CJ 680: FIELD COURSE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE Spring 2014 Syllabus

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1 CJ 680: FIELD COURSE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE Spring 2014 Syllabus Instructor: Liz Brown Phone: Office: HSS 235 Office Hours: T/W 3-4; alternate times available by appointment All assignments should be turned in online at the course site on i-learn by the date and time they are due. Please meet with me before completing assignments and as the project develops, as needed. Course description The Department of Criminal Justice Studies requires all majors to successfully complete CJ 680, the Field Course in Criminal Justice. The centerpiece of CJ 680 is the requirement that students engage in directed field study OR complete an internship. In either case, students are required to complete a series of assignments based either on the field study or internship that are geared toward producing a final paper at the end of the semester. Regardless of what option is ultimately chosen, all students are expected to draw on the entirety of their education (both formal and informal) to date, with particular emphasis on their classes in criminal justice studies. Students are also expected to complete all assignments in the syllabus as specified. Your final product should be a thoroughly edited, smartly organized research paper based on the field study or internship. All papers should fit within the general guidelines of a page paper. You should expect to have much more information than can fit in a paper, and your paper is expected to be the result of a process of narrowing and focusing the object of study to a key thesis supported with ample evidence from the internship or field study and placed within larger debates in the scholarly literature. Course expectations 1) Whether engaged in field study or an internship, students are required to commit a minimum of 8 hours per week to this course. Directed field and intern activity complement your studies in criminal justice in a manner for which there is no substitute. Students are expected to immerse themselves in the field more so than on campus, in the classroom or in the library. 2) The expectation for this course is that students will engage in a field component. This means that either students will do an internship OR students will create and implement a research project of their own on a topic of their choosing. In the past, students have done a small number of qualitative interviews or questionnaires, but students are encouraged to utilize any and all quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The aim of this project is to supplement the library research that students will do and to gain valuable experience in creating and implementing field research. Pure library research 1

2 papers will NOT be accepted. If you have any trouble on deciding on a research project, please consult me early in the semester. 3) Students completing the internship will be required to hand-in a field journal. This journal will document the student s experience in at the internship. Additionally, some students completing field studies will also be required to complete a field journal particularly if you are doing a study that involves either ethnographic or participant-observation methods. The field journal is intended to be a place where students make notes and observations about their internship or field research throughout the semester. Students should purchase a composition notebook which they carry with them to either their internship or field research. If you wait until you get home to make field notes, you will likely forget lots of valuable data that you observed during the day. Students who do not complete a field journal are required to turn in at the end of the semester copies of all primary research (interview transcriptions, surveys, etc.) and data analysis, including coded transcripts, development of issues and themes, and research notes. 4) Finally, students will be required to write a research paper for the end of the semester which brings together the library research and field research or internship experience, interwoven in a thoughtful analysis on a topic of the students choosing. Students who pursue the directed field study option must develop a project that sustains their own interest, reflects their intellectual and/or professional ambitions, and engages them in substantial fieldwork. Substantial fieldwork is defined as that which takes the same amount of time an internship would take to complete approx. 10 hours/week. Given this rate, students completing a field study should identify their research topic, relevant literature and begin collecting data by the end of September. Students who pursue the internship option may draw on their contacts or seek the help of the instructors to locate an internship opportunity. The final paper should be a minimum of 20 pages and no more 25 pages. The paper must have at least 15 reference sources in the bibliography, at least 8 of which must be from peer reviewed sources. This class presumes that students are proficient in research methods and have successfully completed the Introductory Research Methods in Criminal Justice (CJ 330) or a methods class in a related academic discipline (particularly Sociology 392, Political Science 492, or Psychology 400). In addition, this class presumes that students are proficient in writing and have completed all required writing classes or testing before enrollment. Student must have either a passing score on JPET or successful completion of English 414. Students must also have completed the University s library requirement before taking this course (see This course does NOT teach students how to complete research nor does it teach students how to write a research paper. You MUST bring these capabilities to the course. It is assumed that you know how to do a proper research paper. Your semester grade will be based on this paper. 2

