CRJ 201 Introduction to Criminal Justice (SS)
An overview of the design and functioning of the criminal justice system in the United States. The nature and extent of crime, criminal procedure, the constitutional basis for due process, principles of the criminal law, and the agencies of criminal justice will be examined.
(Major requirement)
- three semester hours
CRJ 202 Juvenile Justice
Examines philosophy and administration of the juvenile justice system. Incorporates social science research and case law to understand the system. Focus devoted to: (1) history of juvenile justice, (2) theoretical explanations of juvenile delinquency, (3) family, school, and cultural influences on juvenile behavior, and (4) interventions for
juvenile offenders.
(Major requirement)
- three semester hours
CRJ 210 Criminology (SS) (also SOC 210)
Historical and contemporary perspectives on the causes of crime and deviance in society and the treatment of offenders. Major social, psychological, and economic theories will be assessed. Nonbehavioral science perspectives will also be examined. (Major requirement, concentration: criminology)
- three semester hours
CRJ 230 Law Enforcement (SS)
The history and state-of-the-art in evaluating the police role in the community in attempting to balance peace, order and individual rights. Influential theoretical and empirical studies of police discretion, attitudes, and corruption will be examined. Other topics include: the effect of Supreme Court decisions on police practices, evaluating police performance and policewomen.
(Major requirement, concentration: law enforcement)
- three semester hours
CRJ 260 Criminal Procedure
An examination of the constitutional rules and principles that help shape the law of criminal procedure. The issues covered include: pre-trial rights and proceedings, the adversarial system, the right against compelled self-incrimination, and search and seizure. Attention is given to US Supreme Court decisions that interpret and apply federal constitutional provisions to these issues.
(Concentration: Law adjudication)
- three semester hours
CRJ 265 Principles of Justice
Examines criminal punishment as a social and political institution. Critically examines prominent philosophical justifications for criminal punishment, their guiding principles, and their implications for contemporary policy. Explores related principles such as equality, rights, proportionality, and moral desert.
(Major requirement, concentration: law adjudication)
- three semester hours
CRJ 270 Imprisonment and Corrections
Examines the prison within a social, political, and economic context as well as its place within contemporary crime-control debates. Explores the nature of the prison environment, including the prison subculture, violence and its management, correctional officers, and the prospects for reform. Critically evaluates imprisonment’s impact on prisoners and their post-release adjustment, families, and communities.
(Major requirement, concentration: penology)
- three semester hours
CRJ 300 Research Methods (WI)
Experimental and quasi-experimental designs in criminological applications. Sampling, reliability, validity, causality, and other topics will be presented and analyzed. The pros and cons of quantitative research design and measurement.
(Major requirement)
- three semester hours
- fall semester
CRJ 315 Organizational Crime (SS)
The nature, extent, and impact of illicit behavior on the part of corporations, illicit organizations, government agencies, and employees. The causes, enforcement, prosecution, sentencing, and prevention of organized criminal behavior will be examined. Political, white-collar, organized and corporate crime are assessed.
(Concentration: criminology)
- three semester hours
CRJ 320 Comparative Criminal Justice (SS)
An examination of the design, functioning, and legal basis for systems of criminal justice in other countries. An attempt will be made to relate governmental, political, demographic, and economic factors in explaining past and current trends in the adjudication of offenders. Cross-cultural analysis of the causes of crime.
(Concentration: criminology)
- three semester hours
CRJ 325 Drugs and the Criminal Justice System
An examination of the history of drug use and abuse, the nation’s current drug policy, and issues relative to the prevalence of drugs in society, the effects on the body, current law enforcement practices, and the prospects for rehabilitation and prevention of drug abuse.
(Concentration: law enforcement)
- three semester hours
CRJ 335 Private Security (SS)
The history and present status of private law enforcement in the United States. Assessment of need for policing in the private sector, and review of the causes and effectiveness of control procedures for employee theft, shoplifting, commercial burglary, and other crimes. The legal powers and restrictions of private law enforcement will be
examined.
(Concentration: law enforcement)
- three semester hours
CRJ 350 Criminal Law
An examination of the constitutional rules and principles that help shape the law of substantive criminal law. Some of the issues covered include: sources of criminal law, due process, equal protection, freedom of speech, right to privacy, cruel and unusual punishments, actus rea, mens rea, omissions, causations, attempts, legal and factual
impossibility, self defense, battered wife syndrome, necessity defense, and the insanity defense. Attention will be given to US Supreme Court and state court decisions that interpret and apply federal and state constitutional provisions to these issues. (Concentration: law adjudication)
- three semester hours
CRJ 375 Alternatives to Incarceration (SS)
(also SOC 375)
An examination of the history, philosophy and functioning of community-based correctional programs. Each of the various types of programs, including probation and parole, will be discussed and evaluated. The legal rights of ex-offenders.
(Concentration: penology)
- three semester hours
CRJ 380 Sentencing (SS)
The historical, philosophical and legal basis for criminal sentencing. Judicial discretion, disparity, indeterminate and determinate sentences, mandatory sentencing, parole procedures, and current legal provisions will be examined.
(Concentration: penology)
- three semester hours
CRJ 390 Field Experience in Criminal Justice
Prerequisite: permission of instructor
The application of accumulated knowledge in criminology and criminal justice in a field setting. Students will be placed in a criminal justice agency and perform planning, evaluation, or a research project under the supervision of a faculty member. (Concentration: advised elective)
- three semester hours
CRJ 395 Independent Study
Prerequisite: permission of instructor
An opportunity for students to design and execute a research or evaluation project in an area of particular interest. Selection of topics, research plan, and methods used are left up to the student under the supervision of a faculty member.
(Concentration: advised elective)
- three semester hours
CRJ 397 Special Problems in Criminal Justice
Seminar examines an issue affecting society and its relationship to the criminal justice system. Topics might include a discussion of ethics and the criminal justice system, computerized information systems and the criminal justice system, intimate and stranger crimes, or the criminal justice system in the future.
(Concentration: criminology, law enforcement, law adjudication or penology)
- three semester hours
CRJ 403 and 404 Honors Thesis I and II (WI)
Individual research of a substantive nature pursued in the student’s major field of study. The research will conclude in a written thesis or an original project, and an oral defense.
- six semester hours
CRJ 490 Senior Research Seminar (WI)
Prerequisite: CRJ 300. Recommended: MAT 102, MAT 202 or CIS 233
A research proposal, evaluation, or test of a research question affecting the criminal justice system. Students will either conduct independent research or participate in a seminar class designed to instruct the student on the completion of a project which demonstrates a synthesis of accumulated knowledge.
(Major requirement)
- three semester hours
- offered in spring semesters
CRJ 493, 494, 495, 496 Criminal Justice Co-op
A junior or senior work-study program providing relevant paid employment experience. Registration will occur at the beginning of the experience. The objective of the program is to integrate classroom theory and practical work experience, thus lending relevancy to learning and providing the student with a realistic exposure to career opportunities.
Students interested in taking a co-op should talk to their adviser.
(S-U grading)
- zero to six semester hours
