Personal Application of Criminology

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Hi,

Interesting scenario. Let's take a closer look.

RESPONSE:

1. I need help with this question; if anyone can help me please. You are the parent of a 16-year-old boy. You come home unexpectedly and find your door ajar. Inside, you discover your son's friend looking through a kitchen drawer. The boy says he is looking for a paper and a pencil so he can leave your son a note. On the counter next to him is a lock-pick and some of your jewelry and he smells of marijuana. You tell the boy to leave immediately and he does. Which of the following, if any, will you do now?
a. Call the police
b. Call the boy's parents
c. Tell your son
d. Perhaps you will do something else.
I choose b and c.

What made you decide to call the parents instead of the police? What made you decide to tell your son? Your answer to these questions tells you something about your personal theory of crime and the types of solutions to solve the problem. Your choice is more in line with restorative justice philosophy than restributive (e.g. calling the police).

One approach to take for this paper is to discuss two theories of crime, perhaps retribution (e.g., call the police and the focus is on punishment, such as fines or jail for a crime against society) and restorative. Your son's friend would receive his 'just desert' for attempting to rob you from the retributive perspective. In contrast, your choice (e.g., call his parents, tell your son) reflects more of the restorative justice view of crime and punishment. You are focused on the victim e.g., your son since it was his friend who was stealing from his house, and you would phone the parents for a more informal methods of finding a solution. Perhaps, for example, you would get together with his parents for an intervention with your son's friend for both drugs and making an apology for trying to rob your house. It is about relationship building as opposed to punishment.

Your tentative outline would be something to the effect:

I. introduction (e.g. introduce scenario; include thesis, such as: Although our present justice system is based on retributive justice, restorative justice is more humane, restorative, and effective).
II. Restorative Justice
III. Retributive Justice
IV. Which one works best?
V. Conclusion (e.g. restate thesis; sum up main points)

Now, let's look at some information for you to consider for each section.

What Is Restorative Justice?

People who move through the current system of criminal justice generally ...