For this paper you will be exploring a concept in criminal law. You will explain what the legal
concept is, discuss its case history using at least TWO Supreme Court cases to illustrate, and you
will explain its significance for today.1 Your paper should use direct quotations and citations. You
should cite at least two reliable secondary sources (in addition to the cases discussed).
Your paper should be precise, detailed, accurate, well-organized and edited.
I’d recommend taking these steps:
1.) Pick your topic.
2.) Identify relevant Supreme Court cases. You may use your book or internet or library
research for this.
3.) Identify secondary resources. Examples of this would be: your text book, journal articles, law
review articles, reputable websites.
4.) Brief the articles, with special emphasis on the topic.
5.) Write your paper using the following basic model:
a. Give overview of the topic.
b. Go a little deeper into the topic, including identifying complexities and controversies.
c. Discuss case #1
d. Discuss case #2
e. Write a bit about how the cases reflect or respond to the issues you identified in “b.”
f. Write about your own perspective/analysis/opinion of the topic and issues related to
it.
Topic Choices
Megan’s Law / Sex Offender Registry Laws (may include Commitment & Castration, but
does not have to)
Hate Crimes
Crimes Against Public Morality
Riot & Unlawful Assembly
Sedition
Clean Water Act and/or Clean Air Act
Paper Guidelines
2-3.5 pages, single-spaced (additional space between paragraphs is acceptable), not including
references.
1” margins
Use Times New Roman 12pt or similar
Submitted in a .docx, .rtf, or .pdf format
Use APA or Chicago citation style (for both in-text AND reference list).
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