psychological theories to criminal behavior

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PSY 310 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview The final project for this course is the creation of an executive summary report. You will write a summary, conduct a crime assessment, and create a profile of a criminal. You will then develop a conclusion and consider the investigative use of the information you have compiled. Criminal psychology encompasses a wide range of information about someone which can be drawn together, synthesized, and written into a format used by the criminal justice system prior to an arrest. Typically, criminal psychologists are called upon to provide advice and consultation when the crimes are not straightforward. Law enforcement officers are experts at tracking data and looking for crime-related clues to help them solve a case. However, when they need assistance determining who a criminal is, or what a criminal’s motivation might be—in a predictive sense—they rely on the capabilities of professionals who are versed both in criminology and psychology. A criminal profile emerges as data comes together. This is not the same as the information you see on the news; rather, it is a comprehensive look at the biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors that make a person unique to a criminal case. Some of the information is based on empirical data and some is based on educated assumptions made by the criminal psychologist.

In this executive summary report, you will look at a variety of factors and work to answer the question “who is this person?” You will examine criminal statistics, lifestyle, upbringing, medical and mental health information, along with a range of other information, that will help you answer the “who, what, when, where, and why” of your chosen case. It will be your job to draw from your previous education and training to learn how to understand what information is relevant to your case. There is no piece of information that is too small to help you build the mosaic of how past activity can help predict future activity. Your profile will be thorough, addressing all of the areas and questions above for the aim of assisting investigators to understand the criminal and his or her motivations and motives as well as the risk of the criminal activity continuing in the future. Through prompts and independent research outside of the text, you’ll peer into the world of investigative profiling.

The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three and Five. The final product will be submitted in Module Seven.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 

 PSY-310-01: Assess biological, developmental, and environmental factors to determine the impact on criminal behavior

 PSY-310-02: Apply relevant psychological theories to criminal behavior in order to analyze motivation

 PSY-310-03: Apply psychological methods to the development of a psychological profile that synthesizes relevant data  PSY-310-04: Determine appropriate intervention strategies related to criminal behavior supported by psychological theory and research

 

 

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Prompt You will complete an executive summary report that includes criminal and psychological aspects of a particular crime to inform the executive team in order to prevent or intervene in criminal behavior. You may choose one of the following three scenarios to complete your final project:

 

1. White Collar Crime (Plain Text Version) 2. Serial Murderer (Plain Text Version) 3. Domestic Terror (Plain Text Version)

 

Specifically, you must address the critical elements listed below. Most of the critical elements align with a particular course outcome (shown in brackets).

I. Summary A. Summarize the case provided. In your summary, include key facts and demographic information. [PSY-310-01]

B. Develop initial hypothesis about the potential motivation to commit the crime. As you consider the motivation, identify the type of crime that was committed. [PSY-310-02]

 

II. Crime Assessment A. Compare data and evidence of similar crimes. [PSY-310-03] B. Identify patterns found in similar crimes. [PSY-310-03] C. Make inferences about motivation of the identified individual based on case evidence and comparison to similar crimes. [PSY-310-02]

 

III. Profile A. Develop a demographic summary of the individual based on analysis of data from the case. [PSY-310-03] B. Explain the impact that biological factors of the case had on the individual’s behavior. [PSY-310-01] C. Explain the impact that developmental factors of the case had on the individual’s behavior. [PSY-310-01] D. Explain the impact that environmental factors of the case had on the individual’s behavior. [PSY-310-01]

E. Apply theories to the emerging hypothesis of the motivation of your chosen subject. In your response, consider the biological, psychological, social, and criminal violence theories. [PSY-310-02]

IV. Conclusion and Investigative Use

A. Develop a global summary based on a synthesis of the inputs, crime assessment, and profile. [PSY-310-03] B. Anticipate future behavior based on predictive analysis. [PSY-310-04]

 

 

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C. Develop intervention strategies to mitigate future criminal behavior. Be sure to explain how your strategies will impact future behavior. [PSY- 310-04]

D. Discuss limitations of data to developing your report. In your response, consider the information that was missing that you wish you had and reliability and validity of the data you reviewed. [PSY-310-04]

E. Based on your report, discuss how the information collected could contribute to the capture, understanding, and prosecution of the individual. [PSY-310-04]

 

 

 

Milestone One: Summary and Crime Assessment

Milestones

In Module Three, you will submit a draft of your summary and crime assessment. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Profile In Module Five, you will submit a draft of the profile. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

 

Final Submission: Executive Summary Report

In Module Seven, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. You will add the conclusion and investigative use section to the final project submission. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

 

 

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Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your executive summary report must be 4–6 pages in length (plus a cover page and references) and must be written in APA format. Use double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Include at least five references cited in APA format.

