Controversial Court case: Amber Guyger v. State of Texas
OVERVIEW
Your task is to write a paper thoroughly analyzing and critiquing a recent controversial court case. The goal of this assignment is for you to demonstrate your understanding of the concepts and theories discussed throughout this course through the analysis of a real-life case.
Furthermore, this assignment gives you the opportunity to reflect upon the current state of the criminal justice system and relate current issues to the themes presented throughout the course.
PROMPT
With the rise of technology and social media, the criminal justice system has increasingly become transparent and information is now easily accessible and widespread.
Your task is to research a recent controversial case in which a verdict was pronounced and provide a full, analytical report on it, responding to the following questions: (answer the following questions throughout your paper).
What crime was committed? Who was being charged?
What was the controversy? What concerns did it raise about the criminal justice system? What is your stance on the issue? What steps could be taken to resolve this controversial issue?
What forms of technology were used in the investigation process? How did they affect the case?
Do you believe the verdict would have been different if these forms of technology had not been used?
How did social media portray and/or affect the case?
What was the nature of the trial? How long was it? How many jurors were there? What was the verdict?
If applicable: Do you agree or disagree with the sentencing? Why/why not?
Please keep in mind that your paper must demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the theories and concepts discussed in this course, and your familiarity with various library and Internet sources of criminal justice literature.
Your paper must include the following:
An introduction in which you provide an overview of the recent case/issue you will be analyzing;
A thorough response to the questions above;
A conclusion in which you propose steps to reform the issue at hand and reflect on today’s criminal justice policies;
A resources section in APA format with at least five properly cited sources.
PAPER GUIDELINES
-Your paper should be 7-10 pages (double-spaced) in length.
-Your paper should be in APA format (1” margins, standard 12-point font).
-Your paper should be free of spelling and grammatical errors.
-Wikipedia is an unacceptable source.
-Your textbook may be used as a resource, but the majority of your research should come from other books, online databases, and other reliable resources.
-You must use internal citations to cite all facts and quotes.
