Introduction to Criminal Justice Fall 2012 CJS

Transcription

1 Introduction to Criminal Justice Fall 2012 CJS Instructor: Dr. Wendi Pollock Office: LAN Room 108 Telephone: Class Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 8:00-9:15 A.M. Classroom: Ferguson Liberal Arts Room 179 Office Hours MW 11-12P.M. and 2-3 P.M.; TTH 12:30-2 P.M., or By Appointment Required Text: Samaha, J. (2006). Criminal Justice. (7 th Ed.) Thomson Higher Education: Belmont, CA. Course Protection and Intellectual Property: My personal work contained in this syllabus, the course calendar, and all handouts and assignments created by me are my intellectual property and are protected by law. You do not have authorization to duplicate any part of the work without my written permission. Course Description: This course will introduce students to the criminal justice system. It will start with a brief look at theoretical ideas of why people commit crime and then move to how crime is defined and measured. From there it will walk the student through the funnel of justice, from police intake, through the court system, to a correctional output; with all of the possible exits along the way. It will examine the interaction of the system and its players and how that system balances the rights of an accused individual with the rights of the larger society to be protected.

2 Program Learning Objectives: The learning outcomes specifically outlined in the Criminal Justice Learning Outcomes Matrix by Course for CJS 101 include: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the three major components of the CJS, and the concepts of policing, corrections, courts, juvenile justice, probation and parole, and victimology. The student will demonstrate a fundamental understanding of human behavior from a historical, criminological and sociological perspective. Grading: Exam 1 20% = A Exam 2 20% = B Exam 3 20% = C Exam 4 20% = D Quizzes 20% 59 & Below = F 100% Quizzes: During the course of the semester, five (5) unannounced quizzes will be administered. They will cumulatively be worth 20% of your final grade. Exams: Exams will consist of multiple choice and true/false questions. All exams cover approximately the same amount of information and there are no comprehensive exams. Students are expected to bring a standard (882) scantron with them on the day of the scheduled exam. Please note that while four exams are given, only the top three exams will count for your grade average. The lowest exam will be dropped. Participation & Attendance: You are expected to be in class daily, on time. Individuals who are more than ten minutes late will not be allowed to enter the classroom. Though attendance is not an official part of your grade, it will be taken daily for two reasons: (1) the information is reported to the university and can be used against you in future determinations of financial aid allowances, and (2) if you do not attend, you will be responsible for what you miss. Taking attendance allows me to know if you simply need more explanation or if you are asking questions because you were not there when the topic was covered. Please make sure that a

3 classmate will be getting you notes and assignment information before you miss a class. Make-Up Exams: There will be four exams total, including the final. The lowest exam grade will be dropped. Accordingly there will be no make-up exams allowed. If you miss an exam (even with a legitimate excuse such as illness or a family emergency), it will be the exam that gets dropped. If you miss two exams, you will need to drop the course and retake it when you can be present, as you will have missed too much of the materials to pass the course. Academic Honesty: Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in the academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty (including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion and the abuse of resource materials), in any phase of academic work, will be subject to disciplinary action. Please familiarize yourself with the complete university policy at: Cellphones, Laptops, Ipods Etc.: All communication style or general noise making devises should be off or on silent during class. If you have an emergency situation or if you are on call from a professional position, please let me know before class begins. Some exceptions will, of course, be allowed in these cases. If you decide that, for any reason, you must send or receive a call or text, please leave the classroom to do so. If you are texting in my class, I consider this rude and I reserve the right to confiscate your cell phone until the end of the class session. Because of the capabilities of modern cell phones, if you have a phone out on your desk for any reason, during an exam, it is assumed that you are cheating on the exam and will result in a zero on that test. Disabled Student Policy: Please meet with me if you have need for accommodations based on a disability. I will be happy to work with you to make any necessary arrangements. Please feel free to speak to me about it, even if you have only a minor request. For a full version of the disabled student policy, go to:

4 Withheld Grades: Ordinarily, at the discretion of the instructor of record and with the approval of the academic chair/director, a grade of WH will be assigned only if the student cannot complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must complete the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which they receive a WH, or the grade automatically becomes an F. If students register for the same course in future terms the WH will automatically become an F and will be counted as a repeated course for the purpose of computing the grade point average. Student Behavior: Classroom behavior should not interfere with the instructor s ability to conduct the class or the ability of other students to learn from the instructional program (see the Student Conduct Code, policy D-34.1). Unacceptable or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Students who disrupt the learning environment may be asked to leave the class and may be subject to judicial, academic, or other penalties. This prohibition applies to all instructional forums, including electronic, classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The instructor shall have full discretion over what behavior is appropriate/inappropriate in the classroom. Students who do not attend class regularly or who perform poorly on class projects/exams may be referred to the Early Alert Program. This program provides students with recommendations for resources or other assistance that is available to help SFA students succeed. Course Calendar: Please note that this schedule is tentative as we may need to spend more time on some topics than others. Date Topic Required Chapters Aug 28 -Introduction None -Syllabus Aug 30 -Different types of crimes, overview of the current Ch 2 system, and the funnel of criminal justice Sept 4 - The way crime is measured Ch 2 Sept 6 -Proposed explanations for criminal behavior Ch 3 Sept Purpose, origin, and the elements of law Ch 4 Sept. 13 -EXAM 1 CH 2-4

5 Sept. 18 -History and organization of police Ch 5 Sept History and organization of police Ch 5 Sept Police strategies Ch 6 Sept Legal responsibilities of police officers Ch 7 Oct. 2 - Legal responsibilities of police officers Ch 7 Oct. 4 -EXAM 2 Ch 5-7 Oct. 9 -Video: My Cousin Vinny None Oct. 11 -Video: My Cousin Vinny None Oct. 16 -Video conclusion Ch 8 - History and organization of courts Oct History and organization of courts Ch 8 Oct. 23 -Pre-trial proceedings/courtroom workgroup Ch 8 & 9 Oct Pre-trial proceedings/courtroom workgroup Ch 8 & 9 Oct Disposition and Sentencing Ch 10 & 11 Nov. 1 EXAM 3 Ch 8-11 Nov. 6 -History of Control Ch 13 Nov. 8 -Community Corrections Ch 12 Nov. 13 -Community Corrections Ch 12 Nov Females in Prison Ch 13 Nov Females in Prison Ch 13 Nov Thanksgiving Holiday None Nov 27 -Life inside prison walls (Males) Ch 14 Nov 29 -Life inside prison walls Ch 14 Dec. 4 -The juvenile justice system Ch 15 Dec. 6 -OPEN (We will have class this day

6 but it allows for schedule shifting) Dec Final Exam Week (EXAM 4) Ch 13-15