Prompt #9

By Braden Hanks




"'The links between student success and music education have now been demonstrated by brain researchers in multiple studies,' said Mary Luehrsen of the NAMM Foundation. 'These schools and districts are models for other educators who see music as a key ingredient in a well-rounded curriculum that makes music available to all children, regardless of zip code'", to quote a Miami Herald article about the best schools in the country for music education, such as the Atlanta Metro School Districts of Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. These schools showcase the true importance of music education in developing students, and why we should always try to grow our local musical programs and support local performances.


Source: https://ddschools.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/second-best-communities-for-music-education-award/

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/celebrities/article143613439.html#storylink=cpy

jj

Police Requirements

By:Samantha Martinez

To become a police officer, you definitely have to have a high school diploma or a GED.  A college degree is not always necessary, but it does benefit you even more in your police officer career. Earning a degree in criminal justice or law enforcement can be a career advancement. Degrees can help you get into better positions in the department. Most federal and states departments demand for applicants to have a college educatiom.Police departments require for applicants to be U.S citizens or a resident. They also require the applicant to be 21, but some police officers start it off as young as 18 years old. It is also essential for the applicant to have a driver's license because most likely you will be driving a cruiser(police car). Typically, if you attend college, afterwards police academy is the next step.  Police academy is typically 3-4 months long. In police academy, you go through physical training and learn things in classes that  you will have to know to in order to become a  police officer. You will learn things about firearm use, self defense, accident and emergency response, etc. In police academy, you have to pass various different  exams that will you have to pass in order to become a police officer. Field training is the next of the police academy. After the completing the police academy and field training, you can apply to police departments. It is important to know that each department is different and require different things.

Knowing that after college, I will have to attend the police academy excites and terrifies me. Right now, it does not seem hard so I assume police academy will be a bigger challenge. I do not even have my driver's license yet and I am terrified to drive, but  I will have to learn and get it as soon as possible.

http://study.com/requirements_to_become_a_police_officer.html
http://discoverpolicing.org/what_does_take/?fa=requirements
http://discoverpolicing.org/what_does_take/?fa=training_academy_life

Prompt #10

By: Cassy Rymas


One show that is watched by thousands is ‘Suits’. However, this show misrepresents the legal field. ‘Suits’ is set at a law firm in New York City. The show is based around a talented college dropout Mike Ross, who works as a law associate for Harvey Specter, despite never attending law school. I have not watched this show, but just from what I have read up on it, it’s worth watching even though it’s not the reality of the legal profession.

the cover photo for 'Suits'

First and foremost, you cannot be a law associate without attending law school. You really can’t do anything in the legal field without attending three years of law school. This is essentially why the show works in some people’s eyes. That this situation is a metaphor for the high-end scale of the legal field. Throughout the show, you get a panicky feeling as you constantly think Mike is going to be exposed for not attending law school. This is the metaphor, lawyers at the high end of the scale are going to be exposed. One source relates it to ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ because although the actual situation the show portrays is impossible. The metaphor within the show is relatable.

the cover photo for 'law and order'

Another show that is watched by even more Americans is ‘Law and Order’, this too if full of misrepresentation. One example of misrepresentation is the rate of violent crimes. No one would watch the show if the crimes presented were boring. So, producers must keep it interesting and high speed with high end crimes. These crimes are usually classified as serious felony crimes which according to my criminal justice textbook only 10% of crimes actually are. Another problem of misrepresentation is the race of the criminals. A study done showed that the criminals were black 40-50% of the time. More specifically young black males.

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/01/suits-does-for-lawyers-what-downton-abbey-does-for-aristocrats/267280/
http://www.alternet.org/media/8-ways-crime-shows-law-and-order-mess-your-head

10 Facts of CJ

cassy rymas


1.The components of criminal justice include police, prosecution, judiciary, prisons, probation, and parole.

2.The criminal justice system has multiple and often conflicting objectives: the interests of the victim have to be balanced with the due process rights of the defendant, the broader public interest, as well as considerations of cost effectiveness.

3.Preventing crime is at least as important as punishing offenders. This is called deterrence. An example of this is the death penalty. Many people will avoid committing a crime if they know the punishment is serious, such as death.

4.The first US police force was in New York in 1844. It came from an English model of policing. The US reformed policing the world and many now follow what the US built.
Of all crimes, only about 10 percent are reported to the police. Reasons for that include that the crime was not that serious, it is felt that the police can’t do anything about it or that the victim is worried of not being believed. Also, if the victim knows the defendant then they are less likely to report the crime.

