Criminal Justice (CJ)

An overview of the criminal justice system emphasizing the challenges of crime control in a democratic society. Students develop an understanding of how the branches of criminal justice work as a system, and explores current and future opportunities in criminal justice and related fields. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 1010. Falls, Winterims, Springs, Summers.

(proposed new) Examines the history, organization, roles, and challenges of policing in the United States. Topics may include selection, socialization, discretion, misconduct, use of force, police-community relations, and accountability. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 3050 or CJ 3055. Springs and Falls.

Covers the fundamental topics in criminal procedure (both investigation and adjudication). Students explore the law and legal issues relating to the criminal process both out-of-court (such as law enforcement encounters, search and seizure, and arrest and custody) and in-court (sometimes called “bail to jail”). Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 2040.

Introductory level course provides a review of contemporary institutional and community-based correctional systems including jails, prisons, probation, parole, and alternative sanctioning at both the adult and juvenile level. Specific attention is given to identification of risk assess systems and evidence-based practices and programs in all aspects of the correctional system as well as the purposes of these punishments. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 2070.

A scientific study of crime and its control, including types of crime, patterns of criminal offending and victimization, and theories of crime and delinquency. Falls, Winterims, Springs, Summers. Also offered as SO 2080.

Covers the fundamental topics in substantive criminal law. Students explore the law and legal issues relating to the purposes of criminal law, classification of crimes, proof of facts, general principles of criminal responsibility, specific crimes against persons and property, public order crimes, inchoate crimes and group criminality, and defenses to crimes. Falls and Springs.

See SO 2405 for course description. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 2400.

The investigation of crimes in the field from the time of the initial response to preparing reports and preparation for testimony; management of the crime science, methods of interview and interrogation of witnesses and suspects, the use of informant, and the techniques of surveillance are explored as they may vary depending upon the crime being investigated. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 3000. Springs.

Introduces students to the nature and extent of cybercrime and the response of the criminal justice system. Employs past and present cybercrime cases as a pathway to show how theories (both micro/macro- level) of crime are applied. Major theories can be re-developed and applied to cybercrime. Students develop and explore different strategies for future law enforcement. Spring of odd years.

A presentation of the techniques, skills and limitations of the modern crime laboratory. Discussions of the recognition, collection, preservation, and analysis of physical evidence. Emphasis on the nature of physical evidence and the limitations that technology and present knowledge impose on characterization. Experiments involving DNA, fingerprinting, shoe impressions, arson, firearms, hair and fabric analysis involving modern technology like GC-MS, FTIR.

A critical examination of the intersection of race class, crime, and the administration of justice in America. These are critical issues in American criminal justice and are consistently revealed in the arrest, prosecution, sentencing, wrongful convictions, incarceration of racial minorities and capital punishment. Surveys historical and contemporary issues associated with this intersection from a socio-legal perspective. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 3070. (DICO)

An examination of the nature and extent of children as crime victims and as crime perpetrators. Topics include child development, children as eyewitnesses, the juvenile justice and child protective services systems, predictors of youth violence, and the relationship between child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency. Falls Odd.

Students are tasked with analyzing how ethics and morality intersect with the criminal justice system and in turn effect society. Explores ethical theories and legal concepts, with particular attention to legal issues connected to race, class, and gender. Students are expected to apply interdisciplinary concepts in order to demonstrate their mastery of general education skills. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ/PY 3155. Offered as PY or CJ 3157. Falls. (DICO)

Prerequisite(s): Junior Status.

An introduction to the techniques and procedures used in the process of criminal justice research. Emphasis on developing informed consumers of criminal justice research and potential producers of criminal justice data. Contributes to a foundation of problem solving techniques, critical thinking, and scholarly writing within the disciplines of criminal justice. Not open to students who have earned credits for CJ 4400. Springs and Falls. (WRCO)

An exploration of statistical analyses designed to equip students of criminal justice with the skills necessary to analyze and interpret data. Principal learning goals include selecting the most appropriate statistical tests to answer research questions, understanding fundamentals of data management, analyzing data using statistical software, and properly interpreting the results. Emphasizes summarizing and presenting data in a professional environment. Springs and Falls. (QRCO) (TECO)

Prerequisite(s): CJ 3225 or CJ 3401.

