Crim Student Handbook

Transcription

1 SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE Crim Student Handbook UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEY

2 Message from the Director Welcome to the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Our faculty and staff are committed to helping you achieve your academic and professional goals, and to making UFV an increadibly positive experience for you. We have produced this Crim Student s Handbook as a general guide and a tool to help you answer many of the questions you might have about our program and University expectations.

3 Learning Objectives Criminology and Criminal Justice is an interdisciplinary science focusing on the history, structure, and process of law and criminal justice, theories about the causes of crime, and the research methods that inform our discipline. In addition, our program is designed to not only prepare students academically, but to provide you with the skills, knowledge, and

4 experiences to work in the field. We believe that there will continue to be a demand for criminology and criminal justice trained university graduates with the ability to think critically and creatively, have excellent writing, communication, and research skills, leadership qualities, the ability to work productively individually and in groups, the ability to develop and analyze policy, the ability to understand our discipline in relation to the larger world, and the confidence to use this knowledge and these skills to make positive contributions to society. To that end, we have built our diploma and degree programs so that all of our students will have all the following outcomes upon graduation: Knowledge of Criminology and Criminal Justice Students will understand the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, and historical and current trends in criminology and criminal justice. Application of Criminology and Criminal Justice Students will be able to apply criminological and criminal justice knowledge and skills to develop strategies to address individual, community, organizational, and criminal justice system challenges. Research Methods in Criminology Students will understand and be able to apply quantitative and qualitative research methods in criminology and criminal justice, and be able to develop, conduct, and communicate research. Critical Thinking Skills Students will use critical and creative thinking to identify, define, and solve problems. Students will be able to identify and define problems, their causes, and examine and evaluate solutions. Communication Skills Students will be able to communicate proficiently in writing, orally, and digitally. Students will be able to deliver professional presentations. 3

5 Information Literacy Students will be able to locate, access, and reference academic and non-academic information from a wide range of sources, such as libraries and the internet. Students will be able to competently use the software packages common to criminology and criminal justice. Worldview Students will understand, respect, and be aware of different intellectual philosophies, diverse identities, cultures, and approaches to justice with a focus on indigenous peoples. Individual Growth and Professional Development Students will be able to substantiate their views on criminal justice issues. Students will have developed and demonstrated the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in and out of the criminal justice system, including self-management, interpersonal communication, problem solving, working as part of a team, and leadership. Students will have the skills and knowledge to act ethically, honestly, and respectfully in the University, their workplaces, and their communities. In order to achieve these learning outcomes, it is extremely important that all students follow their program plans. While the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice offers a large degree of flexibility in its course offerings, a lot of thought has gone into how students should progress through the program. In order to ensure that you meet all the necessary pre-requisites and that you can graduate in a reasonable amount of time, it is critical that you follow the program plan. A copy of the program plan can be found on the next page. Any questions about your progress in the program should be directed to our Program Advisor at cherish.forster@ufv.ca. 4

