CRJ405 Advanced Seminar in Criminal Justice, Unit 1.1 DB: Choosing Your Topic, POST University September 2025

CRJ405 Advanced Seminar in Criminal Justice Unit 1.1 DB: Choosing Your Topic 

Please list three potential topics for your capstone project.   

My topics: 

Animal Control: Does each city, county and state of California help animals and people with lost pets? 

• Why does this topic interest you?   

As a former Animal Control Officer here in the Bay Area for several agencies, I saw all the ins and outs and details of the agencies and how the systems run.  

• Why might it be more interesting and feasible than the other two topics? 

Since Animal Control is a government public service run by public agencies or private agencies with public contacts, all information is open and available to the public.  

 

• Why might it be less interesting and feasible than the other two topics? 

I don’t see this topic as less interesting or less feasible. A lot of people don’t want to acknowledge the massive overpopulation of animals in California so they can feel better about paying breeders a lot of money.  

 

Homelessness: Is there a connection to drug abuse and crime or are cities and counties helping people to get better?  

• Why does this topic interest you?   

Living in the Bay Area, homelessness is a daily problem that exists all over due to the high cost of living, plus the wonderful weather that exists almost 365 days a year. This makes it easier to be outside for extended periods of time.  

 

• Why might it be more interesting and feasible (can you gather data, for instance?) than the other two topics? 

This topic affects millions of people every day here in the Bay Area, and often there are connections to other issues like crime or drug use. There is a high amount of data on this issue since many cities are working hard to help people 

• Why might it be less interesting and feasible than the other two topics? 

To me it is an interesting subject since I see it every day, but a lot of people want to pretend that the problem doesn’t exist. It is easier to live in their big house far away from the problems and sit behind a TV instead of going outside to walk to see the problem.  

 

Three Strikes Law in California: Does it reduce crime or create overpopulation in prisons? 

• Why does this topic interest you?   

I remember so many cases here in California where there were horrible crimes and the person who was eventually accused of the crime was found to be a “career criminal” and in and out of prison starting from a juvenile. The Three Strikes Law prevents these people from continuously causing destruction to everyone around them. 

• Why might it be more interesting and feasible (can you gather data, for instance?) than the other two topics? 

There should be lots of data to review and choose from. Another change in the last few years after the 3 Strikes Law was passed, California has banned the Death Penalty, so many people who were on death row are now in prison for life. This could cause additional overcrowding, but definitely worth the cause.  

• Why might it be less interesting and feasible than the other two topics? 

To me it is an interesting subject, but a lot of people don’t like to review subjects about prisons and prisoners. However, I have always found prison data to be interesting, especially with so many prisons here in California.