Assignment 1: Technology in the Courtroom

Over the past decades, technology has changed the face of the criminal justice process. The criminal investigation scene now has forensics, ballistics, and DNA, all of which must be introduced as evidence in the courtroom during cases. Due to these developments in evidence, the courtroom has also advanced in relation to the impact of technology on judgment. Attorneys must now have vehicles to present the new evidence to the judge and the jury.

Use the Argosy University online library resources to research the role of technology in influencing judgments in courtrooms and to select the articles for this assignment.

Submission Details:

By Saturday, April 5, 2014, in a minimum of 250 words, post your responses to the following topics in the Discussion Area.

• Select three articles from the Argosy University online library and write a short description of how technology can be used in the criminal courtroom.
• Building upon this information, compare the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the courtroom.
• Describe the impact of technology on court proceedings and decisions.
• Suggest any two technologies that can be used in a courtroom trial. Explain how these technologies can affect case judgment.

Click here to download a list of technological tools that can be used.

Assignment 2: Weekly Assignment—The Trial Process

Activity Details

As you learned in your reading, there are several stages to a trial process. Once a crime is reported, the police begin to investigate, collect evidence, and report evidence to the prosecutor. The involvement of the police continues from the beginning of a case to its end.

Tasks:

In this assignment, imagine you are an officer at your local police station. Your supervising officer assigns you to a prestigious unit that receives special projects, including education development. As your first project, you are assigned the task of creating and presenting a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation concerning the trial process to new recruits at the police academy.

Perform the following tasks:

Step 1: Research and develop a plan for the trial process. Use information from both the textbook and the Argosy University online library resources. Refer to the attached terms as a road map and make sure that the terms pertaining to your state criminal court system are present in your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. Click here to download the road map.

Step 2: Create a 10- to 15-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation describing the local criminal trial process from the beginning to the end. Give thought to the difference between the misdemeanor and the felony processes. In addition, differentiate between the defendant’s choice of taking a case to a trial or as a plea. Discuss why a defendant may want to consider a plea instead of continuing with the trial. Explain possible penalties, sentences, and alternative programs available to the defendant.

Step 3: Include speaker notes to explain the contents of each slide including more research and information. Direct your speaker notes to your audience (for example, you may tell recruits that they may have to testify at the preliminary hearing and inform them what the judge would consider).