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Conflict versus Empathy Assignment Read Chapter 5 and review the various nuances of these two competing theories and then follow the week 3 homework attachment to follow the rest of the directions.
Analysis of Paula Cooper
Paula Cooper will forever be discussed in infamy,as one of the worst child killers in American history. In 1985, at the age of 15, Paula entered the home a bible teacher at her church, named Ruth Pelke. Under the guise of seeking refreshments, Paula stabbed Ms. Pelke 33 times in the chest, driving the knife so hard into Ms. Pelke, that pieces of the knife broke off in the hardwood floor beneath her. Her motive for the crime, which was never contested, was the robbery of Ms. Pelke. For her crime, Paula was sentenced to death by electrocution. However, the Supreme Court of Indiana commuted her sentence to 60 years in prision, as child executions were in the process of being made illegal. Ms. Cooper has now beenreleased from prision. She has successfully served 28 years of her sentence, and was released on Parole for her accumulated good-time calculations. Conflict versus Empathy Assignment
As you have seen from the readings, the primary issue in delinquency theory is forming a societal response to crime; especially at the juvenile level. We are faced with two competing approaches: Social Reaction and Restorative Justice. In it’s most basic form, these theories propose two competing theories to the prevention of crime. Social Reaction seeks to prevent crime through the stigma of punishment. Restorative Justice seeks to prevent crime through empathizing with the actual and potential victims of crime. Your assignment is to research the case of Paula Cooper. Read Chapter 5 and review the various nuiances of these two competing theories. Looking back on this crime, which response to Ms. Cooper would reduce similiar crimes of this type. Is there any way to truly rehabilitate Ms. Cooper? During her stint in prison, Ms.Cooper received no less than 23 disciplinary charges for misconduct, and was disproven in her attempt to smear the reputations of guards, by alleging she was sexually violated by them. Do you believe that justice has been served in this case, under either of these theories? Should she have been put to death? Be sure to analyze this case in light of the two discussed theories, and with an eye on what society can do in cases like this to prevent future offenses. Conflict versus Empathy Assignment