Criminal Justice

An introductory survey course designed to provide the student with an overview of the system. Theories of criminal behavior, criminal law, and procedures are introduced and studied as they apply to the criminal justice components of law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.

This course is an introduction to statistical methods as they are used in the social sciences. Both descriptive and inferential statistics are covered, including sampling, probability, and hypothesis testing. Specific parametric and non-parametric analyses include analysis of variance, the t-test, Chi-square, and correlation.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. An overview of the correctional system. Topics for study and discussion include historical development, theories of punishment, sentencing structures, the functions of different types of institutions, management techniques, and problems in today’s correctional operations.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. The course examines the development and professional practice of federal and state probation and parole systems. Emphasis is placed on organization, roles, and responsibilities of these systems, as well as the significant impact of court decisions on delivery of services.

The course is designed to give an overview of legal principles, which provide a framework for the criminal justice system. An analysis of cases and statutes, pertinent to areas under consideration, is emphasized together with a coverage of fundamental aspects of legal research. Areas covered include investigation, initial appearance, arraignment, preliminary examination, trial, guilty pleas or conviction, sentence, and release.

This course will provide students with the foundational knowledge and skills in the use of library resources and common computer tools. It will be broad enough in scope to enable students to continue learning independently as well as to build discipline-related knowledge and skills both within and beyond the college curriculum. Legal and ethical considerations will be addressed.

A course designed to explore the interpersonal expectations and relationships between criminal justice practitioners and community members. The content will focus on basic psychological and sociological principles (including attitudes, perception, self-image, stereotypes, subcultures, and rumor), as well as discretion, and their application to the interaction between criminal justice practitioners and community members.

This course examines the rights of those accused of criminal wrongdoing, from the time they become suspects, through incarceration. Topics covered include issues surrounding search and seizure, right of counsel, right against self-incrimination, use of force, right to medical treatment, sentencing guidelines, identification procedures, and protection from cruel and unusual punishment. Additionally, topics include court rules governing trial procedures and the roles the defense and prosecuting attorneys play in the adjudication of criminal cases.

This course explores the body of written law that defines crimes and specifies punishment. Substantive criminal law emphasizes the nature, history, and purpose of criminal law; its constitutional limits; general principles of criminal liability; the defenses of justification and excuse; and the specific elements of crimes.

This course examines the nature and complexity of crime as a social problem. The measurement, techniques of data collection, and patterns of crime are explored as well as various classical, biological, psychological, and sociological theories of crime causation. Throughout the course, policy implications of the content matter will be considered.

The ethics curriculum is designed to further the goals of professionalization of the criminal justice system. The course is designed to lay a foundation for our students to better make moral decisions as they face inevitable ethical dilemmas as practitioners in the field of criminal justice. Students will first be required to analyze various theories of moral decision making, including, but not limited to, the theories of moral imperativism and utilitarianism. Throughout the semester, students will be applying these theories to practical situations. This will be accomplished by presenting hypotheticals to the class, and requiring the class to analyze the hypotheticals individually and in-group discussions.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. This course compares the U. S. criminal justice system with selected foreign systems. A cross-cultural overview will study the nature, theories, and mechanisms for fighting crime and dealing with criminals in different societies. An end goal will attempt to discover innovative ways that may deal with crime in the United States.

An individualized program of reading, library research, and interviewing, under direction of a faculty member.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. A supervised work experience for majors in criminal justice. Students will have the opportunity to observe professionals in action and to take part in the activities of the agency, thereby utilizing and improving skills learned through that observation along with those from classroom study.