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Northern Essex Community College

Module 1 Discussion Activity

Review the discussion overview, learning objectives, prompt, and participation expectations before posting.

Overview

This discussion is designed to capture your baseline understanding of the criminal justice system before we begin formal course readings. By interviewing people from your everyday life and reflecting on your own views, you will see how personal experience, perception, and exposure shape opinions about criminal justice. The goal is not to be “right,” but to be honest and precise in reporting what others say and in articulating your own perspective. This activity will serve as a reference point you can return to later in the course to see how your understanding evolves.

Learning Objectives

(These are not the questions to be answered. Please review and answer the Discussion Topic(s).)

  • LO1: Demonstrate a student objective that ties directly to one of the SLOs covered in this module.
  • LO2: Identify or apply a Bloom’s verb at Levels 1-3 to support achievement of the module SLO.
Discussion Topic(s)

Please follow the below steps to complete our first online discussion.

  1. Interview 3 people, a friend, a family member, and possibly a neighbor by asking each individual. “What does the criminal justice system mean to you?” The responses do not need to be more than 2-3 sentences.
  2. Regardless of whether or not the people had a positive or negative response to your interview question, write exactly what they stated using only their first name.
    • Michael: I think the criminal justice system is…
    • Junita: The criminal justice system represents… 
  3. What does the criminal justice system mean to you? Your response should be a honest response and before you complete the assigned readings that are set to begin next week.
  4. What differences can you identify between the interviews you conducted in Step #1 and your response? Without using the Internet or any level of research, why do you think the differences or similarities exist between the interviewees and your response.
Acceptable and Ethical Use of AI
  • Use AI to help you organize your discussion post, improve grammar, spelling, sentence structure, or clarity after you have completed your interviews and written your own responses. AI should enhance your writing, not replace your personal observations or reflections.
  • Use AI to help you brainstorm questions you might ask yourself as you compare the interview responses with your own perspective. However, your analysis of the similarities, differences, and the reasons behind them must be based on your own thinking and experiences, not generated by AI or other outside sources.
Directions

Please read all instructions carefully before participating in the discussion.

  • Students must complete one Main Post that answers the discussion topic using more than 250 words.
  • Students must reply to at least two of their classmates (Peer Responses) using at least 150 words. Responses should encourage further dialogue in the discussion forum. Asking a classmate, a question is a nice way of furthering that dialogue.
  • Students must first compose an original Main Post to gain access to the discussion forum. Attempts to post a blank initial post or anything other than the true Main post will result in a 20-point deduction.
Important Reminder

Important: Submitting incomplete or placeholder responses may result in a grade deduction based on course policies.