6 BACHELOR OF ARTS (CRIMINAL JUSTICE) Offered by the Name: Student Number: PROGRAM PLAN Name: Student Number: Telephone: on transcript Date Prepared: CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIPLOMA PROGRAM PLAN Date Revised: UFV Number Subject Alt Course Institute Year Grade Credit GPA Year 1 CRIM 100 F Intro to Criminology 0.00 CRIM 103 F Intro to the Criminal Justice System 0.00 PSYC 101 Fw Intro to Psychology 0.00 SOC 101 Fw Intro to Sociology 0.00 CRIM 129 F Academic & Prof. Dev CRIM 104 W Soc Expl of Deviant & Crim Behaviour 0.00 CRIM 105 W Psych. Expl of Deviant Behaviour 0.00 CMNS/ENGL Fw Any one of Cmns 125,155, or Eng Elective fw Any 100/200 Univers trans.(non-crim) 0.00 CRIM ELECTIVE * FW 0.00 Year 2 CRIM 265 F Problem Mgnt Skills for CJ Interv CRIM 240/251/252 F Any one of CRIM 240/CRIM 251/CRIM CRIM ELECTIVE * FW 0.00 Elective Fw Arts, 200 level or higher (Non-Crim) 0.00 CMNS/ENGL fw One of Cmns 251 or Eng CRIM 220 W Research Methods in Criminology 0.00 CRIM 230 fw Criminal Law 0.00 POSC 110 W Canadian Politics 0.00 CRIM 281 W Field Work Practicum 0.00 DIPLOMA STUDENTS ONLY CRIM 201 FW Physical Fitness Training I 0.00 CRIM 202 or 203 FW Physical Fitness Training II Non-GPA Credits This Page Total Credits this page * Crim Electives Include: Crim 210, Crim 211, Crim 212, Crim 213, Crim 214, Crim 215, Crim 250, CRIM 251, CRIM 252 LPI score CPT FW = offered both fall & winter ENGL 099 F = offered fall only Fw = primarily fall offering but at least 1 winter section W = offered winter only fw = primarily winter offering, but at least 1 fall section Additionally, some courses will be offered in the Spring Semester (not shown) Form Revised January 2012 B.A. (CRIMINAL JUSTICE) DEGREE PROGRAM PLAN Year 3 UFV Number Subject Alt Course Institute Year Grade Credit GPA MATH 104 fw Introductory Statistics 0.00 CRIM 310 F Advanced Theoretical Perspectives 0.00 CRIM 321 F Qualitative Research Methods 0.00 CRIM 330 F Criminal Procedure & Evidence 0.00 Elective * FW See * below 0.00 CRIM 311 W Multicultural, Conflict & Social Justice 0.00 CRIM 320 W Research Techniques 0.00 CRIM 335 W Human Rights and Civil Liberties 0.00 Elective (U.L.) FW Any 300/400 level non-crim course 0.00 Elective (U.L.) FW Any 300/400 level non-crim course 0.00 Year 4 CRIM 435 F Innovations to Current & Future Issues 0.00 BUS 203 Fw Organizational Behaviour 0.00 CRIM 400 SERIES*** fw 0.00 Elective F General: Any Univers transf course 0.00 Science Elective ** Fw See ** below 0.00 CRIM 480 W Field Work Practicum 0.00 CRIM 450 W Social Policy Analysis 0.00 Elective (U.L.) FW Any 300/400 level non-crim course 9.00 CRIM 400 SERIES *** fw 0.00 Non-GPA Credits This Page Total Non-GPA Credits Total Credits * Any art history, history, languages, fine arts, film, philosophy or theatre course or one of English ** Any biology, chemistry, (Chem 150) or physics lab course 100-level or higher, or Geography 101 or 102 *** Any one of Crim [asc] = With initials, indicates approved substitute course ADMISSION TO BA (CRIMINAL JUSTICE) Institute transferring from: Admission GPA: Admission Credits: Full: Conditional: Admission to Degree Program: Conditional Admission Details: UFV DATE: Students are accepted into the BA (Criminal Justice) only when representatives of UFV have signed this document. AUTHORIZATION TO RELEASE TRANSCRIPTS I understand that my transcript(s) from any other institutions from which I am requesting transfer credit will be made available to UFV. Student's Signature: Date: COMPLETION: Courses completed must satisfy grade, general education and subject requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all program requirements are met. This should be done by a regular review and or consultation with your program advisor. Total GPA: 0.00 Total credits: 0 UFV DATE:

7 Professional Conduct While it might seem like a long way off, before you know it, you will be completing your studies and looking to enter the work force. There are many amazing and challenging opportunities for our students in a wide range of careers, but one thing that is common among all these opportunities is the requirement that our graduates demonstrate a high degree of