5.There are several different ways to punish an offender: financial penalties, community-based punishment (i.e. imprisonment), community service, a curfew, and a residence requirement, among others.

6.A suspended prison term is especially effective with young or first-time offenders as the mere threat of punishment is often sufficient. There is also a difference between jail and prison that many people do not know of. Jail is a year or less, prison is a year or more.

7.The judicial response to crime varies greatly from one society to another, even though the crime rates are similar. This is due to the discretion that is allowed at every stage. A prosecutor has discretion the most, and they’re able to use at any point. A judge also has a large amount of discretion in deciding the punishment given, there are guidelines for them to follow, though.

8.We expect our prisons to punish and to rehabilitate – we want offenders to come out as better people. This method of rehabilitation is called the reentry model. The goal is to reenter them into society and have them be an active member. Living the most normal life they could.

9.The prosecution is not subject to civil suit. Meaning a person cannot sue them for any wrong doing. However, they can still be legally punished.

10.Judge positions are life appointments. But they can retire or resign from their position. Also, a judge typically gets paid less than they did as a lawyer, but, the position of a judge is seen with higher prestige.

All facts came from my textbook.

Common Stereotype: Good or Bad?

By: Samantha Martinez

One of the most common stereotypes about police officers is that most eat doughnuts and drink coffee throughout their day. Even in television shows like, " The Simpsons" and "Family Guy" the stereotype is portrayed. The stereotype goes way back to the 1950's because their was a lot of doughnut shops frequently visited by police officers.  I mean what is so harmful about eating doughnuts and coffee during break? I think even people who are not police officers usually have  a doughnut and coffee throughout their day, but they do not get stereotyped off it.Even some police officers may not like to eat doughnuts. In my opinion,  I wouldn't mind eating doughnuts on my break and the public judging me off it, but people should not assume thats what cops do all day.  Cops have duties to complete like protecting the people and the community.

More often,during night shifts back in the day, doughnut shops were usually opened 24 hours a day. So cops would go there to fill out paper work or any other duty.Former Seattle Chief of Police Norm Stamper stated, " They could pack lunch, pray for all night diner on their beat, or fill up on doughnuts. Doughnuts usually won out. They were, to most palates,tasty, and they were cheap and convenient." There is still a few doughnut shops that are opened 24 hours a day and are visited by police officers. A website named  The Policy Daily even posts picture of police officers with donuts or any sugary foods.There is actually some doughnut places named, " Cops and Doughnuts," in Michigan. I find that very amusing and maybe one day I will visit one. 

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-doughnut-loving-cops-became-stereotype-180956730/
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/09/started-cops-eating-donuts-stereotype/

Musical Biography - Post #7

By Braden Hanks

Today, we will chronicle the history of one of the most influential band composers of all time: Gustav Holst.

Gustav Holst began his life being born in Chenltenham, England, on September 21, 1874, as the first of two children.  Through his early years, he frequently played piano, while violin bored him.  This enjoyment was then coupled with is unknown weak vision and asthma.

Holst entered the musical industry with his first organist job in 1893, which grew his knowledge of choral music and composition, which would influence his compositions all throughout his life.  It was only a few years later that Gustav would attend the Royal College of Music, where his picked up the trombone to earn money playing in orchestras and hopefully help his chest problems.

A few years later, Holst fell in love with a woman named Emily Isobel Harrison in 1901, as he began to write his most famous piece, The Planets.

After the release of his most famous work, Holst dove into the world of band music, coming up with such works as the two military band suites in both Eb and F.  It is thought he received most of his influence for wind music through the famous composer Raelph Vaughn Williams, whom he was close friends with.

Late in life, in 1930, Gustav wrote the great Hammersmith, along with taking a speaking job at Harvard in 1932.  Later, in 1934, he was given an option for a minor operation and limited life, or a major operation and a larger life.  He chose the latter.

The operation was successful in may 1934, but his heart couldn't take the strain.  He died on may 25th.

Prompt 8: Beyond the Job

By: Samantha Martinez

 

( NYP who delivered a baby on FDR drive.)

A police officer duty is to protect the community and minimize crime. Some officers have gone beyond those duties. An interesting article named " Meet the officers going beyond the call of
duty," by Ray Sanchez describes the events that some police officers are considered heroes.

 New York Highway and Emergency Service unit officers helped a woman in labor when she was in rush hour traffic.The heroic officer's names are Detective Sharpe Kevin Moran and Frank Denicola. It's amazing what officers that doesn't get as much attention as the negative things the news portrays.

