Presentation subhead

CM223Unit 4

EVALUATING EVIDENCE & FINDING A FOCUS

UNIT 4 SEMINAR AGENDA

Welcome to our fourth seminar. In this session, we will address the

following:

Unit 4 project overview

Types of evidence

Evaluating evidence

Finding a focus/thesis

Workshop: Thesis Practice

UNIT 4 PROJECT OVERVIEW

Let’s take a look at the instructions under Unit 4 Project right now. I’ll go over the basics (Please DO NOT close the seminar session).

What concerns you most about the project? What can I do to support you? Other questions?

As usual, your projects for this unit are due no later than 11:59 pm ET on Tuesday of this

week.

Sample Unit 4 Paper

• There are many types of evidence. Some is collected at the crime scene and some is provided from witnesses. The caretaker or owner of the property where the crime took place could also provide valuable information about the case. It is crucial that the investigator knows what evidence is there to be collected and what the evidence has to say. Evidence is the key to making a positive identification of the suspect and/or victim and conviction of the criminal.

First body paragraph• The first piece of evidence is the hand written

testimony of the witness. This evidence is very descriptive of the suspect and his actions. It gives an approximate time that the crime took place. Because of the information given to the police from the witness, they know that the suspect left in a certain direction and what he was wearing. The witness tells of the actions that he watched the suspect do and a description of the suspect. This piece of evidence is reliable. However it could also be a false report that was made to cover up the real identity of the person who done the crime. It could have been the witness or one of his friends that did the actual vandalism.

Third paragraph

• The second piece of evidence is the map of the cemetery. This map gives a layout of the cemetery and the location of the witness and suspect at the time of the crime. The path of the suspect’s departure is shown with an arrow pointing at where the suspect climbed the wall and left. This piece of evidence is reliable as to layout of cemetery and if the witness is being truthful, it is also because it shows that the witness was close enough to the suspect to see him committing the crime

Fourth paragraph

• The third form of evidence is the details of the Tomb. The form is a reliable piece of evidence, because everything on the form can be proven by cemetery staff. It gives a detailed description of the tomb and, all related information such as, who is at rest there, type of path to get to the tomb and even how far it is from a drain it is located. I could not think of any information that would make this piece of evidence more reliable.

Conclusion

• In conclusion, each of these pieces of evidence, are important to this case. Statements from witnesses are important because it tells who, what, when, and where. The map and the tomb details are important because it gives information related to the crime that can be proven. It is important to show careful attention to each piece of evidence in order to make an accurate arrest and successful conviction.

TYPES OF EVIDENCE

TYPES OF EVIDENCE

The types of sources that you can use in your papers are virtually endless, but it is important to distinguish

between sources that are physical (i.e., available in a “hard” format) and those that are electronic (i.e., accessible through the Internet). As a responsible

scholar, you must assess sources and determine which ones are the most appropriate and reliable for your topic and assignment. The first step toward evaluating sources

is understanding the type of source you are accessing.

TYPES OF EVIDENCE

TYPES OF EVIDENCE

EVALUATING EVIDENCE

In addition to the reading for this unit, there are other ways to consider what is or is not a viable source for your writing. What do you look for in a reputable source?

A great place for you to find research

• On Kaplan Home Page, click on Community Center

• My Community

• Resources – will give you a list of CJ related Web sites and links that are valid.

WORKSHOP: NARROWING YOUR FOCUS

The best way to learn about focusing a topic is to practice. As a group, we will

explore one of the following and talk about ways we can narrow our topic

and distill that into a one or two sentence statement.

Gender Issues in Criminal Justice

Terrorism and Border Control

Criminal Justice and Technology

Potential Thesis for Gender Topic

• Women with children are sentenced with more leniency for the same crime than women without children.

• Females are punished more harshly than males when it comes to crimes related to abusing their children.

• Any others?

Potential thesis statements for Technology Topic

• Studies prove that surveillance cameras work as a deterrent and have lowered crime rates in areas that use them.

• Studies prove that surveillance cameras do not lower crime rates, but instead, give people and shop owners a false sense of security.

• Any others?

Potential Thesis statements for Terrorism and Border Control

• The new Arizona Immigration Law violates a person’s basic right to privacy.

• The new Arizona Immigration Law is needed in order to decrease the number of illegal immigrants allowed into the US.

• Any others?

The all important thesis:

• 3 to 5 sentences

• The hook

• Keep it broad

• Keep it focused

Sample Thesis Paragraph• Though many people do not realize it yet, cybercrimes

are a very real and very large threat to our national security and have the potential to bring our infrastructure to a standstill. Through the use of malicious software and well-developed skills criminals and terrorists alike are searching for more ways to attack our country. Eventually, one of these attacks will be a success and could end up destroying everything this country has fought for. Due to what appears to be a lack of training and resources it is very possible that this could happen sooner rather than later. Can these crimes be stopped, or are the people with the skills necessary to halt this problem the ones who are causing it?

Another Sample Thesis paragraph• Today video cameras are so common place most

Americans do not even give them a second thought. Some people even inadvertently carry a video camera with them everywhere they go in the form of a cell phone. Red light and speeding cameras are now the two most controversial uses for video surveillance and even that fervor seems to be dying down. As pervasive as video cameras for security are, do they really help law enforcement? Americans have accepted video cameras as a beneficial tool for law enforcement without understanding how limitations in the technology can actually hinder an investigation.

Here is another one:

• As the world becomes more technologically advanced crime will advance also. In the past several years, trafficking children online has become less risky and more profitable than trafficking drugs and major websites such as craigslist are not providing adequate screening or monitoring or their sites. This lack of screening puts law enforcement in an uphill struggle to protect innocence. Law enforcement is doing all it can to stop trafficking but without help from the site who sponsor the problem, can law enforcement ever keep up?

One more sample thesis:

• The recent immigration law, currently being appealed in Arizona, is needed in order to stop slow down the number of illegal aliens entering the state. The law mandates that officers ask for proof of nationality to any person who has been detained for any reason. Although opponents of the law say that it is not constitutional, many experts believe that it is just what the state needs to control its illegal immigration problems.

Unit 4 Expectations

• Seminar

• Unit 4 Project

• DB – Evidence

• Reading

• Take a Break!

What to expect in Unit 5

• No seminar – Reading Week

• Take a break!