Website Evaulation

Dear Sir or Madam:

My name is Stacey Oatis. I am a Sophmore Criminal Justice major at the University of Southern Mississippi. The purpose of this letter is to offer comments/suggestions to improve your website. As stated earlier, I am a Criminal Justice major. The aforementioned major was chosen based on my interest in the justice system. I feel that we have one of the best justice systems in the world. However, that does not mean that is free of errors and mistakes. With that being said, not everyone has equal access to an attorney. This lack of access is due to many factors, which can all be traced to socioeconomic status/conditions. In other words, financial hardships prevent many individuals the right to an attorney.

Upon my research, I came across your site http://www. Mslegalservices.org. Prior to my comments of your site; I applaud your effort to help those considered less fortunate. For example, your office is funded through the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). According to its website, LSC is considered the largest provider of civil legal aid for the poor in the nation. It promotes equal access to justice and provides grants for high quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans (95% of its funding goes towards independent programs). Also, the typical clients are women, people with disabilities, veterans and victims of domestic abuse. These type of clients are all of which have been identified as the most studied groups in Criminal Justice research. In 2008, LSC provided $4,992,765 in funding to the State of Mississippi. This total was split between the North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, Inc., Mississippi Center for Legal Services and the Choctaw Legal Defense. However, on their website (http://www.lsc.gov), no direct link was provided for the local Hattiesburg field office. This makes it difficult for those seeking your services and lead to lack of equal representation. The later is your sole purpose for being in existence.

I found your site through the use of a search engine. This was based upon my general knowledge of the criminal justice profession and Hattiesburg. However, one without an intimate knowledge or the city or the profession itself, would become frustrated and confused. Upon analyzing your site, I’ve made the following observations related to its strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths
The URL can be considered easy to remember for prospective clients
A toll-free number is listed and easily found on the page
Topics related to the client and their needs are provided
Simple design (reader will not become lost in text or useless facts)
Help section is given that lists types of helps available (i.e. full representation, brief advice, legal clinic, pro se clinics, self-help and other information)
Lists income guidelines (important for those seeking to qualify for services)
Advanced section (section that can be completed to accelerate selection process)
Physical/mailing address of facility is not clearly identifiable (many clients have to utilize mail or show up in person for information)



Weaknesses
Poor layout (no heading or menu bars that would make website more navigable and user-friendly)
Lack of pictures (building with address, attorneys working at their desk or with a client)
No clear mission statement listed
The history of the program (success rate, beginnings and presence within the community)
No Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) Section (this would make answer a prospective client’s question prior to calling or writing)
Information is lacking upon clicking on section topics (effort should be made to include at least one link to document)
Lack of related links section (other social service programs should be linked)
Checklist is not offered (checklist should be when to seek an attorney or characteristics of good a attorney)

The above referenced comments are simply suggestions. You offer a good service to the community and they were made only to further your good work. However, I feel that since you provide a website; it should both offer more information and be user-friendly. I recommend you also consider talking with the local libraries. This suggestion is made based upon your client composition. A majority of them lack the financial resources to purchase a personal computer. Therefore, a public computer should be dedicated to legal research that can be utilized upon library visits. Again, these are just suggestions and not meant to be overly critical of your site. If you have any questions, contact me by email at sdoatis@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

Stacey Oatis

Defining Your Website's Objectives

I looked at several different websites that were related to Criminal Justice. Upon performing this research, I found that some were stand alone departments while others were combined with other majors such as Sociology. In an effort to meet the requirements of this assignment, I selected three websites to analyze. They are as follows:
• Northeastern University (http://www.cj.neu.edu/)
• Hampton University (http://www.hamptonu.edu/academics/schools/libarts/sociology/index.htm)
• Florida State University (http://criminology.fsu.edu/p/academic-major-req.php)

The aforementioned universities vary in size, course offerings and history. For example, Florida State has the largest enrollment (40,000). Hampton has a total enrollment of 5,402 is classified as a historically black university. Northeastern University is classified as private (23,000) and located within a large urban area (Boston). All three websites exhibit both strengths and weaknesses upon review. With that thought in mind, the following were all questions to consider prior to my analysis:
• Is it user-friendly?
• When the webpage was last updated?
• Are there comments from current and past students?
• What are the course requirements?
• How do I contact the department?
• Is the intended audience for those that already know they want to major in or those undecided?
• Are there any specialization areas for undergraduates?

