Communication abilities, both verbal and written, are crucial for criminal justice workers. Because of this, employers in this industry are looking for candidates with a specific set of written and verbal communication skills. The Michigan Civil Service Commission is seeking a capable Forensic Security Supervisor right now. (MCSC, 2017). The following oral and written communication and abilities are required by the organization of applicants:
Skills in Written Communication
making notes for cases.
documenting a case.
making records and reports.
Skills in Oral Communication
strong vocal communication abilities.
Recognize and follow oral directions.
Criminal justice depends heavily on written correspondence. As stated by the committee,
the skills in reports and records writing will help the potential supervisor to draft and present through communication, detailed information from a particular case effectively (MCSC, 2017). Notably, the documents written might become a legal document. As such, the records and reports should not have many grammatical and spelling errors. The records and reports to which the organization refers in this job advertisement include case notes which need to be detailed and efficiently communicated. On the other hand, verbal communication skills are essential for communicating the findings to the prosecution team. The supervisor should communicate with others involved in a particular case (Carpenter & Fulton, 2007). In addition, oral communication skills are essential in giving and receiving instructions during emergencies.
Applicants should also have interpersonal communication skills for them to be competitive for the job. Notably, criminal justice professionals work with team members, partners, and clients among others. Therefore, a strong foundation in interpersonal skills such as flexibility and listening are essential for a competitive applicant. Applicants should also have broad report writing skills not only for reports used in justice process but also for funding. That is, reports are written for approval of such things as grant, funding, warrants, or collaborative plans with partners and clients. Carpenter and Fulton (2007) emphasize that a successful professional in the field of criminal justice should have strong report and record writing and oral skills to present comprehensive findings, recommendations, and conclusions. Therefore, the applicant should demonstrate these additional skills to qualify for the advertised position.
Part B: Effective Writing Teams
What types of projects require collaboration?
Project collaboration involves pulling together relevant resources from people of different backgrounds (Anderson, 2016). Such people establish, illustrate, and inform the intended audience to ensure successful completion of the project. Some of the projects that require collaboration include but not limited to long reports, training curricula, and proposals. Long-term projects tend to be complex and might not be laid out well. As such, they require team collaboration involving experts in different fields.
The other types of projects that require collaboration include the ones with worldwide locations or geographically dispersed teams. Individuals working on such teams need to keep in touch to ensure that they move in the same direction and phase for successful completion of the project. Similarly, projects which require major control and planning effort need many technical changes. For example, projects that involve more than one sector require teams from both sectors for it to move on. Therefore, effective collaboration from people with different skills is essential for successful completion. Innovative, dynamic, and interdisciplinary projects also require close collaboration among teams for successful completion. These projects need collaborative efforts because they involve people from diverse cultural, intellectual, and environmental backgrounds (Anderson, 2016). The team generates results understandable to all individuals regardless of their backgrounds.
What are four primary attributes of an effective writing team? Provide an example for each.
Qualities of an effective writing team include the following:
Planning
Planning is essential for any project. A team appoints individuals for making choices. The team then appoints group leaders and distributes tasks to leaders and individuals in their respective areas of expertise (Schuman, 2006). For example, if the team needs to write a proposal for funding, they should decide who will draft the proposal, who will edit, who will proofread, and who will compile the final copy. The team can meet face-to-face or through emails.
Arranging
The next step includes researching, sourcing, and arranging necessary materials as well as information required for the document (Schuman, 2006). For example, the materials from which information is obtained might include books, websites, or interviews. The information can be collected by all team members or chosen members.
Writing
Having obtained sufficient information and materials, the team then drafts a detailed content of the proposal. The content should be clear to readers from one step to another. The main idea is to create clear information that flows logically to facilitate easy understanding by the target financier (Schuman, 2006). Proper flow of ideas accompanied by charts and graphs is essential to ensure that the sponsor understands them well.
Revising
Finally, the team needs to proofread and edit all the ideas before presenting the proposal (Schuman, 2006). That is, the team reviews the document critically to ensure that it presents the relevant information.
