Schools

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security

Criminal Justice Courses Undergraduate
  • CJHS-J 101 American Criminal Justice System (3 cr.) Introduction to elements of the criminal justice system: the police, the courts, and corrections, and how they function in contemporary American society. CJHS-J 101 is a prerequisite to all criminal justice classes.
  • CJHS-J 201 Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies (3 cr.) This course examines the impact of sociological, biological, and economic theories of crime and the practice of criminal justice. Focus is upon the natural and importance of theory, context of theoretical developments, methods for the critical analysis of theoretical developments, and policy implications of the varying perspectives considered.
  • CJHS-J 202 Criminal Justice Data, Methods and Resources (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Course examines basic concepts of criminal justice. Students become familiar with research techniques necessary for systematic analysis of the criminal justice system, offender behavior, crime trends, and program effectiveness. Students will learn to critically evaluate existing research. Students will become familiar with existing sources of criminal justice data and will learn to assess the quality of that data.
  • CJHS-J 224 Drugs and Crime (3 cr.) This course will focus on the issues of drugs, crime and the American criminal justice system with respect to their interactions and influences with each other. This class will address these subjects through multiple perspectives: the historical evolution of drug use and control in the U.S., the classification and effects of specific drugs, the relationship between drug use and criminal activity, criminal justice system responses to issues of drug use, abuse and dependency among offenders, and the impact and implications of drug-related crime policies (including recent trends in decriminalization and legalization).
  • CJHS-J 245 Social Justice and the Justice System (3 cr.) The primary objective of this course is to provide students with an overview of issues related to diversity and how it impacts and relates to the criminal justice system. This course provides a criminological perspective on multiculturalism, social inequality, and discrimination in the criminal justice system. General areas covered will include class, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, disability/mental health with an emphasis on the analysis of social justice.
  • CJHS-J 260 Topics in Criminal Justice (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 This course introduces students to special topics in criminal justice.
  • CJHS-J 266 Harry Potter and Crime (3 cr.) This class will examine the correlates of crime in the context of the Harry Potter films. The impact of social, biological, and psychological factors on crime and deviance will be discussed. Students will explore character development, social and political environments, cultural elements, deviance, peers, family, violence, diversity, and discrimination through a content analysis of the films.
  • CJHS-J 272 Terrorism and Public Policy (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Survey of the incidence of terrorism in democratic societies, with particular emphasis on public policy responses designed to combat terrorism in cities. Overviews of ongoing conflicts with terrorist organizations in various countries are interspersed with analysis of significant terrorist events and public policies and responses such events create.
  • CJHS-J 275 Introduction to Emergency Management (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 An examination of the background and nature of the profession, the central theoretical debates concerning natural and human-induced disasters, mitigating and reacting to these catastrophic events and the roles and responsibilities of emergency managers. Current practical problems and future directions will be explored.
  • CJHS-J 278 Principles and Practices in Homeland Security (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 An examination of the basic operations, functions, and issues involved in securing our homeland from domestic and international threats including possible threats and proactive and reactive measures against such threats.
  • CJHS-J 300 Techniques of Data Analysis (3 cr.) Basic introduction to research and statistics in a social science setting. Topics include research design, sampling, levels of measurement, descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, and common analyses used in the social sciences.
  • CJHS-J 301 Substantive Criminal Law (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 The development, limitations, and applications of substantive criminal law utilizing the case-study method.
  • CJHS-J 302 Procedural Criminal Law (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Criminal Law application and procedure from the initiation of police activity throughout the correctional process utilizing the case-study method.
  • CJHS-J 303 Evidence (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 The rules of law governing proof at trial of disputed issues of fact; burden of proof; presumptions and judicial notice; examination, impeachment, competency, and privlages of witnesses hearsay rule and exceptions. All related as nearly as possible to criminal as opposed to civil process.
  • CJHS-J 304 Correctional Law (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Legal problems from conviction to release: pre-sentence investigations, sentencing, probation and parole, incarceration, loss and restoration of civil rights.
  • CJHS-J 305 The Juvenile Justice System (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Current developments in the legal, administrative, and operational aspects of the juvenile justice system.
