Prior to beginning work on this journal, take time to review your journey here at Ashford University. Evaluate how the program has affected your views of criminal justice, fairness, and society as a whole. A good place to look for topic ideas is in your previous coursework, including coursework uploaded into your Portfolium.

Reflect on your preparations for your Capstone Paper. Detail at least one area of your research that either made you change a pre-existing position you held on a major criminal or social justice issue, or share something that surprised you in the course of your research.

Critique how the study of social and criminal justice, drawing among the fields of criminology, law, philosophy, psychology, science, and sociology. Explain how the breadth of knowledge examined in your studies informed or changed the pre-existing position you held on a major criminal or social justice issue or something that surprised you in the course of your research.

Explain why your viewpoints have changed and how you expect to use this new perspective in your career going forward.

To help guide your reflection, consider how your perspective has changed on the following topics: the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, your understanding of criminal theory, landmark federal court decisions, criminal justice issues, anti-terrorism laws, creation of a socially just society, and potential career opportunities.

Your reflection should be at least 500 words in length. Support your claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly and/or credible sources, and properly cite any references.