Course Title: Computer Applications in Criminal Justice Course Prefix: CRJS Course No.: 2813 Section No.: 001 Department of Justice Studies College of Juvenile Justice & Psychology Instructor Name: Camille Gibson Office Location: Don Clark 358 Office Phone: 936-261-5228 Fax: 936-261-5249 Email Address: cbgibson@pvamu.edu U.S. Postal Service Address: Prairie View A&M University P.O. Box 519 Mail Stop MS 2600 Prairie View, TX 77446 Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; Tuesday noon-4:00p.m.; other times by appointment. Course Location: Don Clark room 260 Class Meeting Days & Times: Monday and Wednesday 2:00 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. Catalog Description: CRJS 2813: Computer Applications in Criminal Justice Credit 3. An introduction to the interface necessary for functioning effectively in various aspects of criminal justice. The course also examines how the use of computers has changed the process of maintaining law and order nationally and internationally. It includes a review of social engineering techniques (ways that people might enhance personal and institutional security) and the field of computer forensics. Prerequisite: N/A. Required Text: System Forensics, Investigation, and Response (2011) by John Vacca and K. Rudolph. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning or Computer Forensics: Cybercriminals, Laws and Evidence (2012) by Marie-Helen Maras. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. Recommended Text/Readings: Techno Security s Guide to Managing Risks (2007) by Jack Wiles & Russ Rogers (Editors). Syngress, Elsevier. Note: Articles will be assigned as additional readings. Access to Learning Resources: PVAMU Library: phone: (936) 261-1500; web: http://www.tamu.edu/pvamu/library/ University Bookstore: phone: (936) 261-1990; web: https://www.bkstr.com/home/10001-10734-1?demokey=d The Writing Center is in Hilliard Hall. The Tutoring Center is on the second floor of the library. Tutoring in criminal justice and statistics is available from Juvenile Justice doctoral students. Visit Don Clark room 342 for the times.
Course Goals or Overview: The goal of this course is to introduce students to the field of computer forensics and the use of computer technology in various aspects of the criminal justice field. Course Outcomes/Objectives At the end of this course, the student will - have knowledge of how computers have affected various segments of the field of criminal justice - have knowledge of recent advances and common practices in computer forensics - have the ability to assemble a computer - have sufficient knowledge of common computer interface to independently improve their adeptness with each program introduced Course Requirements & Evaluation Methods This course will utilize the following instruments to determine student grades and proficiency of the learning outcomes for the course. Four exams (Exam I worth 23%; Exam II worth 5%; Exam III and IV each worth 25% of the final grade). Exam II requires that you demonstrate how to put a computer together; Exams I, III, and IV will have approximately 30 questions. They may have both an open book and a closed book component. It is assumed that each student will have the textbook. These questions may be a mixture of multiple choice, true/false, matching, short answer and short essay items. It is most ill-advised to miss any of the exams. Students will be permitted to take a make-up ONLY in instances of a documented emergency (i.e. death of someone close, hospitalization of oneself or one s child or spouse for a near death situation, surprise work audit, etc.). Expect the make-ups to be more challenging than regularly scheduled exams. Webpage offering an Analysis of a Computer Forensic Criminal Investigation Case (worth 12% of the final grade). Students will be assigned to work in pairs on researching a legal case in which computer forensics was important and to create a webpage of the information. The project involves critiquing the investigative choices involved (consider how the investigators might have done a better job). The page is to be presented to the class for review and critique towards the end of the semester for about 15 minutes. Sources of information must be clearly indicated. Exact quotes must be acknowledged as such. Students will be graded on the ability to work as a team, the quality of the information presented and the quality of the website. The case should be pre-approved by the instructor. It should have at least 400 words. A good presentation will be innovative, thorough, concise and clear. An unexcused absence on the presentation date will result in a grade of zero. Assignments (worth 10% of the final grade). There will be periodic assignments throughout the semester. Grading Matrix Instrument Value (points or percentages) Total Examination I 23 23% Examination 05 05% Examination 25 25% Examination 25 25% Case Analysis 12 12% Assignments 10 10% Total: 100 100% Grade Determination: A = 100 90pts;
