CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CRJ) COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
1113 The American Criminal Justice System [TCCN: CRIJ 1301.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Philosophy and history of criminal justice in America; examination of criminal justice agencies operating as an interacting system: police and security agencies, courts, and corrections.
2153 Nature of Crime and Justice
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A multidisciplinary survey of positivist and classical theories of crime causation with an overview of major crime control strategies. Incidence and patterns of violent, economic, and public-order crimes may be explored.
2213 Introduction to Policing [TCCN: CRIJ 2328.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An introduction to American policing organizations (public and private), history of policing, modern community policing practices, and important trends in law enforcement.
2513 Corrections: Theory and Practice [TCCN: CRIJ 2313.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A study of the history, philosophy, and practice of corrections in America. Theories and practices of incarceration; legal and administrative issues surrounding imprisonment and the death penalty.
2813 Introduction to Courts and the Legal System [TCCN: CRIJ 1306.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines state and federal American court systems, their powers, remedies, limitations, and procedures, and the contributions of courts to governance.
3013 Research Design and Analysis in Criminal Justice
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Completion of 3 hours of college-level mathematics or statistics.
Provides students with an opportunity to be knowledgeable consumers of criminal justice research. Provides an overview of principles of scientific inquiry, research designs, and statistical concepts and techniques. Introduction to interpretation of data analysis and preparation of research reports.
3213 Managing Criminal Justice Organizations
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines bureaucratic, political and other characteristics of justice organizations through a review of theories of public administration and organizational behavior. Applies theories to problems and policies encountered in managing criminal justice agencies.
3233 Introduction to Forensic Science
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Enrollment limited to upper-division criminal justice majors.
Provides students with a basic understanding of the nature of physical evidence and its part in our criminal justice system, an introduction to basic scientific and legal principles involved with the utilization of physical evidence, and exposure to specific items of physical evidence to include their components, manufacture, methods of analysis, and value in case work.
3533 Probation, Parole and Intermediate Sanctions
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
History, philosophy, and practice of community supervision of offenders. Examination of various intermediate punishments including boot camps, intensive probation supervision, electronic monitoring, restitution, and community service.
3563 Juvenile Justice
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examination of the history of adolescence and the development of the juvenile justice system. An in-depth study of police, courts and corrections as applied to youth. Examination of youth as both offenders and victims. Topics include child abuse, youth gangs, waiver/transfer of youth to the adult court and the death penalty for juveniles.
3573 Restorative Justice
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Provides students with a detailed study of the principles and practices of restorative justice aimed at creating a just peace within a community, a just public order for the community, vindication for victims and opportunities for accountability and restoration to offenders.
3613 Legal Research and Writing
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Detailed study of theory and practice of legal research. Development and refinement of legal writing techniques. (Same as LGS 3013. Credit cannot be earned for both CRJ 3613 and LGS 3013.)
3623 Substantive Criminal Law
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Jurisprudential philosophy and case study of common law and statutory crimes. Includes functions and development of substantive criminal law, elements of specific offenses, and defenses.
3633 Trial and Evidence
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Issues and problems of proof in civil and criminal trials, admissibility, examining witnesses, constitutional considerations, and exclusionary rules.
3713 Ethics in Criminal Justice Practice
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Survey of major schools of ethics theory; sources of ethical and philosophical foundations for criminal justice functions; common quandaries confronting officers, supervisors, and executives in justice organizations. Examines the role of criminal justice within modern civil societies.
4113 Intimate and Family Violence
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Historical, social, and legal responses and policies of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and child abuse. Characteristics of victims and perpetrators of violence, and the progression and cycle of violence are examined.
In-depth study of the process of violent victimization and victimizing.
4123 Investigations
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examination of the investigative process. Focus on the history, structure, and success rates of investigations units, theories of investigation, and the information that is used to produce case clearances. (Formerly titled Concepts of Investigations.)
4143 Legal Issues in Forensic Science
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examination of statutory and case law governing the admissibility of scientific evidence at trial, focusing on the constitutional, statutory, and administrative regulations and restrictions on the collection, analysis, and usage of forensic evidence; study of the roles and responsibilities of expert witnesses.
4303 Victimology
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course will familiarize students with Victimology concepts, theories, and literature as a field of study within criminology. Topics may include nature and incidence of victimization, victim and offender relationships, victim justice, victim rights and services. Consideration may be given to responses to victims with special needs and crime prevention strategies. (Formerly titled Victims and the Justice System.)
