Crime, Justice and Social Order
SOCIOLOGY 2123
Group Project and Presentation Guidelines
NOTE: Attendance is mandatory for all presentations
Due dates:
· Groups – January 18
· Group meetings with professor – once in January or February
· Research question – February27
· Final presentations – April 12-19
Project
Each group of 3-5 students will conduct a data based research project on a topic related to crime, justice or social order. The data collection should come from secondary sources (news papers, magazines, television, websites, statistical databases) or observations of public proceeding (court proceedings, for example).
Presentation
You may choose to organize your presentation in the way that makes most sense to your group. Keep in mind though that I would like each group member to participate in some way. You should present your research question, methods, findings, and analysis. You should also provide some type of visual component (handout, powerpoint, video, etc.). You should also be sure to leave time for discussion at the end of your presentation. Your presentations will be at least 15 minutes (exact amount of time will depend on how many groups are formed). In your presentation, you will be evaluated on the content and style of your presentation.
A few topic ideas
News reports of crime compared to actual crime statistics
Gender/race/age in media representations of crime
Compare state and national data on some aspect of crime or justice
Compare requirements for entry into police academy in different cities
Compare jury selection on TV to real life jury selection
Compare fictional depictions of prisons with real life depictions of prisons