INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Justice Studies 103
Fall Term 2011
Professor: Class Meets:
Gary Reed Monday & Wednesday
Justice Studies Program 10:30am-11:45am
Social Science Division Classroom: Fine Arts #200
Lewis-Clark State College
Spalding Hall, Room #211 Office Hours:
500 8th Ave. Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
Lewiston, ID 83501-2698 4:20pm-5:20pm and by appointment
Phone: (208) 792-2794
E-mail: gereed@lcsc.edu Website: www.lcsc.edu/gereed
Course Description:
This course is an account of the purpose, function, and history of the agencies dealing with the administration of justice, providing a survey of criminal law, criminal procedures, organizations and law enforcement agencies, courts, and corrections.
Purpose:
This class is an introduction of the American criminal justice system and is intended to provide an overview of the Justice Studies field. We will begin with a brief exploration of crime and the concepts and policies that form the basis of the American system of criminal justice. We will then look at each of the three primary components of the justice system: policing (law enforcement), adjudication (the courts), and corrections. Each component will be examined in the context of the social and legal relationships concerning the balance between individual rights and societal rights.
Goals:
It is expected that students will become more adept at utilizing social scientific analysis to engage in critical analysis of the relationships between elements of social life and crime in order to better understand and work within the criminal justice system. The written work and verbal presentations of students should reflect systematic, logical arguments clearly supported by theory and research, and they will provide practice in the communication skills vital to the field.
Course Requirements:
Exams: There will be five exams, including the final exam. You may skip one exam or drop the worst score of your five exams. YOU MAY NOT SKIP THE FINAL EXAM. Since you may skip an exam, there will be no make up exams. THE FINAL EXAM CAN NOT BE HELD ANY OTHER TIME SO PLAN ACCORDINGLY. Each exam will be weighted equally, and the exam grade will be the mean average of the exam scores. Exam questions will come from both the assigned readings and the material covered during class. There will be overlap of topic material from one exam to another, so don’t forget material covered in previous exams.
Class Attendance:
Attendance is mandatory and active participation is essential for the success of this class. Students who participate actively derive the most lasting benefits from the course. Attendance will be taken most days, and at the end of the semester, students will receive a bonus of one percent added to their final grade if they have three or fewer absences.
Grading: Your final grade is the result of the mean score of your exams minus the lowest score, plus an attendance bonus if earned.
A ³ 93%
A- ³ 90%
B+ ³ 87%
B ³ 83%
B- ³ 80%
C+ ³77%
C ³73%
C- ³70%
D+ ³67%
D ³63%
D- ³60%
Student Conduct:
"Cheating or plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. The College functions to promote the cognitive and psychosocial development of all students. Therefore, all work submitted by a student must represent his/her own ideas, concepts and current understanding" (Provost Fernandez, 2008).
Any student with questions remaining as to what constitutes cheating or plagiarism should consult the instructor in order to avoid any misunderstanding. If a student is caught cheating, at minimum, he/she will fail the assignment, the Judicial Affairs Officer will be notified and the incident recorded. Moreover, we will be dealing with controversial issues at times and it is essential that discussions remain constructive and respectful.
Please refrain from gaming, web surfing or using your cell phone during class.
Readings: (Available at the Lewis-Clark Bookstore)
Criminal Justice: A Brief Introduction, Seventh Edition (Schmalleger) Prentice Hall, 2008 ISBN: 0-13-225221-X OR Eighth Edition, 2010 ISBN: 9780137145539
Criminal Justice in America: Theory Practice and Policy, Third Edition (Hancock & Sharp),
Prentice Hall, 2004 ISBN: 0-13-098411-6
Topics and Assignments:
(Due to the nature of academic discussions, the items listed below will not always correspond to the dates.)
Aug 22-24: Introduction to the Course
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 1
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 1
Aug 29-31: The Crime Picture: Defining and Measuring - Part I
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 2
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 1 (What is the Sequence of Events in the CJS?)
