Author: chris

You have been asked by your administrator to develop a PowerPoint presentation and supporting paper for the staff. The purpose of the PowerPoint is to give concrete examples, suggestions, and ideas to create a more inviting family-school climate at your site, and to entice the staff to read your full paper on the topic. Your Principal understands your desire to make change at your school site and has shown you additional research stating that family involvement supports student success. In order for your staff to buy-in to this new paradigm they must have the background knowledge and specific examples to understand the necessity of change.

Therefore your presentation and paper must:

• Address family needs and understanding
  • Analyze the importance of understanding that the family/parents are the expert regarding their child
  • Describe possible family stressors and include at least six resources to share with families
• Summarize current definitions and understandings of culturally responsive teaching
  • Analyze research-based information regarding how culture influences an educational setting and how to support families and students from non-mainstream cultures
  • List examples showing the importance of becoming connected with students’ families and describe from your own experience or from a credible source one activity to support this relationship
  • Describe a method for using family-school problem solving with culturally diverse families

    Analyze the role of culture and disability in your work with families

• Synthesize an approach, from the previous points in the presentation/paper, to link your school and family with your community

Discuss the factors that contribute to prejudice and discrimination and identify some techniques for reducing the development of prejudice and discrimination.

Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word avian conservation plan. Your plan must be a focused analysis of the dangers facing local bird species. Propose avenues of intervention that are beneficial to both avian resources and to people. Address the following in your paper,

Articulate the need for a plan.
Describe the plan’s goals and objectives.
Define the scale of your plan, including the geographic area and species addressed.
Identify stakeholders and how you will earn their support.
Describe potential difficulties and opposition, as well as how you will overcome them.
Examine challenges between human activities and vulnerable species.
Evaluate funding opportunities and possible partnerships.
Consider citizen science and other volunteer resources to execute or augment your plan.
Describe how you will monitor plan progress and make needed changes.
Explain how you will report the outcome.

Cite at least three primary scholarly references.

Please describe the difference between goal and objectives. Then, tell us more about the implications for poorly articulated goals (e.g. for the program outcomes). Then, tell us more about the implications for poorly articulated objectives (for the program implementation). Be specific. Use examples. Support you arguments with academic literature.

Before a personal trainer can develop a workout and nutrition plan, he or she will meet with the client, ask questions, and determine the client’s current strength and ability. Writing instructors use a similar process to help students “diagnose” their writing strengths and weaknesses and develop a training plan!

A diagnostic writer’s response is intended to help you and your professor learn more about your individual writing strengths and weaknesses. The feedback you will receive from your professor will help you think more about your writing and what you need to address to strengthen your personal, academic, and professional communication.

 

Step 1: Select an article relevant to your field of study from one of the following Professional Websites. If your field of study is not listed here or if you do not find an article in one of these websites you wish to use,                     locate a different professional website that you find more interesting or relevant to you and your field of study.

Read the article and apply what you have learned about effective reading and writing to complete this assignment.

 

Step 2: Identify the author, title and publication information for your article. Identify the article’s audience and purpose, and summarize the main points in the article in your own words.

Next, analyze what the author does to develop or support these main points.

Then, analyze the effectiveness of the article. Identify 1–2 specific qualities of the article you read that you find to be effective, given the author’s audience and purpose.

Your submission should be organized into 3 well-developed paragraphs with an introductory paragraph, body paragraph, and concluding paragraph. The essay should be approximately 1-2 and 1/2 double spaced pages in length.

 

Study the case studies listed in this week’s reading assignments (listed below), and discuss the following:

 

• Which of the cases illustrate determinate and indeterminate sentencing structures? Explain your rationale.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the sentencing models as well as the practical implications of the public policies behind each case.

 

 

CASE STUDIES:

 

Blakely v. Washington 542 U.S. 296 (2004)

United States v. Booker 543 U.S. 220 (2005)

United States v. Kimbrough 552 U.S. 85 (2007)

 

 

 

READING ASSIGNMENT:

 

 

 

Lynch, G. E. (2005). SENTENCING: LEARNING FROM, AND WORRYING ABOUT, THE STATES. Columbia Law Review, 105(4), 933-942.

 

Bowman, F. O. (2005). THE FAILURE OF THE FEDERAL SENTENCING GUIDELINES: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS. Columbia Law Review, 105(4), 1315-1350.

 

Robinson, P. H., & Spellman, B. A. (2005). SENTENCING DECISIONS: MATCHING THE DECISIONMAKER TO THE DECISION NATURE. Columbia Law Review, 105(4), 1124-1161.

