Comprehensive Exam

 
Exam questions: One (1) essay question covering each of the criminal justice content core courses for a total of four (4) questions. Each question is to be answered in a 10– 15 page Microsoft® Word® document.

In general, papers should not have more than 20% of their content as a similar match to
other sources; this includes reference lists and the questions being asked. The best policy is to
never use more than a sentence or two from another source, and if you do, make sure it is cited,
paraphrased, and listed in your reference list. Papers that are higher than 40% of externally
sourced material will not pass, and you will not be provided the opportunity to make revisions.

Style Formatting • 12-point Font, Times New Roman • One inch margins, all four sides of page • APA format, style, and citation structure • No footnotes; however, endnotes may be used. • Double spacing (except as required in APA for long direct quotes) • MINIMUM number of pages per question accepted: o The body of the paper excluding reference pages is 10. • Maximum number of pages accepted: o The body of the paper excluding reference pages is 15. Reference Pages/Sources • A minimum number of eight (8) academic/scholarly references sources are required for each question.  Do not use newspapers, unsupported personal opinion(s), popular press magazines, Wikipedia, or other un-credentialed sources.
• All submitted question responses shall have reference pages and all references appearing in that section shall have been used/cited in the body of the paper.
• All references shall adhere to APA format and style.
• You are also expected to include both seminal and contemporary sources of academic information.
Q1 What are the significant differences between the social process and social development perspectives of criminal behavior? What kinds of theories characterize each?

Q2 Assume that you have the resources to construct an experiment on any topic relevant to the profiling of serial homicide offenders. Describe how you would do so. Specify a testable hypothesis and explain how you would use an experiment to confirm or disconfirm profiling as a valuable
tool in homicide investigations.

Q3 You are a captain in a medium-size police department. The chief has decided to reorganize the department, moving from its current semi-military structure to one that emphasizes team policing. The chief has directed that you act as change agent for the structural change and requested that you provide her with a discussion of the issues involved in making the change, including a needs assessment, overcoming resistance to change, selling the change to the officers in the department, and managing the change.

Q4 Does the criminal justice system treat female offenders differently than male offenders? If so, how might you explain disparities? Be able to defend whether or not the disparities exist in actuality or are a myth of the criminal justice system. If it is factual, what remedies should be made to eliminate the disparities?