Helping 2013

Interview with Alexa Calvello, April 26, 1:00PM

(1) What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

AC: Either violin or piano because I could get easy hours. 
Me: Is there anything else that interests you besides the violin or piano?
AC: Not really.

(2) What do you plan to do to complete the 10 hours of service learning (working with an expert) which is due prior to senior year starting? Note: They also have to complete the 50 hours during the school year.

 

AC: I'm probably going to just keep taking lessons like I already am.

Me: Have you thought about doing something more extensive, like maybe performing in a recital?

AC: I could do that.

 

(3) What do you hope to see or expect to see when watching the class of 2012 present their two hour presentations?

 

AC: I'm expecting to see a lot boring topics displayed interestingly.

Me: That's fair. Have you heard about any projects that have anything to do with violin, piano or music in general.

AC: No.

Me: Oh.

 

(4) What questions do they have about senior project? 

 

AC: I don't really have any questions because I haven't really thought about it much.

Me: Oh, well, are you like worried about it or is there anything you want to know about it?

AC: No...

Me: Ok...

Answers

ANSWER 1: People who live in poverty striken areas are more likely to commit crimes.

ANSWER 2:  People with mental disorders are more likely to commit crimes.

ANSWER 3: People who abuse substances (legal and illegal) are more likely to commit crimes than non-users.

Answer 3

EQ: What is the most common reason people commit crimes?

Answer 3: People who abuse substances (legal and illegal) are more likely to commit crimes than non-users.

Evidence: Illegal drug users were 16x more liekely than non-users to get arrested for larceny/theft (1999).
Illegal drug users were 9x more liekly arrested for assault in 2000.
Alcohol is likely to be a factor in 2/3 of violent crimes where the victim knew their attacker.

Sources: The Saratogian, "Alcoholism Series"-  http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2011/03/13/news/doc4d7d929027273529757051.txt
The National Center for Victims of Crime, "Drug Related Crime"- http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32348
About.com, "Crime and Alcohol"- http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/costs/a/aa980415.htm

3-Column Chart

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amg2MiBUSxundFpOVC1HX3hxWnJ3QTJWZ1JKV0c0ZFE

Answer 2

EQ: WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON REASON PEOPLE COMMIT CRIMES?

ANSWER 2:  People with mental disorders are more likely to commit crimes.

EVIDENCE:  Mentall illness symptoms impair judgement and can violate social norms. 
In 2006, the number of mentally ill inmates in U.S. prisons and jails have quadrupled since 2000- from 283,000 inmates to 1.25 million. 
Americans with severe mental illnesses are three times more likely to be in jail or prison than in a psychiatric hospital.

SOURCES: "Psychiatric Illness Associated With Criminality", Michael Menaster, MD, MA
"More Mentally Ill Persons Are in Jails and Prisons Than Hospitals", Partnership for Safety and Justice
Straight Talk about Criminals: Understanding and Treating Antisocial Individuals- "“Biological/Genetic Contributions to Criminality Need Not Preordain Incarceration”, Stanton E. Samenow

Product

Before doing any of the required research for my senior project, I was pretty confident that I would want to pursue a career in either forensic psychology or law.  But after learning more about my topic, my interests have changed slightly.  As of now, my product is an interest in pursuing a career as an Operations Officer for the United Nations under the "Political, Peace, and Security" network.  Criminology is about understanding how people commit crimes and how society reacts to it.  This relates to becoming an Operations Officer because it requires understanding and interpreting an array of humanitarian affairs and conflict resolution on a global scale.  According to the UN, an Operations Officer "monitors political, military, police, humantarian, logistics and other relevant developments in assigned [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] peacekeeping, peace-building and special political missions." https://inspira.un.org/psc/UNCAREERS/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/UN_CUSTOMIZATIONS.UN_JOB_DETAIL.GBL?Page=UN_JOB_DETAIL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=23060
The job requires the ability to gather and interpret information from a variety of sources, which is what I've been doing for my research checks as well as for my science experiment and lab report.  It also requires leadership skills, such as being able to report to to other headquarters.  I have already displayed my ability to provide and explain information to other people during Science Fair, as well as my presentaions (specifically 5 minute).  I am confident in these skills and my grades for my science compnents reassures this (Lab report- P; Journal- AE, Science Fair score- 96/100).    

Fourth Interview Questions

1.  What is your definition of criminology?

2.  What are some common reasons people commit crimes?

3.  Which reason is most significant to you and why?

4.  How do people become criminals?

5.  What sets apart people who think about crimes from those who actually do it?

6.  What are some common reasons people commit sex crimes?

7.  What are some common reasons people commit violent crimes?

8.  How can psychological disorders affect a person's criminal activity?

9.  How can economic situations affect a person's criminal activty?

10.  How can a person's past affect their criminal activity?

11.  How can a person's parents affect their criminal activity?

12.  What are some early signs that could lead a person to become a criminal?

13.  What types of jobs have a background in criminology?

14.  How can a person's genetics affect their criminal activity?

15.  How can a person's environment play a role in their criminal activity? 

16.  What other outside infulences affect a person's criminal activity?

17.  How has crime evolved over the years?

18.  Which plays the bigger role in why a person chooses to commit crime? The environment or the individual? Why?

19.  How can past experiences influence a person to commit crime?

20.  What are some sources that could help me answer my EQ?