In this module you will complete a Signature Assignment entitled “Explore Accountability and Responsibility in the Criminal Justice System.”
Areas to address in your Signature Assignment submission include examining current and proposed criminal justice practices, disparities in the treatment of people of color in the criminal justice system, and the balance of social justice in America.
Your Signature Assignment task is to prepare a research paper on one of the following three topics:
• Investigate and discuss proven methods used to balance the scales of social justice while exploring how to reconstruct those deemed ineffective.
• Examine diverging perspectives on social justice issues while assessing accountability and responsibility.
• Illustrate how the skills and knowledge gained will be useful to all Americans, particularly criminal justice professionals, and others who make or are impacted by decisions made to ensure social injustice is mitigated for people of color in matters involving criminal justice.
Research Paper Format:
VI. Introductory Paragraph
1.
a. Introduction that grabs the reader’s attention (quote from: famous person about person, an event, anecdote about the person, etc.).
b. Offer a concise summary of the main point or claim of the research paper.
1.
VII. Body paragraph #1
1.
a. Topic Sentence (First information you found from researching your topic)
b. Facts, statistics, direct quotations.
c. Analogies, comparisons, expert opinions.
d. Your own ideas, opinions, and comments about what you found.
1.
1.
1.
VIII. Body Paragraph #2
1.
a. Topic Sentence (Next idea you found out from researching your topic).
b. Facts, statistics, direct quotations.
c. Analogies, Comparisons, expert opinions
d. Your own ideas, opinions, and comments about what you found.
1.
1.
1.
IX. Body Paragraph #3
1.
a. Topic Sentence (third piece of information you found out from researching your topic.
b. Facts, statistics, direct quotations.
c. Analogies, comparisons, expert opinions.
d. Your own ideas, opinions, comments about what you found.
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Okay, let’s craft the introductory paragraph and the first three body paragraphs for a research paper based on the third topic: Illustrate how the skills and knowledge gained will be useful to all Americans, particularly criminal justice professionals, and others who make or are impacted by decisions made to ensure social injustice is mitigated for people of color in matters involving criminal justice.
Here’s a draft following your specified format:
VI. Introductory Paragraph
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This powerful assertion by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. resonates deeply within the context of the American criminal justice system, where disparities in the treatment of people of color persist despite decades of reform efforts. This research paper argues that the skills and knowledge acquired through a critical examination of these disparities and the mechanisms to mitigate them are not merely academic pursuits but essential tools for all Americans, and particularly for criminal justice professionals and policymakers. By understanding the systemic nature of social injustice within this framework, individuals can contribute to a more equitable and just society for all, fostering a system where accountability and responsibility are applied fairly, regardless of race.
VII. Body Paragraph #1
The foundational knowledge of systemic racism and its historical roots within the American criminal justice system provides a crucial lens through which to understand current disparities. For instance, the historical context of slavery and the subsequent Jim Crow laws directly contributed to the over-policing and disproportionate incarceration of Black individuals, a pattern that continues to manifest in contemporary practices. As Michelle Alexander meticulously details
Okay, let’s craft the introductory paragraph and the first three body paragraphs for a research paper based on the third topic: Illustrate how the skills and knowledge gained will be useful to all Americans, particularly criminal justice professionals, and others who make or are impacted by decisions made to ensure social injustice is mitigated for people of color in matters involving criminal justice.
Here’s a draft following your specified format:
VI. Introductory Paragraph
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This powerful assertion by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. resonates deeply within the context of the American criminal justice system, where disparities in the treatment of people of color persist despite decades of reform efforts. This research paper argues that the skills and knowledge acquired through a critical examination of these disparities and the mechanisms to mitigate them are not merely academic pursuits but essential tools for all Americans, and particularly for criminal justice professionals and policymakers. By understanding the systemic nature of social injustice within this framework, individuals can contribute to a more equitable and just society for all, fostering a system where accountability and responsibility are applied fairly, regardless of race.
VII. Body Paragraph #1
The foundational knowledge of systemic racism and its historical roots within the American criminal justice system provides a crucial lens through which to understand current disparities. For instance, the historical context of slavery and the subsequent Jim Crow laws directly contributed to the over-policing and disproportionate incarceration of Black individuals, a pattern that continues to manifest in contemporary practices. As Michelle Alexander meticulously details
in “The New Jim Crow,” the “War on Drugs” in the late 20th century, while ostensibly race-neutral, had a devastatingly disproportionate impact on Black communities, leading to mass incarceration and the creation of a new form of social control. Understanding this historical trajectory equips all Americans with the critical thinking skills to recognize how seemingly neutral policies can perpetuate racial bias within the system. For criminal justice professionals, this historical awareness is paramount in avoiding the unconscious biases that can influence their decision-making, from initial stops and arrests to sentencing recommendations. By acknowledging this legacy, policymakers can better identify and dismantle policies that have discriminatory effects, moving towards a more equitable application of the law.
VIII. Body Paragraph #2
A key skill for mitigating social injustice in the criminal justice system is the ability to analyze and interpret data on racial disparities. Research consistently reveals significant overrepresentation of people of color at every stage of the criminal justice process, from arrest rates for certain offenses to sentencing lengths and rates of recidivism. For example, statistics from the Bureau of Justice Statistics consistently show that Black individuals are incarcerated at rates significantly higher than their representation in the general population. Understanding how to access, interpret, and critically evaluate such data is essential for identifying patterns of bias and holding the system accountable. Criminal justice professionals, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges, can utilize this data to assess the impact of their practices and policies on different racial groups within their jurisdictions. This data-driven approach can inform the development of targeted interventions and reforms aimed at reducing disparities. Furthermore, for all Americans, the ability to understand and engage with this data empowers them to advocate for evidence-based policies and hold elected officials accountable for addressing racial inequities in the justice system.
IX. Body Paragraph #3
Developing cultural competency and empathy is another vital skill in addressing social injustice within the criminal justice system. Understanding the diverse lived experiences, cultural backgrounds, and historical traumas faced by people of color is crucial for fostering trust and ensuring fair treatment. Direct quotes from individuals who have experienced racial bias within the system often highlight the profound impact of cultural insensitivity and a lack of understanding from those in positions of power. As Bryan Stevenson eloquently argues in “Just Mercy,” humanizing the individuals caught within the system and acknowledging their stories is essential for achieving true justice. For criminal justice professionals, cultural competency training can lead to more effective communication, reduced reliance on stereotypes, and fairer interactions with individuals from diverse backgrounds. For policymakers, this understanding can inform the creation of culturally responsive policies and practices that address the specific needs and challenges faced by communities of color. Ultimately, cultivating empathy and cultural awareness among all Americans fosters a more inclusive and just society where the experiences of marginalized communities are acknowledged and valued, leading to a more equitable application of justice.
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