Criminal Law
Option/Question 1: Chapter 7 of the textbook, “Crime Control Through Legislation,” contains a discussion of America’s “drug problem” and laws designed to limit or ban the use of specific psychoactive substances (see sections titled “Drug Bans,” “The Scope of America’s Drug Problem,” and “Drug Ban Problems”). The federal report 2018 Update on Prisoner Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-up Period (2005-2014) contains some discussion of the release and recidivism of persons incarcerated for drug-related offenses.
Write an essay which briefly summarizes (i) the “drug problem” in the United States, (ii) the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of laws which criminalize the use of drugs, and (iii) recidivism among drug offenders released from prison.
Option/Question 2: Chapter 9 in the textbook, “Sentencing,” focuses on the sentences of convicted criminal offenders and contains discussion of various types of offenders (see section titled “Thinking About Various Types of Offenders”) and sentencing strategies/tactics which may result in longer sentences such as determinate sentencing and mandatory sentences. The federal report 2018 Update on Prisoner Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-up Period (2005-2014) contains some discussion of differences in recidivism among different types of offenders (i.e., drug offenders, property offenders, violent offenders, public order offenders) and the research which shows that recidivism rates are lower among violent offenders than among other types of offenders.
Write an essay which briefly summarizes (i) determinate sentencing and mandatory sentences which require offenders be sentenced to set periods of time in prison, (ii) the research on the differences in recidivism between different types of offenders, and (iii) YOUR VIEWS on which type of offense/offender deserves the longest prison sentence. The issue being asked about here is whether violent offenders who have relatively low rates of recidivism should be incarcerated for longer periods of time than non-violent offenders (especially property offenders and drug offenders) who have higher rates of recidivism than do violent offenders. In other words, should the prison sentence be based on the offense (violent vs. non-violent) or the likelihood that a person will continue to engage in crime (one-time offenders vs. repeat offenders)?
Option/Question 3: Chapter 9 in the textbook, “Sentencing,” focuses on the sentences of convicted criminal offenders and contains considerable discussion of three-strikes laws, support and criticism of three-strikes laws, and the research on three-strikes laws (see section titled “Three-Strikes Legislation”). The federal report 2018 Update on Prisoner Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-up Period (2005-2014) focuses on recidivism and shows that, overall, the majority of persons released from prison continue to engage in crime.
Write an essay which briefly summarizes (i) three-strikes laws and the research on effects (or lack thereof) of such laws on crime rates, (ii) the research on recidivism among released prisoners, and (iii) YOUR VIEWS on whether three-strikes laws should or should not be utilized. In other words, although the research on the effect of three-strikes laws on crime rates is inconclusive (some studies suggest the laws reduce crime rates, some studies suggest the laws do not reduce crime rates, and some studies suggest the laws contribute to an increase in crime), three-strikes laws do help keep repeat offenders off the streets, but at a substantial cost to the American taxpayer. In short, do YOU THINK three strikes laws are humane and/or do YOU THINK three strikes laws are worth the cost to the taxpayer?
