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Northern Essex Community College

Module 4 Prep Activity

Review the activity overview, learning objectives, directions, and submission expectations before submitting your work.

Overview

This activity is designed to help you apply criminological theory to real-world criminal behavior using recent, high-profile U.S. cases. You will begin by identifying relevant criminological theories and then select one offender from the provided list to analyze in depth. Using theory, you will examine how factors such as social environment, individual traits, opportunity structures, power, or strain may help explain the criminal behavior in the case you chose. The focus is not on retelling the crime, but on demonstrating how theory can be used as an analytical tool to better understand criminal conduct. This assignment emphasizes critical thinking, theory application, and the connection between abstract concepts and real criminal cases.

Learning Objectives

(These objectives support the prep activity and are not the questions to be answered.)

  • LO1: Discuss why no one theory can explain crime.
  • LO2: Apply criminological theory to surmise why an individual might develop criminal tendencies.
Prep Topic

After completing this week’s assigned readings, prepare to participate in an in-class discussion examining how criminological theories can be applied to real-world offenders.

Before coming to class, select one of the individuals listed below and prepare a bulleted list (not full paragraphs) that includes:

  • A brief summary of the individual’s criminal case.
  • The key facts that are relevant to understanding the offender’s behavior.
  • At least three criminological theories that could explain the individual’s criminal behavior.
  • For each theory, identify specific facts from the case that support its application.
  • The strengths and limitations of each theory when applied to the case.
  • Which theory you believe provides the strongest explanation for the individual’s behavior, and why.
  • One question or observation that you would like to discuss with your classmates.

Individuals (select one):

  • Bryan Kohberger – convicted of the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
  • Sean “Diddy” Combs – convicted in 2025 on federal prostitution-related offenses following a widely publicized trial involving coercive conduct.
  • Rex Andrew Heuermann – charged in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killings; criminal proceedings remain ongoing.
  • Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos – alleged MS-13 gang leader arrested in 2025; criminal investigation remains ongoing.
  • Joel Vargas-Escobar – alleged MS-13 gang leader arrested in 2025 and accused of involvement in multiple murders.
  • Victor Martinez Hernandez – convicted of the 2024 murder of Rachel Morin in Maryland and sentenced to life imprisonment plus 40 years.
Acceptable & Ethical Use of AI
  • Use AI to help you review and organize relevant criminological theories from the course that could be applied to your selected criminal case, supporting your understanding before writing your analysis.
  • Use AI to assist you in thinking through how a specific criminological theory explains patterns of behavior in your chosen case, helping you clarify your theoretical application before completing the assignment.
Directions

Please read all instructions carefully before submitting your prep activity.

  • Your prep should be no longer than one page.
  • This is not a paper; it should consist of concise talking points and bullet statements for our in-class discussion.
  • An abstract is not required.
  • Sources are not required.
  • Focus on key concepts, analysis, and examples that will help guide classroom discussion.
  • Do not overthink this activity. A simple list of well-developed talking points is sufficient.
Submission Guidelines
  • Submit your prep activity through the designated submission area.
  • Accepted formats include Word or PDF unless otherwise specified.
  • Review the grading rubric before submitting your work.
  • Submissions are checked using both a plagiarism checker and AI detection software.
  • Direct quotations should not exceed 15% of the total submission.
Important Reminder

Important: All work must be your own. AI may be used only in the limited and ethical ways described above. Using AI to write your submission is considered academic dishonesty. This activity is intended to prepare you for class discussion, so focus on creating your own talking points and analysis.