Independent Blog #3: Blog #9 Reflection

Looking back on my original working EQ; What is the most important skill needed when investigating criminals? as well as the three answers I had in mind for it, I can see why I had to change it. My question only asked how to solve a criminal investigation, but that isn't necessarily something that is useful. Actually gaining a guilty verdict in an investigation is a useful outcome of evidence gathering.

Independent Blog #2: Mentor Change

When I began my mentorship at the West Covina courthouse in February, I worked with deputy DA-in-charge Peter Bliss. He was actually a very helpful mentor who planned out everything I would do each time I went. While I was mentoring under him, he was promoted to work at the LA DA office and was replaced by Javier Perez.

Independent Blog #1: Problem Statement Pentagon

1. Positive Statement

My initial problem statement was regarding the evidence contamination that can occur during an investigation. It is a very useful topic to explore my second answer.

2. EQ Connections


My second answer is Forensic Evidence and by exploring the possibility for forensic contamination, I wanted to better understand my second answer.

3. What Worked

 This plan had a good base since it would connect back to my EQ and my second answer very well.

4. What Didn't Work

I ended up having to change my problem statement since this became too difficult to gather information about. Police stations were simply unwilling to explain how many cases they lost due to error.

5. Finding Value

The value I found was that, in addition to choosing a problem statement that connects to the EQ, you also have to pick one that will be doable as a science experiment.

Blog #26: Senior Project Reflection

(1) Positive Statement (What are you most proud of in your 2-Hour Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?)

I am very proud of my activities. I structured my 2 hour presentation around the presentation of my 3 answers and a single, large activity at the end. During that large activity, each group understood the directions and the activities that I had prepared and I was mostly able to relax since the class acted self-sufficiently. All of the activities tied into the same "murder case" and the evidence was meant to point towards the guilty suspect. Several groups were able to perform most of the labs correctly and I had one group that completed all the labs correctly and came to the right conclusion.  

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your 2-Hour Presentation (self-assessment)?

AE

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

P

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

Once I had a steady schedule for my mentorship set up, my third and best answer became very apparent to me. The reasoning behind why is was my best answer just flowed very well after I saw my third answer in the real world. After I knew what all 3 of my answers were, I was able to focus my research in a much more efficient manner. 

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would have you done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?

I would have gotten started on my mentorship much sooner. Since I started much later than usual, I had to set up a full schedule to go to the West Covina courthouse in order to fill the 50 hour requirement. On top of that, I would have planned out my schedule for my Independent Component 2 much more evenly. Overall, I would have managed my time with long term components much better. 

(5) Finding Value. (How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?  Be specific and use examples. )

Honestly, this project has given me a very clear direction of what I want to do as a career and what I can expect out of it. I want to major in Political Science in college and go to law school to become a prosecution lawyer. My time at mentorship has given me a clear direction for that. My Independent Component 2 has put me through the material that I will be faced with in a typical Political Science course. Overall, my senior project has shown me the direction that I will take during and after college. 

Blog #25: Mentorship

Literal

• Mentorship Log 
• My first mentor was Peter Bliss. Then it changed to Javier Perez when Mr. Bliss was promoted. The number is the same: (626)-813-3301

Interpretive
My time spent at the District Attorney's office in the West Covina courthouse was very well spent. 

From my time observing and talking with the DAs, I actually figured out my third answer; making 

sure evidence is admissible in court. This turned out to be my best answer. And, while there, I 

learned a lot about the criminal justice system from a hands-on perspective. 

   
Applied
 My mentorship helped answer my EQ by showing me that my first two answers needed a way to be 

applied towards actually securing a conviction. Once the testimonial and forensic evidence has been 

collected, it needed a way to be applied towards the conviction process. I saw my third answer in action 

every time I went to mentorship when I saw the preparations that the DAs went through to make sure   

that they were using the evidence to its highest potential. 

Blog #24: Exit Interview Questions

1. What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

My essential question is; What is most important in securing a conviction in a criminal investigation? My best answer is my third one which is; Following chain of command to properly present evidence to a jury and this is my best answer because it really is the only way to guarantee a conviction since any evidence must be admissible and convincing to a jury if you want to get a guilty verdict.  

2. What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

My EQ started as "What is most important to solving a criminal investigation?" But, after meeting with Mrs. Pittman and Mrs. Ortega, I knew that just solving an investigation is not enough. Something productive must come of it such as  conviction from the information that has been gathered. And, from my time at mentorship, I learned how extensively prosecutors must work to ensure that any evidence gathered is properly presented. I observed all the DAs at the West Covina courthouse work tediously to make sure each piece of evidence was as convincing as it could be. 

3. What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

The biggest problem that I faced was finding a mentorship. I spent a lot of time calling the Baldwin Park Police Department hoping to mentor with one of the detectives there. I was informed, after several weeks, that the Police Station was in the process of being closed down and I wouldn't be able to ever volunteer with them. After me EQ had changed to what is most important in securing convictions, I looked 

4. What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

One of my best sources was my fourth interview subject, Ryan Erlich. I learned so much about the court process in that interview and he sat down and talked with me about my 3 answers for my EQ. My other very important source was a document I found called Basic Trial Techniques for Prosecutors published by the American Prosecutor's Research Institute. It gave a complete run down of a prosecutors preparations and objectives during a trial and helped me find my 3rd and best answer.

5. What is your product and why?

My product would be that I know this is a career field that I want to pursue. I learned skills that I intend to perfect in college. And, most importantly, I gathered the personal contact information of 7 of the deputy DAs and built social capital with them to the point where they have offered to help me with any future ambitions I have in the criminal justice field. 

Blog #23: 2014 Interview

1. Who did you interview and what house are they in?

Xavier Quiroz, North house


2. What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?
For my senior year project I was thinking about doing it on being a Fire Fighter because I am the eldest 

of 4 boys and my mom have always wanted one of us to become one. So I thought, might as well it 

seems like fun.


3. What do you plan to do for your summer 10 hour mentorship experience?
I am gonna apply at a fire house to see if I can get my hours there.


4. What do you hope to see or expect to see in watching the 2013 2-hour 

presentations?
I hope to see some examples of a great presentation so that way I can do my perfectly.


5. What questions do you have that I can answer about senior year or senior 

project (or what additional information did you tell them about senior year or 

senior project)?

Does everyone prepare all year for the project, or is it a last minute thing?


My answer: To answer your question, it is prepared for all year. Every component we do connects 

back to our personal EQ somehow. For example, we have to do a science experiment. And that 

experiment has to answer a hypothesis having to do with our topic. It takes all year researching and 

gathering data to do the senior project. And, for firefighting, you mind want to check out the LA 

Explorers.