Part C: Internet Source Distortion/Misrepresentation
A study with questionable sponsorship or motives
The main purpose of a study should be to gain knowledge about a certain phenomenon or inform target audience. However, some people and agencies sponsor studies for selfish gain from the findings of the studies. For example, Microsoft sponsored a study that compared the performance of open-source software solutions and Microsoft in the context of teacher productivity, cost, and student learning. Although the study involved a significant number of respondents, it left out open-source schools in some areas thus arriving at a biased conclusion that Microsoft is less costly than open-source software solutions (Paul, 2007). In other words, Microsoft wanted to portray itself as better than its competitors. Therefore, Microsoft had a questionable motive in sponsoring the survey.
Reliance on insufficient evidence/hasty generalization
The police are justified in arresting everyone found in possession of illegal drugs or in the vicinity of such drugs. However, such law is not clear in Florida thus many cases have been concluded without sufficient evidence. For example, a man found in a company of two other people who had marijuana was charged together with them but released later. The defendant said that he was there to smoke the drug (Shorstein, Lasnetski & Gihon, 2010). However, the case was later dropped on the basis that the defendant was not in a constructive possession of the illegal drugs. The police should have sought more evidence rather than dropping the case (Shorstein, Lasnetski & Gihon, 2010). Nonetheless, the case was dropped without sufficient evidence that the defendant was not involved in illegal drugs.
Unbalanced or biased presentation
Presentations should be unbiased or based on genuine findings. However, some individuals and organizations often present unbalanced news. For example, HBO’s Real Sports reporter presented a biased story regarding dietary supplements. The agency excluded the supplement sector from contributing to the storyline. The reporter said that anyone can make and sell dietary supplements. As such, manufacturers can add any ingredients. However, that is not true. FDA requires all supplement firms to notify FDA of any new dietary ingredients before it is sold (Myers, 2015). The reporter portrayed the manufacture of supplements as unregulated thus might harm users. However, the story was unbalanced because it did not involve the right authority to affirm the allegations.
Unexamined assumptions
Assumptions are an essential basis for any study. However, some researchers make conclusions without first assessing all the assumptions. For example, Whiting and Cravens (2016) assumed that when couples fight they use various strategies such as deception, denial, and rationalization to distort the case and make themselves less responsible for the issue. However, the study does not provide sufficient assessment of these assumptions. Therefore, it is likely that a few or no couples use such strategies.
Faulty causal reasoning
An individual should adequately prove that a circumstance resulted from particular causes. For example, some people attributed the Holocaust to weak weapon control laws in Germany. They alleged that the laws did not prevent mutilation that occurred during the incident. However, connecting firearm law firms to the incident without inspecting the allegation or adequately proving that the laws paved way for the killings is wrong. Reporters used the argument but many people differ regarding the main cause of the Holocaust.
Part D: Checklist for Style - Local Newspaper
Dear Editor,
I would like to draw some attention to the issue of optimum length of the school day. The statement is based on my views and those of teachers. Based on the length of the present school day, the time children spend in school daily is unreasonably long not only for elementary pupils but also for children at the primary school level.
The issue can be viewed in two ways. One of the ways is by considering the needs of the children which the education system seeks to meet. The other way is focusing on the logistics, scheduling, transportation, and other limits associated with the system of education. Nonetheless, decision-makers should first consider the children’s needs.
Sincerely,
References
Anderson, P. V. (2016). Technical communication. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Carpenter, M. J., & Fulton, R. (2007). A practical career guide for criminal justice professionals: How to take charge of your career. Flushing, NY: Looseleaf Law Publications.
MCSC. (2017). Forensic Security Supervisor. Retrieved from https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/michigan/jobs/1756387/forensic-security-supervisor
Myers, S. (2015, May 26). HBO Real Sports airs biased, unbalanced attack on supplements, Sen. Hatch. Insider, Retrieved from https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/blogs/sports-nutrition/2015/05/hbo-real-sports-airs-biased-unbalanced-attack-on.aspx
Paul, R. (2007). Microsoft funds questionable study attacking open source in education. Retrieved from https://arstechnica.com/business/2007/06/microsoft-funds-questionable-study-attacking-open-source-in-education/
Schuman, S. (2006). Creating a culture of collaboration: The International Association of Facilitators handbook. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass.
Shorstein, Lasnetski & Gihon. (2010). Another constructive possession of Marijuana case thrown out in Florida. Retrieved from https://www.jacksonvillecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/04/another_constructie_possession.html
Whiting, J. B., & Cravens, J. D. (2016). Escalating, accusing, and rationalizing: A model of distortion and interaction in couple conflict. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 15(4), 251-273.
