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Criminal Justice Online Programs

Undergraduate Course Description

Criminal Justice Program

Undergraduate Course Description

CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CRJU)

CRJU 201 CRIMINAL JUSTICE I: Intro. to Police, Courts, and Corrections (Credit, 3 hours)
All major components of the criminal justice system will be covered and their relationship to each other in competing for resources with conflicting goals. Their functions and effectiveness in working toward common and competing goals will be analyzed against environmental and organizational demands.

CRJU 202 CRIMINAL JUSTICE II: Private Security & Public Crime Prevention (Credit, 3 hours)
Public and private security authority will be examined looking at history up to modem times. Balance reactive policing with proactive philosophy in crime prevention training and operations. Civil litigation resulting from violent and nonviolent crimes will compare the criminal process to the civil process.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 245 CRIMINAL LAW (Credit, 3 hours)
This course involves the study of the substantive criminal law, including definitions, punishment and defenses to crimes. Also examined in this course are the general principles and specific elements of crimes, the most frequently used sections of the State Codes(s) of Criminal Law and the Model Penal Code (with emphasis placed on person and property crimes of the FBI's Uniform Crime Re- ports). Finally, this course will study the affect and/or impact of the U.S. Constitution on the creation and enforcement of criminal laws.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 247 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (Credit, 3 hours)
This course is designed to guide the student through an in-depth study of some of the major areas of criminal procedure such as a pre-arrest investigation, search and seizure, arrest. Students will also be provided information regarding the pretrial process including bail, pretrial hearings and motions, indictments, right to counsel, police interrogation, confessions, suspect identification process and other related laws, Constitutional Amendments and legal concepts. Also discusses are the roles of the major players in the U.S. adversarial system, i.e. prosecution, defense, etc.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 300 INTERNSHIP FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAJORS (Credit, 3 hours)
Completion of at least three criminal justice courses, authorization of counselor and program director. The student will complete 100 hours of apprenticeship with a public or private sector operation dealing with control of crime and/or criminals. This may include police, courts, corrections, and private business.
Prerequisites: CRJU 202; may be repeated for up to 12 hours in conjunction with CRJU 400 with advisor and program director's permission; these additional hours may be counted toward free electives or Volunteerism.

CRJU 210 CORRECTIONS (Credit, 3 hours)
This introductory level course overviews the American Correctional System, and focuses on historical and contemporary developments, trends and dilemmas. Offender profiles, rights, correctional sub-systems, and operational distinctions are examined at the three levels of government and the public and private sectors. A bibliography provides a wide range of internet resources and links to further explore and examine topics and issues in corrections at an international level.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 211 APPLIED CRIMINOLOGY THEORY (Credit, 3 hours)
Students will be presented an overview of the numerous schools of thought throughout history including those from psychology, sociology, biology, bio-social theory, and others in explaining pathology, causation-correlation, criminalization, and social control. Also covered will be the measurement of crime, criminal behavior patterns, alternative explanations of crime, types of crime and a criminological application to components of the criminal justice system and private sector.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 212 HOMELAND SECURITY (Credit, 3 hours)
This course introduces students to the challenges for law enforcement to "Secure the homeland" from terrorism. Challenges to civil liberties, the Patriot Legislation, and the Department of Homeland Security are among the themes of interests in this course. America's law enforcement roles in national defense from terrorism is the common theme throughout the course. A bibliography provides a wide range of internet e-resources and links to further explore and examine topics and issues in homeland security.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 232 CRIMINAL AND CIVIL INVESTIGATIONS (Credit, 3 hours)
The student will be made aware of differences in the criminal and civil process in the focus on various crimes. The importance of report writing, notebook, training, and standards will be made apparent to the student. Field trips to investigative agencies and crime scenes. Contrast between interviews and interrogations, tracing Sources of information, and informants. Also specific offenses, the investigator in court, identification and reproduction.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 234 ABUSES AND ADDICTIONS (Credit, 3 hours)
An introductory course in abuse of drugs, poly drug use, crime, and violence. History of drug abuse, and its pharmacology. Numerous explanations of drug abuse: physiological, psychological, and sociological. Treatment and prevention. The business of drugs: local, national and international trafficking; money laundering; politics and narcoterrorism.
Prerequisite: CRJU 202

CRJU 240 POLICING IN AMERICA (Credit, 3 hours)
A detailed survey of law enforcement in America, covering city, county, state, and federal enforcement agencies. Operations, discretion, rank order, policy, and organization will be covered, as well as the environment within which police operate including small, large and rural areas. Implementation of the law, 1983 Civil Rights Violations, use of force, and the impact of race will be analyzed, in addition to other timely subjects. Local and national events will be discussed. Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 246. LIABILITY AND LITIGATION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES (Credit, 3 hours)
Seminar focusing on situational risks concerning civil litigation and its impact on the agencies of criminal justice systems, risk management, managing crime and unintended consequences of policy, training, supervision, liaison with the private sector, excessive force, stress, negligent hiring, negligent retention, and more.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201

CRJU 357 ANALYZING CRIME: PRACTICAL METHODOLOGY AND STATISTICS (Credit, 3 hours)
A combination of statistics and methodology, this course will guide students through definition and application of techniques. Meant to not only address research issues, this course emphasizes practical use of data in criminal and civil litigation. Real case materials are provided to the student as well as computer techniques for developing and enhancing skills for creation and analysis of crime data in prosecution and civil litigation.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 210, and CRJU 211