3 Special Note for Internships: Students pursuing the internship option may serve in a position prior to the semester they enroll in CJ 680. The CJ Program recognizes that in certain situations an internship opportunity may not coincide with the offering of CJ 680. However, students must ensure that they receive approval of the project from the instructors in advance of beginning the internship and students must arrange for their work to be evaluated during the semester they enroll in the Field Course. CJ 680 can only be done ONCE for credit. RESEARCH TOOLS Students are strongly encouraged to purchase the following book. William Johnson, Richard Rettig, Gregory Scott, and Stephen Garrison. Criminal Justice Student Writer s Manual. Prentice Hall. (2005) The In addition, students may find helpful one of the research primers and writing manuals listed below. They are available at bookstores everywhere and are very inexpensive, particularly on Research Primers Wayne Booth, Gregory Colomb, and Joseph Williams. (2003) The Craft of Research, 2 nd Edition. University of Chicago Press. Michael Holosko. (2005) Primer for Critiquing Social Research. Wadsworth Publishing. Writing Manuals Williams Strunk, EB White, and Roger Angell. (2000) The Elements of Styles, 4 th Edition. Longman Publishing Kate Turbian. (1996) A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. University of Chicago Press. Criminal Justice Research Depending on the area of research that students choose to focus on, it is also recommended that students look through the following texts to better understand the methodological problems faced in different areas of field research in criminal justice. These books will be held in reserve in the Library. Roy King and Emma Wincup. University Press. (2000) Doing Research on Crime and Justice. Oxford Lesley Noaks and Emma Wincup. Qualitative Methods. SAGE Publications. (2004) Criminological Research: Understanding 3

4 Calendar of assignments All written work is to be submitted no late than midnight on the dates given below. All assignments must be turned into i-learn, using either a.doc,.txt,.rtf, or.pdf file extension, unless otherwise noted. Files saved on university computers in open office format must be saved as one of the previous file extensions. All assignments must be turned in on time WITHOUT exception. January 27: Class Meeting Students must retain a copy of all work submitted. Cover Syllabus and clarify objectives of course February 10: Assignment #1 Field study students: Research Question and Statement: In this first assignment, students should submit two parts: A research question and a research statement. Research Question: Students should clearly identify their research question, by bolding it in the narrative or placing it at the beginning or end of the statement. A research question is a question that can be answered by field research. More information about research questions can be found here: Research Statement: Students must submit a 2-4 page essay that identifies the topic of research, primary research aims of this project, and the potential methods of analysis. The topic of research should be several sentences long and should clearly and succinctly state the purpose of the research project. Research statements usually start: This research examines The research aims should be a list of questions that the student seeks to explore in this project. Additionally, in discussing the topic of research and research aims, you should answer the following questions: 1. Briefly discuss the topic you are researching. Consider: What is your topic? What is interesting about your topic? Why are you drawn to studying your topic? Why would someone else be interested in your topic? 2. What do you know about this topic from courses you have taken and/or academic literature? Please list an initial literature review of several academic journals and/or books that you have looked at. These sources may change as you continue with your project but at this stage you should have completed some reading. 3. How are you going to research your topic? How does your research give insight into the topic you have chosen? What research do you intend on 4

5 Internship students: doing? What is your research design? What data-gathering methods will you use - for example, field observations, interviews or surveys, and other sources? What methods will you use and why? Gathering official statistics from government agencies is not considered a method of research; this is considered library research. More information about how to conduct research, types of research and research processes can be found here: Submission of Field Placement Form: If you are doing an internship with an agency or an individual, submit your field-placement form (see attached) to me with your supervisor s signature. Turn this in to my box in HSS 236. Statement of internship schedule, activities, and pertinent scholarly topics: Internship students should submit a two page document that identifies the likely internship schedule for the semester (days of the week, times, how often, etc.), discusses the specific subject of the internship (e.g., juvenile probation, prosecutor s office, etc.), and identifies possible areas for scholarly research. Turn this in online at i-learn. February 24: Assignment #2 Field study students: Statement of Methodology: This assignment consists of two parts: 1. Research design: Students should submit a detailed write-up of their final research design proposal. This should include the exact methods you intend to use, the strengths and weaknesses of these methods, and the ethical issues, if there are any, that your research raises. In addition, you should describe (not list) the themes, topics, and questions your research is designed to answer and a justification for why these themes, topics, etc, help you to uncover the answer to your research given in assignment #1. There should be at least 2 citations in this section indicating that you have done some reading on your chosen research method. This should be no more than four pages. 2. Research instruments: In addition to the four page discussion of research methods, you should also provide at this time your research instruments i.e. the interview protocol, questionnaire or participant observation schedule. If you are going to use a questionnaire or a qualitative interview, this should be attached to the design proposal with a brief discussion of what the chosen instrument will help you to understand (these are not included in the page limit). If the research is time sensitive and students would like to complete the research earlier, students should arrange to go over the final methods proposal earlier with their instructor. 5

