How this is graded
Freedom or Safety? is a companion to Criminal Justice Today that walks one real case, Miranda v. Arizona, through the criminal justice process to explore the theme of individual rights versus public order.
- 1
Uses the Facts
The response draws on what actually happened at this stage of the case, not just abstract reasoning.
- 2
Applies the Rights–Order Framework
The response frames the decision in terms of individual rights weighed against public order (the book's theme).
- 3
Names the Tradeoffs
The response acknowledges the cost on the other side of the balance, not only the side it favors.
- 4
Clarity of Writing
The submission is clear, organized, and well-expressed.
What the Capstone is. The capstone is the final, thirteenth step — and it works differently from the twelve stages before it. In each stage you took a decision-maker's seat and defended one choice. In the capstone you step back and judge the whole case: having walked Miranda through the entire process, you write a short essay answering whether the outcome was 'crime control through due process' — where the system leaned toward controlling crime, where it leaned toward protecting rights, and whether excluding Miranda's confession made the system fairer, weaker, or both. It is the one place where the tension you weighed at every stage — individual rights versus public order — gets pulled together into a single judgment. Unlike the per-stage defenses, the capstone is the main graded piece of writing, assessed on the four criteria above. There is no single right answer here — a strong capstone is one that argues its position well and takes both sides seriously.
The per-stage challenges from Balance are formative. They exist to push your thinking by raising the consideration on the other side of the balance — they are not a grade, and there is no penalty for being challenged. You can revise as many times as you like.
For each stage, Balance will respond to up to 4 versions of your answer — so revise with intent. The goal is a stronger, more considered response, not unlimited tries. You can keep editing and saving after that, and your professor always sees every version.
Your professor sets and finalizes all actual scores. Balance may draft a suggested score for your professor to review, but you never see it, and your professor is free to change it or ignore it entirely.
Nothing is final until your professor approves it. Until then, a stage is simply in progress.
Questions about your grade or the assignment? Contact your instructor. Technical problems with the app? Email schmall@justicestudies.com.