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Criminal Justice Studies |
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CJS 101 - Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies Semester Hours: 4
This course is designed as an introduction to the U.S. criminal justice system; including, but not limited to the history of the U.S. criminal justice system, foundational aspects of law, various components of law enforcement, the criminal court process and the practice of corrections. We will approach and discuss various issues related to crime, prosecution and corrections from a sociological perspective. The main goal of this course is to develop a general understanding of the history and current composition of the criminal justice system, as well as how it interfaces with individuals and societal intuitions.
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CJS 199 - Experimental Course Semester Hours: 1-4
Experimental course.
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CJS 200 - Studies in Criminology and Criminal Justice Semester Hours: 4
This course will deal with specific aspects of criminology and the criminal justice system not included in the regular curriculum. Topics will be announced prior to registration.
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CJS 201 - Juvenile Delinquency and Justice Semester Hours: 4
An exploration of juvenile misconduct and its legal consequences. Theories explaining juvenile delinquency from a variety of perspectives will be examined. The emergence and present state of the juvenile justice system will be covered as well. Meets Social Thought and Tradition Intellectual Perspective requirement (ST).
Intellectual Perspective: ST
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CJS 202 - Criminology Semester Hours: 4
The growing field of Criminology is interdisciplinary. This course utilizes both structural and individualistic approaches to examine aspects of crime; including, but not limited to the social and physical characteristics of community networks and the influence of personal demographics like (perceived) age, gender, race, ethnicity and social class. We will begin by examining the prevalent definitions, applications and measurements of crime. We will also discuss some of the popular theoretical explanations for certain types of criminal behavior, as well as victimization. This analysis will culminate in a discussion centered on innovative approaches to reducing crime. Throughout the semester this course will explore the following three questions: 1. Why do crime rates differ across social and geographic locations, and over time?, 2. Why do crime rates differ according to the key dimensions of structured social inequality (i.e. race, ethnicity, social class and gender)?, 3. How and why is the legal response to crime shaped by personal characteristics of the individual offender?
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CJS 203 - Victimology Semester Hours: 2
This course provides an introduction to the study of criminal victimization. We will investigate patterns of criminal victimization using empirical data, apply theoretical concepts to empirical patterns, analyze specific forms of victimization (e.g. intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, property victimization), consider the impact of crime on victims and society (e.g. fear of crime), the role of victims within the criminal justice system, specific remedies, and victim rights and services.
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CJS 204 - Police Semester Hours: 2
This course explores the history, development, current practices and future of the police at the local, state, federal and, at times, global level. Students will receive a basic introduction to the role of the police in a diverse and democratic society, with a focus on police discretion, types of policing and use of force.
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CJS 205 - Criminal Courts Semester Hours: 2
This course focuses on America’s criminal courts. We will discuss the major players in the criminal justice system-defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges-and the ways in which their behavior is influenced by their roles, their experiences on the job and the small group environment. We will also discuss controversial policies in the criminal justice field, paying particular attention to the motivation behind the adoption of such policies and the degree to which the effects of such policies have fulfilled or conflicted with those motivations.
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CJS 206 - Corrections Semester Hours: 2
This course explores the history, development, current practices and future of correctional systems at the local, state, federal and, at times, global level. This course takes a multi-disciplinary view of selected areas and issues relevant to correctional goals (general/specific deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, restitution, retribution and restorative justice) for offenders in secure confinement (jails and prisons) and community-based alternatives to jails and prisons (probation, parole, restitution, community service, intensive probation/parole, electronic monitoring, boot camps and community-corrections programs).
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CJS 207 - The Death Penalty Semester Hours: 2
This course explores the death penalty, the ultimate penalty meted out by the state. The class will address a series of important questions: Which societies have used capital punishment and in what circumstances? Which countries besides the US continue to use the penalty? What methods of execution do states use? What legal standards are applied to the death penalty in the US? Does the death penalty deter crime? What do Americans think about the death penalty? What impact does being on death row have for inmates and their families? What issues of injustice and reform are raised by the use of capital punishment?
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CJS 215 - Drugs and Society Semester Hours: 4
In this class we objectively examine drug-related issues, as informed by historical context, medical research, social scientific theory and data, policy analysis and, briefly, cross-national comparisons. We pay special attention to law enforcement and the corrections systems’ policies and actions around drug use and abuse. Drug controversies around the War on Drugs, legalization of recreational marijuana and use of psychedelic drugs to treat addiction, as well as the opioid epidemic, are given significant attention.
Intellectual Perspective: ST
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CJS 299 - Experimental Course Semester Hours: 1-4
Experimental course.
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CJS 302 - Sociology of Law and Legal Systems Semester Hours: 4
This course tests several common assumptions about the law-that it embodies morality; that it ensures justice; that it serves everyone’s interests; that it constrains behavior; that it can be used to bring about social change. We will compare the law to other forms of social control and consider the utility of law in countries making transitions from violence and repression.
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CJS 303 - Management and Leadership Semester Hours: 4
This course analyzes the organization, management, and administration of local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies with emphasis on how the structure and functions of such agencies, as well as culture, affect the administration of justice.
Prerequisite: 4 semester hours of CJS coursework or permission of instructor.
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CJS 304 - Crime and Law Enforcement in Rural Communities Semester Hours: 4
This course explores the specific ways that crime and law enforcement work in the rural context. Rural areas are often seen as peaceful, orderly places, but they present a range of geographic, cultural and economic opportunities for crime. This course will explore a range of crimes (like poaching and meth production) that have particular ties to rural areas. The course will also explore the particular challenges of providing police protection to rural areas that are different from those faced by officers in urban and suburban jurisdictions.
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CJS 399 - Experimental Course Semester Hours: 1-4
Experimental course.
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CJS 405 - Critical Issues in Policing Semester Hours: 4
This course offers an in-depth investigation of the evolution of law enforcement in the United States, leading into inquiry of a number of current, critical issues shaping policing locally, nationally and internationally. Critical issues examined include: the militarization of U.S. police forces, policing post-conflict cities, technological advances in policing, policing the drug trade in rural and urban America as well as abroad and the increased role of police forces in homeland security.
Prerequisite: 8 semester hours of CJS coursework or permission of instructor.
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CJS 499 - Experimental Course Semester Hours: 1-4
Experimental course.
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CJS 590 - Field Experience/Internship Semester Hours: 1-4
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CJS 620 - Independent Study Semester Hours: 1-4
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CJS 660 - Honors Research Semester Hours: 1-4
Prerequisite: Honors status and departmental approval.
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CJS 670 - Honors Research Semester Hours: 1-4
Prerequisite: Honors status and departmental approval.
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CJS 680 - Honors Research Semester Hours: 1-4
Prerequisite: Honors status and departmental approval.
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CJS 690 - Honors Research Semester Hours: 1-4
Prerequisite: Honors status and departmental approval.
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