8 professionalism and integrity. We expect the same while you are a student. Demonstrating professionalism and integrity means coming to class on time, being attentive, and ready to learn. There are many opportunities for personal and professional growth in the School. Whenever possible, you should try REMEMBER TO Come to class on time and ready to learn. 2. Attend all lectures, seminars, and field trips. 3. Read all assigned material before class. 4. Contribute to the learning environment. 5. Ensure all electronic devices are turned off. to take advantage of these opportunities. Part of this means attending all of your lectures and required seminars and field trips, but it also means trying to participate in other nonmandatory events, such as University-wide public talks and community volunteering. In other words, your experience at UFV will, in part, be a reflection of the degree to which you engage and participate with the UFV community. You will find that all of your lectures and seminars will be much more rewarding if you come to class prepared. This means completing all of your readings and other assignments prior to class. While many of your classes will have a participation grade as part of your evaluation, contributing to the learning of others and the discussions in class will also serve to enhance your classroom experience. Many students enjoy taking class notes on a laptop computer or tablet. However, instructors and fellow students may find this practice disruptive, so if you want to use a computer or tablet, consult your course outline or ask your instructor what is their policy regarding the use of electronics in the classroom. You should also always ensure that your phones are either turned off or set to silent to avoid disrupting others. 7

9 The Academic Code of Conduct The University of the Fraser Valley is committed to maintaining and promoting instructional excellence and learning. Among the cornerstones of this commitment are academic honesty, and a mutual respect for all members of the university community. All faculty at UFV have a professional obligation to report suspected academic dishonesty to the Dean.

10 Policy Members of the University community are expected to carry out their scholarly work with honesty, to meet the highest ethical standards, to respect the facts and appropriate standards of evidence, and to acknowledge the contributions and scholarship of others. As members of the University community, students are expected to demonstrate appropriate academic conduct. They are responsible for their actions, whether acting alone or in a group. The University will vigorously investigate allegations of academic misconduct, while taking all reasonable steps to protect the rights and interests of individuals whose work or performance is questioned. Academic Misconduct Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following: Plagiarism occurs when a student presents as original, work or data that is written or composed, in whole or in part, by someone other than that student. Plagiarism occurs when paragraphs, phrases, sentences, or ideas within a work are taken from other sources without referencing or citing the authors. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following: Communicating or attempting to communicate with other persons for the purpose of obtaining or providing information without the permission of the instructor; Using or attempting to use other student s answers, providing answers to other students, or failing to take reasonable measures to prevent the use of one s answers by other students in assignments or examinations without the permission of the instructor. Students should be familiar with all UFV s policies on and penalties for academic dishonesty as described in the Calendar; however, students should also be aware that cheating and plagiarism in the Criminal Justice Program may result in the inability to access the coursework required for degree completion. For many of your classes, you may be interested in conducting original research as part of your coursework. It is important to know that there are specific rules and procedures that must be followed whenever you are engaged in research that involves human subjects. Due to human research ethics concerns, the conduct of original research is strictly prohibited unless a student has expressly sought and received prior written permission from the course professor. By way of example, original research includes written and oral communications of any kind with persons and agencies external to the course. For further information about UFV s policies regarding conducting original re- 9

11 search, please go to the Research Ethics Board s website at Some guidelines for ensuring that your work is done correctly: 1. If you are citing another writer s exact words, quotation marks and a reference to a page number in the original source is required. Paraphrasing another person s work without acknowledging the source is also intellectual dishonesty. and are defined by the instructor. An example of an extenuating circumstance might be the hospitalization of a student that could be confirmed by hospital personnel. Lack of preparation, forgetfulness, holidays, sleeping in late, or work obligations are not acceptable examples of extenuating circumstances. 2. It is dishonest to use another student s paper in whole or part by editing and submitting that work as your own. 3. It is dishonest for a student to hand in their own work to more than one course. 4. Do not use sources obtained through the World Wide Web, , Usenet groups, podcasts, or any other source without documenting them according to the standards of the American Psychological Association (APA). It is your responsibility to learn how to cite your sources accurately. Exams Students are obligated to attend and complete the final examination only on the date and time outlined in UFV s exam timetable. Under most circumstances, a missed examination will result in a grade of zero for that examination. Make-up exams are not permitted, unless there are extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are limited in definition 10

12 Keys to Academic Success There are many skills that a student must have to be successful. Many of these skills will be taught in your first year classes; however, all successful students share a commitment to their education, strong thinking, writing, and oral presentation skills, and a degree of professional conduct, such as attending all classes.

