Unit 2
​
Criminal Justice

reading and Writing Workshop

Forensic Science

Unit Plan

Law Enforcement

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 

Unit 2 
​Overview:
This unit explores the evolution, structure, and functions of policing in the United States, with a focus on historical context, strategies, accountability mechanisms, and the challenges of bias and use of force. Students will critically evaluate different models of policing, examine current controversies, and debate reform proposals. The unit emphasizes analytical writing, policy analysis, and collaborative discussion.

Essential Questions:

• What is the role of police in society?
• How does law enforcement balance power and accountability?

Learning Objectives:By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• Trace the historical development of U.S. policing from early systems to modern departments.
• Compare major policing strategies: community policing, zero-tolerance, and problem-oriented policing.
• Analyze the use of force, police discretion, and the role of oversight mechanisms.
• Evaluate the impact of racial profiling and bias in law enforcement practices.
• Participate in informed discussions and debates about reforming policing in democratic societies.

Major Topics and LessonsWeek 3: History and Strategies of PolicingDay 1: The Origins of Policing

• Lecture and discussion: Slave patrols, early constables, the rise of municipal police.
• Reading: Summary of Sir Robert Peel’s Nine Principles
  https://www.theiacp.org/resources/document/peels-principles
• Activity: Compare Peel’s principles to a modern police department’s mission statement.

Day 2: Community vs. Zero-Tolerance vs. Problem-Oriented Policing

• Lesson: Overview of each strategy with real-world case studies.
• Group Activity: Students analyze a local policing initiative and categorize its strategy.

Day 3: Law Enforcement in Practice

• Guest speaker or video: Interview with a police officer or criminologist.
• Writing: Reflection on the complexity of policing roles and community expectations.

Day 4: Case Study Analysis

• Read and discuss a DOJ Use of Force Report excerpt
  https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr
• Small groups: Identify key findings, discuss causes and implications.

Week 4: Accountability, Use of Force, and BiasDay 1: Discretion and the Use of Force

• Mini-lecture: Types of force, when it is permitted, how discretion is used.
• Activity: Review selected bodycam footage (teacher-curated, age-appropriate).
• Writing: Students evaluate whether use of force was justified using evidence-based reasoning.

Day 2: Accountability Measures

• Topics: Internal affairs, civilian review boards, body cameras, federal oversight.
• Debate prep: Teams take sides on the question, “Should school resource officers (SROs) be removed from public schools?”

Day 3: Racial Profiling and Systemic Bias

• Reading: Summary or excerpt discussion of Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow
• Discussion: How structural inequalities affect law enforcement practices.
• Activity: Roleplay a community forum with different stakeholders (students, parents, officers, activists).

Day 4: Socratic Seminar or Debate

• Final discussion or debate: What reforms would best balance safety, justice, and accountability?
• Use student-prepared evidence from readings, lectures, and activities.

AssessmentPerformance Task: Policy Memo

• Topic: Should school resource officers be removed from public schools?
• Students will research, outline, and write a 1-2 page policy memo addressed to the school board.
• Requirements:
  • State a clear position.
  • Include at least three pieces of evidence.
  • Address a counterargument.
  • Suggest an actionable recommendation.

Collaborative Discussion:

• Socratic Seminar or Debate: Police reform proposals.
• Rubric will assess preparation, use of evidence, active participation, and respect for diverse views.

Suggested Readings and Resources

• Sir Robert Peel’s Nine Principles
  https://www.theiacp.org/resources/document/peels-principles
• DOJ Police Use of Force Reports
  https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr
• Summary/Discussion of Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow
  (Teacher-provided summary or discussion materials unless licensed for direct excerpt)

Formative Assessments

• Exit tickets (e.g., “What is one strength and one weakness of community policing?”)
• Policing strategy comparison chart
• Peer review of policy memo drafts

Extension / Enrichment

• Research assignment: Compare policing practices in two different countries.
• Creative project: Redesign a “Peelian” principle for the 21st century.
• Interview project: Conduct and summarize a short interview with a local law enforcement or civil rights advocate.

