PSS103: (Crime, Justice and Punishment) The objective of this assignment is to examine and analyse public’s perception of crimes/offences that occurred in Singapore and the sufficiency and effectiveness of existing punishment for these crimes/offences.
Module / Subject / School:
PSS103: Crime, Justice and Punishment
Singapore University of Social Sciences
Requirements:
Question 1
The objective of this assignment is to examine and analyse public’s perception of crimes/offences that occurred in Singapore and the sufficiency and effectiveness of existing punishment for these crimes/offences. Each group will be assigned to conduct primary and secondary research on one of the following crimes/offences that occurred in Singapore.
Interview:
Discuss the assigned crime/offence with a stakeholder (member of the public). Each student will conduct ONE audio recorded semi-structured interview (approximately 20 mins) as part of primary research (data collection) to find out their perceptions of:
• the severity of the crime/offence
• the adequacy of existing punishment for the crime/offence i.e., does it serve as an effective deterrence? Why or why not?
• what else could be done to prevent such crimes/offences
What we score:
80%
Our Writer’s Comment
This assignment is designed to assess students’ understanding of business practices.
To secure an A+ grade, adhere to these guidelines and make sure your work aligns with the grading criteria:
Step 1: Understand the Assigned Crime/Offence
1. Do your research:
Before conducting your interview, make sure you fully understand the crime or offence assigned to your group. This will involve reading news articles, reports, and academic sources about the specific crime in Singapore. Pay attention to:
- The nature of the offence (what happened, how common it is, etc.),
- The current laws and punishments in place for this offence,
- Public or legal debates about whether the punishments are sufficient.
This background knowledge will help you ask better questions during your interview and provide context in your analysis later.
Step 2: Conducting the Interview
1. Prepare your questions:
Since this is a semi-structured interview, you’ll need a mix of prepared questions and flexibility to allow for deeper conversation. Some key areas to cover in the interview include:
- How serious the interviewee feels the crime is (on a scale or through examples),
- Whether they believe the current punishment is effective as a deterrent (and why or why not),
- Their suggestions for preventing the crime in the future.
Your questions should be open-ended to encourage the interviewee to share their thoughts. For example, instead of asking “Do you think the punishment is effective?” you could ask “In your opinion, does the current punishment help reduce this crime, and why do you think so?”
2. Practice active listening:
During the interview, listen carefully to what your interviewee is saying and be prepared to ask follow-up questions. If they mention something interesting or surprising, explore that further. For example, if they say the punishment is too lenient, ask them to explain why they think so or how it could be improved.
3. Record and take notes:
Make sure to record the interview as required, but also take notes on key points or unexpected insights. This will help you later when you’re writing up your findings and analysis.
Step 3: Analyzing the Interview Data
1. Review the interview recording:
After the interview, listen to the recording and note any patterns, recurring themes, or strong opinions. Did the interviewee feel that the punishment was too harsh, too lenient, or just right? Did they believe that it acts as an effective deterrent, or do they think it’s not doing enough to prevent the crime?
2. Compare their perception with secondary research:
Look at your secondary research (news articles, statistics, legal reports) and see how your interviewee’s perception aligns with or differs from the broader public perception or expert opinions. For example, if your interviewee believes the punishment is effective, but studies show that the crime is still prevalent, you can discuss this contrast in your analysis.
3. Identify key themes:
Focus on a few main themes from the interview. This could include the severity of the crime, the effectiveness of the punishment, and suggestions for prevention. Organize your analysis around these themes to ensure your discussion is clear and easy to follow.
Step 4: Writing Your Report
1. Introduction:
Start with a brief overview of the crime/offence you were assigned. Mention the context in Singapore, including any high-profile cases or recent developments related to this crime. You’ll also want to introduce your primary research (the interview) and what you aimed to find out.
2. Analysis:
In your analysis, make sure you are tying the interview findings back to the research. For example:
- If your interviewee believes that the punishment for the offence is too lenient, you can support or challenge this by referencing laws or crime statistics from your secondary research.
- If they suggest certain prevention methods, see how these compare with what experts or law enforcement are currently doing.
Always support your arguments with evidence, whether from the interview or your secondary sources.
3. Recommendations:
Although you’re primarily analyzing perceptions, you should also consider what else could be done to prevent the crime. Here, you can introduce ideas that came up during the interview (such as more public education or stricter penalties) and comment on whether they would likely be effective based on your research.
Final Tips:
- Balance personal opinion with evidence:
The interview gives you insight into one person’s perspective, but it’s important to compare this with broader public opinion and expert analysis. Don’t rely solely on the interviewee’s views—use them to illustrate larger trends or contrasts. - Stay organized:
Make sure your report is well-structured with clear headings for each section (e.g., Introduction, Interview Analysis, Recommendations). This helps ensure that your ideas flow logically from one point to the next. - Be objective:
While the interviewee’s opinions are important, remember to analyze them critically. Just because they have a strong opinion doesn’t mean it’s universally true, so always cross-check their views with data or secondary sources.
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