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Theories of crime and criminal justice can be defined as statements about relationships, particularly between an independent variable and a dependent variable. Academics refer to formal theories in order to establish testable hypotheses; for our consideration, formal criminological theories offer many suggestions about where crime originates and how it persists. For instance, broad categories of juvenile justice policy might be founded on developmental/life course theories of crime onset.
In policy analysis, however, “theory” could simply represent the conceptual logic that underlies how the program is intended function, similar to a flowchart that links the program’s content to its expected outcomes. A program for educating DUI offenders might theorize that recidivism could be reduced by explaining the costs and consequences of driving while impaired.
For Paper #2, locate two academic journal articles from peer-reviewed criminology/criminal justice journals that evaluate a policy or program. Your objective is to describe how theory and policy are linked in both examples:
First, identify the policy or program featured in each article. What type of crime is it intended to address? What is the context for the policy or program?
Second, discuss how the program or policy is theorized to work. What is the mechanism by which it achieves its objectives? Is the policy or program based on a formal, criminological theory? Describe it, briefly.
Third, what are the major findings from the articles? Did the policies/programs show an effect?
Lastly, in light of the findings from the articles, did the theories upon which your example policies/programs were based appear sound? In other words: does it appear that the policies/programs were appropriately conceptualized? Why or why not?
Remember, the purpose of this short paper is to discuss theory. Your paper will be graded, therefore, based on your written linkage between policy/program theory and evaluation. It is not necessary to provide extensive detail about the programming that goes beyond the major objectives listed above. Keep your writing focused on theoretical elements in your chosen examples.
Utilize information from your two example articles to help support your points, citing the original work as needed. Throughout your paper, you may find it helpful to use compare and contrast statements in order to show similarity or differences in the two example articles you select. Also, remember to provide APA-style citations for your source articles, where appropriate.
