Indiana University–Purdue University Columbus Indiana University–Purdue University Columbus IUPUC

Courses

SPEA

Criminal Justice
  • SPEA-J 101 The American Criminal Justice System (3 cr.) Introduction to the criminal justice system of the United States and its function in contemporary society.
  • SPEA-J 150 Public Safety in America (3 cr.) The protection of persons and property involves a number of public and private organizations. This course examines the roles that agencies working within the fire services, emergency management, criminal justice, and the private security sector play in securing public safety in the United States.
  • SPEA-J 201 Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies (3 cr.) P: SPEA-J 101.

    This course examines the impact of sociological, biological, and economic theories of crime and the practice of criminal justice. Focus is on the nature and importance of theory, context of theoretical developments, methods for the critical analysis of theoretical developments, and policy implications of the varying perspectives considered.

  • SPEA-J 202 Criminal Justice Data, Methods, and Resources (3 cr.) P: SPEA-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.

  • SPEA-J 222 Murder in America: Causes and Consequences (3 cr.)

    An investigation of homicide in the United States. Focus on the level and nature of homicides as well as domestic homicides; serial and mass murder; race, ethnicity, and gender; drugs and alcohol; school and workplace homicides; investigation; profiling and the death penalty; and homicide prevention and intervention programs.

  • SPEA-J 260 Topics in Criminal Justice (1-3 cr.)

    Study of selected issues in criminal justice. Topics vary from semester to semester. This course may be repeated for credit.

  • SPEA-J 275 Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice (3 cr.)

    This course will examine the influence of diversity issues such as race, ethnicity, class, and gender on crime and the treatment of underrrpresented groups throughout the American criminal justice system.

  • SPEA-J 301 Substantive Criminal Law (3 cr.) P: SPEA-J 101. R: SPEA-J 201 and SPEA-J 202. The development, limitations, and application of substantive criminal law utilizing the case-study method.
  • SPEA-J 305 Juvenile Justice (3 cr.) P: SPEA-J 101. This course is designed to provide an overview of the justice system's response to abused, neglected, and dependent children; juvenile misconduct; and delinquent behavior. An extensive review of the development of recent legal changes to the court, options for prevention, treatment of juvenile offenders, and possible system reforms.
  • SPEA-J 306 The Criminal Courts (3 cr.) P: SPEA-J 101. R: SPEA-J 201 and SPEA-J 202. 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, and the conduct of trials, sentencing, and appeal.
  • SPEA-J 321 American Policing (3 cr.) P: SPEA-J 101. R: SPEA-J 201 and SPEA-J 202. This course will examine the history, evolution, and organization of policing in the United States. Emphasis is placed on such major contemp-orary issues as the police role, discretion, use of force, corruption, accountability, and community policing.
  • SPEA-J 331 Corrections (3 cr.) P: SPEA-J 101. R: SPEA-J 201 and SPEA-J 202. This course examines the historical development of the American correctional system and the study of administration of local, state, and federal corrections programs, including jails, probation, community corrections, and prisons. Includes the study of punishment rationales, current correctional policies, and possibilities for reform.
  • SPEA-J 355 Global Criminal Justice Perspectives (3 cr.) P: SPEA-J 101. An international review of select criminal justice perspectives and systems within the primary legal traditions of common, civil, Islamic, and socialist systems, as well as those that do not fit into established categories, such as Native American and African tribal justice.
Public Affairs
  • SPEA-V 170 Introduction to Public Affairs (3 cr.) Broad coverage of public affairs through critical and analytical inquiry into policy making at all levels of government. Particular emphasis on intergovernmental relations as they affect policy in the federal system. Credit not given for both SPEA-V 160 and SPEA-V 170.
  • SPEA-V 221 Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr.)

    This course provides a broad overview of the United States nonprofit sector. Topics include the sector’s size and scope and its religious, historical, and theoretical underpinnings. It also examines perspectives on why people organize, donate to, and volunteer for nonprofit organizations and looks at current challenges that the sector faces.