PSY 310 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

The final project for this course is the creation of an executive summary report. You will write a summary, conduct a crime assessment, and create a profile of a criminal. You will then develop a conclusion and consider the investigative use of the information you have compiled. Criminal psychology encompasses a wide range of information about someone which can be drawn together, synthesized, and written into a format used by the criminal justice system prior to an arrest. Typically, criminal psychologists are called upon to provide advice and consultation when the crimes are not straightforward. Law enforcement officers are experts at tracking data and looking for crime-related clues to help them solve a case. However, when they need assistance determining who a criminal is, or what a criminal’s motivation might be—in a predictive sense—they rely on the capabilities of professionals who are versed both in criminology and psychology.

A criminal profile emerges as data comes together. This is not the same as the information you see on the news; rather, it is a comprehensive look at the biological, psychological, social, and

environmental factors that make a person unique to a criminal case. Some of the information is based on empirical data and some is based on educated assumptions made by the criminal

psychologist.

In this executive summary report, you will look at a variety of factors and work to answer the question “who is this person?” You will examine criminal statistics, lifestyle, upbringing, medical

and mental health information, along with a range of other information, that will help you answer the “who, what, when, where, and why” of your chosen case. It will be your job to draw from

your previous education and training to learn how to understand what information is relevant to your case. There is no piece of information that is too small to help you build the mosaic of how

past activity can help predict future activity. Your profile will be thorough, addressing all of the areas and questions above for the aim of assisting investigators to understand the criminal and

his or her motivations and motives as well as the risk of the criminal activity continuing in the future. Through prompts and independent research outside of the text, you’ll peer into the world

of investigative profiling.

The project is divided into two milestonestwo milestonestwo milestonestwo milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be

submitted in Modules Three and Five. Modules Three and Five. Modules Three and Five. Modules Three and Five. The final product will be submitted in Module Seven.Module Seven.Module Seven.Module Seven.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

Assess biological, developmental, and environmental factors to determine the impact on criminal behavior

Apply relevant psychological theories to criminal behavior in order to analyze motivation

Apply psychological methods to the development of a psychological profile that synthesizes relevant data

Determine appropriate intervention strategies related to criminal behavior supported by psychological theory and research

Prompt

You will complete an executive summary report that includes criminal and psychological aspects of a particular crime to inform the executive team in order to prevent or intervene in criminal

behavior. You may choose one of the following three scenarios to complete your final project:

1. White Collar Crime

2. Serial Murder

3. Domestic Terror

Specifically, you must address the critical elements critical elements critical elements critical elements listed below. Most of the critical elements align with a particular course outcome (shown in brackets).

I. SummarySummarySummarySummary

A. Summarize the case Summarize the case Summarize the case Summarize the case provided. In your summary, include key facts and demographic information.

B. Develop initial hypothesis initial hypothesis initial hypothesis initial hypothesis about the potential motivation to commit the crime. As you consider the motivation, identify the type of crime that was committed.

II. Crime AssessmentCrime AssessmentCrime AssessmentCrime Assessment

A. Compare Compare Compare Compare data and evidence of similar crimes.

B. Identify patterns Identify patterns Identify patterns Identify patterns found in similar crimes.

C. Make inferences about motivation motivation motivation motivation of the identified individual based on case evidence and comparison to similar crimes.

III. ProfileProfileProfileProfile

A. Develop a demographic summary demographic summary demographic summary demographic summary of the individual based on analysis of data from the case.

B. Explain the impact that biological factors biological factors biological factors biological factors of the case had on the individual’s behavior.

C. Explain the impact that developmental factors developmental factors developmental factors developmental factors of the case had on the individual’s behavior.

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D. Explain the impact that environmental factors environmental factors environmental factors environmental factors of the case had on the individual’s behavior.

E. Apply theories Apply theories Apply theories Apply theories to the emerging hypothesis of the motivation of your chosen subject. In your response, consider the biological, psychological, social, and criminal violence

theories.

IV. Conclusion and Investigative UseConclusion and Investigative UseConclusion and Investigative UseConclusion and Investigative Use

A. Develop a global summary global summary global summary global summary based on a synthesis of the inputs, crime assessment, and profile.

B. Anticipate future behavior future behavior future behavior future behavior based on predictive analysis.

C. Develop intervention strategies intervention strategies intervention strategies intervention strategies to mitigate future criminal behavior. Be sure to explain how your strategies will impact future behavior.

D. Discuss l imitations l imitations l imitations l imitations of data to developing your report. In your response, consider the information that was missing that you wish you had and reliability and validity of the data you

reviewed.

E. Based on your report, discuss how the information collected contributed to the capture, understanding, and prosecution capture, understanding, and prosecution capture, understanding, and prosecution capture, understanding, and prosecution of the individual.

Milestones

Milestone One: Summary and Crime Assessment

In Module ThreeModule ThreeModule ThreeModule Three, you will submit a draft of your summary and crime assessment. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Profile

In Module FiveModule FiveModule FiveModule Five, you will submit a draft of the profile. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Final Submission: Executive Summary Report

In Module SevenModule SevenModule SevenModule Seven, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all all all all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of

feedback gained throughout the course. You will add the conclusion and investigative use section to the final project submission. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

What to Submit

Your executive summary report must be no more than 10 pages in length (plus a cover page and references) and must be written in APA format. Use double spacing, 12-point Times New

Roman font, and one-inch margins. Include at least five references cited in APA format.