4323 Fraud Examination
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Interpretation and advanced study of strategies and tactics essential to the fraud examination process. Interpretation and scrutiny of financial records and documentation. Overview of trace techniques, reporting irregularities, fraud examination approaches, and legal rules and statutory construction pertinent to accounting practices.
4403 Race, Ethnicity, and Criminal Justice
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course examines experiences of racial and ethnic groups in the criminal justice system. Topics include the nature and extent of overrepresentation by racial and ethnic minorities as justice system clients, culture-specific crime and victimization patterns, research evidence and theoretical explanations for these patterns. (Formerly CRJ 4313. Credit cannot be earned for both CRJ 4403 and CRJ 4313.)
4413 Contemporary Police Practices
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A survey of leading research-based law enforcement practices for crime prevention and problem solving.
4443 Special Topics in Policing and Crime Prevention
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Considers special topics in policing and crime prevention not ordinarily evaluated in depth in other courses, such as comparative policing systems, personnel issues, police civil and criminal liabilities, job satisfaction and stress, diversity issues, ethics, police use of force, and future of policing. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
4453 Drugs and Crime
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An overview of the scope and role of drugs in society and the relationships between illicit substances and crime. Leading theories of drug use and enforcement will be surveyed. Major topics include: the social construction of drug issues, the war on drugs, drug control policy, and the function of drugs in popular cultural mediums. Contemporary topics to be examined include: asset forfeiture, the confidential informant role in drug enforcement, drug ethnography, corrections-based substance abuse treatment, and drug enforcement strategies.
4463 Gender and Crime
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course examines gender differences in criminal offending and victimization. Topics also include traditional and gender-specific theories offered to explain female involvement in crime, the experience of female victims and offenders in the criminal justice system, and women working in the criminal justice system. (Formerly CRJ 4313. Credit cannot be earned for both CRJ 4463 and CRJ 4313.)
4613 Supervising the Correctional Client
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the components of effective supervision of correctional clients, including risk and needs assessment. Provides skills for successful face-to-face encounters with correctional clients. Study of service delivery programs tailored to the specific needs of the correctional clients.
4633 Constitutional Criminal Procedure
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A procedurally oriented discussion of criminal law, including law of arrest, search and seizure, preliminary examination, bail, the grand jury, indictment and information, arraignment, trial, and review.
4653 White Collar Crime
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Study of the theory, nature, scope, and impact of occupational, political, and organizational/corporate crime. Comparison of white collar crime to street crime. Examination of the structural foundations for these types of crimes and current and future systems for control of white collar crimes.
4663 Special Topics in Corrections and Juvenile Justice
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Considers special topics in corrections and juvenile justice not ordinarily evaluated in depth in other courses, such as the death penalty, special correctional populations, and correctional administration. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
4833 Violent Crime
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examination of various forms of violence—homicide, robbery, assault and rape; as well as, indirect violence by organizations. Discussion of major theories of violent personal behavior and examination of historical and current data on violent crime. Consideration of rates of violent crime, how these rates have changed, and factors that contribute to violent crimes.
4853 Sex Crimes and the Law
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examination of the nature and etiology of the major categories of sexual offending and overview of contemporary justice system responses.
4863 Special Topics in Legal Issues and Adjudication
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Considers special topics in courts and adjudication not ordinarily evaluated in depth in other courses, such as judicial administration, specialized courts, judicial intervention and emerging areas of criminal law. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
4913 Independent Study
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Permission in writing (form available) of the instructor, the student’s advisor, the Department Chair, and Dean of the College in which the course is offered.
Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 semester credit hours of independent study, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree.
4933 Internship in Criminal Justice
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: CRJ 2153, CRJ 3213, and CRJ 3623; consent of academic advisor and Internship Coordinator.
Supervised experience in an administrative setting that provides the opportunity to integrate theory and practice in justice-related agencies. May be repeated for credit in a subsequent semester when agency setting varies, but not more than 6 semester credit hours will apply to a bachelor’s degree.
4953 Special Studies in Criminal Justice
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of regular course offerings. Special Studies may be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree.
4993 Honors Thesis
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Enrollment limited to candidates for Honors in Criminal Justice during the last two semesters; completion of honors examination and approval by the honors program coordinator.
Supervised research and preparation of an honors thesis. May be repeated once with advisor’s approval.