In San Francisco, a heroic officer is named Officer Brian Kneuker and a couple other officers raised 400 dollars to provide a hotel and food for a homeless woman and her autistic son. It was not the duty for the police officers to raise money for no one, but they did it out of kindness. I think actions like these show that some police officers genuinely care about the people in the community. Officer Kneuker states himself, " Who knows where they could have ended up, but when we got the call, our goal was, were not going to have them end up on the street." Many more officers have gone beyond their job to help the people. The community should thank those who have. I hope to become one of these heroic officers myself.


http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/29/us/beyond-the-call-of-duty-policing-in-america/

The First Serial Killer?

Blog post week 8
Cassy Rymas
 The torso murders of Cleveland, Ohio. This case is very interesting and a historical case in my field since it was THE FIRST SERIAL KILLER! The killings took place in the 1930s. The first bodies were found in September of 1935, in the Kingsbury Run area. The killings were called the torso murders because the killer beheaded them and sometimes other parts of the body as well. Many of the victims were left unidentified because they were taken for lower parts of society and didn’t have a face. At this time fingerprinting and looking at dental records were impossible.

The scene at the foot of Jackass Hill, September 23, 1935: Edward Andrassy’s headless, emasculated corpse. Photo courtesy of Marjorie Merylo Dentz.

 After more victims showed up of different genders the famous Eliot Ness became involved, as he was Cleveland’s chief of Public Safety. Unfortunately, even with his work, the murders continued. As the years passed more bodies started to pile up. As the possible suspects for the killings stayed very limited. The police hit dead end after dead end. The case broke open when they got the lead on one man who was known for being in the bar often, talking to the few who were identified, and he was known for anger. After hours of questioning, he confessed to one murder. However, before he could be questioned about any other murders, he killed himself. His autopsy showed several broken ribs, that he did not have before going into custody. So his confession was believed to be worthless and thrown out. Back to another dead end, the police went. Ness later pursued a doctor. This doctor had a history of mental illness and before Ness could get anything out of him, he committed himself to a mental hospital. This doctor was now out of reach.

Eliot Ness, Cleveland Chief of Public Safety (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, File).

Coincidentally, once the doctor was locked up, the murders stopped. The case remained unsolved, with no leads and no justice. Many people in law enforcement are hopeful to opening the cold case and solving it with the new technology available in the 21st century. Until then, we wait.

This case is so fascinating because this was the first serial killer. This makes me wonder, is this man the reason we have them today? Did he spark an idea in crazy people’s minds? Why weren’t there any before him? And if the case happened today, would it be solved? So many people died, yet few were identified, even less were suspects and in the end, no one was found guilty for this awful act.

http://www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org/collections/torso-murders/

prompt 7. Body Cameras

Cassy Rymas

In the field of law enforcement, there are many controversies. Some that get solved and some that never do. The one I'm most interested in lately is police body cameras. Should they be allowed? Are they a violation of privacy? These questions are what make this topic a hot debate.

body camera from google images

People who are against body cameras have many good, valid arguments. All of these came from my criminal justice textbook. The main ones being the fourth amendment and expense. One body camera alone cost over 1000. For a whole department, they are looking at plans of 2.1 million! That’s a lot of money, causing a raise in taxes. With this, police cars already have a camera, they're constantly rolling when they stop. Officers point their car towards the suspect, therefore catching the encounter on camera already. The only difference between the car camera and the body camera would be that the body camera would record the police officers’ actions more in depth. However, this can be seen as a violation of the 4^th amendment. The 4^th amendment protects the right to privacy. Now if the body camera always must be on, it will record every action. How would you feel if your every move was recorded? Pretty violated? Yes.

Now the main argument for having them is to stop police brutality. Many people confuse this with the use of force. The definition of use of force is the amount of force necessary to detain a suspect. This is when a cop pushes a drunk person into the back of their car and they end up falling, or when a cop shoves someone's head down to get into the car, this is completely legal. Now, police brutality is the abuse of use of force. Meaning when they pull their gun on someone who is not a threat, this is punishable by law and not legal. 

the use of force model from my textbook

Many people see the fact of an officer being on their own, with no supervision for the majority of their work day making it necessary for a camera. I can see this argument because having a camera would mean someone can watch over them, which I don’t know about you but when your parents are watching you, you probably wouldn't do the same actions you would if they weren’t. Also, the camera on the vehicle sometimes is too far away to catch the situation in good detail. Meaning that if a suspect runs and the cop chases and the suspect ends up dead. They ran out of the view of the camera, so law enforcement should take the word of the officer.  Due to the fact that they are bound by law to always uphold the truth. A body camera would record no matter what the suspect causes the officer to do. If the cop runs, the cameras coming with him/her. This could be a good thing for both the defendant and the cop. A lot of the time cops are accused of a killing being of racist factors. Whether this is true for some, it’s not true or all. A body camera would shed the light on the truth of the matter. There for showing the cop had all the right intentions in the killing. The way this helps the defendants is if the cop does something wrong and violates their rights, they now have proof. As I said before a cop is bound by the law, to tell the truth, this means in the eyes of the law a cop’s word means more than a citizen. So, if the cops say they didn’t do anything wrong, your word saying they did, isn’t gonna do much. If you had the recording then no one’s word matters, only the recording does.

