Modern Criminology and Criminal Justice Issues:

Reflections & Exemplary Work

Samuel Jimenez
University of San Diego
LEPS 599 Integrative Capstone
Professor Hodge
April 2, 2018
 There are many challenges Law Enforcement and Public Safety leaders face in the 21st

Century. The challenges vary depending on whether it is a local, state or federal entity.

However, there are challenges that regardless of the type of entity, affect all of law

enforcement. As I look back at the coursework I have completed in the program, the three

pieces of work that exemplify the PLO “Critical understanding of modern criminology and

criminal justice issues” are Immigration and Violent Crime: A Critical Assessment, Body-

Worn-Camera Deployment Memo, and Identifying Biases.

In Immigration and Violent Crime: A Critical Assessment, I discuss the research on the

relationship between immigration and crime. Historical and contemporary research finds

that at the individual level, immigrants are not more inclined to commit crime than the

native-born does. Moreover, there is an inverse relationship between immigration and

crime. This work selection relates to a critical understanding of modern criminology and

criminal justice issues because it challenges the popular belief by mainstream media and

some politicians that associates immigration with crime. Mainstream media might capitalize

on the arrest of one “illegal immigrant” for robbery or another felony. However, research

shows that the incarceration rate of the US born is actually four times (3.51 percent) that of

the foreign-born (0.86 percent) (Martinez and Valenzuela 2006). Thus, as law enforcement

leaders it is important to have a deeper understanding of critical issues like immigration and

crime so that we are not deceived by mainstream media.

My next work selection, Body- Worn- Camera- Deployment, is a memo to the Chief

about the benefits of implementing a Body-Worn-Camera deployment for a police

department. Body-worn cameras can be beneficial in documenting evidence, officer

training, and preventing and resolving complaints brought by members of the public. The

use of body-worn-cameras is a modern issue in criminology and criminal justice. We live in

a time where everyone can be a reporter by simply recording with his or her cellphone. Law
enforcement entities across the country are undergoing heavy scrutiny by the public and the

media. Body-worn- cameras are becoming the norm. Although some law enforcement

officers may oppose to the use of body-worn-cameras, body-worn-cameras have the

potential to strengthen police transparency, performance, and accountability. They can also

help police departments ensure events are captured from an officer’s perspective.

Lastly, in Identifying Biases, I discuss the current leadership challenges the Ferguson

Police Department faces. Amongst the many leadership challenges are racial distrust

between the minority communities and the police department (Karimi 2016), low department

morale (Salter 2016), and a shortage of officers (Salter 2016). This work selection relates to

a critical understanding of modern criminology and criminal justice issues because it

highlights the contemporary challenges that many police departments are going through

across the country. There are minority communities who do not trust the police. We have

seen protests and riots by minority community members against police officers become

violent. The inherent dangers of the profession and its intense scrutiny and harsh criticism

discourage some from entering and/or remaining in law enforcement while others pursue

more lucrative, less stressful and safer career fields.

The works presented in this reflection and the PLO understanding modern criminology

and criminal justice issues connect to my profession because as a police officer I encounter

all these issues. For example, within the past two years, my department has issued body-

worn- cameras for all of its officers. I have seen protests by minority community members

against our department turn violent. However, as law enforcement leaders we must be

resilient, continue to find ways of overcoming the obstacles presented, and strive to improve

community relations.
 References

Karimi, F. (2016, April 01). Ferguson police chief: 3 challenges that await top cop. Retrieved

January 29, 2018, from https://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/01/us/ferguson-police-chief-

challenges/index.htm

Martinez, R. J., & Valenzuela, A. (2006). Chapter 3: Immigration and Incarceration. In

Immigration and crime : race, ethnicity, and violence (pp. 88-121). New York, New

York: New York University Press

Salter, J. (2016, September 01). Ferguson police can't hire enough officers two years after

Michael Brown's shooting death. Retrieved January 29, 2018, from

http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-filling-police-vacancies-is-latest-struggle-for-

ferguson-2016-9

URL to ePortfolio: (link to my ePortfolio) https://samjimenez.weebly.com/

(direct link to the assignment) https://samjimenez.weebly.com/portfolio.html