The previously mentioned points can be considered viable and reminders when looking for information related to a college choice. The following outlines the strengths and weaknesses of each department:

Northeastern University
Strengths
• Mission of department listed
• Calendar of upcoming college and department events
• FAQs Section
• Ask a question component
• Link to newsletter
• Different article that relates to criminal justice upon each site visit
• Centers and institutes within department in which students have access
• Access to course syllabi
• “Is our Program for You” portion
• Link to what current and alumni say about program
Weaknesses
• Information becomes lost under sub-headings
• No email contact or lack of student representatives
• No mention of when last updated
• Lack of reference to social networking programs (Twitter, Facebook, etc)


Hampton University
Strengths
• Simple, good layout
• Lists founders of African-American sociology
• Lists what alumni are doing
• Has link to curriculum
• Date of last update
• References available scholarships
Weaknesses
• Not thorough enough for incoming freshman or someone wanting to change major
• Even though Criminal Justice is concentration, it becomes lost (placed at end of page)
• List social organizations, but no contact person(s)
• Lack of pictures to social events, functions
• No newsletter
• No course syllabi
• Lack of reference to social networking programs (Twitter, Facebook, etc)

Florida State University
Strengths
• Gives links to about the university, college and other programs
• Includes a link to course syllabi
• Links to Centers related to criminal justice and journals edited by department
• Link to schedule of classes
• Possesses links to different forms of financial aid
Weaknesses
• Too much information (not concise)
• Too many external links to other departments
• Page appears to jumbled and reader can become lost in text
• No apparent link to mission of college or department
• No mention of departmental newsletter or student organization
• Lack of alumni section or what current student say about program
• Lack of reference to social networking programs (Twitter, Facebook, etc)

In summary all of the aforementioned sites have their good and bad attributes. However, for a site to be successful, it must assume the reader has limited knowledge. This would allow for most questions to be answered. In today’s society, the last thing someone wants to do is utilize the telephone or snail mail to get questions answered. To be specific, simple questions that could have been addressed through effective web design and the content within each site.

The field of Criminal Justice is a fascinating and rewarding career. However, in order for it grow even more, effective recruitment of new students is necessary. If I were the chair of a Criminal Justice Department, the following objectives would be considered: the audience would be to incoming, transfer and nontraditional students; the desired outcome would be to increase enrollment from its current state; place graduates into workforce; to not only attract the students with effective web-design—but their parents/guardians; provide photos of departmental functions along with newsletters; link to social networking websites; providing a web page/resource that is user-friendly so the reader doesn’t get lost in text and seek to grow individuals that positively reflect the department as well as the university as whole. The major constraint to the web page design would be knowledge of software and possible oversimplification or over abundance of text.

In looking at the previously referenced websites, I learned that simplicity is the key along with knowing what additional tools/resources to incorporate. For example, those sites that included newsletters, photos and course syllabi were seen as stronger. On the other hand, the lack of the aforementioned or reference to alumni (current jobs) were seen as weak. Effective web page design is a delicate balancing act and requires preparation and general knowledge of your intended audience.

Analyzing a Rhetorical Situation

The article I chose for the assignment was used in Sociology 101 course. This article along with others was used to write a paper titled, “Concepts of Deviance.” For those that are unfamiliar with deviance, the universal definition accepted among sociologist is—a concept of not only the laws and behaviors that are expected of people, but also groups in which they include themselves. The subject for the assignment was new to me. My background prior to going back to school was business management and working for a local unit of government. In selecting criminal justice a major, one must study the effects of drugs on an individual as well as the community. In other words, this course and assignment helped me to further understand the concept and role of deviance in society.

Out of the articles used for the aforementioned paper, one stands out to me based upon its tone. This article was titled, “Drugs and Deviance” and was found in Reason Magazine. Reason Magazine is monthly magazine that touts itself as an alternative to the right and left wing opinion magazines with a case for liberty and choice (www.reason.com). The author of the article was written by Jacob Sullum and was adapted into a speech that was given to the Libertarian Party during a convention in Columbus, Ohio in May 1995. Sullum is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of two books which focus on drug use and the tyranny of public health related to anti-smoking. The Libertarian Party is classified as one of the smaller political parties within the United States with a platform focused on liberty and individual choice. Sullum looks at the larger picture of drug use and tackles stereotypes and the politician’s role. His call to write was based on an interview in which former Speaker Newt Gingrich gave to Meet the Press regarding drug use among Clinton staffers. Gingrich stated the following,” You’ve got scattered throughout this Administration counterculture people.” This was in reference to those classified as children of the 1960’s and typical drug users. The author then looks at both sides of the argument without being overly critical of the other’s views. For example, in looking at Gingrich’s claim, he uses data from the Federal Government’s National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. The survey was conducted in 1988 and stated that 32 percent of those 18-25 claimed to use drugs within the past five years. While on the other hand, 23 percent of those between the ages 26-34 claimed to use drugs within the past five years. These numbers reflected negatively of the Clinton staff, which was considered relatively young during the claim made by Gingrich.

