This is an introductory criminal justice course focusing on the concepts and organization of the criminal justice system. This course will examine the various components of the criminal justice system and analyze their interactive relationships with each other, giving students a detailed overview of the criminal justice system in the United States.

This course will focus on the various correctional components and concepts that have been established in our modern-day corrections system. It will expose students to alternative forms of corrections from incarceration to community-based and all the alternatives in between. This course will establish the relationship and importance of corrections in the overall criminal justice system.

This course teaches the fundamentals of the criminal and civil legal system in America and includes an overview of federal, state and lower courts. It covers the dynamics of courthouse justice, the roles judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, witnesses, victims and defendants fill, as well as the trial process and sentencing.

This course focuses on basic police science theories and techniques and introduces students to crime scene investigation and the analysis of physical evidence typically found at crime scenes. The focus is on crime scene management, recognition, documentation, collection, preservation and processing of crime scene evidence. Students will work in an actual forensic laboratory and on a simulated crime scene. The laboratory component will allow students to employ practical application skills of the forensic topics studied. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

This course will cover both theory and practical application of the criminal law. Students will examine the elements of crime, elements of proof and other issues related to criminal law in local, state, and federal jurisdictions. Students will be able to apply the elements of criminal law to real life situations and case studies. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

This course studies police science theories and techniques in greater depth. Students will engage in hands-on application of forensic topics, such as obtaining and analyzing fingerprints and impressions of physical evidence, photography, and crime scene identification in the simulated crime scene. Students will then apply the techniques learned in the forensics topics in the laboratory component of the course. In addition, students will be instructed on portfolio management and requirements and add materials to their Criminal Justice portfolio.

This course explores the legal doctrines that constitute the core of criminal procedure created by the United States Supreme Court as it interprets the Constitution. Concentration is on the rules developed for such official action as police searches, taking confessions, and the conduct of criminal trials for the protection of suspects’ rights. The classic tension between order (the necessary power of government to ensure public safety by processing suspects through the criminal justice system and convicting the guilty) and liberty (the danger of that power to individual freedoms by the arbitrary exercise of governmental power) will be examined. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

This course focuses on developing the student’s ability to write brief, accurate and complete reports. The primary goal is to teach effective methods of conveying the facts and circumstances of unusual occurrences through written reports in an objective manner. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

Criminal investigation is an inquiry into allegations that a crime has been committed and the circumstances or relationships that are involved. This course deals with the duties and responsibilities of the investigator/detective/patrol officer in the course of an investigation and emphasizes the policies and procedures employed in the investigation of crime, in addition to present-day tools and techniques available for the law enforcement professional. Topics of recent controversy such as stalking, DNA profiling and the media frenzy that surrounds investigations are also covered. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

This course is an introduction to digital forensics. Topics include: the discussion of various types of computer crime in both the public and private sector; the collection, preservation and investigation of digital evidence; the fundamentals of computer system construction, software and hardware, computer forensics standards and practices; and software ethics. These topics will be reinforced through case studies, hands-on laboratory exercises and video presentations.

This course will examine drug use in America, as well as the influences from other countries. The course will cover drug use from a broad perspective, including the biological, historical, psychological, and sociological aspects of drug use and abuse in our society. The business of drug dealing, diverse drug laws, prevention activities, and treatment programs will be discussed. This course will also provide students with a thorough understanding of the nation’s changing drug policy and the criminal justice system’s reaction to those changes. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

This course is designed to instruct students in the history and purposes of policing, as well as the various methods of contemporary police operations, including community policing. In addition, police equipment, support services, personnel issues, and patrol/investigative techniques used within the law enforcement field are covered. Students will be introduced to firearms through a computer simulation experience. The lawful and unlawful use of weapons under current legal controls, and the legal restrictions concerning firearms, as well as liability issues related to the use of firearms will be covered. Thorough training on decision-making, involving shoot/don’t shoot scenarios, will be covered in the lab sessions, in addition to building searches and motor vehicle stops, handcuffing and baton training. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

This course focuses on the services delivered to the offender, such as probation, parole, halfway houses, drug-alcohol, mental health, and other social services agencies. A focus on community programs, and programs used in restructuring the correctional client within society will also be covered. An examination of offender supervision philosophies within community correction programs, jail and prison reentry programs, parole and probation agencies, and pretrial supervision environments will be explored. Assignments from this course will be incorporated into the student’s portfolio.

