POLICY REVIEW ASSIGNMENT
You will choose a policy related to gendered violence or violence in sports (the more specific, the better); the policy should be one that was created to improve a problem associated with violence. In no more than 2 pages (Times New Roman, double spaced), you will summarize the policy and describe its effects. As with the first assignment, use APA style for in-text citations, your reference page, and font, margins, and spacing. Do not worry about an abstract, title page, header, etc.
This assignment is brief and narrow in scope. Find a policy that you can fit into the assignment requirements that is related to violence in sports or gendered violence. These categories are broad, and you can choose topics related to them, even if they are not topics we touch on in class. Use the following headings:
Introduction – 1-2 paragraphs – Identify the policy you are reviewing. Explain the scope (e.g., a policy that applies to a certain sport, a specific population, a geographic area, etc.) Briefly review the substance—what is the policy mandating, prohibiting, sanctioning, etc.? Where did the policy originate and when?
Substance of the Policy – 4 to 5 paragraphs – Talk in detail about the policy, its rationale, and its application. If, in the introduction, you mention that the policy requires a fine for a certain type of hit in the NFL, you will want to go into more detail about that here. Is the policy based on a referee’s call during the game? If not, who makes the determination? If the referee’s call initiates a review, what does the review process look like and who is involved? If the contact is referred to as “head to head,” provide examples of types of things that would be covered (e.g., tackling when leading with the helmet). Does the fine have a minimum, maximum, or required amount? On what basis is the amount of the fine determined (e.g., # of infractions, whether injury occurred, subjective rating of egregiousness of the hit)? If the policy originated because of concussions and their aftermath resulting from the hits that are now being fined, provide some data on that—how many people? What specific effects were occurring (e.g., physical health effects – short and long-term, mental health effects, behavioral changes, careers ending, etc.)? The rationale of the policy should be supported by evidence (citations).
Effects of the Policy – 2 to 3 paragraphs – Find research (it might not be from a peer-review journal and that is fine, as long as the information is credible) that goes into the impact of the policy. Did it achieve its intended outcome(s)? Is someone evaluating the policy now?
