This Capstone is an applied research project with the Multnomah County Department of Adult Community Justice. It is an opportunity to apply what you have learned in the University Studies program and in your major. It is an opportunity to work with a community agency, and to work in a group of students from various disciplines toward a common goal. While there will be a final product, the challenges, the opportunities for growth, and the basis for your grade will be in the processes which develop this product.

The Department of Adult Community Justice supervises offenders who are placed on either probation or parole by the court or parole board respectively. As a part of this supervision, the Department contracts out for a number of services, including alcohol and drug counseling. The Department, through this Capstone, wants to know to what extent these services aid in reducing recidivism. From this framework, this Capstone will draft the research question, develop the appropriate methodology, collect and analyze the data, conduct appropriate literature reviews and prepare the final report.

Along the way, students will have the opportunity visit Department and program offices, and share the expertise of Dr. Charlene Rhyne, Program Evaluation Specialist for the Department.

No textbooks are assigned for this course. There will be several handouts, articles, and suggested readings however. Additionally, there will be no formal exams. Students will be required to maintain a journal of activities and to provide a status report at mid-term and final. Some of these reports may be oral. Finally, grading will be based on participation and the quality of the report and presentations.

Capstone Course Schedule
Fall Quarter 1999

Week 1
9/28 Introduction to the project. Introductions to each other: backgrounds, anticipated roles. Review of course schedule. Establishment of communication protocols. Scheduling of on-site Visits.

9/30 Introduction to the Department of Adult Community Justice: historical perspective, philosophy, mission, structure. The role of treatment services in the criminal justice system.

Week 2
10/5 Theory and practice of research design. Developing the research question, selecting the sample, selecting data elements.


10/7 Develop Mission Statement. Self-select into groups (quantitative and qualitative). Develop research question. Each group begins work on evaluation scheme.

Week 3
10/12 Continue development of research designs.


10/14 No class. On-site visits conducted. Groups continue work on research design.

Week 4
10/19 No class. On-site visits continue. Groups continue work on research design and data collection forms.

10/21 No class. On site visits continue. Group work continues.

Week 5
10/26 No class. Group work continues.

10/28 Debriefing from on-site visits. Research design and data collection
form completed . Journals due. Individual progress reports (brief oral presentation). Overview of strategies for effective report writing.

Capstone schedule

Week 6
11/2 Data Collection and coding. Begin work on narrative of report.

11/4 Data Collection and coding. Continue work on narrative.

Week 7
11/9 Data Collection and coding. Continue work on narrative.

11/11 No class. Veteran's day

Week 8
11/16 Data Collection and coding. Continue work on narrative.

11/18 Data Collection and coding. Continue work on narrative.

Week 9
11/23 Data Collection an Coding. Continue work on narrative.

11/25 No class. Thanksgiving.

Week 10
11/30 Data Collection and Coding. Continue work on narrative.

12/2 Data Collection and Coding. Continue work on narrative.

Week 11
12/7 Finals Week. Status report from each group on data collection
phase of project. Review and discussion of progress on narrative.
Journals Due.

Winter Quarter 2000

Week 1
1/4/2000 Status report from each group. Discussion of data analysis
techniques.

1/6/2000 Data Analysis discussion continued.
NOTE: Class may be held in the Computer Lab.

Week 2
1/11/2000 Data analysis continued with each group completing
analysis. (No formal class.)
1/13/2000 Data analysis continued. (No formal class.)

Week 3
1/18/2000 Data analysis and interpretation.

1/20/2000 Data Analysis and interpretation.

Week 4
1/25/2000 Discussion on report writing and guidelines. Commence
preparation of final report.

1/27/2000 Preparation of final report.

Week 5
2/1/2000 Preparation of final report.

2/3/2000 Preparation of final report.

Week 6
2/8/2000 Progress report. Journals due.

2/10/2000 Preparation of final report.

Week 7
2/15/2000 Preparation of final report.

2/17/2000 Preparation of final report.
Week 8
2/22/2000 Report Due. In-class presentation. Preparation of executive
summary. Preparation for oral presentation.

2/24/2000 Continue work on presentation.

Week 9
3/1/2000 Presentation to Multnomah County Adult Community
Justice Management (in-class).

3/3/2000 Presentation to Multnomah County Adult Community
Justice Management (site to be announced).
Week 10
3/10/2000 Final report due. Journals due. Evaluation of Capstone.