13 You will likely be asked to conduct academic research to write and present various assignments for your Crim courses at UFV. The nature of academic research at UFV may differ from the types of research you have done in other contexts. A good starting point is to check with individual instructors to see what types of information sources they expect you to use for specific assignments. It is also a good idea to ask your instructors in class or to visit them during their office hours to learn how to conduct research using different Internet search engines and search terms. The UFV library has a number of excellent how to tools that can help you. We have included some of this information in this guide. KEYS TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS 1. Critical Thinking 2. Conducting Research Using UFV s Library 3. Academic Writing 4. Getting Involved in Research Researching and Critical Thinking Most of your research will involve secondary research where you will review the research and writings of other scholars, rather than conducting your own primary research, which involves collecting the data yourself. If you are planning to conduct any primary research, for example by interviewing people, you must obtain advance approval from your instructor and from the university because of human research ethics concerns. Some information about research ethics was provided in the section called Academic Code of Conduct. As a rule, your professors will expect you to use print and/or electronic resources from the UFV library, which now has a single, unified search box that allows you to search multiple information resources on your topic, including the Internet, academic journals, textbooks, and ebooks. Your instructors may also prefer that you use Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text or Google Scholar as opposed to non-academic search engines, like Alta Vista, Bing, Google, Hotbot, Yahoo! Search, or MetaCrawler. Again, it is critical that you check with each of your instructors about their requirements. As a social science, we are typically interested in students using scholarly rather than popular sources, although there may be exceptions to this when your professors specifically ask you to use popular sources for specific assignments. 12

14 As noted in the table below, scholarly research is: published by a recognized university or commercial publisher; involves the original reporting of research; involves research that is conducted using scientific methods; is supported by academic references and a bibliography; is reviewed by an editor or peers to ensure quality control; and is intended for a specific audience. An example of a scholarly journal is the Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, while an example of a popular magazine is Macleans. Unless specifically approved by your course professor, social media like Internet forums, blogs, wikis, and podcasts generally should not be used for academic research purposes. Websites are not typically used as an academic information source, but sometimes can be used as a means to access credible research publications. In terms of specific information sources, most of your professors will expect you to use sources other than Wikipedia or other encyclopaedic references. Additionally, they will usually expect you to conduct research in addition to your course textbooks. The types of information sources that your instructors are generally looking for you to consult with include, but are not limited to: Academic journals Books and textbooks that are written by academic scholars Discussion papers and reviews Documents produced and disseminated by government and non-government agencies 13

15 Legislation, published cases, and court archives, such as trial and sentencing transcripts and appeals Conference proceedings Theses and dissertations Documentary films With all of the information resources that you consult, you will need to personally evaluate the credibility of the information source and its relevance for your assignment. Just because information is published in print or electronically, and especially on the Internet, does not mean that it is accurate or reliable. There are evaluation checklists that you can use to critically evaluate your information sources, like the CARS evaluation checklist (Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support) or the CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose). Most of these checklists focus on you asking yourself whether the information source is accurate, authoritative, objective, current, and provides adequate coverage of the topic. If you are unsure of whether your sources are credible, you should ask your instructor. The following Table identifies key differences between scholarly and non-scholarly sources for your papers. 14