An in-depth examination of theories of crime, including evaluation of varying theoretical perspectives and applications to criminal justice policy. Falls, Winterims, Springs, Summers. Also offered as SO 3270.

Prerequisite(s): CJ 2080 or SO 2080.

This course provides an examination of the interconnectedness of mental health issues and the justice system. Topics include police interaction with individuals experiencing mental health issues as victims, offenders, as well as noncriminal events resulting in police response. The role of the correctional system to exacerbate and/or treat mental health issues is addressed. Best practices and model programs are examined. Springs Odd.

An examination of counter terrorism and homeland security efforts critical to the mission of criminal justice agencies in the post 9-11 world. Attention is paid to vulnerability assessments and prevention efforts as well as the response, mitigation, and management of critical incidents, including terrorism and natural disasters. Special attention is paid to civil rights issues. Not open to students who have earned credits for CJ 3400.

Technology is critical to the criminal justice system’s ability to achieve objectives related to crime prevention, force protection, suspect apprehension, and resiliency. The course details legal and ethical issues for emerging and established technology. Topics may include officer protection, crime prevention, critical incident management, and threat analysis (NBC, drones, and cyber). Students will demonstrate writing appropriate for the discipline. Not open to students who have earned credit for CJ 1050 or CJ 1060. Springs and Falls. (TECO) (WRCO)

Examines crime and justice from a gendered perspective. Explores the nature and extent of women’s and girls’ involvement in the criminal justice system as offenders, victims, and employees, theories of female criminality and victimization, and issues relating to law that disproportionately affect women. An applied project is required. Not open to students who have earned credits for CJ 3510. (DICO) (GACO)

An examination of restorative justice applications in the juvenile justice system. Covers the fundamentals of restorative justice, theoretically and in practice with an emphasis on use in prevention programs, community-based intervention and institutional settings. Includes a 10-hour field observation/participation component in an approved setting outside of class, arranged individually with the instructor. Spring of even years.

Examines specialized topic areas in criminal justice which are not covered in significant depth in regularly scheduled course offerings. May be repeated with a different topic for no more than 12 credits.

Addresses job search strategies and skills for Criminal Justice majors. Students understand the process of self-marketing, seeking, and gaining employment while effectively transitioning from college to the workplace.

An opportunity to learn while gaining relevant work experience in a host organization. The primary objective is to expand n the student’s depth of understanding by integrating acquired principles within the context of an operating organization. Students observe and participate in activities to gain experience and an understanding of the role of the institution and its contribution to the overall criminal justice effort. The experience contributes to personal and professional development and an enhancement of self-confidence and maturity. The internship is a supervised assignment with planned objectives and a prescribed number of working hours for which academic credit is earned. Internships are arranged to meet the specific goals of the student and are reserved for the student who has demonstrated self-discipline, motivation and academic success. Open to Junior and Seniors who have completed the appropriate courses to justify the position. Repeatable for a maximum of 15 credits. Arranged.

Prerequisite(s): (Junior or Senior status) and permission of the faculty supervisor.

A capstone seminar that focuses on major contemporary issues currently impacting the criminal justice field locally, nationally, and internationally. Students explore criminal justice policy and practice through the lenses of criminological theory and research, applying skills and knowledge acquired throughout their course of study. Emphasis is placed on preparing students for the next phase of their academic or professional career. Not open to students who have earned credits for CJ 4800. Springs and Falls.

Prerequisite(s): (CJ 2080 or SO 2080) and (CJ 3225 or CJ 3401). (WRCO)

An opportunity to work with a professor in a focused research project related to an issue of criminal justice. The work may be a field study, a study of the literature or both. Generally students explore an area of interest offered in a course to a greater depth or expand their knowledge to an area not covered in a catalog course. The goal of the work is usually a publishable contribution to the literature that will be submitted to a regional or national criminal justice academic or professional group. Open to Juniors and Seniors who have completed the appropriate courses to justify the position. May be repeated for a total of no more than 6 credits. Consent required of the instructor who will supervise the independent study and the Department Chair.