Chapter 6

1. Should male and female officers have the same duties in a police department? Explain your reasoning.
2. How can education enhance the effectiveness of police officers?
3. Do you think that an officer working the street will eventually produce a cynical personality and distrust for civilians? Explain.
4. A police officer orders an unarmed person from running away from a burglary stop; the suspect keeps running and is shot and killed by the officer. Has the officer committed murder? Explain.

Chapter 7

1. Specialized courts (such as drug courts) are popping up all over the country. What is your assessment of this trend? Why do you feel this way?
2. Should attorneys disclose information given to them by their clients about participation in earlier unsolved crimes?
3. Should defense attorneys cooperate with a prosecutor if it means their clients will go to jail?
4. Should a prosecutor have absolute discretion over which cases to proceed on and which to drop?

Submission Instructions:

Complete your assignment by clicking “Write Submission” (not “comments”) and entering text into the textbox and format using the Blackboard formatting tools–OR–use the “paste’ function and copy from a word processor document into the textbox (recommended), and click Submit. You may view your posting both on this page and under My Grade (available under Tools).  Do not attach files.  For each question include at least one link to an internet site you researched to form your answer to that question.

Extra Credit Work.  This assignment gives you the opportunity to earn extra credit points which will be totaled separately from the required assignments.  Submit it in a BB message using as the subject line the words “Extra Credit” and the chapter number.  An extra credit assignment must be submitted in the same timeframe as the required assignment.

Chapter 6 Extra Credit:  Deadly Force In Law Enforcement

Conduct internet research about rules governing deadly force in law enforcement.  First, research the 1985 case which established deadly force; provide the case citation; discuss the facts of the case, the main issue, lower court (trial and appellate) decisions, and how SCOTUS ruled in the case.  Provide a link to the case.  Second, research “your state’s” deadly force rules and discuss if your sate’s rules adhere to the SCOTUS case.  Provide a link to your state’s rules as found in a code of criminal procedure, penal code, etc.  Sites such as ask.com, answers.com, Wikipedia.com, wisegeek.com do not rise to the level of academic research and are not acceptable.

Chapter 7 Extra Credit:  Your State’s Court Organization

Conduct internet research about  “your state’s” court organization.  Provide the names and jurisdictions (felonies or misdemeanors) of the trial courts, the intermediate appellate courts, and the court(s) of last resort in your state.  Limit your discussion to criminal courts; there is no need to discuss civil courts EXCEPT the civil courts which exercise “criminal” jurisdiction over juveniles.  Additionally, state how judges in each court arrive at the bench (elected, appointed, etc.)

Provide a link to the site(s) you researched.  Sites such as ask.com, answers.com, wikipedia.com, wisegeek.com, etc. do not rise to the level of academic research and are not acceptable.