WATERFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA

GRADE 11/12 STANDARD

Unit Title: Bill of Rights

Standard: WHS Student Academic Standards

1. Communicate in Standard English for a variety of purposes.

2. Read a variety of materials for the understanding, evaluation, and synthesis of information.

3. Acquire and evaluate information in order to interpret events, issues, and/or ideas, and to make informed judgments and responses.

4. Utilize technology to obtain, organize, and communicate information and solve problems.

Connecticut Content Standards

1. Content Standard 3: Historical Themes: 3.11 – 12.3

2. Content Standard 5: United States Constitution and Government: 5.7-8.5; 5.11-12.1; 5.11-12.2; 5.11-12.3

3. Content Standard 6: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens: 6.11-12.1; 6.11-12.2; 6.11-1.3

4. Content Standard 7: Political Systems: 7.9-10.3

Estimated Number of Days to Complete Unit: 10 – 15 days

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS / DESIRED RESULTS

The student will understand that:

1.	The U.S. Constitution may limit government in order to protect individual rights and to promote the common good.
2.	Their obligations as citizens may require that their personal desires, beliefs, and interests be subordinated to the public good.

ASSESSMENTS / ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE

1.	Reading assignments and quizzes; journals on guest speakers; writing assignments/essays; vocabulary quizzes; discussion and participation in class; projects; unit test.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1.	What is the common good?
2.	How do governments balance the rights of individuals with the common good?
3.	What protections does the U.S. Constitution guarantee U.S. citizens?
4.	What limits are placed on the criminal justice system?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The student will be able to:

1.	Describe the protection offered by the Constitution relevant to the criminal justice system.
2.	Recall which specific constitutional protections are provided for by the second, third, fourth (exclusionary rule; fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, inevitable discovery doctrine; good – faith doctrine), fifth (self-incrimination; double jeopardy), sixth (right to counsel; rights and privileges at criminal trail), seventh, eighth (excessive bail; cruel and unusual punishment), tenth, and fourteenth amendments.
3.	Judge the behavior of peace officers in given scenarios as being constitutional or unconstitutional.
4.	Distinguish which amendment was violated in given scenarios.
5.	Argue an opinion on a controversy surrounding certain constitutional issues.
6.	Identify historical cases that now govern the actions of officers.
7.	Analyze recent court cases that now govern the actions of officers.

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

1.	Copy of U.S. Constitution
2.	Video – “Gideon’s Trumpet”
3.	Video – “Profiles of Freedom”
4.	Teacher Resource – Applying the Bill of Rights to Real Cases
5.	History Alive – “Understanding the Bill of Rights”; “Imagining life without the Bill of Rights”
6.	Website – Bill of Rights Institute
7.	Video from Court TV – Media’s impact on Justice
8.	Local Newspaper
9.	Newsweek educational resource – “The Capital Punishment Debate”
10.	Video – “The Executioners”
11.	Video (10 minutes) – “Bill of Rights”
12.	Resource booklet and video – “The Bill of Rights and You”

Unit Title: Crime

Standard: WHS Student Academic Standards

5. Communicate in Standard English for a variety of purposes.

6. Read a variety of materials for the understanding, evaluation, and synthesis of information.

7. Acquire and evaluate information in order to interpret events, issues, and/or ideas, and to make informed judgments and responses.

8. Utilize technology to obtain, organize, and communicate information and solve problems.

Connecticut Content Standards

1. Content Standard 1: Historical Thinking: 1.9-10.3

2. Content Standard 3: Historical Themes: 3.9-10.3

3. Content Standard 5: United States Constitution and Government: 5.11-12.1; 5.11-12.2; 5.11-12.3

4. Content Standard 6: 11-12.1; 6.11-12.3

5. Content Standard 7: 7.9-10.3

Estimated Number of Days to Complete Unit: 10 – 15 days

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS / DESIRED RESULTS

The student will understand that:

1.	Crime in America affects all citizens, either directly or indirectly.
2.	Crime is a significant social problem in our society.
3.	Crime is not limited to urban America.
4.	The war on drugs in America is a controversial issue.

