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Discussion 1 replies 100 words each
Reply to melecia
Hi.
My name is Melecia and I am located in the mid west. I am a believer in God and attempt to study various religions and spiritual beliefs to gain perspective. Similar to my biblical/ religious studies I have been pursuing a degree in criminal justice administration to enhance my knowledge and perspective on the field. I am currently half way through my MSCJ degree program and enjoying the challenge of delving into the operations behind criminal justice departments. Having most recently taken the budgeting class I was floored at the amount of money and underfunding of essential services of law enforcement and first responders in my current city.
Most recent I have been evaluating my post graduate potential educational endeavors. The current climate of politics surrounding education and professional degrees and the student loan criteria has given me pause as to whether or not to pursue a JD. I do want to obtain said degree, however timing and financing are definitely a factor.
In my free time I care for a family member, read and enjoy performing in musical theatre, knitting and doom scrolling and singing as well as watching any crime series (fact or fiction).
I am semi- retired from the field of behavior therapy and development which I spent apx 20 years while simultaneously being a school bus driver for 24 years. Started out as a direct support staff, then was a live-in. Eventually I had the pleasure of having my own independent supportive living facility. Afterwards I segwayed in to consulting. I still enjoy assisting some individuals/ parents with develop strategies to create a supportive/ independent living environment.
Since the start of my pursuit of a Master’s degree I have lost apx 10+ family members. Most recently a cousin was murdered as a result of domestic violence at the age of 36. This deeply impacted my personal opinion of laws surrounding violent crimes. To date her case remains unsolved and cold. Inquiry into the proceedings and investigation have alluded to lack of substantial evidence to connect the alleged offender with the crime.
Most recently I was volunteered to make hand knitted weighted blankets for a friends classroom who teaches individuals with special needs. Wish me luck as this is a tedious task but does limit my doom scrolling schedule.
Several names from the class list are familiar to me and some new. I truly look forward to interacting with everyone and learning with you all as well.
Reply to Jamie
My name is Jamie Brandon. I live in the Chicago suburbs. I just left my main job to focus full time in college. My main job was working as a state correctional officer for mentally ill inmates. I worked their for four years and I learned a lot. From management practices, media relations, several emergency situations, working with other agencies, amercing in officer sub culture, mental health sub culture, inmate relations with officers and family members, court preceding’s and rulings, state paperwork, and so much more. My part time job besides being a mom to 3 little boys, is helping my husband start up his official welding business. My personal interests and career goals kind of go hand and hand. Over the summer I worked at a domestic violence shelter part-time as a case manager. I loved helping people find themselves and get back on their feet. I really made a difference in these women’s lives. I felt even more passionate about this because my late mother was a victim of domestic violence. When I was younger I didn’t understand why my mom did her bad habits; drinking, drugs, and violence. As I went through college for my associates degree in criminal justice, I learned through facts that she was conditioned that way. I quickly became passionate about learning facts about how victims and criminals become who they are. My work side-hobby is to combine my knowledge of criminal justice facts, with domestic violence facts and create a book. To help other victims or family of victims, understand how they can easily become a victim and ways of getting out of the situation, no matter the circumstances. My absolute dream job is to be a criminal researcher. For fun one day my husband and I got into a disagreement about what city has more crime Chicago or Saint Louis. To me I thought that’s easy all I have to do is look up the city crime statistics. Of course the major credited authority that does this does this, does this based off of population size per 100,000 (
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/ucr). I quickly realized Chicago lost from this argument based on these numbers but I wasn’t satisfied. To me that’s unfair because Chicago is a much larger city not just by population but also by square miles. From this thought I took the data that I researched and figured out the crime rates per square mile of each city. Chicago was still considered safer at that time but not by much. The numbers got a lot closer. In other words I’m a nerd that likes facts. Hobbies outside of that for me include; hiking, baking, reading, Sci-fi tv shows, and board games. Still a nerd. I’m hoping to learn from this class about current issues and how this dynamic is changing the society that we live in. The United States has changed so much over the most recent years. Not only with politics but also our laws. With all this change comes lots of challenges on either side. I’m super eager to see how all this information is discussed in this class especially from the criminal justice management view.
Discussion 2 replies
Reply to Deborah 100 words
What has been the process of politicization of immigration debate by state and local authorities?
