Disaster and the Criminal Justice System

Competencies Addressed in This Discussion

• Competency 1: Analyze the range of potential human dynamics in a disaster event.
• Competency 2: Apply cultural competence.

Introduction

This unit provides a general overview of disasters. Disasters can have devastating effects. There are many entities involved in these types of events. One of those entities is the criminal justice system. These events can cause stress to resources in the areas of corrections, law enforcement, and the courts. The citizens served by these entities are also affected. Many times, contingency plans have to be thought of in an instant to overcome some type of devastating event.

Instructions

For this discussion, imagine you work in one of the three criminal justice entities mentioned above. The area in which you work has taken a direct hit by a hurricane. The hurricane has caused massive power outages and flooding. The local police department, the courts, and the jail have been affected by the flooding, therefore, affecting many citizens. In your main post, using the criminal justice agency you selected:

• Describe two issues the flooding has caused relating to that particular entity.
• Explain how the two selected issues can be overcome.
• Identify a community resource that will be helpful in overcoming one of your identified issues.

Discussion Objectives

The competencies addressed in this discussion are supported by discussion objectives, as follows:

• Competency 1: Analyze the range of potential human dynamics in a disaster event.
  • Describe two issues the flooding has caused relating to that particular entity.
  • Explain how the two selected issues can be overcome.
• Competency 2: Apply cultural competence.
  • Identify a community resource that will be helpful in overcoming one of your identified issues.

Response Guidelines

Respond to the posts of two peers.

• Did you identify any additional issues relating to the entity your classmate chose? If you chose the same entity, did you identify any different issues? If you chose a different entity, did you have any of the same issues caused by the flooding?
• Are there any other ways to solve his or her chosen issues? If not, why?
• Can the community resource your classmate identified help any of the issues you chose? If so, how?

APA citations are not required for discussions. However, if outside material is used, you are required to cite references.

Resources

• CJ Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.
• Criminal Justice Undergraduate Library Research Guide.
• Community of Excellence.
• G.R.E.A.T. Discussion Guidelines [PDF].