Course Procedures B = 89 80pts; C = 79 70pts; D = 69 60pts; F = 59 pts or below NOTE: Syllabi subject to change with advance notice. Tardiness and absenteeism are NOT encouraged a considerable amount of information will be covered each week. Of course, classes will begin on time. If for some reason you will be absent for more than one class during the semester, call the instructor to let her know. YOU are responsible for materials covered in any classes that you miss. The instructor will be available for clarification on lecture materials. Please see the latest version of the undergraduate handbook for the university attendance policy. * You need a flashdrive for class. Late assignments are discouraged and may result in a grade penalty. Expect no extra credit assignments. With instructor approval, attending a lecture on campus that has relevance to the course may earn you points towards the final grade (submit proof of attendance (e.g. program and, or summary of the event). Incompletes are rarely given. Please see the university handbook for the university policy on the assignment of incomplete grades. NOTE: Students who have a failing average in a course cannot receive an incomplete grade. Academic misconduct: (e.g. plagiarism, cheating) [see Student Handbook] will not be tolerated!!! Anyone caught engaging in any such activities FAILS the course!!! Criminal Justice demands persons of impeccable integrity. * If you encounter problems in meeting any of these requirements, do not hesitate to utilize my office hours. Submission of Assignments: Written assignments should be typed, double-spaced and in APA format per the 6th edition of the manual. Assignments are due as indicated. They may be required to also be submitted electronically into an electronic program to be announced. Late penalty = 3% points off of the final grade. Formatting Documents: Microsoft Word is the standard word processing tool used at PVAMU. If you are using other word processors, be sure to use the save as tool and save the document in either the Microsoft Word, Rich-Text, or plain text format. The format for the case briefs will be disseminated. Professional Organizations and Journals Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice. American Society of Criminology Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Administrative Dates: Last day for adding classes - Friday, September 2, 2011 Registration cancelled for non-payment - Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Last day to withdraw from course(s) without receiving a grade of W Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Late deadline to apply for Fall 2011 graduation Tuesday, September 13, 2011. Last day to withdraw from a course with automatic grade of W Monday, November 7, 2011. Early registration for Spring 2012 begins Tuesday, November 15, 2011
16 WEEK CALENDAR Week One: Aug. 29 & 31: Review of the syllabus; cybercrime and an overview of computer applications in criminal justice; criminal justice education and technology (common software: graphics, spreadsheets, data analysis and data management programs).. Chapter 1: (Maras) Entering the World of Cybercrime. Chapter 1: (Vacca & Rudolph) System Forensics Fundamentals. Assignment: Secure contact information for your group members on the analysis project. Week Two: Sept. 5 & 7: What is computer forensics? Why computer forensics? Basic hardware: Putting a computer together. Chapter 2: (Maras) An Introduction to Computer Forensic Investigations and Electronic Evidence. Chapter 2: (Vacca & Rudolph) Overview of Computer Crime. Week Three: Sept. 12 & 14: Putting a computer together (cont.); social engineering risks, threats, vulnerabilities and countermeasures. Chapter 6: (Maras) Understanding the Computer-Networking Environment. Chapter 3: (Vacca & Rudolph) Challenges of System Forensics. Week Four: Sept. 19 & 21: Laws regulating access to electronic evidence. Chapter 3: (Maras) Laws Regulating Access to Electronic Evidence Chapter 4: (Maras) Searches and Seizures of Computers and Electronic Evidence Week Five: Sept. 26 & 28: Examinations. NOTE: Sept. 26: Examination I; Sept. 28: Examination II (by individual appointment sign-up for a time slot on Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning or during Wednesday s class time). Week Six: Oct. 3 & 5: RFID; retail anti-loss technology; law enforcement technology utilization extent and purpose; mapping (GIS), centralized information; biometrics - computer image verification and authentication; reconstructing past events. Chapter 5: (Maras) Cybercrime Laws. Chapter 4: (Vacca & Rudolph) Forensics Methods and Labs. Week Seven: Oct. 10 & 12: Open source intelligence; defensive strategies for governments, industry, and individuals; information warfare arsenal and tactics of the military; data recovery; evidence collection and data seizure; duplication and preservation of digital evidence. Chapter 7: (Maras) Where is the Electronic Evidence and Which Tool Can We Use to Find it? Chapter 5: (Vacca & Rudolph) System Forensic Technologies. Chapter 11: (Vacca & Rudolph) Performing Network Analysis Assignment due: Use of technology in various aspects of criminal justice. Week Eight: Oct. 17 & 19: What investigators should do at the scene; information warfare arsenal and tactics of terrorists, rogues and private companies. Chapter 8: (Maras) Crime and Incident Scene: What Should an Investigator Do? Chapter 6: (Vacca & Rudolph) Controlling a Forensic Investigation
