GROUP PRESENTATIONS
Group Presentations are worth 50 points and will take place during the week of October 2-6.
There will be three group presentations each day. I am aiming to have nine groups total in the
class (groups of 3 or 4 members, no more or no less). Group presentations should be
approximately 10 minutes long (please, no longer than 15 minutes). This assignment is a great
opportunity for you and group-mates to earn a relatively easy 50 points in the course.
For the group presentation, you will be researching a specialized court program or system. I want
you to think outside of the box. There are hundreds of specialized programs and systems used
throughout local and state court systems in the United States (and the federal system too for that
matter). Perhaps your group is interested in juvenile burglars and there is a specific court
program that deals with those offenders in the state of Wisconsin. That is just one example, but
you get the idea. The aim of this presentation is to provide your findings to your Instructor and
fellow classmates using a unique, interesting, creative, and easy to understand method. Help us
better understand this unique court program that you have researched.
Other notes: Each group member must have a speaking role. In addition, visual aids and
handouts are a plus (don’t be boring!)! You will be turning in ONE summary paper (with each
person’s name on it) to me. Each group must turn in this summary paper on the first day of
presentations, 10/2, regardless of your group’s presentation date. This assignment is worth 50
points and will be graded according to: overall presentation, use of handouts and/or visual aids,
content/clarity, knowledge of subject matter (you should know what you are talking about!) and
the group summary paper. In addition, your appearance should be proper for the presentation.
Finally, you will need to let me know ASAP what your group will be researching. I want you to do
this for two reasons. First, I want to make sure that you are on the right track. Second, I want to
make sure that we don’t have every group or multiple groups researching a similar type of
program. Basically, it is first come-first serve for this presentation assignment. If you know there
is a program that you want to research, let me know as soon as possible before another group
chooses it. The longer you wait, the less likely you will be able to research and present on your
first or second choice. The absolute deadline for letting me know (and you can do so verbally,
nothing written is required) is Wednesday, September 13, the day of our first in-class group
meetings. A word of advice: when you decide to let me know which program you would like to
do, you should have one or two alternative choices available.