagin" rel="nofollow">ination can start with the first page of actual text startin" rel="nofollow">ing with the in" rel="nofollow">introductory paragraph(s). • Introduction (Again" rel="nofollow">in, Do not use this subheadin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">introduction. This is for descriptive purposes only!) In your in" rel="nofollow">introduction paragraphs, answer at least these three questions: • Why is the topic of outcome measures and recidivism important to correctional admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators? • What are some of the key outcome measures both durin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">incarceration and after release in" rel="nofollow">in addition to recidivism, used in" rel="nofollow">in correctional program evaluation? • Why is recidivism the most widely accepted outcome measure? • Why is recidivism arguably the most important of the outcome measures? Sin" rel="nofollow">ince we are not conductin" rel="nofollow">ing origin" rel="nofollow">inal research there will be no method section. • Discussion (Do not use this subheadin" rel="nofollow">ing of "discussion." This is meant to explain" rel="nofollow">in what should be in" rel="nofollow">in the body of the discussion. No subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings!) o What are various defin" rel="nofollow">initions of recidivism or measures used in" rel="nofollow">in recidivism studies? Cite some in" rel="nofollow">individual studies that utilize differin" rel="nofollow">ing defin" rel="nofollow">initions. Insure you provide and cite the reference source for at least two (2) competin" rel="nofollow">ing defin" rel="nofollow">initions of recidivism. Do not use a generic dictionary or web dictionary for these references. Use peer reviewed, academic or refereed journal studies for these defin" rel="nofollow">initions. You may also use research found in" rel="nofollow">in the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), The National Crime Information Center (NCIS) or the National Institute of Corrections (NIC). o What are some dimensions on which these defin" rel="nofollow">initions vary? o How do the differin" rel="nofollow">ing defin" rel="nofollow">initions or dimensions affect the fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings or decision-makin" rel="nofollow">ing? • Conclusion (Do not use this subheadin" rel="nofollow">ing "conclusion." This is meant to rein" rel="nofollow">inforce the conclusions that are drawn from the essay. Conclusions are in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in the fin" rel="nofollow">inal few paragraphs or pages of an academic work. o Based on the research, what guidance can be given to future researchers on defin" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing recidivism? o What guidance should be given to correctional admin" rel="nofollow">inistrators and others who “consume” evaluative research concernin" rel="nofollow">ing what consumers should be cautions of or look for in" rel="nofollow">in the research under review and possibly in" rel="nofollow">intended for utilization? o What defin" rel="nofollow">inition of recidivism that should a progressive and efficient prison system adopt? (This is a mandatory element of the conclusion sin" rel="nofollow">ince it is really the crux of this essay; remember not to use personal pronouns such as "I," "me," "you," etc.) o Why have you arrived at this specific defin" rel="nofollow">inition of recidivism? (please be sure to relate it to how the defin" rel="nofollow">inition affects the issues discussed in" rel="nofollow">in the body of the essay) • References (You will have a reference page as we have covered throughout the semester) This essay exam must be submitted in" rel="nofollow">in the grade book. To turn in" rel="nofollow">in an assignment, click on the assignment title lin" rel="nofollow">ink. Follow the labelin" rel="nofollow">ing directions and other logistical in" rel="nofollow">information in" rel="nofollow">in the Syllabus and Housekeepin" rel="nofollow">ing documents you read earlier. When submittin" rel="nofollow">ing your assignments, please note that you may submit an assignment repeatedly until your in" rel="nofollow">instructor reads or grades it. Once the status becomes Marked as Read or Graded, you cannot submit changes unless your in" rel="nofollow">instructor returns your assignment to you as Ungraded. Assignment lin" rel="nofollow">inks will disappear from your Assignment Folder after they are graded and will reappear in" rel="nofollow">in your Portfolio. Remember that your essay must be submitted by the due date unless prior arrangements have been made with the in" rel="nofollow">instructor. This is particularly important for the fin" rel="nofollow">inal exam sin" rel="nofollow">ince the semester ends three days after the fin" rel="nofollow">inal is due and grades must be submitted to the University in" rel="nofollow">in a timely fashion. For gradin" rel="nofollow">ing and submission in" rel="nofollow">information, please refer to the syllabus you have reviewed and prin" rel="nofollow">inted out or click on the “gradin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">information” under the syllabus and review the Gradin" rel="nofollow">ing Information and Criteria which describes further the issues regardin" rel="nofollow">ing format, timelin" rel="nofollow">iness, submission method, etc. This examin" rel="nofollow">ination will be graded accordin" rel="nofollow">ing to the gradin" rel="nofollow">ing rubric provided for in" rel="nofollow">in the syllabus after any mandatory deductions for length, peer reviewed journals and the use of personal pronouns are taken as discussed above. References Martin" rel="nofollow">inson, R. (1974, Sprin" rel="nofollow">ing). What works? questions and answers about prison reform. The Public Interest, 35, 22-54. Summary of provisions of Second Chance Act. (2008, May). Federal Sentencin" rel="nofollow">ing Reporter, 20(4),