Critical Understanding of Modern Criminology and Criminal Justice Issues
One of the cornerstones of the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership (LEPSL) program is the understanding of contemporary issues law enforcement faces today (LEPSL 500). The course includes enlightening research into the criminal justice system, along with the effects of today’s laws and the policing methods agencies across the country use. Professor Begovich taught students about the legacy of constitutional law that shapes law enforcement policy. This is the foundation for a law enforcement approach with “real world” ethical issues. Throughout this program, students have highlighted critical issues that have a common theme of critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues.
Immigration and Crime Rates
The first paper present this week involves an issue that transcends the country and is debated daily: Immigration and Crime Rates. I believe this is one of the most explosive issues currently facing law enforcement. There are emotional arguments on both sides of the debate. As law enforcement professionals, we must understand complex laws and be ready to answer hard questions when we enforce the law. There is scientifically researched empirical data that shows there is no rise in crimes rates due to illegal immigration. This is not what the public hears from the media. Educating the population on true scientific, non-refutable data, instead of media and politically driven agendas, will help to change the perception of illegal immigration and higher crime rates. This paper directly relates to the learning objective of critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues.
Critical issues in Contemporary Law Enforcement
The second paper continues with a similar theme of critical issues; it overlaps the first paper in the area of stereotypes of illegal immigration and adds border security, illegal drug markets, and prison reform to the debate. This assignment was filled with statistical data from scientific research on these and other related issues. Illegal drug markets grew to be a billion dollars a year industry, both in the sales and distribution but also in the enforcement of national policies on the “War on Drugs” (Nixon, 1971). The nation’s prison system is at maximum capacity and is a continuously revolving door. The current levels of educational opportunities, drug treatment, and job training that takes place in the detention facilities at the local, state, and federal levels leaves little hope for improvement. These topics directly relate to the learning objective of critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues.
The last two documents present this week are memos on controversial issues that confront law enforcement professionals. Post 9/11, law enforcement has taken on a counter-terrorism role. Some in the communities are concerned that this new role is too militaristic in the policing of the community streets. This memo addresses the formation and mission of a Counter-Terrorism unit.
The second memo addresses the political pressure placed on the Chief of Police to release pre-employment medical waivers for the psychological evaluation of police officers. In this day and age of transparency in law enforcement, the constitutional privacy rights of officers are sometimes forgotten. These memos provide understanding and address this issue with case law and research to support the conclusion. I believe both memos and the two preceding papers identify critical issues in law enforcement and the empirical data to support the findings. Based on the theme consistent in these writings, I believe they fall in line with the learning objective of this week’s module of critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues.
References
Nixon, R. (1971, June). Special Message to the Congress on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control. Special Message to the Congress, 203, 1.
Immigration and Crime Rates
The first paper present this week involves an issue that transcends the country and is debated daily: Immigration and Crime Rates. I believe this is one of the most explosive issues currently facing law enforcement. There are emotional arguments on both sides of the debate. As law enforcement professionals, we must understand complex laws and be ready to answer hard questions when we enforce the law. There is scientifically researched empirical data that shows there is no rise in crimes rates due to illegal immigration. This is not what the public hears from the media. Educating the population on true scientific, non-refutable data, instead of media and politically driven agendas, will help to change the perception of illegal immigration and higher crime rates. This paper directly relates to the learning objective of critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues.
Critical issues in Contemporary Law Enforcement
The second paper continues with a similar theme of critical issues; it overlaps the first paper in the area of stereotypes of illegal immigration and adds border security, illegal drug markets, and prison reform to the debate. This assignment was filled with statistical data from scientific research on these and other related issues. Illegal drug markets grew to be a billion dollars a year industry, both in the sales and distribution but also in the enforcement of national policies on the “War on Drugs” (Nixon, 1971). The nation’s prison system is at maximum capacity and is a continuously revolving door. The current levels of educational opportunities, drug treatment, and job training that takes place in the detention facilities at the local, state, and federal levels leaves little hope for improvement. These topics directly relate to the learning objective of critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues.
The last two documents present this week are memos on controversial issues that confront law enforcement professionals. Post 9/11, law enforcement has taken on a counter-terrorism role. Some in the communities are concerned that this new role is too militaristic in the policing of the community streets. This memo addresses the formation and mission of a Counter-Terrorism unit.
The second memo addresses the political pressure placed on the Chief of Police to release pre-employment medical waivers for the psychological evaluation of police officers. In this day and age of transparency in law enforcement, the constitutional privacy rights of officers are sometimes forgotten. These memos provide understanding and address this issue with case law and research to support the conclusion. I believe both memos and the two preceding papers identify critical issues in law enforcement and the empirical data to support the findings. Based on the theme consistent in these writings, I believe they fall in line with the learning objective of this week’s module of critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues.
References
Nixon, R. (1971, June). Special Message to the Congress on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control. Special Message to the Congress, 203, 1.
LEPLS-500 Immigration & Crime Rates
LEPSL-530 Counter Terrorist Unit
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LEPSL-500 Critical Issues in Law Enforcement
LEPSL-530 Privacy Rights
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