 

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Summary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and Summarizes the case study and Summarizes the case study but Does not summarize the case 6 Summarize the Case response demonstrates an includes key facts and summary is missing key facts or study

advanced ability to distill key demographic information demographic information details from a provided case study

Summary: Initial Meets “Proficient” criteria and Develops initial hypothesis Develops initial hypothesis Does not develop an initial 8 Hypothesis response demonstrates a about the potential motivation about the potential motivation hypothesis about the potential

sophisticated awareness of the to commit the crime to commit the crime but the motivation to commit the crime potential motivation to commit hypothesis is cursory or lacks the crime detail

Crime Assessment: Meets “Proficient” criteria and Compares data and evidence of Compares data and evidence of Does not compare data and 6 Compare comparison is exceptionally similar crimes similar crimes but comparison is evidence of similar crimes

clear and includes exceptional cursory or contains inaccuracies detail

Crime Assessment: Meets “Proficient” criteria and Identifies patterns found in Identifies patterns found in Does not identify patterns 6 Identify Patterns demonstrates keen ability to similar crimes similar crimes but response is found in similar crimes

identify patterns cursory or illogical or lacks detail

Crime Assessment: Meets “Proficient” criteria and Draws inferences about the Draws inferences about the Does not draw inferences about 8 Motivation inferences show advanced motivation of the individual to motivation of the individual to the motivation of the individual

ability to draw connections commit the crime based on commit the crime but response to commit the crime from evidence in multiple cases evidence in multiple cases is cursory or illogical or lacks

detail

 

 

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Profile: Meets “Proficient” criteria and Develops a demographic Develops a demographic Does not analyze data from the 6 Demographic response demonstrates an summary of the individual summary of the individual case to develop a demographic

Summary exceptionally detailed summary based on analysis of data from based on analysis of data from summary of the individual …. the case the case but the demographic

summary of the individual is cursory or lacks detail

Profile: Biological Meets “Proficient” criteria and Explains the impact that Explains the impact that Does not explain the impact 6 Factors response demonstrates an biological factors of the case biological factors of the case that biological factors of the

insightful ability to assess the had on the individual’s behavior had on the individual’s behavior case had on the individual’s impact of biological factors but explanation lacks sufficient behavior detail

Profile: Meets “Proficient” criteria and Explains the impact that Explains the impact that Does not explain the impact 6 Developmental response demonstrates an developmental factors of the developmental factors of the that developmental factors of

Factors insightful ability to assess the case had on the individual’s case had on the individual’s the case had on the individual’s impact of developmental behavior behavior but explanation lacks behavior factors sufficient detail

Profile: Meets “Proficient” criteria and Explains the impact that Explains the impact that Does not explain the impact 6 Environmental response demonstrates an environmental factors of the environmental factors of the that environmental factors of

Factors insightful ability to assess the case had on the individual’s case had on the individual’s the case had on the individual’s impact of environmental factors behavior behavior but explanation lacks behavior sufficient detail

Profile: Apply Meets “Proficient” criteria and Applies theories to the Applies theories to the Does not apply theories to the 8 Theories description demonstrates a emerging hypothesis of emerging hypothesis of emerging hypothesis of

complex grasp of the motivation for the identified motivation for the identified motivation for the identified application of theories to the individual individual but response is individual hypothesis of motivation missing key theories

Conclusion and Meets “Proficient” criteria and Develops global summary based Develops global summary but Does not develop global 6 Investigative Use: demonstrates an advanced on a synthesis of the inputs, summary is missing key summary based on a synthesis Global Summary ability to synthesize key details crime assessment, and profile elements or lacks clear of the inputs, crime assessment,

synthesis of details and profile

Conclusion and Meets “Proficient” criteria and Anticipates future behavior of Anticipates future behavior of Does not anticipate future 6 Investigative Use: demonstrates keen insight into individual based on predictive individual based on predictive behavior of individual based on Future Behavior the application of predictive analysis analysis but response is cursory predictive analysis

analysis or illogical or lacks detail

 

 

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Conclusion and Meets “Proficient” criteria and Develops intervention Develops intervention Does not develop intervention 6 Investigative Use: demonstrates a nuanced strategies, explaining how they strategies to mitigate this strategies to mitigate future

Intervention understanding of how will mitigate future criminal behavior in the future but criminal behavior Strategies intervention strategies mitigate behavior interventions are not applied

future criminal behavior appropriately or lack justification

Conclusion and Meets “Proficient” criteria and Discusses limitations of data in Discusses limitations to Does not discuss limitations to 6 Investigative Use: description demonstrates a developing the report developing the report but developing the report

Limitations sophisticated awareness of the response is cursory or illogical

case details or lacks detail

Conclusion and Meets “Proficient” criteria and Discusses how the information Discusses how the information Does not discuss how the 6 Investigative Use: demonstrates a sophisticated collected could contribute to collected could contribute to information collected could

Capture, understanding of how the the capture, understanding, and the capture, understanding, and contribute to the capture, Understanding, and report contributes to the prosecution of the individual prosecution of the individual understanding, and prosecution

Prosecution capture, understanding, and but description is cursory, of the individual prosecution of the individual illogical, or lacks detail

Articulation of Submission is free of errors Submission has no major errors Submission has major errors Submission has critical errors 4 Response related to citations, grammar, related to citations, grammar, related to citations, grammar, related to citations, grammar,

spelling, syntax, and spelling, syntax, or organization spelling, syntax, or organization spelling, syntax, or organization organization and is presented in that negatively impact that prevent understanding of a professional and easy-to-read readability and articulation of ideas format main idea

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