Sep 2: Last day to drop classes without a W
Sep 5 Labor Day – LCSC Closed
Sep 7: The Crime Picture: Defining and Measuring - Part II
Reading: Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 2 (Rediscovery of Crime Victims);
Chapter 3 (Choosing Crime); Chapter 4 (African American Males in the CJS); Chapter 5 (Looking Backward to Look Forward)
Sep 12-14: The Criminal Law - Part I
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 3
Sep 14 Wednesday EXAM #1
Sep 19-21: The Criminal Law - Part II
Reading: Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 23 (The Saints and the Roughnecks)
Sep 26-28: Police Management
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 4
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 6 (Development of the American Police)
Oct 3-5: Policing: Legal Aspects - Part I
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 5
Oct 5 Wednesday EXAM #2
Oct 10-12: Policing: Legal Aspects - Part II
Reading: Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 9 (Police & Communities)
Oct 17-19: Issues in Policing
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 6
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 7 (Sketch of the Police Officer’s “Working Personality); Chapter 8 (Dark Side of the Force); Chapter 10 (Future of Diversity in America)
Oct 24-26: The Courts
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 7
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 11 (Two Models of the Criminal Process); Chapter 12 (Fighting Crime in a Crumbling System)
Oct 26 Wednesday EXAM #3
Oct 31-Nov 2: The Courtroom Work Group and the Criminal Trial
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 8
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 13 (Adversarial Justice)
Nov 4: Last day to withdraw
Nov 7-9: Sentencing
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 9
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 14 (Guilty until Proved Innocent); Chapter 15 (Priority Prosecution of High-Rate Dangerous Offenders)
Nov 14: Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 10
(No class Nov. 16 due to ASC conference)
Nov 14 MONDAY EXAM #4
Nov 21-25 Thanksgiving Break
Nov 28-30: Prisons and Jails
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 11
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 16 (In Support of Prisons); Chapter 17 (Abolishing Prisons); Chapter 18 (Cons and Country Clubs)
Dec 5-7: Prison Life and Current Issues
Reading: Schmalleger, Chapter 12
Hancock & Sharp, Chapter 19 (Treatment Needs of Women in Prison); Chapter 20 (The Greatest Correctional Myth); Chapter 25 (Social Construction of Crime Myths)
Dec 12: FINAL EXAM (EXAM #5) 10:30am-12:20pm
Syllabus Addendum
Consumer Information
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Disability Accommodations
Students requiring special accommodations or course adaptations due to a disability and/or a health-related issue should consult their course instructors and the LCSC Student Counseling Center immediately (RCH 111, 792-2211). Official documentation may be required in order to provide an accommodation and/or adaptation.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
Students have the responsibility for knowing their program requirements, course requirements, and other information associated with their enrollment at LCSC. Students should review the LCSC General Catalog (http://www.lcsc.edu/catalog/) and the LCSC Student Handbook (available at http://www.lcsc.edu/studentservices/contactus.htm) for more information.
Accidents/Student Insurance
Students participating in LCSC classes normally must look to their personal health insurance policy (Student Health Insurance Plan or comparable private coverage) should an accident occur. In the event of an accident, please seek medical help, if necessary, and report the incident to LCSC Security (792-2226). Fieldtrips or other special student activities may also require students to submit a signed participation waiver (forms can be obtained from the supporting Division Office).
Enrollment Verification/Attendance
Students who are not actively pursuing their classes may have to repay part or all of their financial aid awards depending upon the circumstances.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty, which includes cheating and plagiarism, is not tolerated at LCSC. Individual faculty members will impose their own policies and sanctions regarding academic dishonesty. Students who are accused of being academically dishonest may be referred to the Dean of Student Services for official disciplinary action.
Illegal File Sharing
Students using LCSC’s computers and/or computer network must comply with the college’s appropriate use policies and are prohibited from illegally downloading or sharing data files of any kind. Specific information about the college’s technology policies and its protocols for combating illegal file sharing may be found on the Dean of Student Services’ web page (http://www.lcsc.edu/studentservices/).
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