Traditional & Integrated Court
Maximum 10 pages in length, double spaced
Your paper should be double-spaced and 7 – 10 pages in length (excludes title page and references).
You must use at least 5 scholarly articles (i.e., peer-reviewed journal articles). Your paper must follow the style of APA 7th edition
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1.Observe via written judgment, a recent criminal case in the Provincial Courts of BC. To access written judgments of recent criminal cases:
1. Go to this website: https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/
2. Scroll partway down the page until you see the heading “Recent Judgments”
3. Click on one of the recent judgments to access the transcript of the judgment, making sure you only access a file that begins with “R v.” (e.g., “R v. De Boer”) – if it does not begin with “R v.” then it is NOT a criminal case.
Before you read about the court ruling, please have a look at this website (will take you 5-10 minutes). It walks you through the visual components and procedures of the courtroom, so you will know what the folks at the proceedings experienced: https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/enews/enews-09-12-2020
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Part 1:
Briefly (approximately 2 paragraphs) describe the case you read (e.g., who were the parties, what were the crimes, what was the judge’s judgment? If there were many aspects to the judgment, you can simply list a few, e.g., “several conditions such as: no substance use and no weapons; no contact with victim’s family; no access to the internet for 3 years; etc.”).
Elaborate on aspects of the proceedings – based on your knowledge of psychology:
– In terms of the judge’s rationale for the judgment, which aspects did you like/agree with?
– Which aspects would you change and why?
– How would you change these aspects?
Support your answers with psychological theory/research.
Part 2:
Take a moment to research Victoria’s Integrated Court. You may not find much research on the integrated court specifically, so I also recommend reading about problem-solving courts and mental health courts (these are essentially the same thing). Use websites as well as journal articles.
In your opinion (and from a psychological standpoint):
– Does the Integrated Court do a “better” job than the traditional court?
– Why/why not?
Support your opinion with psychological theory/research.
Part 3:
If you could wave a magic wand and create a perfect (from a psychological standpoint) court system, what would it look like and why? Support your vision with psychological theory/research.
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Grading Criteria (Choice #2): Total: /20
Your first paragraph is engaging and captivating, drawing the reader into wanting to read more about what you have to say. In essence, it should captivate the reader. You have an introduction that clearly depicts where your paper is going.
You provide a sufficient level of detail and information: You briefly describe what you experienced reading the criminal court judgment (i.e., who the parties were, the crimes, decisions). You’ve discussed what you agreed with/liked about aspects of what you read and the judge’s rationale, and addressed aspects that you would change. You’ve sufficiently supported your opinions with psychological theory/research.
You discuss the integrated court (i.e., mentioned your thoughts based on what you read about it). You discuss and support (with psychological research/theory) your opinion on whether the integrated court does a better job than the traditional court.
You include a well-thought-out vision (with elements of creative/innovative recommendation) for the “perfect” court system and substantiate this vision with psychological research/theory.
Throughout your paper, your argument is sound and substantial, with significant elements of originality. There is strong evidence of thorough critical Assessment of the material you present.
You provide a robust conclusion that summarizes what you have reviewed and all the relevant points you have made.
Proper use of APA (7th edition) formatting throughout your essay (title page, margins, font, citations, non-excessive use of quotations, references, etc.); use of at least 5 primary sources; grammar; spelling; paper is no longer than 10 pages in length, double-spaced; clearly indicated your assignment choice (1 or 2).
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In the Provincial Courts of BC, criminal cases involve the Crown prosecuting an individual, represented by “R v.” in the case title, for a crime. To evaluate the proceedings from a psychological standpoint, it is important to consider the judge’s rationale for the judgment, as well as any biases that may have influenced their decision.
For example, if the judge has a bias towards rehabilitation, they may focus on ordering the defendant to attend therapy or substance abuse treatment, rather than solely punishment. On the other hand, if the judge prioritizes punishment, they may impose stricter conditions or a longer sentence. From a psychological perspective, a judge’s rationale and decision should be informed by a balanced consideration of rehabilitation and punishment, as well as any risk to public safety.
Part 2:
Victoria’s Integrated Court aims to provide a holistic approach to addressing the root causes of criminal behavior, such as mental health issues or substance abuse.