This course will assist Criminal Justice students in the creation of a portfolio that will demonstrate academic progression and the acquisition of various criminal justice skills. The portfolio will provide a comprehensive snapshot of the individual learning experience and will evaluate proficiency and ability. It typically includes sample reports, completed assignments, submission and evaluation of evidence and materials gathered in Forensics I and II, case studies, skill evaluations and information to be presented during the Moot Court/Mock Trial segment in Term VI.

This course will explore current events within the criminal justice system utilizing a variety of high-interest issues. Students will be encouraged to discuss and debate recent happenings to develop an understanding of how these issues relate to crime and justice.

The Moot Court/Mock Trial is the culmination of the Criminal Justice program of study. Students will be assigned roles within the criminal investigation studied throughout the program, such as police officer, forensics investigator, expert witness, probation officer, prosecutor or victim, defense attorney or defendant. Students will prepare and present testimony/evidence/opinion in a life-like criminal trial utilizing the contents of their portfolio to demonstrate the knowledge, experience and skills gained from each course the student has completed. The focus will be on the student’s ability to organize case materials, properly present convincing testimony/argument, and defend their position/role based on solid legal concepts that have been developed from and documented in their portfolio.

The optional Internship offers students the opportunity to apply the criminal justice theories learned to practical application in the field. Placement in an appropriate agency is achieved through the approval of the Criminal Justice Department Chair/supervising faculty member. A log of activities and duties performed will be maintained, and the final grade will be based on the log, the assessment provided by the placement agency, and a final comprehensive report detailing the student’s experience.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the structure and organization of traditional and emerging gangs/organized crime operations. It is an exploration of the history, scope, and methods of controlling organized crime and street gangs in America with emphasis on local, regional, and statewide crime control efforts. Research and discussion of federal and state laws aimed at preventing this type of crime will be undertaken. Investigation techniques will be discussed concerning recognizing gang/organized crime activities, graffiti, symbols, and methods of recruitment of new gang/organized crime members.

This course concentrates on criminal, rather than civil, evidence. The aim of the course is to teach students how to legally obtain evidence, as well as develop the ability to reason about evidence, and encourage them to reflect critically on the ever-changing legal climate. At a more detailed level, we will look at issues such as the standard of proof, asking why the standard of proof in criminal trials is beyond a reasonable doubt and what reasonable doubt means. Students will consider how inferences are drawn from evidence, and how basic ideas of probability can give insights on this process. Examination of how the police gain confessions from suspects and how the law regulates the admissibility of confessions will be reviewed. An important theme of the course relates to questions about what makes a trial fair and whether courts should admit illegally or improperly obtained evidence; it will also ask what the privilege against self-incrimination is and whether it can be justified. The concept of expert evidence will be explored, concentrating on particular examples such as DNA evidence, fingerprint evidence, and modern-day mobile forensic evidence.

This course is designed to explore actual homicide and/or violent crime cases as seen through the eyes of the investigator, using actual crime scene photographs, sketches, photographed evidence and autopsy photographs. A visit to the original outdoor crime scene will be conducted, if possible, with the instructor/investigator on scene for questions. This course will test the knowledge and analytical skills of students and their ability to fully develop the investigative plan needed to move forward in the case analysis. Labs will focus on processing evidence similar to the type seized from the original crime scenes attempting to yield and analyze similar results from the actual cases.

This course introduces the elements of family law and explores its influence on American social life and contemporary notions of justice. Topics include marriage and parenting implications on the justice system, divorce, custody and support, nontraditional families, and domestic violence. Issues of child abuse and classification of child predators will also be explored.

An in-depth analysis of the effect of the news media on crime levels and public fear of crime. The relationship between media coverage and public perception, as well as the media’s role in crime prevention, is explored. Federal and state legislation related to freedom of the press, privacy protection, and freedom of information requests will also be discussed.

