Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

• Analyze societal trends that are affecting the criminal justice system

Scenario

As an assistant in a research firm, you have been tasked to examine a societal trend that is impacting the criminal justice system. Your assignment is to choose one trend and to identify the impact on law enforcement, courts, correctional institutions, or probation/parole. Your research will include a brief description of the societal trend and why the trend is relevant to the field of criminal justice. You will describe any criminal justice and societal elements that may have contributed to the trend. Your research will also include how the criminal justice system has adapted to the trend and what outcomes the change in policies or practices has produced for these agencies. In the final section of your research, you will explain how the trend is affecting the general public.

Directions

In this assignment, you will first choose a societal trend to focus on. The trend should be one that has been covered throughout this course. Then, you will create a report for that trend. The following required elements should be included in your report:

1. Craft a brief description of a current societal trend in criminal justice. Include the following in your description:
   1. Describe the trend.
   2. Explain why the trend is relevant to the field of criminal justice.
2. Describe elements in society that may contribute to the trend. Consider answering the following as part of your description:
   1. What cultural, political, and/or social factors may influence the trend, and how might they influence the trend?
3. Explain the relationship between the criminal justice system and the trend. Include the following in your explanation:
   1. Describe if and how elements of the criminal justice system may have contributed to the trend.
      1. In which area(s) of criminal justice (law enforcement, courts, correctional institutions, and/or parole/probation) are there elements that may have contributed to the trend, and how have they done so?
   2. Describe how the criminal justice system has responded to the trend.
      
      1. Which areas of criminal justice have responded to the trend, and how have they done so?
4. Explain how the trend affects the public. Include who is the most affected and how they are affected.

What to Submit

To complete this project, you must submit the following:

Societal Trend Report
Your submission should be a three- to four-page Word document with 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and one-inch margins. Any sources used should be cited according to APA style.