Criminal Justice

A survey of the various institutions by which the criminal justice system is administered: the police, the legal profession, the court systems, and the penal institutions. The problems which the criminal justice system faces and evaluation of the adequacy of the existing system will be given emphasis.

The organization and content of criminal law with attention given to its origin and development and the elements of crimes of various types. Specific attention will be given the Model Penal Code.

A variable content course for intermediate students who will study in depth a specific topic of interest in criminal justice, such as the death penalty, private prisons, sentencing reforms, gun control, intermediate sanctions, or a number of other topics.

A study of the balance of power and resources of the government and the liberties of citizens as provided for in the U.S. Constitution. The course focuses on arrest and search issues, but proceeds to examine questions related to pre-trial and trial processes and concerns for fundamental fairness. Attention is given to power and limits of power as they apply to persons in the criminal justice system.

This course examines the history and structure of the American court system.  Understood as one of the primary institutions within the criminal justice system, emphasis will be placed on exploring the values, traditions and philosophy of the courts. 

This course presents the historical patterns of response to crime and modern methods of dealing with criminally-defined behavior, including the major reactive models. Also examined are treatment approaches in corrections, corrections personnel, and corrections as an institutional system.

This course will rely on a variety of scholarly materials to answer that and other related questions such as why do we have police? What is the role of the police in a democratic society? What do we want the police to do? Who decides what the police do? How do we want the police to do their job? The course will also address other key issues including: (1) the history of the American police; (2) the nature of police work; (3) the police as agents of social control; (4) the structure and function of police organizations; (5) police misconduct; and, (6) police accountability.

A variable content course for advanced students who will study in depth a specific topic of interest in criminal justice, such as the death penalty, private prisons, sentencing reforms, gun control, intermediate sanctions, or a number of other topics.

The capstone experience for all majors in the department, the primary emphasis of this course will be writing the senior thesis.  An oral presentation of the thesis is required for this course.