Capstone I

Perform a needs assessment and identify a specific organizational need within a public safety agency. Demonstrate skills acquired throughout the Professional Practice in Public Safety Program to propose a research project with a goal of resolving the need. While demonstrating skills acquired throughout the Professional Practice in Public Safety Program, research solutions to an identified need within a public safety agency.

That course description hopefully gives you an idea of what you’ll be doing in this class.

To clarify, your goals in this class is to:

1. Perform a needs assessment in an agency.

2. Identify a problem within an agency that you would like to research and address.

3. Propose a research project in which you use your combined knowledge in the PBS courses to recommend a solution to the problem.

4. Present that solution in a research paper (690C).

5. You may be required to meet with the instructor and additional evaluators to explain your research and solution.

What does this Look Like?

 In the first portion of the course (690A) you will need to identify an agency that you would like to work with. You may find that doing this paper is better served from an “inside the agency” or “outside the agency” perspective. By that, I am referring to how much the agency is involved in your research. You may find that having the members of that agency provide data, authorize you doing the research, etc. is easier. You may also find that doing a purely independent research project without notifying the agency removes any bureaucratic or political obstacles. You are encouraged to discuss this with the instructor.

 You will then:

1. Identify the problem and the agency

2. Outline what you think your research will attempt to address

3. Identify areas affected (see next section)

4. Identify sources you may use to support your research

Identifying Areas Affected

 Within your research, you should make an attempt to apply your research and solution to all areas covered in your PBS classes. See the below example:

1. Agency – (example – Oshkosh Police Department, WI Dept. of Corrections, North Shore Fire Dept.)

2. Problem. Example - Reckless driving within the community. In my research, I will attempt to evaluate the extent of reckless driving in the City of Milwaukee. Within that analysis, I will identify causes and possible solutions to the problem.

3. Areas Affected – you should include the topics of all your courses and how the research will be addressing each. Examples:

 Communication – As I research this problem, I anticipate that I will need to address the current level of communication around this issue, both within the agency and with the public. I anticipate solutions that involve a strategy built around communication strategies discussed in PBS 600 classes.

 Budget – I will attempt to identify the current strategy (or lack of strategy) and the financial implications of that strategy. I will evaluate the cost savings or increase in budget expenditures with my solutions to the problem.

Completion of Research

In the next months / classes (PBS 690C) you will conduct and complete the Research Paper. In this class, you are figuring out what you will research and begin collecting that information. You will work with the Instructor to identify sources of information and all areas that you need to address (areas affected).

Be aware that this may be a relatively easy process for you if you already have a problem in mind, or it could take a little time if you need to get info from an agency. You may want to dig into this situation immediately.

Length of Paper

 It is hard to estimate how long this paper will be. I anticipate that you will address the problem in sufficient depth to include background on the problem and the recommended solution. You also need to address all affected areas, so this will be a time consuming project. Please discuss length and extent of research with the Instructor.

This may become clearer when you work out your outline / first draft.

our first assignment is to

1. Assess the needs of an agency

2. Identify a problem within that agency that is in need of improvement

3. Propose a research project around that problem

It is acceptable to use a problem you may have identified in an earlier class, however you will need to expand upon that previous project to meet the needs of this course. If you need an agency to work with I may be able to help you identify one, or we can discuss doing a project based on an agency without their cooperation.

I will give you approval for your project before you should get too far into your research.   

I work for the Wisconsin dept of corrections. and  investigate what programming can we use to help people of color to be successful when they are released from prison. recivisicm and why they go back to prison. I am willing to work with someone should be 50 pages. We will start with 10 pages