​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
​INDIVIDUAL AI-INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES
​Group AI-Integrated Activities
1. AI Debate Coach: Police Reform
Objective: Prepare students for the Socratic Seminar or final debate using AI-generated feedback and prompts.
Instructions:

• In groups, students input their positions into an AI chatbot (e.g., ChatGPT), such as: “Argue that school resource officers should be removed from public schools.”
• AI generates potential counterarguments, which students discuss and prepare rebuttals for.
• Groups rotate, using the AI to critique opposing arguments and improve clarity or logic.

Outcome:

• Stronger argumentation skills and greater exposure to multiple viewpoints.

2. Historical Timeline Builder with AI Summaries
Objective: Understand the evolution of U.S. law enforcement using a collaborative digital timeline.
Instructions:

• Divide the class into teams. Assign each a historical phase: slave patrols, early municipal police, Prohibition era, Civil Rights era, post-9/11, etc.
• Each group uses AI to summarize key events, figures, and policing changes (e.g., “Summarize the development of slave patrols in under 100 words.”)
• Students input summaries into a shared digital timeline platform (e.g., Sutori, Padlet).

Outcome:

• Visual, collaborative understanding of law enforcement history.

3. AI-Supported Policy Proposal Simulation
Objective: Write a group policy recommendation using AI for drafting and revision.
Instructions:

• Assign each group a current policing issue (use of bodycams, qualified immunity, community oversight boards).
• Students draft their policy in bullet form, then use AI to help turn it into a formal proposal.
  • Prompt: “Turn these points into a formal policy memo addressed to a city council.”
• Use AI again for peer-review-like feedback: “Critique this policy for clarity and evidence strength.”

Outcome:

• Drafts of well-structured, peer-reviewed policy proposals.

4. Racial Profiling Scenario Roleplay (with AI Scripts)
Objective: Analyze bias in policing through scripted roleplay.
Instructions:

• AI helps students generate roleplay scripts based on prompts like:
  “Create a dialogue between a traffic officer and a civilian where implicit bias becomes evident.”
• Groups act out and revise scenes to make them more realistic or solution-oriented.
• Debrief as a class using guiding questions about bias, community impact, and policy implications.

Outcome:

• Nuanced understanding of how bias can emerge and be addressed.

 Individual AI-Integrated Activities1. AI-Journal Reflections
Objective: Deepen personal engagement with essential questions.
Instructions:

• Students use voice-to-text AI (e.g., Google Docs voice typing) to journal responses to questions such as:
  • “What do you think the role of police should be in society?”
  • “How can law enforcement balance power and accountability?”
• AI tools (e.g., Grammarly, ChatGPT) help revise their journals into coherent opinion pieces or op-eds.

Outcome:

• Authentic student voice refined into polished writing.

2. Policing Strategy Explainer Video (with AI Support)
Objective: Demonstrate understanding of one policing strategy.
Instructions:

• Students choose a strategy (e.g., community policing).
• Use AI to help script a short 2-minute explainer video:
  • Prompt: “Write a script explaining community policing to a high school audience.”
• Use free tools like Canva or Adobe Express for video creation.

Outcome:

• Engaging, multimedia explanation of key concepts.

3. AI-Generated Source Analysis
Objective: Practice analyzing government reports and historical documents.
Instructions:

• Students are given excerpts from DOJ Use of Force Reports or Peel’s Principles.
• Use AI to generate plain-language paraphrases or summaries.
• Students compare the AI summary with their own and note differences in interpretation.

Outcome:

• Improved document comprehension and paraphrasing skills.

4. Interactive Bias Analyzer
​Objective: Detect and evaluate bias in public discourse or media.
Instructions:

• Students find a short news article, opinion piece, or policing PSA.
• Use AI tools to analyze the text:
  • Prompt: “Does this article display any racial or ideological bias? Explain.”
• Students write a short reflection comparing their analysis with the AI’s.

Outcome:

• Stronger media literacy and independent thinking.