What do you think, should police have body cameras? Think about if you were a cop and your every move was recorded, would you like it?

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2015/01/11/police-body-cameras-five-facts-technology/21616039/
https://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/technology/pages/body-worn-cameras.aspx

Week #6 Prompt

By Braden Hanks

In my exploration of music education scholarly articles, I came across an article from the British Journal For Music Education titled "Music education - why bother", and decided to indulge and respond.

One of the largest points used throughout the text is the key differences music education has from other 'school' type activities, such as core classes and sports.  While core classes and many sports are either individually based or competition based, music is fostered around cooperation in ensembles and concert settings.  

A high school at the festival for music.

Another large key idea is the presence of unique learning and brain use.  In many different classroom settings, only half of the brain is used, while in music almost the entire brain is active at work while performing.  Also, in the jazz world, the instance of improvisation is a strong catalyst for brain activity, with jazz players having to almost instantly come up with creative melodies to fit within the music they're playing.  

In conclusion, music education is very important, encouraging cooperation in students, and keeping young minds active and working in new ways.

Do All Cops Carry Guns?

By: Samantha Martinez

Is it weird that I want to be a cop, but a little afraid of guns? It seems scary to carry one and even use it when it's necessary. I came across an article that stated that some countries police officers do not have to a  carry a gun. I thought it was a requirement for police officers to carry a weapon to protect themselves, but that's not true in every country.These countries are Norway, New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland and Britain. In Iceland, it is legal for a citizen to carry guns and they do more than police officers. Police officers only carry guns on urgent circumstances.

Even though crime is uncommon in Iceland, it is the 15th most armed country per capita in the world. According to sociologist Oddson, he says, "Iceland's low crime rates are rooted in the country's small, homogenous, egalitarian and tightly knit society. " In Ireland, only 20 to 25 percent of Irish police officers are adequate to a carry a gun. In Britain, 82 percent of police officers do not want to be armed. Rick Noack said that "In New Zealand, about a dozen of senior police have to carry a gun nation wide."

Police officers in these countries try to use the least amount of force and are trained to do so. In Norway, police officers training lasts three years. These facts are very astonishing due to the fact that in the United States our system goes about everything differently and our crime rate is much higher.

I think it's amazing that some countries do not always carry weapons and have other ways to handle crimes and violence.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/02/18/5-countries-where-police-officers-do-not-carry-firearms-and-it-works-well/?utm_term=.23bef5179d13

https://qz.com/727941/how-do-police-handle-violence-in-countries-where-officers-dont-carry-guns/

communication in law. (week 6)

Cassy Rymas

                The language in my field (law) is overwhelming. We even have our own dictionary, Black’s law Dictionary. Through my internship with the prosecutor of Macomb, I picked up on some terminology used. Such terminology consists of prelim (preliminary hearing), cps (child protective services), and a lot of other terms. When you’re in the office or the courtroom, what people say just flows, and makes sense because you know what’s going on. I remember there were a few times when I stopped and thought to myself “hmm that’s an interesting way to say that”. One term that was unique to the building I worked in was floor 4. If you were ever on floor 4, it was important. This referred to the floor which the library was on. This library was enormous, multiple episodes of crime investigation shows have been shot in the library when they’re interviewing lawyers. If you ever needed to go there, it was serious.

The dictionary of my field

                One way I will continue to learn the language of my field is through my boyfriend’s mom. She is a lawyer and works from home a lot. When I am over and she is working, I will hear her on conference calls or I will be sitting next to her and she will explain to me what she’s doing. If I have a question on what anything means, she will explain it to me with no problem. Another way I can continue to learn the language is by having more internships. Being in the field helps you enormously without you even realizing it. You subconsciously pick up on little behaviors and words that have a whole other meaning outside of the office. For example, when you’re in the courtroom, the judges may say he/she calls a recess, this simply means he wants to take a break. Now you say that by someone who’s under the age of ten and they think you want to go play outside. Another example would be when the judge calls forth the counsel, he/she means he/she wants to speak to the attorneys.  Many may be lost when this is said outside the courtroom due to the fact that they don’t understand what counsel is referring to. I know personally the first time I heard it I instantly thought of a counselor.