 

 

 

COPIED FOR YOUR CONVIENCE OUT OF CHAPTER 9

 

 

 

TEXTBOOK: Criminal Courts: Structure, Process, and Issues

 

3^rd Edition 2012  Pearson Education

 

AUTHORS:    Dean John Champion, Richard D. Hartley, Gary A. Rabe

 

 

 

Blakely v. Washington             (Chapter 9 page 224)

 

United States v Booker           (Chapter 9 page 224)

 

United States v. Kimbrough   (Chapter 9 page 225)

 

 

 

Blakely v. Washington 542 U.S. 296 (2004) Pursuant to a plea bargain agreement in Washington, Ralph Blakely pleaded guilty to kidnap- ping his estranged wife and was convicted of second-degree kidnapping involving domestic violence and the use of a firearm. In his plea agreement, Blakely admitted to the kidnapping and to limited facts that supported a maximum sentence of 53 months under Washington’s guide- lines sentencing scheme. However, the judge rejected the prosecutor’s recommended 49- to 53-month sentence and instead imposed an exceptional sentence of 90 months, 37 months longer than contemplated by the plea agreement. The judge justified his departure because of “deliberate cruelty” exhibited by Blakely, because the maximum sentence is up to ten years, and because “deliberate cruelty” is an aggravating factor under Washington’s Sentencing Reform Act. Blakely appealed, contending that this sentencing procedure denied him the right to have a jury determine all facts legally essential to his sentence. The Washington Supreme Court denied Blakely’s appeal and the case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated Blakely’s 90-month sentence, holding that because the facts supporting Blakely’s exceptional sentence were neither admitted in the plea agreement nor found by a jury, the sentence violated his Sixth Amendment right to a trial by jury. The U.S. Supreme Court elabo- rated, stating the trial judge could not have imposed the exceptional 90-month sentence solely on the basis of the facts admitted in the guilty plea. According to U.S. Supreme Court prece- dent, statutory maximum sentences are maximum sentences judges may impose solely on the basis of the facts reflected in a jury verdict or admitted by the defendant. The U.S. Supreme Court further noted that this decision does not question Washington’s sentencing guidelines scheme or its constitutionality. Rather, it reflects the scope of judicial discretion in sentencing under the circumstances of this case.

 

 

 

United States v. Booker 543 U.S. 220 (2005) Booker and another defendant in an unrelated case, Fanfan, were convicted in separate jury trials in different federal district courts of cocaine distribution. In Booker’s case, a 21-year, 10-month sentence was prescribed for his conviction offense by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. However, during the sentencing hearing, the judge found additional facts by a preponderance of the evidence to support a sentence of 360 months to life and gave Booker a 30-year sentence. In Fanfan’s case, a judge made a similar finding and imposed a harsher sentence, 16 years instead of the 6 years prescribed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, on Fanfan. Both cases were appealed, Booker’s to the Seventh Circuit and Fanfan’s to the First Circuit. Both circuit courts overturned these convictions, holding that any fact(s) that increase the penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be submitted to a jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The government appealed both cases and the U.S. Supreme Court heard them. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court decisions and vacated the enhanced sentences for both Booker and Fanfan. The U.S. Supreme Court held that the federal sentencing guidelines are subject to Sixth Amendment jury trial requirements, and that if a judge authorizes a punishment on the finding of a fact, that fact, no matter how the judge labels it, must be found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

 

 

United States v. Kimbrough 552 U.S. 85 (2007) The Kimbrough case has to do with the mandatory minimum trigger ratio between powder and crack cocaine. During the Reagan administration’s war on drugs, Congress passed a law requiring a five-year mandatory minimum for those convicted of possession of 500 grams of cocaine powder; the same five-year minimum would apply to someone convicted of possessing only five grams of crack cocaine. This law created a 100–1 disparity in the trigger for the minimum. Kimbrough pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams of crack cocaine. Under the federal sentencing guidelines Kimbrough’s sentence ranged from 19 to 221/2 years. The judge in the case believed that this sentence was too harsh and gave Kimbrough 15 years instead citing the ruling in Booker. The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit rejected the sentence citing that a judge can- not depart from the guidelines due to disagreement with federal sentencing policy. The Supreme Court in a 7–2 opinion in favor of the judge and Kimbrough reversed the Fourth Circuit stating that because Booker made the guidelines advisory, the judge could reasonably depart from the presumptive sentence. This case set precedent for the idea that the district c

As a way of experiencing the Humanities beyond your classroom, computer, and textbook, you are asked to do a certain type of “cultural activity” that fits well with our course and then report on your experience.   Your instructor will require you to propose an activity and get instructor approval before you do it and report on it (students should look for any instructions in that respect). Every effort should be made to ensure that this is a hands-on experience (not a virtual one), that this activity fits the HUM 112 class well, and that the activity is of sufficient quality for this university course. The two (2) key types of activities are a museum visit or a performance. Note: This must not be a report on the same activity (and certainly not the same report) as done for another class, like HUM 111. For instance, one might go to the same museum as done for HUM 111, but this HUM 112 report will focus on entirely different works and displays.

 

1. Visit a museum or gallery exhibition or attend a theater, dance, or musical performance before the end of Week 10. The activity (museum or performance) should have content that fits our course well. Have fun doing this.
2. Write 3 pages report (500-750 words) that describes your experience.