ASSESSMENTS / ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE

1.	Reading assignments and quizzes; journals on guest speakers; writing assignments/essays; vocabulary quizzes; discussion and participation in class; projects; unit test.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1.	How is crime defined in America?
2.	What types of crimes are prevalent in the U.S.?
3.	What is a criminal?
4.	What factors contribute to drug use?
5.	How should the war on drugs be fought?
6.	How does socio-economic status influence drug use in America?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The student will be able to:

1.	Compare two methods of measuring America’s crime rate.
2.	Distinguish between felonies and misdemeanors and give examples of each.
3.	Analyze criminal conduct in terms of act, intent, concurrence of act and intent, and causation.
4.	Describe and distinguish among four common homicide crimes.
5.	Describe and distinguish among four common stealing crimes.
6.	Identify and describe self-defense, insanity and entrapment as affirmative defenses to criminal conviction.
7.	Identify and describe violent street gangs, organized criminals, white-collar criminals, and hate groups as significant contributors to America’s crime problem.
8.	Document the costs of illegal drug use to individuals and society.
9.	Investigate the sources of illegal drugs sold in the U.S.
10.	Explore the reasons behind drug abuse in general and teenage experimentation with drugs in particular.
11.	Trace the history of U.S. efforts to eliminate drug trafficking and drug use.
12.	Analyze successes and failures of the U.S. war on drugs.
13.	Develop and defend personal opinions on appropriate priorities and goals for a national drug policy.
14.	Suggest refinements in national drug policy, or advocate for continuance of current policies.

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

1.	Textbook: Criminal Justice in America – Chapters 1-3
2.	Textbook: Sociology – Chapter 6
3.	Video – “Gang Violence in the USA”
4.	Video – “Hate across America”
5.	Video – excerpt from “Lost Civilizations: Mesopotamia”
6.	Video – “Banging in Little Rock”
7.	Newsweek News Source – “War on Drugs?”
8.	Video – “The Killing of Pablo Escobar”
9.	Hammurabi’s Code
10.	Video – “Crime Stopping Inventions”

Unit Title: The Police

Standard: WHS Student Academic Standards

9. Communicate in Standard English for a variety of purposes.

10. Read a variety of materials for the understanding, evaluation, and synthesis of information.

11. Acquire and evaluate information in order to interpret events, issues, and/or ideas, and to make informed judgments and responses.

12. Utilize technology to obtain, organize, and communicate information and solve problems.

Connecticut Content Standards

1. Content Standard 5: United States Constitution and Government: 5.11-12.1; 5.11-12-2

2. Content Standard 6: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizen: 6.11-12.1; 6.11-12.2; 6.11-12.3

3. Content Standard 7: Political Systems 7.9-10.3

Estimated Number of Days to Complete Unit: 10 – 15 days

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS / DESIRED RESULTS

The student will understand that:

1.	There exists a “love-hate” relationship between law enforcement and American society.
2.	No other organization in government possesses as much immediate control over individuals’ rights than law enforcement.
3.	There are limits on police authority.
4.	Science plays a key role in law enforcement.

ASSESSMENTS / ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE

1.	Reading assignments and quizzes; journals on guest speakers; writing assignments/essays; vocabulary quizzes; discussion and participation in class; projects; unit test.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1.	How does the public view law enforcement?
2.	Why is there both skepticism and respect for law enforcement?
3.	What powers do police have over citizens’ rights?
4.	How do police conduct investigations?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The student will be able to:

1.	Demonstrate a historical awareness about law enforcement with that of previous eras.
2.	Compare career options in law enforcement.
3.	Identify common public attitudes about law enforcement.
4.	Describe public viewpoint on police and police effectiveness.
5.	Conduct a survey and analyze school and community attitudes about law enforcement.
6.	Identify the fourth, fifth, and fourteenth amendments as the source of important restraints on police power.
7.	Analyze searches to determine their legality.
8.	Identify the Miranda rule and describe it in terms of its underlying rationale.
9.	Explain what racial profiling is and express a reasoned opinion on what can be done to prevent corruption.
10.	Identify the elements of the doctrine of reasonable force and analyze hypothetical situations in terms of its applicability.
11.	Decide hypothetical cases of police misconduct.
12.	Diagram the use of force continuum.
13.	Evaluate scenarios and decide what level of force is necessary.
14.	Argue a position on the guilt or innocence of the officers involved in the Rodney King incident.

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

1.	Textbook – Criminal Justice in America – Chapters 4 – 7
2.	Textbook – Criminalistics
3.	Guest Speakers – Waterford Police Department – “Introduction presentation”; “Profiling”; “Qualifications and Training”; “Constitutional Law”; “Motor Vehicle Laws and Accident Investigations”; “DUI Laws and investigations”; “Arrest Procedures”; “Crime Scene Investigations”; “Sex Crimes”; “Common Teen Issues and Crimes”; “Police Department Tour”
4.	Video – “Profiles of Freedom”
5.	Video – “Ultimate Survivors”
6.	Video – “Cops gone bad”
7.	Video excerpts – “Rodney King” incident.
8.	Video (Waterford P.D.) – “L.A. shootout”
9.	Video (Waterford P.D.) – “Forensic Files”
10.	Resource Book – Crime Scene Investigation (mock investigation)