                There are going to be many challenges within my field, even after I think I’m a pro and got a hold of things. Language isn’t something I’m too worried about because when I had my internship, there were many phrases and terms I picked up on that I can’t even think to be out of the ordinary right now. So, I know as I gain experience in the field, the language will come. I believe that I am going to have to change the terms I use all the time because I will constantly be talking to and interacting with people of all different education levels who will not understand me.  Many of these challenges I am looking forward to, however, some such as the BAR I am not.

Social Work in The Criminal Justice Field

By: Samantha Martinez

I am considering minoring in social work. The interest grew in me because I love helping people who are in need. Recently, in my intro to social work class, I learned about the role social workers play in the criminal justice field.Social work is very important in the criminal justice field. They are referred to as criminal justice social workers and forensic social workers. First of all, a social workers role is to help people, groups, and families who have financial or emotional problems. As a criminal justice social worker, they may help criminals, juveniles, victims. Some are even licensed to treat mental illnesses. According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, social workers must have compassion and empathy for the people they work with ( Beth Greenwood).
Social workers help everyone, especially those who have mental illnesses and need extra care in prison. They also work with lawyers, judges, and prosecutors. Social workers can play a role as a probation officer, parole officer, and diversion program manager, by working with juvenile officers. They can also be therapists to prisoners.  An important role of social workers in the criminal justice field is them helping people who were victims of domestic violence. Correctional social workers work in courts, probation offices, and correctional facilities. In correctional facilities, social workers counsel and help criminals keep in contact with their family. They also involve the criminal in community service. As Armando T. Morales stated in 'Social Work,' " The social worker's involvement with the criminal justice can begin at the time of arrest and terminate at the person's release."



http://www.mswguide.org/careers/criminal-justice-social-work/
http://work.chron.com/social-workers-position-criminal-justice-23582.html
Sheafor, Bradford W., Armando Morales, and Malcolm E. Scott.  Social work: a profession of many faces/ Bradford W. Sheafor, Armando T. Morales, Malcom E. Scott. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2012. Print.

Musical Careers

By Braden Hanks

In the field of music, there are three main sub-fields: music education, music performance, and music composition.  Within each category, there are many different types of work.  Let's explore them.

When it comes to music education, there are a few options of work.  For example, you can teach a general music class in elementary or middle school, from around ages 10-14.  This then transitions to teaching either band, orchestra, and choral groups at the middle and high school level.  These then branch off to even teach music theory, piano, music technology, etc.  Past this, with higher education, one can become a professor, in which opportunities of private lessons, music theory, and ear training classes appear as well.

(Source: bju.edu)

Another very big form of a musical career is performance.  Through performance, one can become a member of a professional band, orchestra, choir, jazz groups, or even soloing with ensembles.  Professional orchestras are very popular, with many found in big cities throughout the world.  Names such as the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra are well known.  On the smaller scale are choirs and wind bands.  Examples of wind bands are the Dallas Wind Symphony, Philadelphia Wind Symphony, and military bands.  Military choirs also are prevalent.

(Source: carngeiehall.org)

When it comes to music composition, careers are very entrepreneur-like.  Most composers just compose on their own, offer their works up for sale, and hope for the best.  Popular modern wind band composers include John Mackey, Steven Bryant, with older composers such as Gustav Holst and Dmitri Shostakovich.  Other ways composers can make a living are through teaching at higher education institutions.

(Source: artsonline.monash.edu.au)

Prompt #5 Organizations

By Samantha Martinez

I have not involved myself in any criminal organizations just yet. Next year, I hope that I do become more involved because I will be wanting to explore more about my career.  Luckily, my friend Chelsea Agee is in the criminal justice field and has been involved with two important criminal justice organizations. I got to learn about her personal experience with these organizations. Chelsea is a senior and will be graduating in May. The two organizations she is involved in is the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and Alpha Phi Sigma.

The National Organization of Blacks in Criminal Justice is a non profit association with multi- ethic community leaders and C.J professionals. The NABCJ is the first chapter at Michigan State University and in the Midwest. The National Organization of Blacks in Criminal Justice mission is said to be,"to serve as a professional and social network for African- American undergraduate and graduate students in the field of Criminal Justice."  According to Chelsea, NABCJ did not meet her expectations. She said it was not well organized and did not get to network and meet with criminal justice professionals as much as she hoped to. Chelsea tried to join the e-board of the organization, but it was too stressful for her with the schedule she had. The National Organization of Blacks in Criminal Justice was not as beneficial to her as much as Alpha Phi Sigma.

