CJA 336 diversity in criminal justice

Trial consultants conduct research related to jury profiling. They must be able to investigate statistics, build profiles of potential jurors, and report accurate data to a trial team who selects the jurors for a case. In this assessment, you research statistics and write an investigative report that explains the impact of policies and procedures on those of diverse backgrounds and makes evidence-based recommendations to a trial team who is looking to reduce disparities based on gender, race, and ethnicity in the trial process.

Watch the following video for an overview of this assessment:

Video with transcript

Preparation

Research at least 2 scholarly sources, other than the textbook, that provide statistical demographic information for sentencing and corrections. Use the websites of your local or federal agencies to find the most recent data.

Assessment Deliverable

Using local or federal statistics on sentencing and corrections, write and UPLOAD (No Links) a 700- to 1,050-Microsoft® Word (No PDF) investigative report as if you were a trial consultant investigating policies and procedures and their impact on those of diverse backgrounds Your report should explain current data regarding disparities in sentencing based on gender, race, and ethnicity, and make recommendations to the trial team about reducing these disparities in the trial process.

Include the following information, with supportive examples from your research, in your report:

• Describe the gender, racial, and ethnic group demographic information for the following in your area:
• Criminal sentences handed down in court
• Corrections institutions (both prisons and jails)
• Probation and parole populations
• Explain the gender, racial, and ethnic disparities found in sentencing. Address whether there is disparity in who receives probation versus incarceration.
• Describe how biases might affect courtroom proceedings, such as a bail/bond proceeding, pretrial proceeding, first appearance, and legal representation (e.g., having a private lawyer instead of a public defender).
• Propose at least 1 recommendation for how to address gender disparities and at least 1 recommendation for how to address the racial and ethnic disparities in the areas discussed.

Cite at least 2 scholarly sources, other than the textbook, in your report. Format your citations according to APA guidelines.

Required – Submit your uploaded assessment correctly Wk4 Your Name Example: Wk4 Pete Moss

Submit your assessment in the correct format.

Assessment Support (Important)

• Review the rubric for guidance on deliverable expectations.
• If you choose the federal level, the following resources include federal data that may be helpful:
• Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Federal Bureau of Prisons
• Demographic Differences in Sentencing from the United States Sentencing Commission
• Prisoners in 2020 – Statistical Tables from the U.S. Department of Justice
• Probation and Parole in the United States, 2019 from the U.S. Department of Justice
• If you choose to include data on juveniles, refer to Patterns of Juvenile Court Referrals of Youth Born in 2000, a bulletin from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs that uses data from the National Juvenile Court Data Archive to summarize demographics of youth referred to juvenile court.
• Review “Statistics 101: Proportions, Ratios, and Rates” from Statistics Canada on YouTube if you would like more information on interpreting basic statistical data.