Analyze, compare, and contrast various pieces of major legislation that relate to the global war on terror (i.e. the U.S.A. Patriot Act (USAPA), the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), etc.). Students will also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each piece of legislation discussed. Finally, students will select a major piece of legislation and take a stance either in support or opposition of that legislation. Students will provide a cogent and academic argument to support their stance based upon sound, scholarly research.
All papers must be completed through the lens of a Biblical Worldview where students will incorporate appropriate biblical passages and/or resources. The paper must be completed in APA formatting and consist of 20-25 pages times new roman 12, double space (excluding all title, abstract and reference pages). In addition to the course text, all papers must utilize at least 15 outside scholarly sources to support evaluation an analysis. Keep in mind that the title page, abstract, keywords and reference page is not part of the page count but must be included and Bible content also.
• Introduction
o Provide a brief introduction about the key elements in the paper.
• Background and Problem Statement
o Preliminary research must be conducted using practitioners, government sources, articles, etc., to identify and discuss the major pieces of legislation such as those listed above (The USA Patriot Act, The NDAA, etc.).
o The thesis statement will discuss and describe the concepts cited and the significance of each as they relate to one another. The thesis statement must be clear and concise (approximately 250 words).
• Literature Review
o The literature review is a critical component of a proposal. This section highlights what has been achieved related to your topic. Answer the following questions:
What is the USA Patriot Act?
What is the NDAA?
What other pieces of legislation play a key role in prosecuting the global war on terror?
What role does the FISA court and process play?
What role has the NSA played within this process?
What technologies have been employed to further this legislation?
What role does indefinite detention play?
What is unlawful enemy combatant?
What aspects of the legislation is viewed as Constitutional?
What aspects of the legislation are brought into question with regards to the U.S. Constitution?
How has the legislation impacted American civil liberties?
What are the supporting arguments for the legislation?
What are the opposing arguments against the legislation?
How should the legislation be changed or amended?
What are the central themes and arguments in current literature?
What is missing from current literature?
o Scholarly articles are required. Although some information from government sources may be used sparingly, approximately 80% of the review should incorporate recent scholarly articles (published within the last 10 years).
o Do not state your opinion in this section. All information provided must be properly cited and must be from quality academic sources. To achieve this, use direct quotations, paraphrases, and synthesized information from multiple sources. For example, this statement synthesizes the opinions of 4 scholars: “Researchers have argued that disaster planning is critical to minimizing the negative effects for emergency responders (Brown, 2010; Caldwell, 2009; Moore, 2011; Stanley, 2008).”
• Conclusion
o Summarize your findings. What are the key points in the literature with regards to the selected piece of legislation and how it impacts both the U.S. efforts in the global war on terror?
o Since passage, how has the legislation impacted the average American citizen’s civil liberties?
o What steps should be taken to further improve the legislation?
o What steps might be taken to reduce any potential encroachment on American civil liberties?
o What type of response is needed moving forward? What or who should be engaged (e.g., the political community, military, federal law enforcement, local law enforcement citizens, etc.)
When working with offenders, many of whom may have already been labelled (Becker 1963) as career criminals or persistent offenders, the concept of secondary desistence is crucial. At times, offenders may find themselves relegated to being considered second class citizens or even an ‘underclass’ (Murray 1996). This way of thinking, if it becomes normalised, can lead to society deciding that the offenders have become ‘undeserving’ through their own choice. A further potential impact of this may be what Merton (1968) calls self-fulfilling prophecy. Where individuals do exactly what is expected from them in a negative way. This can especially be seen when dealing with young people and can result in a ‘master status’ (McAlister et al 2009). A quote from a young person illustrates the thought processes; “It just makes us do more…if they have a name, they may as well live up to it.” (ibid 2009:42). Labelling can lead to ‘forced choices, to unnecessary competition, and to unequal relationships in which one half of the pair is viewed as inferior and the other as superior’ (Kolb-Morris 1993).
The use of theory in the social work process is critical to effective practice; it gives a working knowledge of the underpinning theory and the theory to intervene. Indeed, the very definition of social work is “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing” (www.ifsw.org).