Alpha Phi Sigma is a national honor society for criminal justice students. The honor society helps criminal justice students gain leadership roles and learn about the criminal justice field. The honor society also provides volunteer activities and presentations by important speakers which help you gain connections in the criminal justice field. Chelsea had a very positive journey with Alpha Phi Sigma. She stated, "Alpha Phi Sigma did more to meet my expectations, it does help you network and meet with professionals. Also, it helps to get a better idea at what you want to do in the criminal justice field. It pushed me to be better at maintaining a good goal to be a part of it."

According to Chelsea, her opinion was both organizations represent themselves very highly and professional. In her case, Alpha Phi Sigma high representation matched their performance and NABCJ did not. Every one has a different experience in joining organizations for their field, so for truth vs. representation, I believe you have to find out the truth for yourself.

http://cj.msu.edu/undergraduate-information/student-life/

Musical Subtopics

By Braden Hanks

cheat sheet

Through the past couple years, through my tremendous growing love for music, there has been one part of music that has always brought much interest to me: music theory.

Music theory is, in essence, how music works.  How it begins, ends, and everything in between.  For example, in music theory we analyze groups of notes, called chords, and how they function in the piece of music.  This involves multiple levels of analysis, and the investigation of specific functions of each individual chord.

Music theory is almost like math: there's usually a formula, except there usually isn't.  It's open ended.  You pick the melody.  You pick how the harmony goes along with that melody.  There are formulas that work around what you write, but what you write is up to you, and that's what I love about it.

Slenderman Stabbings (week 5)

Cassandra Rymas


In 2014 two 12-year-old girls lured their friend Payton (also 12 years old) into the bathroom with a plan of killing her. The three of them had previously spent the night together for Anissa's birthday party.  Anissa and Morgan are the two who attempted to kill their friend.

Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier

Anissa and Morgan became friends in school because of an obsession they both had with the creppypasta website. This website featured stories of the slenderman. They came up with this plan to become servants of Slender. To do so they had to sacrifice someone. This, someone, was Payton.

Payton Leutner (victim)

After the sleepover, they went to the park in the morning. Anissa grabbed a knife from her kitchen. once they were at the park they got Payton into this bathroom, where they proceeded to stab her 19 times. They told her they were going to get help when they actually started running for the slender castle. Payton was found and survived the attack.

The two have been in custody since, on charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide. They have both pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. A judge is suspected to announce a trial date soon.


Going into this field I have a different take on this case than most. If I were the prosecutor on this case, I would not take it easy or ask for a lighter sentence because the girls were 12 at the time of the crime. Nor would I play into the mental defect plea. Although they may very well have things wrong with them mentally, they are capable of understanding the law. This means legally, they are not mentally defective. Therefore they know right and wrong and that it's a crime to kill someone. It wasn't just an act they did, they planned this out and had a reason that made them want to do it. In interviews they stated it made them excited and nervous, they were scared because they didn't want to get in trouble. Yet, they still stabbed their best friend and left her to die. It is through no fault but their own that they deserve and will be locked up for a while if not life.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2643061/what-slender-man-stabbing-case-anissa-weier-morgan-geyser/

Disabilities

By Samantha Martinez

criminaljusticecareerscenter.com

A disability might hold back someone from becoming a police officer. Sometimes police officers become disabled on duty. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed stating no one should be discriminated in employment, public services, etc.  Every police academy in each state has different requirements. If your disability does not allow you complete any of the tests, it will probably stop you from becoming a police officer.

To become a police officer, it is important to be in good physical shape. One day, you can have a criminal running from the crime scene and you'll have to chase them down. The Physical Qualification Test requires the 75 yard pursuit run, push ups, and sit ups. Vision or hearing impairment can also be a disqualification.  If an officer becomes disabled on duty, " Police Officers Death and Disability Act," protects them by the government in paying their medical bills and their families. The act also provides other benefits.

A disability should not stop someone from pursuing a career in the criminal justice field. There are about 75 career fields. Some fields are forensic science, private security, legal services and cyber security. I believe if someone really wants to do something, they should even if they face challenges.
If you cannot become a police officer, there will be another career choice in the criminal justice field.


http://work.chron.com/can-cop-physical-impairment-23164.html
 http://www.collegequest.com/how-to-become-a-police-officer.aspx
https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/the-police-physical-ability-test-would-you-meet-the-requirements
http://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-justice-careers/
http://policelink.monster.com/training/articles/7808-police-officers-death-disability-act

prompt #4

Cassandra Rymas

Prompt 4

Week 4

                For this prompt, I had to find two sources, one being a newspaper article and one being a scholarly article. The newspaper article I choose was ‘Jerry Sandusky’s Son Charged with Sexually Assaulting Children’ written by Mitch Smith, you can already tell this is going to be very different than a scholarly article. Which for that I choose ‘The Criminal Prosecution: Sporting Event or Quest for Truth’ written by William J. Brennan Jr.

