Research Paper
This research paper should be at least 4 pages long, not including any cover pagers, abstract, or bibliography. The paper must include the sources below but may include other sources as well. The paper should be written in APA style. See the grading rubric below and links for helpful sources of information related to APA style.
More specifics on Research Paper
Bail Reform is a somewhat broad category when considering a relatively short research paper. As with any issue in criminal justice I want students to consider every side or aspect of an issue. I also want students to take a dispassionate approach to research on any topic. It is common to force people to pick a side on issues on many topics related to our criminal justice system. The desire or request to pick a side force individuals to accept an all or none scenario and does not allow for the a detailed examination of all the data and facts.
So, in the research paper on bail reform, I would like students to be able to compile the coherent arguments for bail reform and risks associated with these reforms. I do not want students to pick a side in this research. This is not an opinion paper. It is an exercise in defining the argument. As a student of any subject, you should be able to determine the facts being argued on any point and to summarize and explain those arguments in an informative, organized format.
Your exploration into bail reform should be a sterile analysis of an argument which has become a politically charged issue in politics. In reading your paper, I should be accurately informed of the arguments made by both sides of the issue and I should have no idea which side with which you agree. You will find that this form of writing an analysis may not be comfortable to you. But that type of analysis is a necessary skill in becoming a professional.
I will post other sources of information I locate so as to guide you in researching good, quality information. I would like you to use and review the sources I provide but you are not restricted to those sources either. Just make sure you are using reputable sources.
I will also create a discussion board on this issue so you guys can discuss ideas with each other or ask me questions in general that can benefit everyone. This is not a group project though. Your work should be your own.
Good luck.
Does Bail Reform Increase Crime?
Reforming New York's Bail Reform: A Public Safety-Minded Proposal
The Political Pattern of Bail Reform
Why Bail Reform is Safe and Effective: The Case of Cook County