For this assignment you will provide a detailed discussion of a theory of pop culture and provide critical discussion of this theory. The purpose of this assignment is to help you hone your critical thinking skills. You will provide exposition and criticism of a theory of pop culture. You may choose either Mass Cultural Theory or Critical Theory.

Your note should include some discussion of the following questions:

1. What or who determines popular culture? Where does popular culture come from? Does it emerge from the people themselves as an autonomous expression of their interests and modes of experience, or is it imposed from above by those in positions of power as a type of social control?

2. Describe how commercialization and industrialization influences popular culture. Does reducing culture to commodity mean that the criteria of profitability and marketability take precedence over quality, artistry, integrity and intellectual challenge? Or does it result in a universal market where what is popular actually corresponds to what people want and think is valuable? Does marketability and profitability actually produce quality art or does it only benefit business interests?

3. Is popular culture used to control and indoctrinate the people? Is it used to get people to accept and adhere to ideas and values which will ensure the continued dominance of a particular elite and allow them to exercise power over them? Or is popular culture about rebellion and opposition to the prevailing social order? Is pop cultural a spontaneous genuine burst of creativity or is it just a means through which a dominate group exercises control of society?

4. After you provide an accurate account of one of these theories of pop culture, you should then review the strengths and weaknesses of the theory. Can you identify some objections to the theory? You can research objections, but you need to consult reputable sources.

For this assignment, students will choose a topic from either chapter that resonated with them. Students will discuss why the topic stood out to them, the new knowledge they gained, why they believe it was worthwhile to include in the text and how they will apply their newfound knowledge as a professional.

Research is increasingly becoming an important and expected activity within public safety agencies. In this discussion, you will conduct research to find specific examples of how research was used to show an area of improvement or that led to an improvement in practice. While searching for your examples, be certain to focus on at least 2 different institutional scenarios within the public safety system.

The specific steps are as follows:

1. Engage in independent research by finding 1 example of research that was used to show a topic that needs improvement in criminal justice. Then find 1 example that was used to improve the practical application of something. Two different examples are required for analysis this week.

You are a supervising administrative officer in a criminal justice agency. You learn that Officer X has reportedly been fraternizing with another man’s spouse. The man returned to his home and found Officer X in his bedroom with his wife. The man then went to your agency to file a formal complaint against Officer X. It is a violation of your agency’s policy for officers to fraternize with the spouses of other people. Officer X was reportedly off duty at the time.

Administrative Scenario: You are in charge of the administrative investigation. You must identify legal, ethical, and moral character violations that occurred. Review the following interviews:

• Interview 1
  • You interview Officer X, and he denies being in the man’s home with the man’s wife and fraternizing with her. Officer X said that Officer Y is his alibi. Officer X said that he was with Officer Y at Officer Y’s house when the alleged fraternization happened. 
• Interview 2
  • You interview Officer Y, and he initially verifies Officer X’s story. However, under interrogation, Officer Y changes his story, and he admits that he was not with Officer X and that he lied for Officer X because Officer X asked him to do so. Subsequently, Officer Y is no longer an alibi for Officer X. 
• Interview 3
  • You re-interview Officer X, and he continues denying fraternization and denies being in the man’s home with the man’s wife. However, when you tell Officer X that Officer Y admitted to lying for him, Officer X admits to you that he lied and that he did fraternize with the other man’s wife and that he was alone with her in her home.

In a 2-3-page paper, answer the following administrative questions:

• Did a fraternization policy violation occur? What is the purpose of having and enforcing fraternization policies? Why do agencies have fraternization policies?
• Did Officer X lie during the administrative investigation? Did Officer X encourage Officer Y to lie for him?
  • Is this merely an ethical issue, or does it also involve moral turpitude?
  • When does an ethical issue rise to the level of moral turpitude?
  • When does a moral issue rise to the level of criminality?
• If the media find out about this investigation, what will the public expect you to do about it?
• Sometimes, the cover-up is worse than the original act itself. As a criminal justice administrator, what is the best way to handle this kind of situation?

300 words 

Stepney and Davis (Chapter 5) identify the importance of working with clients to understand their thoughts and emotions. Cognitive Behavioral theory argues that clients have “core beliefs” that are influential and impactful in how they experience the world. The humanistic perspective emphasizes empathy and seeing the good in people. In crisis intervention we get clients to their normal level of functioning, seeing them as good, and then appropriately challenge their thinking as a way to reshape and restructure harmful patterns in the client’s life. Remember that clinicians have power and we must ensure that we are recognizing the client’s rights, avoid telling the client what to do, and are respectful of their process.

For this discussion, identify how you would use these three theories/interventions (Cognitive-Behavioral, Humanistic, Crisis Intervention) to support working with the Campbell family immediately after Jacob was arrested for stealing a car. Provide an explanation of what you would do and why, using components of these theories, and then discuss which evidence-based interventions you would use and why.