Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

• Describe how differences in culture impact society’s interactions with criminal justice professionals

Scenario

You are in the same role you chose for Project One: Because you did such fantastic work with the training you held for community members and sworn officers, the Civilian Office of Accountability, a local advisory board, has invited you back to report back with specific potential ideas for the location you chose for Project One. The board would like to hear your thoughts on relevant issues, such as how other cultures view criminal justice professionals, and typical types of misunderstandings between such professionals and civilians.

Directions

Suggestions Report

For your report, feel free to take information from any of the module resources, or use outside resources.

1. Describe different cultures’ or subcultures’ views of criminal justice professionals.

   Include at least three of the following (different from your own background) that are relevant to your community:

   Native Americans
   Asian communities
   Hispanic communities
   Refugees
   People of color
   Undocumented people

   Explain the general views that are culturally based.
   Describe the reasoning (often historical) behind those views.

2. Describe incidents of cultural misunderstanding between criminal justice professionals and civilians. Address the following in your assessment:

   Language
   Religion / beliefs
   Illiteracy
   Deafness

3. Describe professional practices that may create cultural sensitivity in criminal justice professionals. Address the following in your assessment:

   Understanding the public
   Diversity training
   Procedural justice
   Police legitimacy
   Diverse hiring practices

4. Assess best practices to build trust within cultural communities. Address the following in your assessment:

   Creating an understanding of the community
   Transparency
   Accountability
   Positive community interactions
   Visibility

What to Submit

To complete this project, you must submit the following:

Suggestions Email with Attachment
Your suggestions for the board in your hometown area will be sent in a formal business email with an attachment. The email should be introductory—describing you and your task, and including a brief summary of the attachment—and the attachment should include the formal information they’ve requested.

Supporting Materials

The following resource(s) may help support your work on the project:

Reading:

Guide for Writing an Email and Creating an Email Invitation

This resource explains how to write a professional email.