  • CJHS-J 306 The Criminal Courts (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 An analysis of the criminal justice process from prosecution through appeal. The organization and operation of felony and misdemeanor courts are examined. Topics include prosecutorial decision-making, plea bargaining, judicial selection, the conduct of trials, sentencing, and appeal.
  • CJHS-J 310 Introduction to Administrative Processes (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Introduction to principles of management and systems theory for the administration of criminal justice agencies.
  • CJHS-J 320 Criminal Investigation (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Theory of investigation; crime scene procedures; interviews, interrogations, surveillance and sources of information; collection and preservation of physical evidence; investigative techniques in specific crimes.
  • CJHS-J 321 American Policing (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 A broadly based study of the operations and interrelationships of the American police system, including discussion of the limitations of the police function, inter-jurisdictional matters, and intra-agency processes.
  • CJHS-J 322 Introduction to Criminalistics (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 R: CJHS-J 301. The broad range of physical evidence developed through the investigative process, and methods of identifying and establishing validity and relevance through forensic laboratory techniques.
  • CJHS-J 331 Corrections (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 A survey of contemporary correctional systems, including analysis of federal, state, and local corrections; adult and juvenile facilities and programs; probation and parole. This course is not open to students who have not completed SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Corrections.
  • CJHS-J 355 Global Criminal Justice Perspectives (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 This course will survey various criminal justice systems from a variety of cultures and regions of the world. Particular attention will be given to the contrast of eastern and western systems, as well as systems that do not fit neatly into established categories.
  • CJHS-J 370 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 Selected contemporary topics in criminal justice. May be repeated for credit.
  • CJHS-J 380 Internship in Criminal Justice (1-6 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101, permission of instructor, and junior or senior status. May be repeated for credit. Course grade is S/F (Satisfactory/Fail). Students are placed with a criminal justice agency for assigned tasks. Students also complete an academic component.
  • CJHS-J 387 Foundations of Homeland Security (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 An examination of the theory and research driving homeland security and emergency management measures and an analytical look at the practices and principles of homeland security from an empirical perspective.
  • CJHS-J 388 Public Administration and Emergency Management (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101. An examination of the American federal system and how it affects policy making and emergency management. Topics include government programs, participation of agencies and actors from all three levels of the government, the nonprofit sector, and the private sector. Administrative processes involved in managing major hazards and disasters will be presented.
  • CJHS-J 431 Security and Emergency Management Disney Style (3 cr.) This course will examine emergency management and private security with a focus on the Disney perspective. This course will also include training in the Disney leadership style, Disney culture, and the Disney creative process and explore how this can be applied to the fields of emergency management and private security.
  • CJHS-J 439 Crime and Public Policy (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 This course is an introduction to the major efforts designed to control or reduce crime. A review of existing knowledge is followed by an investigation of current crime control theories, proposals, and programs.
  • CJHS-J 440 Corrections in the Community (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 An introduction to correctional alternatives to incarceration that focus on the reintegration of the offender while remaining in the community. Because of their extensive use, considerable attention is given to probation and parole. Other topics include diversion, community residential programs, restitution, halfway houses, and home detention.
  • CJHS-J 460 Police in the Community (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 In-depth examination of crime as an urban policy problem; focusing on the role of police and victims in defining crime as a policy problem, and their role in seeking to reduce the incidence of crime.
  • CJHS-J 470 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101 and senior standing. Emphasizes current developments in legal, administrative, and operational aspects of the criminal justice system.
  • CJHS-J 480 Research in Criminal Justice (1-6 cr.) P: CJHS-J 101, junior standing and consent of instructor. Individual research under guidance of faculty member.
Criminal Justice Courses Graduate
CJHS
  • CJHS-J 519 Probation and Parole (3 cr.) This course examines the historical and contemporary use of corrections in the community with a special focus on the empirical evidence of the effectiveness of community-based practices. The issues facing community corrections will be explored and critically discussed.
  • CJHS-J 594 Introduction to Research Methods (3 cr.) Research methodology in criminal justice. Research design, scientific methods, quantitative/qualitative applications, ethical questions, and the role of the criminal justice researcher.
CJUS
  • CJUS-P 501 Proseminar: Criminal Justice I (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. A pro-seminar to provide an intensive introduction to the basic areas of Criminal Justice.