The scholarly article is aimed at people who are already in the profession of law.  It starts off with the reason as to why he is writing this article, which has to do with the past 15 years of judges, teachers, and lawyers asking him to. This is a very informative, lengthy read. It’s quite boring if you’re not into the profession. Which most people are not. The article and author are both very trust worthy, it comes from a person of high standing in the field. Law is known for being an occupation of high trust, and honesty, there for we can assume it is safe to rely on the information gained throughout the article.

Jeffery Sandusky Mugshot.
Fox59 Center County Correctional Facility 

 However, the newspaper article is a lot more entertaining to read. It too is informative, but not in the same way. The target audience is every person living in society. People enjoy knowing what’s going on in the world around them, this article informs them of the crimes being committed, which many find interest in knowing. Whether you’re a sports fan or want to know of the crimes. You can stumble upon this article and enjoy the quick read. It’s about the former assistant Penn state football coach’s son. 

                                                                                      He was recently convicted of sexually assaulting young boys. I find it so disgusting that someone can sexually assault another human being, especially someone younger than you, you simply just take advantage of them. He didn’t only assault young boys, but also young girls. The prosecution mentioned that two of the girls were under 16.

What stands out the most, in this case, is that he doesn’t find it wrong. He says its “not weird” for him to have involuntary statutory intercourse with these kids. Which means he thinks it’s okay to rape kids under the age of consent. GROSS!! Also, his dad was convicted of sexual assault against 10 young boys. I guess it must run in the family.

These two articles are on focused on the same thing, law, and the criminal justice system. One is informing you on the ins and outs of the court, how lawyers do things, what they strive for, as well as judges. The other is informing you on someone who has committed a crime and now has entered the court system on the other side. Both articles are from sources of high standing and very trustworthy. 

My musical inspiration

By Braden Hanks

Everyone has their own journey.  Their own story.  Their own path.  Through Science, Mathematics, English, History, or even Music, there are always influences through the realm of discovering our passions.  For me, there are a few moments through my high school career that stand out, that had the most control over my decision to pursue Music.

First off, and the largest influence for me, was my high school band director, David Larzelere.  When I was in middle school I played trumpet, he asked me if I would like to play Euphonium for marching band the following year.  Being the innocent 8th grader I was, I gave in, and that would be the biggest impact on my career.  If I hadn't changed instruments, I wouldn't be where I am today.

Later in high school, once I got alright at my instrument, I had the pleasure of being first chair in my school's top ensemble and traveling and performing at the Michigan Music Conference, which was amazing.  This experience then propelled me to go to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and play in their top ensemble, and then later my senior year, receiving honorable mention for All State and eventually going to the Michigan Youth Arts Festival. These experiences all blossomed my love for music even more than the last, all adding up to my admission to MSU and the college of music to study my passion.

Prompt #3 - Professional Interview

By Braden Hanks

For this intriguing blog post, I was posed with the task of interviewing a professional in my field. That person is David Larzelere.  Mr. Larzelere was my high school band director, whom arguably had the largest influence on my musical journey up until today.

Q1: "What do you write and how do you write it?"

A: "I usually write worksheets and exams for AP music theory, most often with Microsoft Word.  Hah!  But seriously, I will sometimes, when I'm feeling up for it, write music.  This only happens when I'm just feeling so damn creative that I have to slap it on some paper.  These feelings of wanting to compose typically stem from emotions that I feel from teaching, or just everyday life too".

Q2:  "What are some common misconceptions in Music Education and how do you use communication (including writing) to dispel, address, or work around those stereotypes?"

A:  "When someone asks me what I do, and I tell them I'm a music educator, I'm usually applauded for my work. Very few people enter the teaching profession nowadays, so when you meet someone who does work in that field, it's inspiring to them.  If I do run into someone who looks down on my occupation, I usually respond with 'hey, someone's gotta do it, and I love doing it, so it works out'.  They usually shut up about it".

I loved the second answer because it shows how much our society is growing through stereotypes of jobs (at least this one) and that doing what you love, even though isn't pursued as much as we would like, is inspiring and uplifting.