This course will build upon the principles and concepts learned in CJ 122 Criminal Law and CJ 132 Criminal Procedure. Students will examine hypothetical and actual cases and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the matter using principles of both statutory and constitutional analysis. Upon completion of the case reviews, students will be expected to furnish an opinion on the merits of the case and the likelihood of a successful prosecution or identify the need for additional investigation and evidence to bring the matter to a resolution.

This course looks at the many complex issues that corrections professionals face in a constantly changing environment. Topics include political and social outlooks on corrections, legal liability issues as they pertain to both prisons and jails, use of force, medical needs and rights of prisoners, religious issues, food services, workforce recruitment and retention, administrative and management challenges. Students will use assigned lab time to develop a paper layout and set-up of a small prison/jail, to include addressing construction, security, staffing, emergency protocols and budgeting.

Students will learn the techniques and methods used in the acquisition and analysis of data from mobile devices; the tools and methods used in the forensic investigation and analysis of mobile devices and SIM cards. Topics include: discussion of cell phones, iPods, iPhones, PDAs and BlackBerry basics; SIM cards; preparation and writing of forensic reports; and preparation of court testimony. These topics will be reinforced through case studies, hands-on laboratory exercises and video presentations.

This is an advanced course emphasizing gathering, organizing, and preparing information for more complex investigative reports. Topics include communicating facts, information, and ideas effectively in a simple, clear and logical manner for various types of criminal justice system reports, agency memoranda, and administrative reports. Using video scenarios as a basis for the information, students will gain practical experience in field notetaking, report writing and presenting testimony in court-like settings. In addition, students will learn the practical aspects of computer-assisted report writing and the integration of traditional report writing techniques with these types of programs.

This course explores a broad range of populations as they interact with the criminal justice system. Populations studied include Asian-Americans, gays and lesbians, Latinos, Arab-Americans, Native Americans, and the elderly in addition to the more “traditional” minority groups. Topics include historical development, societal issues, crime and punishment, discrimination, and employment. Students will examine special populations in various roles throughout the criminal justice system to get a more balanced view of the numerous issues facing these particular groups.

This course examines ethical questions that can arise during the career of a criminal justice professional. Students will use analytical tools to recognize and address contemporary ethical dilemmas within the American judicial system. Students will also explore issues of morality, virtue, honesty, and ethical decision-making in the United States criminal justice system. Topics include behavior on and off duty, leading by example, corruption and using positions for personal gain. This course will incorporate hypothetical situations as well as real cases so that students can evaluate and discuss the reasons a case/ethical dilemma developed and possible avoidance techniques that could/should have been employed.

This course will expose students to the legally established use of force standards in our justice system. Students will receive a historical and comprehensive review of U.S. State Supreme Court cases that have established the legal standards pertaining to the use of force. Students will also study the use of force continuum and the civil and criminal consequences if violations of the use of force standards occur.

This course explores the statutes and court procedures associated with the digital forensic investigation for both the criminal and civil systems. Topics include 4th Amendment implications and protocols, as well as law enforcement practices designed to prevent, investigate and prosecute these crimes. In addition, traits of the “typical” computer hacker, virus writer, and cyber terrorist offender will be explored using review of real-life examples and case studies.

This course is designed for students that have a background in basic crime scene investigation and processing. Students will be assisted in achieving a higher level of proficiency in crime scene investigation and upon completion of this course, will have the necessary skills to process or coordinate the processing of complex crime scenes. Building upon the knowledge and skills obtained in CJ 130 Forensics II/Portfolio Management and CJ 372 Case Studies in Criminal Forensics, students will expand upon the shooting reconstruction and blood spatter analysis instructions. Methods of instruction include: analysis of bloodstain spatter using mathematical formulations and stringing to calculate angles of impact spatter to establish points of origin; expanded shooting reconstruction with the use of lasers and mathematical formulations to calculate bullet trajectory to establish shooter/victim position; and detection and enhancement of blood evidence at crime scenes with a focus on chemical processing of bloody latent fingerprints.

This course is designed to assist students in analyzing the methods and techniques used by law enforcement professionals as they handle dangerous and stressful situations in a legal, positive manner. This course will present an overview of critical incident management by discussing planning, prevention, response, and post-incident management, as well as inter-agency coordination. Topics include the various types of critical incidents (such as serious accidents, crimes in progress, natural disasters, and terrorist acts), identification and description of the objectives and benefits of a coordinated critical incident response, review of critical incidents and critique of the positive and negative outcomes of critical incident responses. Students will examine critical incident response both pre-9/11 and post-9/11.

