Your final paper topic is “Homicide in Puerto Rico.”

According to a recent news article, New York City police reported that 419 murders occurred in 2012, while Puerto Rico police reported 978 murders during the same year. 

Assume the following:

1. You have been hired as a consulting criminologist by the Puerto Rico Homicide Investigation Commission, a panel of prominent citizens appointed by Puerto Rico’s governor.
2. This commission wants to know why the number of homicides is so high.
3. Also, the Commission wants to know what it can do to prevent homicides.
4. You are engaged to inquire into this perceived problem, to prepare and submit a professional report to the Commission.

Your report must demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of comparative and historical criminological statistical research methods, the criminological theories discussed in this course, the current challenges facing modern industrialized societies as they pertain to crime and crime reduction and prevention, and the ability to assemble and present a professional report to these ends.

Your report should address the following four questions:

1. Does Puerto Rico have a “homicide problem” when compared to similar populations?
2. What are the historical, cultural, and social conditions contributing to this problem?
3. What are the applicable criminological theories relating to these problems?
4. What are recommended strategies to remedy these problems and prevent their future continuation.

The report should be 10-12 pages in length (the Commission’s budget cannot accommodate a longer, more detailed report), not including the cover page, abstract, and reference page(s). The report should be prepared in American Psychological Association (APA) style format.  Reference citations should be complete and able to stand alone without reference to the Internet. References that may be easily changed or deleted (such as Wikipedia) should not be cited.

THREE STEP REQUIREMENTS

The Final Project is to be completed in three steps below. Please consult the Course Calendar for the due dates for each step.

Step 1—Final Project, Part 1: Introduction and Analysis of the Problem

For the first part of the project, identify the statement of the problem and provide a proper statistical comparison and analysis, to address the first question (2–3 pages).  Provide a list of references for this part in proper APA format.

1.  Does Puerto Rico have a “homicide problem” when compared to similar populations?

Please don’t forget to review the grading rubric criteria before you start your paper. This includes:

• thoughtfully identifying and clearly stating the problem within the context of criminology, with specific reference to homicide and other major violent crimes;
• skillfully researching comparable populations to find the most suitable comparison in terms of population size, density, and social problems;
• using quantitative statistical analysis as the basis for deep and thoughtful judgments on whether the population in question does indeed have a homicide problem compared to similar populations;
• drawing insightful, carefully qualified conclusions from this work; and
• following all the basic written communications requirements (e.g., purpose for writing, content development, and organization).

Step 2—Final Project, Part 2: Historical, Cultural, Social, and Theoretical Issues Bearing on the Problem

The second part of the project should analyze the problem in terms of Puerto Rico’s history and culture, as well as social conditions over time. Applicable criminological theories should be examined in light of the above conditions and the statistical review in Step 1 (2–4 pages). Continue the list of references begun in Step 1.

2.  What are the historical, cultural, and social conditions contributing to this problem?

3.  What are the applicable criminological theories relating to these problems?

Please don’t forget to review the grading rubric criteria before you start your paper. This includes:

• accurately and insightfully analyzing aspects of history, culture, and social conditions contributing to the problem identified; 
• perceptively evaluating and effectively applying relevant criminological theories to the problem presented; and
• following all the basic written communications requirements (e.g., purpose for writing, content development, and organization).

Step 3—Final Project, Part 3: Recommendations and Paper Completion

Briefly summarize the issues raised in previous steps, and provide recommendations to address the following question (2–3 pages). Add to the list of references and complete the reference list.

4.  What are recommended strategies to remedy these problems and prevent their recurrence or continuation?

Finalize and assemble the final paper with the guidelines as follows:

• Cover page, including the title of the paper, your name and address, the name of the course, and the date of completion.
• Abstract page, where an abstract is a short paragraph of the central ideas in the paper. It is a summary of the work intended to inform the reader of what the paper contains in less than 100 words.
• The body of the paper contains a skillfully blended assembly of the various parts, above. The body of the paper should be 10 to 12 pages (double-spaced in 12-point font), exclusive of the cover page, abstract page, and reference pages.
• Reference pages are added at the end of the paper. 
• Statistical tables should be developed for Part I and may be included in the body of the paper or added as appendices at the end. If added at the end, a reference to their location should be made within the body of the report. All tables should be properly labeled as to their content.

Please don’t forget to review the grading rubric criteria before you start your paper. This includes:

• briefly but thoroughly summarizing the issues raised in previous parts of the report;
• reaching logical conclusions in explaining variances in rates of homicides and other major violent crimes;
• accurately and thoroughly applying key criminological theories and methods to recommend strategies to remedy the problems and prevent their recurrence; and
• following all the basic written communications requirements (e.g., purpose for writing, content development, and organization).