Immigration has become a political instrument more frequently employed by state and local officials, with any policy formulation being based on the imperative to attract their own interests, ideologically; and not necessarily on the needs of the locality. Policies that deter immigration, e.g., working more closely with federal immigration enforcement agencies, are frequently encouraged in politically conservative regions, whereas less conservative jurisdictions enact a sanctuary or protective policy. These political decisions raise tension amongst jurisdictions and make immigration a symbolic problem instead of a policy issue. Political motivations are not the only factors that affect these enforcement decisions but reflect on the overall social atmosphere, which is shaped by media discourses (Agovino, Massimiliano, and Spagnolo, 2022).
What role has the media played in the problem?
Media plays an important role in influencing society on immigration. The media content with the focus on crises, unlawful access, or dangers can radicalize the opinion of the population, and audiences are more prone to approving the harsh immigration policies (Agovino, Massimiliano, & Spagnolo, 2022). Moreover, media framing enhances fear and polarization, which alters the expectation of the citizens and those of policymakers. Consequently, local leadership tends to be under pressure to implement policing-based strategies or take some token actions to ensure that they are in line with what the populace seems to think.
What has this done to local law enforcement?
Local law enforcement practices are directly affected by the political and media pressure. The collaboration with federal immigration agencies can help to divert resources of the traditional policing functions, whereas the conservative policies can destroy the trust between immigrant groups and the police. The current studies prove that the conflict between enforcement priorities and social safety is evident through the reduced reporting rate of the crimes committed by immigrant populations and the increased victimization rates associated with more intensive immigration control measures (Goncalves, Jaque, and Weisburst, 2024). Therefore, politicized immigration policies and amplification of the media influence the effectiveness of local policing and the level of trust within the community.
References
Agovino, M. R. C., & Spagnolo, N. (2022). Effect of media news on radicalization of attitudes to immigration. Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, 5(4), 318–340.
Gonçalves, F. M., Jácome, E., & Weisburst, E. K. (2024). Immigration enforcement and public safety. NBER Working Paper No. w32109.
Reply to doug 100 words
Respond to the following questions:
· How have state and local officials politicized the immigration debate?
· What impact has the media had on the issue?
· How has this affected local law enforcement?
This particular topic has been one of heated debate around the water cooler for many years. I believe if you watch the news, no matter which outlet, you will undoubtedly see the politics involved in the current immigration issues. There are many many discussions about who is right and who is wrong on the subject. Even more evidence than ever before is being introduced into the argument now that AI is at the fingertips of researchers. There are stats and dollar figures that almost anyone can get behind and become talking points…for either side of the debate. Most of the policy makers from mayors to governors, all the way up to the president have policies that sometimes align and sometimes intersect. Based on the belief that those who voted for them want this or that, is why these politicians push for legislation that affect their jurisdictions immigration laws. When in reality I feel everyone just wants to feel safe and make sure their tax dollars aren’t being wasted.
The fireworks that result when these policies cross paths make sensational news. It doesn’t hurt ratings if you splash in a little citizenry involvement occasionally either. I understand that the focus of this post is about the southern border, and the information in our text in chapter 2, but just look at the situation in Minnesota. This is a snapshot of a larger problem. Unlawful immigration as a whole is a drain on the system. That is an undeniable fact. When illegals come into the country and earn close to $3,500.00 dollars a month in benefits to just sit, yet retirees who have paid into the system for the last 40 years earn a mere $2,000.00 per month, we have a problem. Rather than treating these benefits as temporary assistance, some immigrants think it’s a lifestyle and that they are somehow entitled to this stipend.
The media has a huge effect on this topic. Depending on which way they lean, their reporting is undoubtedly biased by who pays the bills. Both sides are guilty however I have to say, there is one outlet that continues to get caught lying and fanning the flames. The problem with irresponsible journalism is that some people believe everything they see and hear on TV. The news can and as we have seen time and time again people become involved in things they shouldn’t just because they believe what they see and hear from the media. Unfortunately for some, these actions end up with tragic outcomes.
Outcomes that often bring citizens in contact with Law Enforcement. Whether it is on a local level or federal level. What folks need to understand is that when the government is involved, it’s best to let them do their job, and not interfere. I understand that local policies enacted by local leaders can put local Law Enforcement at odds with Federal Law Enforcement and that is an unfortunate outcome of what I belief is irresponsible politicians. If their local policies prevent them from assisting the Federal agencies, perhaps they could be employed to control their citizens for their own safety, rather than let them run into harm’s way. Lastly I would mention that a good solid understanding of the constitution and especially the supremacy clause could clear up a lot of this mess, but again, some folks simply refuse to believe they are wrong on the topic.
~Doug
Lacher, D. (2021). Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice Management (2nd ed.). Cognella, Inc..
American Immigration Council (2025)
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