CJ 320 Module Four Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric
In this short paper, you will consider how the state you selected for the final project has responded to Plata v. Brown and the issues of other special populations of offenders.
Specifically, address the following critical elements:
- What are the issues surrounding Plata v. Brown?
- How has your state responded to the issues surrounding Plata v. Brown?
- Describe your state’s response to one other special population: either first-time drug offenders or juveniles.
- How successful has your state been in resolving the issues for these special populations?Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the state’s response.
- Offenders with health or mental health issues
- Either first-time drug offenders or juveniles
- In your opinion, was there another way to resolve the issues for each population? Explain any alternative(s) and their advantages over your state’s response for both populations.
What to Submit
Your short paper should be 2 to 3 pages, with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
AI Usage
If you use gen AI tools to support your work on this assignment, be sure to follow these AI usage guidelines. You must acknowledge your use of these tools in your work. Guidelines on how to cite AI tools can be found in this Shapiro Library guide.
Module Four Short Paper Rubric
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectations (100%) | Meets Expectations (85%) | Partially Meets Expectations (55%) | Does Not Meet Expectations (0%) | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues Surrounding Plata v. Brown | All issues are identified | Most issues are identified | Most issues are missed | No evidence of issues | 20 |
| Description of State’s Response to Plata v. Brown | Description of state’s response is accurate, comprehensive, described clearly and the relationship between the state’s response and particular issues is examined for each issue | Description of state’s response is accurate, comprehensive, and clear | Description of state’s response neglects important elements and/or is not well-described | No evidence of a description of the state’s response | 10 |
| Description of State’s Response to One Other Special Population | Description of state’s response is accurate, comprehensive, described clearly and the relationship between the state’s response and particular issues is examined for each issue | Description of state’s response is accurate, comprehensive, and described clearly | Description of state’s response neglects important elements and/or is not well described | No evidence of a description of the state’s response | 10 |
| Evaluation of State’s Success for Offenders With Health or Mental Health Issues | Multiple strengths and weaknesses of the state’s response are identified and discussed | One strength and one weakness of the state’s response are identified and discussed | The discussion addresses only a strength or only a weakness | Neither strengths nor weaknesses are identified | 10 |
| Evaluation of State’s Success for Either First-Time Drug Offenders or Juveniles | Multiple strengths and weaknesses of the state’s response are identified and discussed | One strength and one weakness of the state’s response are identified and discussed | The discussion addresses only a strength or only a weakness | Neither strengths nor weaknesses are identified | 10 |
| Identification of Alternative Ways to Resolve Issues | The alternatives are feasible and consistent with appropriate laws and policies and the advantages claimed are especially well-supported by evidence | The alternatives are feasible and consistent with appropriate laws and policies and the advantages claimed are supported by evidence | The alternatives are feasible and/or violates appropriate laws and policies and evidence is lacking to support the claim that the alternative is advantageous | No evidence of alternatives is evident | 20 |
| Organization | Excellent transitions and topic sentences are used, and the smooth flow of ideas explicitly follows from the thesis | Appropriate transitions are used, every paragraph contains a clear topic sentence, and ideas flow logically and relate to the thesis | The paper does not flow smoothly from paragraph to paragraph, and topic sentences are missing and/or flawed | The paper lacks internal coherence, and some ideas do not relate to the thesis and/or a few paragraphs lack topic sentences | 10 |
| Clear Communication | Exceeds expectations with an intentional use of language that promotes a thorough understanding | Consistently and effectively communicates in an organized way to a specific audience | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but communication is inconsistent or ineffective in a way that negatively impacts understanding | Shows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized communication | 10 |
| Total: | 100% | ||||
