Criminal Justice

Fall
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the structure and operations of correctional systems, the evolutionary and political development of institutional corrections, and the goals of community corrections in society's attempt to control crime to an in-depth look at two of the most pressing problems in U.S. corrections today: overcrowding and financial problems. Additionally, students will examine the processes involved in parole and probation decisions for adult and juvenile offenders. Students will study the fundamental concepts, theory, and nature of community corrections with emphasis on the organizations, policies and practices of federal, state and county systems. Theoretical perspectives from both sociology and criminology will be compared and contrasted. Guest speakers from a variety of institutions may be scheduled as part of this course.

Fall
The focus of this competency is to introduce students to the field of criminal justice through the examination of historical data, statistical information, theories of crime causation, social control of behavior, development of laws, and evaluation of criminal justice system policies, procedures, and trends. Students learn the terminology of the field, and gain an awareness of the methods of inquiry utilized in the field.

Spring
The focus of this competency is to provide students with an overview of prominent ethical issues facing professionals in criminology and criminal justice, with an emphasis on encouraging individual students to explore their own ethical and moral systems and how they make ethical/moral decisions.

Spring
This course is focused on the techniques and skill development of interviewing witnesses, victims, and suspects, as well as note taking and report writing in the criminal justice context. Communicating facts, information, and ideas effectively, in a simple, clear and logical manner for various types of criminal justice system documentation including, but not limited to: daily reports, letters, investigative report writing (including interviews), traffic violations, internal department memos, etc., whether in written or electronic (via the computer) format will be stressed. This course will examine the practical aspects of interviewing as well as gathering, organizing and preparing written reports for the various criminal justice components (law enforcement, judicial system and corrections).

The focus of this course is to introduce students to cyber and digital crime through the examination and description of various types of crimes committed using computer technology, theories addressing hackers and other types of digital criminals, an overview of the legal strategies and tactics targeting this type of crime, and investigation and research into digital crime, digital terrorism, and information warfare.  Additionally, upon successful completion of this course, students will be better prepared for further study of growing problems in crime, terrorism and information warfare being committed using computer technology.

Fall
This course gives students an overview of American juvenile justice, in terms of both system and practice. It examines the juvenile offender, causes of juvenile crime, the juvenile court system, and juveniles in the adult court system. This course also looks at institutionalization, rehabilitation, the treatment of juveniles, and the future of juvenile justice in America. Theoretical perspectives from both sociology and criminology will be compared and contrasted.  Field trips and guest speakers from a variety of institutions may be scheduled as part of this course.

Fall
This course provides an introduction to United States constitutional law and constitutional theory. Topics include judicial review and the scope of the federal judicial power; the constitutional allocation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government; the relationship between the federal government and the states; and constitutional rights, including equal protection and due process of law.

Spring
This course is a focused examination of emerging and dynamic problems or issues facing law enforcement, the judicial system, and the correction's system. The course will examine how the selected special topics affect each of these three components of the criminal justice system. This course will cover specific subject matter in depth that was only covered cursorily in lower level criminal justice courses as well as subject matter not ordinarily covered in the existing curricula. Examples include, but are not limited to, alternative punishment schemes, emerging patterns of violence, organized crime, white-collar crime, cyber-crime, corruption in the criminal justice system, euthanasia and mercy killing, victimology and victim services, civil disobedience and the rule of law, women and minorities in the justice system, child abuse, sex-trafficking, insanity pleas, Homeland Security and terrorism, death penalty, prison overcrowding and community corrections, serial killers and mass murderers, etc.

Fall
The focus of this competency is to examine the historical background, the traditions, and the legal principles that underlie the Courts as an integral component of the American system of Criminal Justice. Both differences and similarities inherent within the State and Federal Court processes will be analyzed, and the procedures through which the criminal courts uphold the basic rights and liberties of all U.S. citizens, both victims and the accused, will be explored. A primary focus will be placed upon understanding the respective roles played by Judges, Prosecuting Attorneys, Defense Counsel, Police, and Probation Officers and other Court-related personnel in the criminal court process.

Spring
The focus of this competency is to provide students with an academic focus of criminology through an examination of its theories, basic assumptions and definitions via the interdisciplinary disciplines of sociology, psychology, and biology.  Research methodologies will accentuate the understanding of these theoretical perspectives and their direct practical application.

Spring
The focus of this competency is to introduce students to the history, function, and role of law enforcement in American society. The multi-dimensional work of policing is emphasized. Practical and critical approaches to law enforcement are undertaken to explore prevailing and dissenting perspectives in issues in contemporary policing. This course provides an in-depth examination of one of the three cornerstones of traditional policing, criminal investigation. Topics include physical evidence, information sources, interviews and interrogations, eyewitness identifications, crime scene reconstruction, homicide investigations, burglaries, robberies, sex crime investigations, specialized investigations, and managing criminal investigations.

Spring
This course introduces students to the study of deviance and victimology within criminal justice. This course also examines the theories and research of deviance (including white collar/corporate crime, sex crimes, gangs, abductions, racism, child abuse, etc.) and victimology (the scientific study of victimization, including the relationships between victims and offenders, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system (law enforcement, victim services, courts, and corrections). Finally, an examination of actual court cases will assist in illustrating social policy as it relates to criminology: research used in criminology; typologies such as violent crime; crimes against individuals; and victim-centered responses.

Spring
This course provides an introduction to basic research methods including the conceptualization of a research theory or problem, literature review, and the collection and analysis of data to reach a conclusion. While research methods can be applied to any discipline, this course focuses on the study of empirical research in the fields of criminology and criminal justice. This course will concentrate on the basic logic, terminology, and concepts in research methodology as well as the "doing" and implementation of research - data collection, analysis techniques, and an introduction to statistical applications.

As Needed
The internship is the field experience for students majoring in Criminal Justice, and utilizes a concurrent model of field education. This model affords students the opportunity to simultaneously practice in the field and uses seminars as a forum to improve their service skills and enhance their team building skills. Students coordinate their internship experience with the faculty internship advisor and the site supervisor at the location of the field experience. The internship is designed to enable the student to experience increasing levels of responsibility within the fieldwork facility. The field experience is a minimum of 150 hours on site, along attendance at regularly scheduled internship seminar meetings. Students may intern at their work site with approval from the faculty internship advisor or may choose an internship position available in the community.