410 Assignment 1: Improvements to the Correctional System

Assignment 1: Improvements to the Correctional SystemDue Week 3 and worth 150 pointsAccording to the textbook, prison reform is often effectuated by and through the legislature. Often, these changes are meant for improvement; however, they can have an unintended consequence. Imagine that you are a state legislator that heads a committee for the Department of Corrections. Your responsibilities include recommending improvements to the correctional system, both domestic and international, (e.g., Guantanamo Bay). Go to Cornell University Law School’s Website, located athttp://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/eighth_amendment, and review the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you:Suggest two (2) actions that the corrections system can take in order to attain higher levels of professionalism. Provide a rationale for your response.Take a position as to whether or not conditions of correctional facilities circumvent the “cruel and unusual punishment standard” of the Eighth Amendment. Provide a rationale for your response.Support or refute the removal of corporal punishment from the U.S. corrections system. Provide a rationale for your response.Create an argument for or against intermediate sanctions as a deterrent of crime. Support your viewpoint with one (1) example of intermediate sanctions that reflects your opinion.Debate whether or not correctional facilities are adequately equipped to deal with mentally ill inmates. Provide a rationale for your response.Use at least two (2) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:Determine the U.S. Constitutional amendments that apply to correctional management and operations.Recommend improvements to selected areas of corrections.Defend the purposes of corrections.Examine the reform of American criminal justice beginning with 15th century Europe.Use technology and information resources to research issues in correctional facility policies.Write clearly and concisely about correctional facility policies using proper writing mechanics.Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric found here.Points: 150Assignment 1: Improvements to the Correctional SystemCriteriaUnacceptableBelow 60% FMeets Minimum Expectations60-69% DFair70-79% CProficient80-89% BExemplary90-100% A1. Suggest two (2) actions that the corrections system can take in order to attain higher levels of professionalism. Provide a rationale for your response.Weight: 15%Did not submit or incompletely suggested two (2) actions that the corrections system can take in order to attain higher levels of professionalism. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your response.Insufficiently suggested two (2) actions that the corrections system can take in order to attain higher levels of professionalism. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your response.Partially suggested two (2) actions that the corrections system can take in order to attain higher levels of professionalism. Partially provided a rationale for your response.Satisfactorily suggested two (2) actions that the corrections system can take in order to attain higher levels of professionalism. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response.Thoroughly suggested two (2) actions that the corrections system can take in order to attain higher levels of professionalism. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response.2. Take a position as to whether or not conditions of correctional facilities circumvent the “cruel and unusual punishment standard” of the Eighth Amendment. Provide a rationale for your response.Weight:15%Did not submit or incompletely took a position as to whether or not conditions of correctional facilities circumvent the “cruel and unusual punishment standard” of the Eighth Amendment. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your response.Insufficiently took a position as to whether or not conditions of correctional facilities circumvent the “cruel and unusual punishment standard” of the Eighth Amendment. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your response.Partially took a position as to whether or not conditions of correctional facilities circumvent the “cruel and unusual punishment standard” of the Eighth Amendment. Partially provided a rationale for your response.Satisfactorily took a position as to whether or not conditions of correctional facilities circumvent the “cruel and unusual punishment standard” of the Eighth Amendment. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response.Thoroughly took a position as to whether or not conditions of correctional facilities circumvent the “cruel and unusual punishment standard” of the Eighth Amendment. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response.3. Support or refute the removal of corporal punishment from the U.S. corrections system. Provide a rationale for your response.Weight:15%Did not submit or incompletely supported or refuted the removal of corporal punishment from the U.S. corrections system. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your response.Insufficiently supported or refuted the removal of corporal punishment from the U.S. corrections system. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your response.Partially supported or refuted the removal of corporal punishment from the U.S. corrections system. Partially provided a rationale for your response.Satisfactorily supported or refuted the removal of corporal punishment from the U.S. corrections system. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response.Thoroughly supported or refuted the removal of corporal punishment from the U.S. corrections system. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response.4. Create an argument for or against intermediate sanctions as a deterrent of crime. Support your viewpoint with one (1) example of intermediate sanctions that reflects your opinion.Weight: 20%Did not submit or incompletely created an argument for or against intermediate sanctions as a deterrent of crime. Did not submit or incompletely supported your viewpoint with one (1) example of intermediate sanctions that reflects your opinion.Insufficiently created an argument for or against intermediate sanctions as a deterrent of crime. Insufficiently supported your viewpoint with one (1) example of intermediate sanctions that reflects your opinion.Partially created an argument for or against intermediate sanctions as a deterrent of crime. Partially supported your viewpoint with one (1) example of intermediate sanctions that reflects your opinion.Satisfactorily created an argument for or against intermediate sanctions as a deterrent of crime. Satisfactorily supported your viewpoint with one (1) example of intermediate sanctions that reflects your opinion.Thoroughly created an argument for or against intermediate sanctions as a deterrent of crime. Thoroughly supported your viewpoint with one (1) example of intermediate sanctions that reflects your opinion.5. Debate whether or not correctional facilities are adequately equipped to deal with mentally ill inmates. Provide a rationale for your response.Weight: 20%Did not submit or incompletely debated whether or not correctional facilities are adequately equipped to deal with mentally ill inmates. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your response.Insufficiently debated whether or not correctional facilities are adequately equipped to deal with mentally ill inmates. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your response.Partially debated whether or not correctional facilities are adequately equipped to deal with mentally ill inmates. Partially provided a rationale for your response.Satisfactorily debated whether or not correctional facilities are adequately equipped to deal with mentally ill inmates. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response.Thoroughly debated whether or not correctional facilities are adequately equipped to deal with mentally ill inmates. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response.6. 2 referencesWeight: 5%No references providedDoes not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices.Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices.Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.7. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirementsWeight: 10%More than 8 errors present7-8 errors present5-6 errors present3-4 errors present0-2 errors present