As stated previously, Sullum outlines arguments and statements that are part of the greater issue, which are drug legalization and the stereotypes that exist towards users. Of great interest was the argument Gingrich gives as being acceptable as part of the way of life in the 1960’s. In other words, it is somewhat acceptable for those that came up in that era. The assumption Sullum gives for arguments like Gingrich and other is that drug use carries baggage. Another argument was based on research done by UC Berkeley researchers that stated use can be traced to developmental history as opposed to cause of personal and social adjustment. If those in the audience still did not understand, the imagery of homosexuality was used. He said laws are passed to not discriminate them based on their sexual orientation. Also, to discriminate against them is considered gauche as opposed to patriotic for hostility towards drug users. The final argument he gave was an article in the New York based that focused upon an executive that had an addiction to heroin. The article mentioned his expensive cars, etc but the writer mentions her drug use as well. Sullum considered the aforementioned article reasonable and measurable.

This was an interesting article/speech in which to refer if wanting to learn more about drug and deviance from a different perspective. The author uses a tone that was mild and did not openly attack anyone personally. Even though the intended audience was those classified as Libertarians; the overall theme was to get people to rethink their view of drug users thereby avoiding generalizations. Sullum and the Libertarians advocate the right to use drugs, not drug use itself. The writer did not assume anything among readers and gave good examples and good arguments/counter-arguments to each issue. However, with his background and views related to government’s role in public health policies; it’s interesting that the author lack obvious antagonism.

Student Profile

My name is Stacey Oatis. I am 34 years old and have been married to Azri Oatis for 14 years. We have two wonderful children—Vivian (13) and Tyler (5). The family dog is a toy poodle named Romeo. I attended high school at Jacob Joshua (J.J.) McLain High School in Lexington. For anyone unfamiliar with town, it is located in the Mississippi Delta in Holmes County. This county is located just above Yazoo County. The school mascot for J.J. McClain was the mustang. My favorite subject in high school was world history. It is always fascinating learning about other cultures and how they advance through time. A majority of the assignments for history and other classes required large amounts of reading.

All the reading prepared everyone for the tests which were mostly multiple choice and fill in the blanks. My interests not only were academics but being involved in various other activities. I have always believed in a maintaining a balance between academics and extracurricular activities. While enrolled at J.J. McClain, I was active in many student organizations. These organizations included: Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Student Body Council (Treasurer) and the Student Welding Association.

Upon graduating, I attended Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi. My major at Alcorn was Computer Technology. I knew history was one of my favorite subjects in high school; but technology was always a part of my life. Each new gadget that was discussed in the local papers or television; I had to find an excuse to have it. The classes at Alcorn were relatively small and the professors knew everyone on a first name basis. The English course there was somewhat challenging and required a lot of time to prepare assignments. Other courses were less strenuous and didn’t require large amounts of writing. However, the English Composition did give me a foundation that was missing from my high school years. I was enrolled at Alcorn from 1994-1996.

After being out of school for 14 years, I decided to re-enroll and further my career. My interest was still technology but wanted a program that was more interdisciplinary. So, I chose Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Forensics at the University of Southern Mississippi. But first a little background on why I chose this specific field at USM. I applied and was offered a job with the South Mississippi Bureau of Forensics (SMBF). However, not completing my degree at Alcorn caused me not to get the job. Based upon that decision by SMBF, I decided to go back to school this past Spring. I finished the aforementioned semester with a 3.0 GPA.
I hope this course further develops my technical writing skills. The field of law enforcement requires not only technical skills related to computers, but requires writing various reports. My fear was that some of my reports would possibly lack the grammar that would be sufficient for my employer. Therefore, I hope to gain valuable knowledge that can be applied to my everyday work assignments.