6 More information about research design, types, etc, can be found here: More information about how to conduct research, types of research and research questions can be found here: Internship students: Preliminary analysis of internship: Students conducting an internship should approach their experience as a type of ethnographic study called participant observation. A detailed field journal recapping each internship day should be kept and the final assignment should use your field journal as data to analyze your experience using the scholarly literature. This assignment is your first attempt to bring the scholarly literature and your internship experience together in preparation for the final paper. This assignment consists of turning in two assignments: March 10: Assignment #3 1. Preliminary analysis of internship: This is a 4 page paper that discusses what themes are arising in your experience (e.g., overworking of criminal justice officials, conditions of confinement, etc) and how this reflects or disrupts what you are finding in the literature. This proposal should draw upon specific excerpts from your field journals and the peer reviewed articles you have found thus far. You should cite at least 5 sources in this analysis, at least 3 of which are peer reviewed. 2. Field Journal: In addition to this assessment, you should also turn in copies of your field journal thus far with detailed notes on your internship experience. ***Both internship and field study students complete this assignment. Annotated Bibliography: Students should submit a list of the 15 sources pertinent to the topic and that will be used in the final paper. All 15 sources must be formatted in either Chicago or APA citation style. Eight of these sources are required to be peer reviewed and annotated. A discussion of what peer review is and how to find it is below: All eight peer reviewed sources must be annotated. Annotated means that the bibliographic entry is followed by a narrative describing the source, as discussed below. Annotations should be at least ½ page single spaced in length. In your annotation, you should answer the following questions: What is the author s major claim(s) (here provide summary of argument)? How is this work useful to your project? Examples and discussion of what an annotated bibliography is can be found here: Examples of how to cite in Chicago and APA are found here: Chicago: 6

7 APA: The remaining 7 sources can be culled from newspaper articles, government documents, magazines, websites, etc. Requirements for Assignment #3: 1. 8 peer reviewed sources 2. 8 annotations (summaries described above) for each peer reviewed source (total at least 4 pages single spaced) 3. List of 7 additional sources that will be used in the paper 4. All sources formatted in either Chicago or APA style. Please note: All annotations should be in your own words. Anything less constitutes plagiarism. How to find peer reviewed source In short, peer review is a type of publication that is sent out to experts in the field for review, and is revised and edited prior to publication. If you do not know what peer review is, please consult the library s Oasis tutorial required for graduation (available here: A list of peer reviewed sources in the criminal justice field is found in the back of the syllabus. Peer reviewed sources can be found by consulting the library databases available here: To find sources, select a database (Web of Science only brings back peer reviewed sources and Academic Search Complete allows you to check a box for scholarly sources that generally brings back peer reviewed sources). You can login from home and find sources through these databases; once you have found sources, you have a couple of options for obtaining them: 1. Click on find SFSU full text button 2. Go to library catalog search for JOURNAL name (not the title of the article). If the library subscribes, it will say whether the article can be found online or if it is in the stacks (if it is in the stacks, you will have to visit the library and make a copy yourself; If it is electronic, navigate through to the year, issue, number, and title of the article and access full text.) 3. If the library does not have access to the title, request the title through interlibrary loan, called the ILLIAD system at SFSU. Available here: 7

8 May 5: Assignment #4 ***Both internship and field study students complete this assignment. Detailed outline of final paper: Students should provide a detailed outline (3-5 pages) of the final paper. Rough drafts instead of outlines are also acceptable. May 19: Final Assignment Final Paper: The paper should be typed, double-spaced, standard text and margins. Please place the word count on the title page of your paper. Remember, the final paper should be a minimum of pages. The paper must have at least 15 correctly formatted reference sources in the bibliography. (Annotations do not need to be included in final paper bibliography). Your final grade will be reflective of the quality of the field research, the library research and the analysis of the data in the paper. So, for example, excellence in the field without a satisfactory academic literature review and analysis will earn no more than a passing grade, and vice versa. The object of this course for students to write an intelligent analysis, on a topic of their choosing, which integrates the field component and the literature review. This paper should be turned in online at i-learn. Please also note that the previous assignments are used to help you start and develop your final project in a timely manner. These assignments can be used in an edited form in the final paper for instance, the research design, if written sufficiently the first time, could be included in the methods section of the paper. Likewise the research proposal due at the beginning of the semester would be a good opportunity to develop the introduction to the paper. Field journals and/or copies of research data and analysis should be turned into my box in HSS 210. GRADING Please be advised: Plagiarism is grounds for dismissal from the University and denial or revocation of the University degree. All papers will be reviewed using several software programs available to faculty to assure originality and accuracy. We strongly advise you to review the SFSU website on plagiarism for more information at Be sure to give credit where credit is due in your paper. Do not borrow without making sure you have given the proper credit to the author(s) you are using! Assignment #1 5% Assignment #2 15% Assignment #3 15% Assignment #4 5% Final Paper 60% 8