16 SCHOLARLY JOURNAL Published by a University, Institution, Association, or Society Original Reporting of Research Research Articles follow Scientific Method Articles have Bibliographies Audience is Academics, Scholars, Researchers Exists to Communicate Research Information to Others in Particular Areas of Study or Interest Contains Little or No Advertising Lengthy Articles with In-Depth Analysis Available Mainly by Subscription and may be very Expensive Peer Reviewed by Panel of Acknowledged Experts in the Field or Editorial Review Board Vocabulary is Advanced and Specific to the Field Articles are Signed by Author and Author s Academic Credentials are Provided Plain-looking, Few, if any, Diagrams or Photos May Describe Process for Submitting Articles POPULAR MAGAZINES Published by a Commercial Publishing House or Business Secondary Reporting of Research Articles do not follow the Scientific Method Articles have No or Very Brief Bibliographies Audience is General Public. Information is Synthesized from the Scholarly Journals and Repackaged for the Layman Exists both to Entertain and to Inform. May have many different Topics Covered. Profit Motive Contains Conspicuous Advertising Articles are Often Short Available on Newsstands and by Subscription. Usually Inexpensive May not have a Peer Review Process or List an Editorial Board Vocabulary is Designed to be Understood by a Layman Articles may not be Signed by Author. If Signed, Credentials may not be Given Often Glossy Looking to Attract Attention. Very Visual Usually does not Describe Process for Submitting Articles Source: UFV Library. Revised: August 28, 2007 pw. Available: reports 15

17 Academic Writing Writing to university standards can be both challenging and rewarding. Writing assignments offer students the opportunity to engage in a deep learning activity. In contrast to listening to a lecture, written assignments ask students to become more actively involved in their educational process. Writing usually entails careful planning, searching for accurate information, reading, notetaking, reflecting, explaining, and assembling words and ideas into a coherent end product. It takes more time than students may think to produce a well-constructed paper. From planning to proofreading, there are five important steps that students utilize to complete written assignments, such as research papers. 16

18 Step 1 - Planning Your Paper Putting in adequate time pays many dividends for the final outcome of your written assignment. Beginning early enough in the course gives you the needed time to think, research, and write. Here are some specific ways you can begin: Carefully review the assignment guidelines and assessment criteria. Ask questions if you need clarification from your instructor. Plan to complete your paper one week early to give you enough time to make final revisions. Choose a topic from the course outline or one approved by your professor. Develop research questions related to your topic to guide a specific focus for your paper. It may also help to talk to others. The quality and source of information gathered for your topic is important. More information can be found on pages under the UFV Libraries heading. When choosing books, consult the Table of Contents and Indexes to see what the authors have to say on the topic you ve chosen. Start by reading the abstract, introduction, and conclusion to a chapter or article because these parts usually highlight the author s main ideas and arguments. Make judgments as to whether you want to read further and include their research, comments, or observations in your paper. Make notes to record your sources of information. You do not have to worry about organizing the material or writing anything coherent at this point. Next, make more detailed notes on sources, such as journal articles and texts that you have gathered. If an author in a textbook mentions a particularly relevant journal article that you cannot find in the library, obtain it through Inter-Library Loans (allow for up to two weeks for delivery). Ask for help from a UFV Librarian if needed. Begin with the most promising sources; extract the main ideas, outstanding examples, and important conclusions. Any information you collect should relate directly to your topic or research questions. Always ask yourself at each stage of the research process, What does this article, book, or the notes have to do with my main argument or description of my topic? From your reading, begin to develop a central question or idea (the thesis) as the guiding direction for your paper. Create an outline that flows from your central idea and the main issues you intend to address. Under each main idea, briefly organize your supporting points. Your instructor may be willing to review your outline during their office hours. 17

