This course includes a thorough analysis of special populations in the American criminal justice system: women, juveniles, racial and ethnic minorities, and mentally ill individuals. You explore these populations with regard to three unique criminal justice roles: professionals, victims, and offenders. This Final Project allows you to synthesize this information to draw conclusions and make recommendations to improve the American criminal justice system.

Select a special population within the criminal justice system included in this course that is of interest to you. Reflect on the information provided throughout this course related to this population.

Assignment Length: 10–12 pages (not including title page and references)

Your Final Project must include the following elements:

•Introduction: ?Describe the special population you selected.

?Explain challenges of this special population related to the roles (professional, victim, and offender) appropriate to that specific population.

•Body: ?Describe any organizations, policies, procedures, or processes that continue to exploit, discriminate against, and/or neglect the special population.

?Explain changes you might make to the current criminal justice system to address challenges faced by this special population in each role you analyzed.

?Explain any resources, organizations, policies, procedures, or processes you would use or implement to promote fairer treatment of the special population.

•Conclusion: ?Explain how the changes you suggested might impact society as a whole.

?Explain how the changes you suggested might contribute to social change.

Although the Final Project (10–12 pages) is not to be submitted until Day 7 of Week 11, you should become familiar with the project requirements and have them in mind as you proceed through the course. Many of the Discussions and Application Assignments relate to and can be of use to your Final Project.

Information on scholarly writing may be found in the APA Publication Manual (6th ed.) and at the Walden Writing Center website. Also see the Walden University Policies and Information, in the Guidelines and Policies area.

The Final Project is due on Day 7 of Week 11. See the Week 11 Project area for submission details.