This course will be an introduction to the criminal justice system in the United States. Crime, criminals, victims, explanations of criminal behavior, law and the criminal justice system, policing strategies, police and the law, courts and courtroom workgroups, proceedings before trial, conviction by trial and guilty pleas, sentencing, community corrections, prisons and jails, prison life and juvenile justice are the topics that will be covered.

The scope of victimology, gauging the extent of criminal victimization, the costs of being a victim, remedying the plight of victims, restorative justice, victimization at work and school, and victim rights will be studied. Criminology and crime theory, different perspectives— classical, biological, psychological, and sociological – and measuring crime will be examined.

This course will introduce students to the principles of policing in the United States from its inception to the present. Police ethics, discretion, stress, culture, work, patrol operations, criminal and internal investigations, promotions, professional development and community policing will be examined.

The fundamentals of effective and professional criminal investigations will be studied, through the lens of the elements of criminal law. Crime scene procedures, evidence collection and preservation, forensic science technology, interview and interrogation techniques, use of informants to obtain information and intelligence, surveillance methods, writing comprehensive reports, identifying and arresting suspects, legal searches and the Fourth Amendment, investigating violent crimes against persons as well as property will be covered within this course.

Criminal Procedure will be examined with an emphasis on the varying, and sometimes conflicting, roles of professionals in law enforcement, including police, probation, parole, corrections, homeland security, and court administration. The course will cover police stop-and-frisks, probable cause, arrest, search and seizure, search warrants and affidavits, Miranda Rights, confessions and interrogations, line-ups and show-ups, investigations, informants, plain view doctrine, consent, exigent circumstances, right to counsel, due process, entrapment, and the exclusionary rule.

The basic organization and objectives of the American correctional system will be examined. Local, state, federal and private sector correctional systems and practices will be studied. Special categories of correctional clients – male, female, juvenile, sex offenders, mentally and physically disabled or challenged, geriatric, and HIV – will be considered.

This course builds a bridge from students’ general education to the work they do in the field of criminal justice. With the aim of preparing students for both professional life and graduate work, this writing-intensive course introduces disciplinary strategies for investigating provocative issues and for communicating to others about them. In this way, the course offers students time to learn and to practice more advanced skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening; in using appropriate software support in presentations; and in mastering information literacy in the field of criminal justice. The course emphasizes fundamental principles of communication with time-on-task and real world, discipline-specific models for communication tasks.

Topics of study will include the burden of proof and burden of production for criminal trials, probation hearings, and parole violations; forms of criminal evidence; relevance; competency; direct and circumstantial evidence; exculpatory evidence; identification; authentication; expert testimony; admissions and confessions; the Hearsay Rule and its exceptions; character evidence; alibi evidence; and privileged communications. Criminal courtroom procedure, witness preparation, and both Grand Jury and courtroom testimony will be discussed. Multiple actual criminal case studies will be utilized throughout this course.

This course will explore the different roles and responsibilities of the probation and parole officer in the criminal justice system. Emphasis will be placed on understanding an integrated model of supervision, developing of effective treatment plans, aftercare services, sanctions for non-compliance. The interplay between the police, prosecutors, judges, prison personnel, probation and parole officers will be examined.

The purpose of this course is to give the student dual insight into offender treatment and victim advocacy through a holistic approach to restorative justice. During this course, students will examine a variety of social issues that contribute to the rise in adult offenders, treatment of the criminal population, and opportunities for victims in terms of acknowledgement, acceptance, and recovery.

This course will consist of an overview of the juvenile justice system in the U.S. The history and origins of juvenile court, causes of delinquency, the legal rights of juveniles, juveniles and the police, juvenile court trials and dispositions, juveniles in adult court, probation and dispositional alternatives, juvenile corrections, custodial sanctions and parole, and restorative justice will be considered.

Ethical dilemmas frequently encountered by professionals--police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, parole officers, court officers, judges and correctional officers--within the criminal justice system will be thoughtfully explored within a discussion based classroom setting.

Students receive supervised training from practicing professionals, normally during their senior year. Learning is achieved through observation and/or direct participation. Students are placed appropriately in settings that apply to their individual career and educational objectives. Sites may include, for example: federal and state law enforcement agencies; the District Attorney’s Office, Attorney General’s Office, or U.S. Attorney’s Office; state and federal Public Defender’s Offices; state and federal courts; municipal and state police departments; victim/witness assistance units; correctional facilities; state and federal probation and parole offices; and corporate security departments.

Students receive supervised training from practicing professionals, normally during their senior year. Learning is achieved through observation and/or direct participation. Students are placed appropriately in settings that apply to their individual career and educational objectives. Sites may include, for example: federal and state law enforcement agencies; the District Attorney’s Office, Attorney General’s Office, or U.S. Attorney’s Office; state and federal Public Defender’s Offices; state and federal courts; municipal and state police departments; victim/witness assistance units; correctional facilities; state and federal probation and parole offices; and corporate security departments.