THIS IS OUR LAST ASSIGNMENT OF THE YEAR.
In Canada, a victim is defined as a person who has suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage, or economic loss as a result of a crime. An offender is a criminal, someone who breaks the law. Despite this definition, sometimes the victim-offender relationship can become blurred.
Real-life confrontations do not consistently generate simple clear-cut cases that neatly fall into the dichotomies of good and evil, and innocence and guilt. Not all victims were weak, defenseless, unsuspecting “lambs” who, through tragic or ironic circumstances or just plain bad luck, were pounced upon by cunning, vicious “wolves.” In some instances, observers may have reasonable doubts and honest disagreements over which party in a conflict should be labeled the victim and which should be stigmatized as the villain. These complicated situations dramatize the need for impartiality when untangling convoluted relationships in order to make a rational argument and a sound legal determination that one person should be arrested, prosecuted, and punished, and the other defended, supported, and assisted. Unlike many black-and-white examples, many messy incidents reported in the news and processed by the courts embody “shades of grey.” Clashes frequently take place between two people who, to varying degrees, are both victims, or both wrongdoers.
Consider the following accounts of several iconic, highly publicized, and hotly debated cases from 2012 as well as past decades that illustrate just how difficult it can be to try to establish exactly who seriously misbehaved and who acted appropriately.
In this guided inquiry assignment, you will examine the victim-offender relationship where the definition of these terms is not so clear. In the [ File ] links below, you are presented with three case studies:
- Case 1. Trayvon Martin
- Case 2. The Menendez Brothers
- Case 3. The Lorena Bobbitt Story
case_1._trayvon_martin.docx |
case_2._menendez_bros..docx |
case_3._the_lorena_bobbitt_story.docx |
Assignment:
Select the [ONE] case study that most interests you. Then read through the case and the accompanying resources. Based on what you have read and watched, you will write a report [200-250 words] that examines the following questions:
Who is the victim and the offender in this case? Why do you feel this way?
In assessing this report, keep in mind the following:
- clarity of your writing
- grammar and spelling
- the accuracy of information as it relates to the topic
- the incorporation of evidence and details from the case report and additional sources to support your opinions
This assignment is due: June 12th
This date is also when ALL assignments must be submitted if you wish to receive credit for them.
*As always if there are any questions or concerns, please post them on this website by clicking on the "Comments" tab [as your question(s) may help others]; otherwise, email me your assignment at: [email protected]