Criminal Justice Course Descriptions
J101 The American Criminal Justice System (3 cr.) Introduction to the criminal justice system of the United States and its function in contemporary society.
J201 Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies (3 cr.) P: J101. This course examines the impact of sociological, biological, and economic theories of crime and the practice of criminal justice. Focus is on the nature and importance of theory, context of theoretical developments, methods for the critical analysis of theoretical developments, and policy implications of the varying perspectives considered.
J202 Criminal Justice Data, Methods, and Resources (3 cr.) P: J101. R: MATH M111 or equivalent; V261 or equivalent. Course examines basic concepts of criminal justice. Students become familiar with research techniques necessary for systematic analysis of the criminal justice system, offender behavior, crime trends, and program effectiveness. Students will learn to critically evaluate existing research. Students will become familiar with existing sources of criminal justice data and will learn to assess the quality of that data.
J222 Murder in America: Causes and Consequences (3 cr.) An investigation of homicide in the United States. Focus on the level and nature of homicides as well as domestic homicides; serial and mass murder; race, ethnicity, and gender; drugs and alcohol; school and workplace homicides; investigation; profiling and the death penalty; and homicide prevention and intervention programs.
J260 Topics in Criminal Justice (1-3 cr.) Study of selected issues in criminal justice. Topics vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit.
J301 Substantive Criminal Law (3 cr.) P: J101. R:J201 and J202. The development, limitations, and application of substantive criminal law utilizing the case-study method.
J302 Procedural Criminal Law (3 cr.) P: J101. Criminal law application and procedure from the initiation of police activity through the correctional process, utilizing the case-study method.
J303 Evidence (3 cr.) P: SPEA J101. The rules of law governing proof at trial of disputed issues of fact; burden of proof; presumptions and judicial notice; examination, impeachment, competency, and privileges of witnesses; hearsay rule and exceptions-all related as nearly as possible to criminal, as opposed to civil, process.
J304 Correctional Law (3 cr.) P: J101. Legal problems from conviction to release: pre-sentence investigations, sentencing, probation and parole, incarceration, loss and restoration of civil rights.
J305 Juvenile Justice (3 cr.) P: J101. This course is designed to provide an overview of the justice system's response to abused, neglected, and dependent children; juvenile misconduct; and delinquent behavior. An extensive review of the development of recent legal changes to the court, options for prevention, treatment of juvenile offenders, and possible system reforms.
J306 The Criminal Courts (3 cr.) P: J101. R: J201 and J202. An analysis of the criminal justice process from prosecution through appeal. The organization and operation of felony and misdemeanor courts are examined. Topics include prosecutorial decision-making, plea bargaining, judicial selection, and the conduct of trials, sentencing, and appeal.
J310 Introduction to Administrative Processes (3 cr.) P: J101. Introduction to principles of management and systems theory for the administration of criminal justice agencies. Credit not given for both J310 and V270.
J320 Criminal Investigation (3 cr.) P: J101. Theory of investigation, crime scene procedures, interviews, interrogations, surveillances, and sources of information; collection and preservation of physical evidence; investigative techniques in specific crimes.
J321 American Policing (3 cr.) P: J101. R: J201 and J202. This course will examine the history, evolution, and organization of policing in the United States. Emphasis is placed on such major contemporary issues as the police role, discretion, use of force, corruption, accountability, and community policing.
J322 Introduction to Criminalistics (3 cr.) P:J101. R: J301. The broad range of physical evidence developed through the investigative process, and methods of identifying and establishing validity and relevance through forensic laboratory techniques.
J331 Corrections (3 cr.) P: J101. R: J201 and J202. This course examines the historical development of the American correctional system; the study of administration of local, state, and federal corrections programs, including jails, probation, community corrections, and prisons. Includes the study of punishment rationales, current correctional policies, and possibilities for reform.
J355 Global Criminal Justice Perspectives (3 cr.) P: J101. An international review of select criminal justice perspectives and systems within the primary legal traditions of common, civil, Islamic, and socialist systems, as well as those that do not fit into established categories, such as Native American and African tribal justice.
J369 Private Justice: Police, Courts, and Corrections (3 cr.) P: J101. This course examines the role of private policing and security; courts and adjudication; and corrections. Includes legislative and ethical issues and the economics of criminal and juvenile justice privatization. Principles of loss prevention; protection of assets; relationship between public and private services; current issues in privatization.
J370 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 cr.) P: J101. Selected contemporary topics in criminal justice. May be repeated for credit.
J376 Principles of Public Safety (3 cr.) P: J101. Examination of threats to public safety and of governmental response at various levels to those threats. Treatment of such areas as transportation and highway threats; occupational safety and health; criminal threats; emergency and disaster planning; consumer protection; and fire control and suppression. Discussion of techniques to identify and measure risk, the acceptability of risk, and governmental attempts to control risk.
J380 Internship in Criminal Justice (1-6 cr.) P: permission of instructor. Open to interested students who qualify upon approval of the faculty. Students may be placed with various criminal justice agencies for assignment to a defined task relevant to their educational interests. Tasks may involve staff work or research. Full-time participants may earn up to 6 credit hours. May be repeated for credit. Course is graded S/F (Satisfactory/Fail).
J433 Institutional Corrections (3 cr.) P: J101. The history and development of the jail, penitentiary, prison, and reformatory. Analysis and evaluation of contemporary imprisonment.
J439 Crime and Public Policy (3 cr.) P: Senior standing or consent of instructor. A detailed examination of the major efforts designed to control or reduce crime. A review of existing knowledge is followed by an investigation of current crime control theories, proposals, and programs.
J440 Corrections in the Community (3 cr.) P: J101. A detailed analysis of correctional alternatives to incarceration that focus on the reintegration of the offender while remaining in the community. Because of their extensive use, considerable attention is given to probation and parole. Other topics include diversion, community residential programs, restitution, halfway houses, and home detention.
J445 Trends in Corrections (3 cr.) P: J101. Analysis and evaluation of contemporary correctional systems. Discussion of recent research concerning the correctional institution and the various field services.
J460 Police in the Community (3 cr.) P: SPEA J101. In-depth examination of crime as an urban policy problem, focusing on the role of police and victims in defining crime as a policy problem, and their role in seeking to reduce the incidence of crime.
J470 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 cr.) P: senior standing. Emphasizes current developments in legal, administrative, and operational aspects of the criminal justice system.
J480 Research in Criminal Justice (1-6 cr.) P: junior standing and consent of instructor. Individual research under guidance of faculty member.
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