Chapter 7: (Vacca & Rudolph) Collecting, Seizing, and Protecting Evidence. Week Nine: Oct. 24 & 26: No-tech hacking; insider threat. Chapter 9: (Maras) Corporate Crimes and Policy: Violations Involving Computers: How to Conduct A Corporate Investigation. Chapter 12: (Vacca & Rudolph) Searching Memory in Real Time with Live Stream Forensics. Chapter 13: (Vacca & Rudolph) Incident and Intrusion Response. Assignment due: Wednesday, Oct. 26 th draft of your project submit a printout. Week Ten: Oct. 31 & Nov. 2: What is steganography? Introduction to steganography computer forensics tools. Chapter 10: (Maras) E-Mail Forensics Chapter 8: (Vacca & Rudolph) Understanding Information-Hiding Techniques. NOTE: EXAM III: Wednesday, Nov. 2 nd Week Eleven: Nov. 7 & 9: Data recovery, collection and seizure: mobile phones and PDAs. Chapter 11: (Maras) Network Forensics Chapter 12: (Maras) Mobile Phones and PDAs in Computer Forensics Investigations Chapter 9: (Vacca & Rudolph) Recovering Data. Chapter 10: (Vacca & Rudolph) Investigating and Scrutinizing E-Mail. Assignment due: Wednesday, November 9 th : Steganography exercise. Week Twelve: Nov. 14 & 16: The investigation and prosecution of cybercrime. Chapter 13: (Maras) The Pretrial and Courtroom Experiences of a Computer Forensics Investigator Chapter 14: (Vacca & Rudolph) Trends and Future Directions Chapter 15: (Vacca & Rudolph) System Forensics Resources Week Thirteen: Nov. 21: Project presentations {November 23 no class likely early university dismissal}. Week Fourteen: Nov. 28 & 30: Project presentations. Assignment: Projects due November 30 th (hard copy and electronic submissions). Week Fifteen: Dec. 5: Course review day; {December 7: No class University Study Day}. Week Sixteen: December 12 at 1:30 p.m.: EXAMINATION IV (final). University Rules and Procedures Disability statement (See Student Handbook): Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in class should register with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) early in the semester so that appropriate arrangements may be made. In accordance with federal laws, a student requesting special accommodations must provide documentation of their disability to the SSD coordinator. Academic misconduct (See Student Handbook):
You are expected to practice academic honesty in every aspect of this course and all other courses. Make sure you are familiar with your Student Handbook, especially the section on academic misconduct. Students who engage in academic misconduct are subject to university disciplinary procedures. Forms of academic dishonesty: 1. Cheating: deception in which a student misrepresents that he/she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he/she has not mastered; giving or receiving aid unauthorized by the instructor on assignments or examinations. 2. Academic misconduct: tampering with grades or taking part in obtaining or distributing any part of a scheduled test. 3. Fabrication: use of invented information or falsified research. 4. Plagiarism: unacknowledged quotation and/or paraphrase of someone else s words, ideas, or data as one s own in work submitted for credit. Failure to identify information or essays from the Internet and submitting them as one s own work also constitutes plagiarism. Non-academic misconduct (See Student Handbook) The university respects the rights of instructors to teach and students to learn. Maintenance of these rights requires campus conditions that do not impede their exercise. Campus behavior that interferes with either (1) the instructor s ability to conduct the class, (2) the inability of other students to profit from the instructional program, or (3) campus behavior that interferes with the rights of others will not be tolerated. An individual engaging in such disruptive behavior may be subject to disciplinary action. Such incidents will be adjudicated by the Dean of Students under nonacademic procedures. Sexual misconduct (See Student Handbook) Sexual harassment of students and employers at Prairie View A&M University is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any member of the university community violating this policy will be subject to disciplinary action. Attendance Policy Prairie View A&M University requires regular class attendance. Excessive absences will result in lowered grades. Excessive absenteeism, whether excused or unexcused, may result in a student s course grade being reduced or in assignment of a grade of F. Absences are accumulated beginning with the first day of class. Student Academic Appeals Process Authority and responsibility for assigning grades to students rests with the faculty. However, in those instances where students believe that miscommunication, errors, or unfairness of any kind may have adversely affected the instructor's assessment of their academic performance, the student has a right to appeal by the procedure listed in the Undergraduate Catalog and by doing so within thirty days of receiving the grade or experiencing any other problematic academic event that prompted the complaint.