 

• • Clearly identify the event location, date attended, the attendees, and your initial reaction upon arriving at the event.
  • Provide specific information and a description of at least two (2) pieces.
  • Provide a summary of the event and describe your overall reaction after attending the event.
  • Use at least the class text as a reference (additional sources are fine, not necessary unless required by your content). Your report should include connections you make between things observed in your activity and things learned in the course and text.

 

Note: Submit your cultural activity choice to the instructor for approval before the end of Week 5 (earlier is even better). Look for guidance from the instructor for how or where to make your proposal. You may also seek advice from your instructor (provide your town / state or zip code) for a good activity in your general area.

 

Visiting a Museum 

 

• It makes sense to approach a museum the way a seasoned traveler approaches visiting a city for the first time. Find out what is available to see. In the museum, find out what sort of exhibitions are currently housed in the museum and start with the exhibits that interest you.
• If there is a travelling exhibition, it’s always a good idea to see it while you have the chance. Then, if you have time, you can look at other things in the museum.
• Every effort should be made ahead of time to identify a museum that has items and works one can easily connect to our HUM 112 class and book. Since HUM 112 covers from 1600 AD to the present, it makes more sense to focus on items from this time frame. In general, museums with fine arts work better than history museums.
• Any questions about whether a museum-visit activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for the activity. Any alternative activity outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally, we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity.
• Make notes as you go through the museum and accept any handouts or pamphlets that the museum staff gives you. While you should not quote anything from the printed material when you do your report, the handouts may help to refresh your memory later.
• The quality of your experience is not measured by the amount of time you spend in the galleries or the number of works of art that you actually see. The most rewarding experiences can come from finding two or three (2 or 3) pieces of art or exhibits which intrigue you and then considering those works in leisurely contemplation. Most museums have benches where you can sit and study a particular piece.
• If you are having a difficult time deciding which pieces to write about, ask yourself these questions: (1) If the museum you are visiting suddenly caught fire, which two (2) pieces of art or exhibits would you most want to see saved from the fire? (2) Why would you choose those two (2) particular pieces?

 

Attending a Performance

 

• Check your local colleges to see if there are any free or low-cost performances or student recitals. Student performances are generally of almost the same quality as professional performances, but typically cost much less. However, performances of high school level or lower will not meet this requirement.
• Try to do a quality performance that fits the class subject matter well. Sorry—but this is not for pop music or rock music, rap, country music, gospel music, comedy routines, your kid’s dance recital, your international friend’s wedding, high school plays, renaissance fairs, etc. Instead, think of college level or professional recitals, string quartets, symphony orchestras, opera, jazz, some stage dramas, etc.

• Any questions about whether a performance activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for an activity. Any alternative activity outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally, we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity.
• Unlike visiting a museum, where you can wear almost anything, people attending performances are often expected to “dress up” a bit.
• Take a pen or pencil with you and accept the program you are offered by the usher; you will probably want to take notes on it during or after the performance.
• Turn off your cell phone before entering the auditorium. Do not use your phone to record the music or to take pictures or videos. To play it safe, turn the phone off.
• Most long musical performances have at least one (1) intermission. If the lights start blinking, it is the sign that the performance is about to begin.
• Look for very specific things (such as a particular piece of music or the way certain instruments sounded at a specific time) which tend to stand out as either enjoyable or not enjoyable. Be sure to take notes of the things which you find enjoyable as well as the things which are not enjoyable.

 

Note: If a student is unable to attend a cultural event in person due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, then the instructor will recommend an alternate event / activity for the student to “attend” online. The “virtual” event / activity is usually only for students who, due to their physical location, cannot possibly attend an event / activity in person; typically, these students are stationed overseas or have no means of transportation. Experience shows most museums and activities are modest in cost and manageable for students, and you will often see students from other universities there on similar course projects. If you are facing financial hardship, keep in mind that many museums have a free day each week and performance discounts are often available for students and veterans, among others. Feel free to ask your instructor to help with finding low-cost options. If you believe that you have a legitimate reason for attending a “virtual” activity, you must contact the instructor no later than Week 5 for your request to be considered.

 

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

 

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the Additional Resources section of their Student Center within their course shell for reference)
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

 

• Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context.
• Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
• Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics

Read the scenario on p, 283 of Positive Psychology.

 

Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper including the following:

• Describe in detail the thoughts and emotions you felt while imagining the scenario.
• If you did experience this event, how do you think you would handle the final moments?
• If you did experience this event, how would you describe your life up to this point.
• In what ways can traumatic events be opportunities for growth?

Why do you think the Principles of Effective Treatment are not utilized in every treatment program and setting across the country?

1. Describe an example of a television program that you believe clearly displays social deviance, and explain why you specifically selected it.
2. In this television program, how are people “labeled” as socially deviating from the expected social norms, and who does this labeling?
3. Analyze the deviance, using terms such as primary deviance, secondary deviance, retrospective labeling, and stigma.
4. Apply Durkheim’s four functions of deviance to the deviant actions in the television program. What purpose(s) does the deviance play?