9 PARTIAL PARTIAL LISTING LISTING OF OF ACADEMIC ACADEMIC JOURNALS JOURNALS FOR FOR CRIMINAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE JUSTICE TOPICS TOPICS Adolescence American Behavioral Scientist American Criminal Law Review American Jails American Journal of Criminal Justice American Journal of Criminal Law American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse American Journal of Forensic Psychology American Journal of Public Health American Journal of Sociology American Sociological Review Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science The Archives of European Sociology Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin Child Maltreatment Child Welfare Corrections Management Quarterly Crime & Delinquency Crime, Law, and Social Change Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal Criminal Behavior and Mental Health Criminal Justice (American Bar Association) Criminal Justice and Behavior Criminal Justice Policy Review Criminology Deviant Behavior Environment and Behavior Family and Conciliation Courts Review Federal Probation Forum on Corrections Research Harvard Law Review Homicide Studies Howard Journal of Criminal Justice International Criminal Justice Review International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology International Journal of the Sociology of Law International Review of Victimology Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Journal of Crime & Justice Journal of Criminal Justice Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Journal of Gang Research Journal of Interpersonal Violence Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Journal of Quantitative Criminology Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention Justice Quarterly Justice Research and Policy Justice System Journal Juvenile and Family Court Journal Law and Human Behavior Law & Society Review Police Quarterly Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategy and Management Policing and Society Prison Journal Probation Journal Punishment & Society: The International Journal Security Journal Social Forces Social Justice Social Problems Social Science Quarterly Theoretical Criminology Trauma, Violence, & Abuse: A Review Journal Violence and Victims Violence Against Women Western Criminology Review Women and Criminal Justice 9 9

10 College of Health and Human Services policies Final Exam: According to Academic Senate policy F76-12 a time period is set aside at the end of each semester for a formal examination period. All classes are expected to meet during the final examination period whether an examination is given or not. The final examination schedule is published each semester in the Class Schedule. CHSS Withdrawal Policy: The last day to drop a class is February 7 th, 2014 at midnight. Starting February 8 th April 25 th, 2014 you must submit a withdrawal petition. Withdrawal from a class starting February 8 th, 2014 will be considered for serious and compelling reasons only and must have accompanying documentation. The following reasons are not considered serious and compelling: Changing your major, poor performance, class not required for graduation/major, or more time needed for other classes. If you wish to withdraw from class due to unexpected changes in your work schedule, illness or family emergencies, documentation will be required, along with a copy of unofficial transcripts. If you are requesting a withdrawal, bring your petition and appropriate documentation to the instructor. From April 26 th May 16 th, 2014 you may not withdraw from a class or the University, except in the case of a serious documented illness or verified accident. CR/NC Option: March 21 st, 2014 (by midnight) is the last day to request the CR/NC option. The Associate Dean will not approve requests for changes if you miss this deadline. Late Add Policy: The period to add classes via permit numbers is January 27 th - February 7 th (midnight), The period to add classes by Exception (2 nd set of permit numbers) is February 8 th - 21 st, It is your responsibility to procure a late permit number from your instructor and add the class. Faculty cannot add you into a class. Starting February 22 nd, 2014 a Waiver of College Regulations form must be signed by your instructor, Chair and CHSS Associate Dean to add. This will be approved only if there was an administrative error. Check your registration through SF State Gateway: Sign up for CR/NC, drop and add classes by the appropriate deadline online through SF State Gateway. ALWAYS check your registration after making any changes and BEFORE deadlines to be sure you are registered properly for your classes. This is a student responsibility. Deadlines for all registration procedures, including withdrawals and requests for credit/no credit, are listed in the class schedule and will be strictly adhered to by the instructor, the Department Chair and the Associate Dean of College of Health & Social Sciences. This can be viewed on the Registration Calendar at the following website: Disability Programs and Resource Center: Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor. The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the reasonable accommodations process. The DPRC, located in SSB 110, can be reached by telephone at (voice/tty) or by at dprc@sfsu.edu. 10

11 PLACEMENT FORM CJ 680; FIELD COURSE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDIES SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTORS: KEN WALSH, , LIZ BROWN, Selection of a placement in the field and actually obtaining that placement are essential activities in this course. Faculty will counsel and assist, but these tasks are the responsibility of the student. This form must be word processed and returned to the CJ office no later than due date. STUDENT: NUMBER: AGENCY: ADDRESS: SUPERVISOR: TITLE: SUPERVISOR S SIGNATURE: STUDENT S REGULAR HOURS (Weekly): STUDENT S ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES: 11