19 Be able to identify your sources accurately. As you take notes, write the page number if you plan to use direct quotes in your paper. Include, in note form, your own reaction to what the authors have said. Re-read your notes for omissions while you still have the sources to check. Now, you should be ready to begin writing your first draft! Step 2 - Writing the Rough Draft Drafting is about shaping a coherent argument or flow of ideas. The first draft should have a clearly defined order - either chronological or based on the logical flow of ideas. Here is a general framework for your paper: The Introduction Many students find introductions are best written at the end of the writing process. Use the Introduction to suggest what you are going to do in the main body of your paper. As best as you can, capture your reader s interest by demonstrating why your topic is important, insightful, or unique. The Body You may wish to begin your first draft by writing your paper in sections. Get away from the idea that you need to write your paper from beginning to end. Writing the body of your paper in sections or paragraphs can be accomplished by shaping the main ideas identified in your outline. To allow the reader to follow your thinking, introduce main ideas in relation to your thesis statement. Depending on the length of your paper, it may also be helpful to use headings as a map for the reader to follow your thinking. Another way to help the reader follow your ideas is to create transitional sentences that move your reader from one section to another. Essentially, the body of your paper needs to deliver on the ideas or statements your presented in the Introduction. In many cases, it is desirable to integrate course concepts into your paper topic. This demonstrates that you are able to apply the knowledge learned in class. Finally, make sure to document where your ideas came from as you go to avoid plagiarizing or submitting falsely cited work. The Conclusion Like the introduction, it is often more effective to write the conclusion last. Not only should you avoid simply repeating the introduction, but avoid inserting new ideas in your conclusion. The conclusion summarizes key points and, in some cases, reminds the reader about the purpose of the paper. It could also answer the so what question about your topic. Providing a well thought out closing statement can be satisfying for your readers. References References refer to a listing of all authors or sources utilized in your paper. This listing forms the last page of your paper. All of the sources cited in your reference list should appear in your paper and only those references cited in your paper 18

20 should be included in your reference list. In other words, if you have cited and referenced your paper correctly, your intext citations and your reference list should match exactly. Step 3 - Revising The purpose of revising your paper is to assess how well your reader is likely to understand what you are saying. Avoid getting too caught up in spelling, grammar, and other mechanical aspects of your paper in this phase of your writing. Rather, focus on making larger changes, such as paragraph arrangement, adding in new evidence, re-writing your introduction, or checking for the flow of ideas. Have I defined and directly applied key concepts from the course? Are my paragraphs fairly consistent in length and are their topic sentences clear? Have I been careful not to overuse direct quotes? How is my own voice portrayed? If you find your inner voice sounding unclear or stumbling over sentences, chances are your reader will too. Pay attention to how you speak to the reader. Avoid using I, you, she, we, they ; write in third person for research papers. This may also be a good time to seek the advice of the Writing Centre if you are not a strong writer. Some other questions you can ask yourself: Will this be paper interesting? Am I clear about the central idea? Are my main ideas well supported with accurate and relevant evidence? Avoid unsupported claims or generalizations. Information from your courses is not common knowledge and must be properly referenced indicating where you obtained the information, whether from the course text, lectures, seminars, guest speakers, or additional secondary research. Have I been respectful and fair to varying positions? Step 4 - Editing Slowly read through your paper for details. Preferably, do this out loud and from a double-spaced print copy of your draft. This allows you to mark and correct errors. Check for spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ask yourself the following type of questions: Have I used simple, formal language? Have I used simple, short sentences? Do they make sense? Are they grammatically correct? 19

21 Have I avoided errors, such as using: semi-colons ( ; ) to join two or more sentences together? abbreviations (eg., etc.)? contractions (can t, won t, don t)? clichés (such as it could be worse ) and overly used common phrases (such as hopefully, in hopes of)? colloquialisms (overuse of like, basic, basically, really )? ambiguous phrases like research shows? profanity and slang ( cons, cops, B&E s, dope )? Have I used the American Psychological Association (APA) writing style convention correctly? Have I correctly indicated when I am using ideas of others? Have I introduced quotes, especially when placed at the beginning of a sentence? Have I minimized my use of quotations (less than 5% content) and explained quotes because they are not always selfexplanatory? Is every word spelled correctly? Have I used words appropriately? Make sure you do not rely on computerized spelling and grammar packages since they cannot be relied on to identify all mistakes! Some Additional Tips: Sound authoritative without being condescending. Be interesting and varied, active rather than passive, specific rather than vague. Write for a general academic audience that is uninformed about your topic. Avoid sensationalism. You are writing an academic research paper which is ultimately informed by science. While you may write passionately, appeal to your reader s sense of reason, rather than titillating your reader or romanticizing an issue. Step 5 - Proof Read Your Final Copy Almost done! Run off your edited paper and read out loud as you go through your paper one final time. Ensure that your paper sounds right. If it does not sound right, it will not read right. Make all necessary corrections to your final draft. You may wish to use the following final checklist for your paper before you hand it in. 20