This course looks at the many facets of corporate and private security. Students will examine the historical background of security, as well as an analysis of corporate security methods, advancements in private security technology, camera systems, alarms, and anti-breaching systems. Students will discuss the theory that private security can help be the eyes and ears for law enforcement and if that approach could result in security at less cost to society and the taxpayer.

In this course, students will take part in a multi-session mock crime event and be expected to utilize the skills learned and studied throughout the program as they investigate the event. Students will respond to the mock scene, set up an incident command, and gather evidence and statements. After finishing the on-site investigation, students will analyze evidence in the lab and draft the necessary investigative documents and reports to prepare the case for court. The focus will be on the student’s ability to organize and investigate a complex mock crime event and properly present convincing testimony/argument based on the facts they are able to develop during the investigation. This course is graded as pass/fail.

Students will review selected cases from the U.S. Supreme Court, First Circuit Court(s), as well State Supreme/Superior Court and, through a series of assignments and discussions, determine the impact of the various court rulings on the best practices of law enforcement agencies. Additional discussion will revolve around any possible community reaction and impact from the decisions of the Court.

This course will identify, analyze, and offer solutions to various contemporary management problems in a criminal justice organization. Students should be prepared to review case studies related to management problem recognition and review the role of supervisors and managers in a typical criminal justice agency. Students will be exposed to civil liability issues at the local, state, and federal law levels and learn proactive methods that may minimize personal and organizational liability risks. Constitutional requirements, court decisions, and legislation (such as EEOC requirements) and their impact on management in criminal justice organizations are discussed.

This course will focus on women’s experiences with crime and the criminal justice system in America. The primary areas of study will be women as victims, lawbreakers, prisoners, and professionals in the criminal justice system. Students will explore the problems and issues facing women in the criminal justice system and develop an understanding of these issues and their importance.

Senior Capstone is the culmination of the Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice program of study. Students will finalize their investigation of a multi-segmented mock crime event and be expected to utilize the skills learned and studied throughout the program as they present testimony and documents about the event. Students will use their gathered evidence, facts, and statements to complete an analysis of the case and draft the necessary investigative documents and reports to prepare the case for mock court. The focus will be on the student’s ability to organize and investigate a complex mock crime event and properly present convincing testimony/argument at a simulated adversarial court hearing event based on the facts they have developed during the investigation.

The Internship offers students the opportunity to apply the criminal justice theories learned to practical application in the field. Placement in an appropriate agency is achieved through the approval of the Criminal Justice Department Chair/supervising faculty member. A log of activities and duties performed will be maintained, and the final grade will be based on the log, the assessment provided by the placement agency, and a final comprehensive report detailing the student’s experience.

Seeking employment within the field of criminal justice can be challenging for many without prior preparation. This course will take an in-depth look into written, physical/agility and psychological testing requirements as applicable, interviewing techniques, professional appearance and resume building. A detailed examination of the background investigation process to include social media activity, credit reporting, criminal activity, polygraph use and other investigative tools will also be undertaken.

The purpose of the Practicum I educational program is to integrate classroom learning with productive, structured work experience(s) which are directly related to the goals and objectives of the CJBX curriculum. Participants will develop written Practicum evaluation plans to guide and measure their progress and document the ways their work experiences relate to their educational goals. There is strong emphasis on integration between work site learning and classroom learning. Students will apply Criminal Justice theories learned to practical application in the field. A log of activities and duties performed will be maintained, and their final grade will be based on the log, their self-assessments, and a final comprehensive report detailing the Practicum experience.

The purpose of the Practicum II offering is to integrate classroom learning with productive, structured work experience(s) which directly relate to the goals and objectives of the CJBX curriculum. Students will apply Criminal Justice theories learned to practical application in the field. A log of activities and duties performed will be maintained, and their final grade will be based on the log, their self-assessments, and a presentation of a comprehensive series of policies and agency impact statements based on an assigned topic/hypothetical designed to challenge the student’s ability to integrate theory and practical application in the field.