Each critical evaluation exercise will consist of the completion of a five page impact summary (see impact summary guidelines at the end of this
syllabus.) Impact summaries are to be papers written by the students, analyzing at least two issues in ONE chapter of the required text
“Controversies in Victimology.” Students should choose two or three issues in a single chapter of their choice that impacted them, relate how
they were impacted, and relate the reading to outside empirical sources using critical skills to consider the issue in light of individual
concerns, research, and topics of the day as related in the news. The impact summaries will give students the opportunity to explore specific
aspects of issues of interest. If a student does not have a personal or professional interest in specific issues, he/she can use the impact
summaries to explore topics he/she may have a passing interest in that has been heightened by/through the readings.
GUIDELINES FOR CRITICAL EVALUATION EXERCISES/IMPACT SUMMARIES:
Each impact summary must be typed, using Times New Roman 12-point font, and must be 5 pages of text (not including the title page or works
cited), and double-spaced. Critical evaluation summaries must be analytical in nature, express the specific aspects of the chapter that had the
most profound or significant impact on the student, and relate the reading to outside empirical sources.
An example follows.
1. Identify the chapter or reading you chose and two issues within the reading that impacted you.
After reading Chapter 5, Wife and Partner Abuse, you may have been most impacted by two issues: the often-erroneous assumption that women are
safer when they leave abusers; and, the applicability of the use of self-defense for victims of domestic violence who ultimately kill their
abusers.
2. The next step, after identifying these issues is to discuss how you were impacted by the issues.
Answer the following questions:
How, specifically, were you impacted by this point? What made this point particularly interesting or enlightening to you? For example, what is
the significance of this point to your life? Will an enhanced understanding help you in your work, in your research, in your personal life, or
in your studies as a criminal justice student? You may work as a police officer, where you regularly advise women to leave abusive situations.
It may be a routine with you to provide information related to the availability of shelter programs, counseling, etc. After reading this
article, you may realize leaving an abusive situation is much more complicated than what you had imagined, and you may recognize it is important
to consider what comes next for battered women who leave home. You may find your perspective has been changed somewhat, and that you may provide
better assistance to victims because you have a clearer understanding of the surrounding issues. You may wish to further research this issue and
to suggest more in service training to fellow officers on the topic. Your personal biases regarding battered women may have been affected
slightly, etc. Regarding the point of the use of the self-defense legal defense for abuse victims who ultimately kill their abusers, you may
have heretofore thought of this defense as an excuse that was somewhat farfetched. After this reading, you may have a little different
perspective of the terror of victims, which can be related to the terror of persons who strike out in self-defense during other crimes. Your
analysis might entail some anecdotal evidence drawn from cases with which you are familiar.
3. Identify 2-3 empirical sources dated 2000 or later that have researched your issues identified within the reading. You are required to
reference practitioner and academic literature. This includes referencing refereed journals prevalent in the field of criminal justice,
criminology, and public Affairs that are relevant to your project. Make sure the source is credible (e.g. peer reviewed, in a published journal,
cited by other researchers, etc.).
Example Journals in Criminal Justice and Criminology:
American Journal of Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice and Behavior
Criminal Justice Review
Criminal Justice Studies
Criminology
Criminology & Public Policy
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
Journal of Criminal Justice Education
Journal of Criminal Justice
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice
Journal of Quantitative Criminology
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency
Justice Quarterly
Justice Research and Policy
Violence Against Women
Violence & Victims
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
Violence & Victims
Feminist Criminology
Women and Criminal Justice
What does empirical research from academic peer reviewed journals suggest about this issue? If applicable, how does this research conflict with
your understanding of this issue? You may look at the journal Violence Against Women and discuss recent research that has examined the issue of
safety planning in a battered woman’s life. You may find that the research conflicts with your perspective. Your analysis would entail
discussing the research and how this research integrates with your understanding of the issue.
Have you heard or read other material that contradicts or supports the points made in this empirical research? You may recently have read a case
study or seen a news program in which a battered woman used the self-defense legal defense when accused of the murder of a spouse. After reading
or viewing the case, you may feel the defendant stretched far beyond the realm of what you considered to be “self-defense.” You may wish to
discuss the other side of the issue, and/or the ultimate findings of the jury in the case you cite. Conversely, you may have found, read or
viewed cases that provide support, such as Lenore Walker’s work, Terrifying Love: Why Battered Women Kill and How Society Responds.
Can you add to the reading, or provide materials that may enhance your fellow class members’ understanding of the issue? You may have seen a
segment on World News Tonight, which relates directly to the plight of battered women attempting to leave home. If so, you may wish to summarize
that segment and highlight pertinent points to share on the discussion forum.
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