Policy Critique

Policy reading assignments will become more robust now. For this post, you will need to incorporate citations from at least three of the readings posted below, in addition to finding an existing policy or program to use as a case study in your response. Because this is a more in-depth assignment, it is worth more points. You will have more time to compose this assignment. It is not due until FRIDAY. Please take note and write a post that is more robust than the previous policy analyses.

Read all of the following documents below providing information about the death penalty.

Identify a state, jurisdiction, or agency that uses the death penalty. Find that organization’s policy on the death penalty or executions. Analyze that policy. Use the following articles to inform your analysis. Appropriately cite at least three of the following articles both within the text of your critique and in a bibliography at the end.

This discussion submission should be written in essay form and should address the following areas or questions. Develop subheadings in the post based on these questions or areas. That is, make the presentation of the post easy for the professor and your peers to identify the various parts or areas concentrating on key information that we have learned from this class.

Does the policy have a title? If so what is the title? If not, what is a working title?
How long has this policy been in existence? Present its original date and describe any information that indicates whether it has been re-written or changed in any manner since it was commissioned or brought into
What agency/organization created the policy and what agency/organization is responsible to carry out the policy or perform whatever task is being described by the policy?
Describe the focus, purpose or concentration, and goals of the policy. According to Mears, the goals of a policy may differ from the focus or purpose of a policy. The goals are the outcome of the policy, or at least what the policy is meant or suppose to accomplish. The needs will reflect or identify what the goals/outcome of the policy should be. This may not always happen, but at least every policy should have focus, purpose and goals. Identify the goals of this policy – identify HOW the policy is supposed to work (that is, what should we see that will be different if the policy is successful). Note that these may not be readily evident in the policy documents you review. Make educated statements about the most likely goals/outcomes of the policy, even if they are not explicitly identified.
What is/are the underlying need(s) that inspired this policy? That is, what problem is this policy seeking to address.
Is this policy meeting its purpose or goals? Use evidence to support your argument.
Is this policy addressing the underlying need driving the policy? Use evidence to support your argument.