  • CJUS-P 502 Proseminar: Criminal Justice II (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Theories of crime and delinquency.
  • CJUS-P 512 Corrections (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Reviews historical and philosophical bases of correctional system and examines components of system (community corrections, jails and prisons). Focuses on the structure and functions of the corrections system with particular attention to the role of broader social forces on the development and operation of the system.
  • CJUS-P 515 Police in Society (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Covers the bases and impacts of recent changes in U.S. policing, particularly with respect to community-oriented policing. Changes are analyzed in terms of the organizational and political contexts in which they occur as well as from historical and cross-cultural perspectives.
  • CJUS-P 594 Introduction to Research Methods (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Research methodology in criminal justice. Research design, scientific methods, quantitative/qualitative applications, ethical questions, and the role of the criminal justice researcher.
  • CJUS-P 595 Data Analysis in Criminal Justice (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Data analysis applied to criminal justice data, including measurement, tables, graphs, probability, nonparametric statics, matrix algebra, correlation and regression and tests of significance.
SPEA
  • SPEA-J 502 Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Public Policy (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. This course examines research techniques necessary for systematic analysis of the criminal justice and public safety systems, offenders' behavior, crime trends, public safety issues and program effectiveness. The course requires that students actively pursue such techniques as conducting interviews, coding data, and designing studies.
  • SPEA-J 524 Emergency Management (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. This course explores the values underlying effective emergency management principles and policies in a democratic society. Topics include: hazard identification, effective planning, stakeholder and public communication, examination of federal, state, and local agency roles and critical partnerships, preparation for, mitigation of, and response to hazards.
  • SPEA-J 531 National and Homeland Security in America (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. This course addresses federal policy and management issues related to preventing, mitigating, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from major catastrophic events, both natural and man-made, including acts of terrorism. Topics include emergency management, resource and response infrastructures, public health issues, best practices, crisis communications, and business and governmental continuity.
  • SPEA-J 550 Topics in Criminal Justice and Public Safety (1-3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Selected topics in criminal justice and public safety.
  • SPEA-J 581 Public Safety Law (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Survey of the historical development of Anglo-Amercian law of public safety, including criminal law, civil remedies, administrative regulation of risk, and recent developments in employee and consumer safety.Emphasis on understanding legal theory and practice as basis for management decisions.Comparison of jurisprundential viewpoints and other disciplinary approaches to public safety programs.
  • SPEA-J 582 Criminal Justice Systems (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Detailed examination of operations of police, courts and correctional agencies.  Study of management problems in system response to criminal activity.  Development of understanding of interrelationships among system components.  Examination of major policy issues in criminal justice with emphasis on decision-making techniques.
  • SPEA-J 586 Public Safety in the United States (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Overview of criminal justice and public safety. Definitions of public safety and identification of major components. Functional description of major public safety agencies. Discussion of basic issues in public safety. Management in public safety system.
  • SPEA-J 587 Criminal Violation: Problems and Characteristics (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Commonalities in criminal behavior. The criminal act: circumstances leading to commission, subsequent perceptions of them. Family, community, and other environments affecting criminal behavior. Behavioral consequences of processes of crime control.
  • SPEA-J 666 Criminal Justice Policy and Evaluation (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. An empirical assessment of the foundations of contemporary and historical attempts to control or prevent crime. Major policies, programs, and strategies are reviewed and critically analyzed. Specific topics and policies will vary in this capstone seminar.
  • SPEA-V 506 Statistical Analysis For Effective Decision Making (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Non-calculus survey of concepts in probability, estimation, and hypothesis testing. Applications of contingency table analysis; analysis of variance, regression, and other statistical techniques. Computer processing of data emphasized.
  • SPEA-V 560 Public Budgeting and Finance (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. The fiscal role of government in a mixed economy, sources of public revenue and credit; administrative, political, and institutional aspects of the budget and the budgetary process; problems and trends in inter-governmental fiscal relations.
  • SPEA-V 561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.) Online Collaborative Course. Analysis of the structure, operation, and design of public personnel systems, including government agencies and public enterprise.  Relationship between public policy and personnel concepts, values and operation considered.

PDF Version

Click here for the PDF version.