Unanswered Questions

By Samantha Martinez

incarceration rate by race and gender

As being a minority, I personally know racism exists. The President of the United States being a racist himself is sending the messages to other people that it is okay to discriminate minorities. Even in the criminal  justice field, racism exists. The killings of many African Americans by white cops has brought the subject to light and people ask themselves, "Are all cops racist? " I strongly believe that all cops are not racist, but I cannot say it does not exist.

I found an interesting article called, "Fourteen Examples of Racism in Criminal Justice" by Bill Quigley. I learned in this article that thousands of people have been arrested or went through an unfair arrest because of racism. This article does not just mention opinions, it states statistics and facts. One important fact it stated is that blacks and Latinos are stopped and frisked more than whites. According to The statistics given by the New York Police Department, it says that 85 percent are blacks and Latinos and only 8 percent are white. This concludes that some innocent people were locked up unfairly.This negativity makes society segregated and people to not trust all cops. I learned that there are many unfair discriminating situations in the criminal justice field.

I think something needs to drastically change in the criminal justice field for it to be seen as  less racist. No matter what race, cops should respect everyone and arrest people for anything that is a crime not their skin color. This encourages me even more to be a police officer to show that all cops are not racist because I respect and acknowledge that we live in a very multicultural world.  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/fourteen-examples-of-raci_b_658947.html

Stereotypes of Females in Law

Cassandra Rymas

Blog week 3

 Women in law are not equally represented. Per Current Glance Statics, for total judgeships, 27.1% are women, compared to the 73.9% that are men. Personally, I have seen this. Through my little experience, I already have, I've seen far more males in the courtroom and at the bench. Not only are women unrepresented, they’re also stereotyped. Women in law are seen to be cold and bicthy. Many see this because women are supposed to be soft and caring. That they have a lot of emotions and emotions aren’t logical. In a courtroom, you must be smart and logical.  Gender roles make females emotional, not logical, like men.  

Subscene

Legally blonde shows this great. The movie starts off with this blonde girl, who’s seen as an air head, who's only good at shopping. Another stereotype in its self. When she shows an interest in law, she’s told she won’t make it. She’s not smart enough. Which is a bunch of crap because if anyone has the will to go through all that schooling they will make it. She goes through the schooling and ends up kicking ass in the court room. Duh, females are great at arguing, so why wouldn’t they be great in the court room. If you haven’t seen it, you should watch it.

              

         
From my experience, I know guy lawyers who won’t start a debate with the female ones because they won’t win. At my internship, over lunch break, we would pick a topic and then two people would debate on it. I know this is very nerdy in a way. However, the females typically won. On one argument about character letters on twitter and why they should be limited a female won, the same female won why they shouldn’t be limited against someone else. Clearly, she’s good at arguing and debating. She is only one example that goes against the typical misconception that females make bad lawyers.

http://ms-jd.org/blog/article/media-portrayals-leading-ladies-and-law-identifying-stereotypes-film-and-tv
http://dtpr.lib.athabascau.ca/action/download.php?filename=mais/garymarshallProject.pdf

Prompt #2 Code of Ethics

By: Samantha Martinez

"As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, equality and justice." ( International Association of Chiefs of Police)   


Ethics are the moral principles someone holds.I believe a professional code of ethics should be implemented into your personal life if you want to succeed in it.I never knew researching the code of ethics of my field would benefit me so much. The statement above is only a small portion of the code of ethics, but it holds a strong value to every officer now and the future ones.The code of ethics of a police officer is actions needed to be fulfilled every day on duty. It has informed me of the important values as a future police officer I will have to accomplish. The code of ethics is very straight forward and informative.Similar to the code of ethics I had in mind before researching it. In my personal code of ethics, I know I have to fulfill the duty of risking my life every day if needed so. I am pleased to become a police officer so I can do what I always wanted to do.  

  

Every police officer should know the code ethics before becoming a police officer and if they don't ,they are informed of it before taking oath.The code of ethics should become values a police officer holds. In my opinion, I think the public puts a lot of pressure on police officers. The news will usually show police officers wrong,instead of the positive things cops have done for the community. One negative action of one police officer puts a bad image on all police officers which is very unfair. Corrupt police officers exist, but good police officers exist also who do not get as much credit for their hard work.I do believe police officers follow the code of ethics because it is their responsibility and if they don't, they have to deal with the consequences. 

 Every police officer should follow the code of ethics. If police officers want the public to trust them and for crime rates to decline, they have to set a good example. I think people are well aware of the code of ethics or similarities of what a police officer job is. That is why the public is so quickly to point any mistakes the police officer has made. Police officers cannot expect the public to follow the laws or do the right thing, if they don't carry those messages out to the public by doing a good job.