A national study examined the recidivism rate of prisoners released in 30 US states between 2005 and

2010 and found that among drug offenders, 77 percent were arrested for a new crime within five

years of release. These are staggering numbers that suggest prison has little impact at deterring future

criminal behavior. If prison is not working as a deterrent, what efforts do you think will work to reduce recidivism rates?

Instructions: A case brief is short summary of a legal opinion. It contains a written summary of the basic components of that decision. It is a method of studying case law. It helps students identify the key points of a legal opinion. Most case briefs contain similar information, but the headings and their sequence may be different. For this assignment you are required to follow the general format as set forth below:

1. Case Name: Include the full citation and including the date of the opinion. The citation of the case is usually next to the case name in the legal opinion.
2. Procedural History: The procedural history is the disposition of the case in the lower court(s) that explains how the case got to the court whose opinion you are reading. The procedural history must include: (1) The lower court who heard the decision; and (2) Who appealed that decision.
3. Statement of Facts: Include only the facts that were relevant to the court’ decision. You are unlikely to know what these are until you have read the entire opinion. Many cases may include procedural facts that are relevant to the decision in addition to the facts that happened before litigation.

1. Issue: The question the court had to decide in this case. It usually includes specific facts as well as a legal question. It may be expressed or implied in the decision. Cases may have more than one issue.
2. Holding/Decision: The legal answer to the issue. If the issue is clearly written, then the holding can be expressed a “yes” or “no.”
3. Rule of Law: The general legal principles relevant to the particular factual situation presented in the case.

1. Reasoning: The logical steps the court takes to arrive at the holding. This is the court’s analysis of the issues and the heart of the case brief. It can be straightforward and obvious, or you may have to extrapolate it from the holding. The reasoning states why the court made that decision. It should be the longest section in the brief.
2. Judgment/Disposition: The judgment is the court’s final decision as to the rights of the parties, the court’s response to a party’s request or relief. Generally, the appellate court will either affirm, reverse, or reverse with instructions. The judgment is usually found at the end of the opinion.

Please refer to your resources including the grading rubric, the PowerPoint presentation on how to case brief, and the simple case brief provided for your reference. If you have any questions about the assignment, do not hesitate to reach to me.

THIS is the first case brief: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/384/43…

THIS is the second case brief: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/372/33…

THIS is the third case brief: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/559/35…

There are four Web exercises in this course, each requiring you to submit a paper. You are asked to either visit a website that is listed or select one and answer specific questions given in the instructions.

Web Exercise #4 is due at the end of Module 7 and deals with the effectiveness of an organization’s sexual harassment training. Follow the instructions given below to complete the exercise.

Select a business, and visit its homepage.

Locate and review information on its published sexual harassment policy. (It may prove useful to search for corporate sexual harassment policies in general to more efficiently locate companies that have posted their sexual harassment policy on their websites).

Prepare a paper based on the following structure and content:

Title page and table of contents

An introduction that identifies the company you have selected. Provide a brief overview of its sexual harassment policy.

What topics are covered?

Was the policy easy to locate?

A background section that briefly discusses whether or not its sexual harassment policy is part of a wider harassment policy (for example, workplace civility policy that extends beyond the topic of sexual harassment). Also, conduct a brief search on the internet to determine whether the company has had problems with sexual harassment in the past or has current cases pending against it.

Has the company been discussed in the media as having claims made against them for sexual harassment?

An analysis that uses course material and outside research to evaluate the company’s sexual harassment program. This program includes a well-written policy that is communicated (through postings and training) and enforced.

For example, under the section on Careers, Citgo has chosen to post its sexual harassment policy. It is a concise statement, but it does not clearly define what sexual harassment is. The policy describes quid pro quo and hostile environment, but it doesn’t use these terms. It does include a list of behaviors that will not be tolerated and includes a list of the types of individuals to which the policy pertains (subordinates, supervisors, customers, and suppliers). It prohibits intimate relationships between supervisors and employees (workplace romance) and directs employees where to go to file a claim. While it does state that the investigation will be confidential, it does not include an anti-retaliation statement. The policy does not specify whether training is part of its sexual harassment program.

To be an effective policy, it should include the following:

A clear definition of what sexual harassment is (the types)

Behaviors that will not be tolerated

Who the policy covers

Where an employee should go to report a claim

What happens during an investigation

The responsibilities of the company and any individuals involved in an investigation

The company’s stance on retaliation

The policy should also mention efforts the company takes to ensure that each stakeholder to this issue understands the policy and takes it seriously (for example, periodic training of supervisors and employees as well as posting the policy for others to see).

A conclusion that summarizes the main points of your findings and reflects on the company’s effectiveness in addressing the issue of sexual harassment

A reference section that lists the website, the course material, and any other outside resources you used in preparing this assignment. Be sure to cite sources within your paper, using correct APA formatting.

Once a juveniles enter the system, an intervention team is set up to address the best interests of the child and that child’s future potential. Intervention teams get together to share their professional opinions on what the child needs and are often required to submit a form of presentencing report to the judge.

As this class progressed, you explored Sarah’s major life events from the age of 5–17 years old. Sometimes, children get stuck in the system and need court intervention to help them and their families. This means that the youth services professionals who have been working with Sarah all this time may have to come together to provide a recommendation to the court on what is likely to help Sarah the best now that she is a teenager and almost an adult.

Judges rely on the information in these court reports as they make their decisions. The court report provides a way to systematically organize pertinent information to give the court a clear mental image of the child’s situation. Based on all of your study and your interactions with your peers throughout this course, you will complete the following:

• Provide a recommendation to the court on what you think should happen with Sarah and her family for the next year until she turns 18.
• Include any relevant information that you learned from your peers throughout this course in their service provider roles.

Be sure to address the following in your report:

• Keys to a successful report: The four Cs: Clear, concise, complete, and consistent
• Child-focused,
• Current, first-hand, factual information,
• Written with objective not subjective observations and statements
• Strength-based
• Concerns based on information gathered
• Recommendations based on concerns
• Use this link for a PDF version of Sarah’s life at ages 14–16
• Use this link for a PDF version of Sarah’s life at age 16
• Use this link for a PDF version of Sarah’s life at ages 10–13
• Use this link for a PDF version of Sarah’s life at ages 5–9