CRJU 358 SEMINAR IN ADVANCED CRIME ANALYSIS (Credit, 3 hours)
Seminar in Real analysis of criminal justice data used in planning, management, deployment, "hot spotting," report writing, risk management, training, supervision, police, court administration, prison populations, probation and parole, corporate security, crime prevention projects, and criminal profiling. Skills taught will be that necessary for college graduates desirous of direct entry into criminal justice analysis employment. The course will be 60 percent classroom and 40 percent field working with local, state, and/or federal agencies and supervised by professor.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 357

CRJU 363 TERRORISM (Credit, 3 hours)
The course directs the student to both a military and police/ paramilitary perspective on terrorism, a United States vs. an international understanding, the role of local, state, and federal agencies, the various types of terrorism and the various international actors, groups, gangs and militaries involved, narcoterrorism, American foreign business interests and security, and the ultimate interface of public and private sector interests in America's new home front danger.
Prerequisites: CRJU 201

CJRU 367 CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION (Credit, 3 hours)
Focus on the policy process as it relates to crime legislation, its implementation, and actual workings of the political system. Special consideration is given the student regarding a framework for analysis, influences on criminal justice policy, how policy is made, application of the policy cycle to the crime issue, planning, and the tools requisite of a policy analyst.
Prerequisites: CRJU 201, CRJU 211

CRJU 375 LEGAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (Credit, 3 hours)
Legal methods used in real cases will prepare the student for investigative skills needed in uncovering information necessary for answering basic questions through legal research. Instructed by attorneys and other practitioners within the criminal and civil courts, the student will become sensitized to requirements for generation of legal information.
Prerequisites: CRJU 201

CJRU 390 CRIME AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY INTELLECTUAL PURSUIT (Credit, 3 hours)
This course pursues the function of crime within national and international society, not only recently but in a historical context. The interaction of literary content and philosophy will be studied against an historical background which considers not only sociological and psychological paradigms, but the input from increased efforts at professionalism in the public and private sectors. A workshop environment stressing an interdisciplinary philosophy.

CRJU 396 CERTIFIED PROTECTION OFFICER (CPO) TRAINING (Credit, 3 hours)
The CPO designation certifies that the holder of this certification has completed basic course work consolidated for both public and private security functions. This course is an excellent resource for practitioners in reducing liability for police, corrections, and private security operations.
Prerequisites (for no practitioners): at least 18 hours of criminal justice core and elective courses, Department of Criminal Justice. Permission by department only

CRJU 397 CERTIFIED SECURITY SUPERVISOR (CSS) TRAINING (Credit, 3 hours)
The CSS designation certifies that the holder has successfully completed training covering report writing, personnel policies and procedures, multicultural diversity, ethics, stress management, complaints and grievances, courtroom testimony, supervision and training, response plan implementation, development of safety attitude, designing operations centers, statistical analysis, and community relations. Prerequisites (for non-practitioners): at least 30 hours of criminal justice core and elective courses, senior standing, prior work experience, and approval of program director. Permission by department only

CRJU 400 PUBLIC/PRIVATE SECTOR PRACTICUM (Credit, 3 hours)
This course is utilized for students to apprentice in real world operations.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 310; Junior standing.

CRJU 429. COMPARATIVE JUSTICE SYSTEMS (Credit, 3 hours)
A cross-cultural study of crime and crime control applying the comparative method of in the science of criminology. Advantages and disadvantages of the global village are discussed as is the goals of comparative research: studying foreign criminal and civil law, culture, and how data and other information are collected. Also examined are the special problems of empirical research, theory testing, international strategies, and internationally-induced local crime problems. Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 211, Junior standing

CRJU 430 SEMINAR IN COMMUNITY-BASED CRIMINAL JUSTICE (Credit, 3 hours)
Seminar in community-based criminal justice agencies, special training needed, necessary interactions with the environment, educational presentations of agencies, the impact on law enforcement, court, corrections, drug abuse, etc., and interfacing with neighborhood groups, the church, educational institutions, and others.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 210

 CRJU 435 PROBATION AND PAROLE (Credit, 3 hours)
Analysis of the comparison and contrast of probation and parole supervision, their interaction with the criminal courts, administrative courts, and revocation hearings. Detailed perspectives of sworn versus unsworn peace officer status and the differing correctional philosophies will be discussed.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 210

CRJU 450 VIOLENCE WORKSHOP (Credit, 3 hours)
Professional certification credential based on analysis of violence, how it starts, and its impact on the criminal justice system. Students will learn violence prevention skills used in the criminal justice profession: mediation, conflict resolution, and anger management. The course will study the application state-of-the-art innovative violence prevention programs practiced in criminal justice system agencies.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 211

CRJU 453 SEMINAR IN ETHICS AND ETHNICS (Credit, 3 hours)
The study of ethics and race, the rule of law, crime control and due process, individual decision-making and discretion, code of ethics in policing, courts and corrections, loyalty, employee whistleblowing, ethical duty toward truthfulness, the moralities of police lying, perjury, criminal justice deviancy, gratuities, use of force, "snitches," barriers to equality, reverse discrimination, preferential treatment, rehabilitation, death penalty, and retaliation.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 240

CRJU 457 CRIME PREVENTION BEST PRACTICES AND METHODS (Credit, 3 hours)
The student will learn what negligence is, including civil vs. criminal law, the issue of foreseeability, and proactive strategizing. The use of the security survey in and audit in identifying security needs, "premises profiling" as well as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), community oriented policing, and other crime prevention concepts in the protection of assets on numerous types of premises.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 357

CRJU 469 VICTIMOLOGY (Credit, 3 hours)
Topics addressed in this course include: the extent of criminal victimization; the role of the victim in victimization; the cost of victimization; child, elder, and spouse abuse; victim rights and repaying victims; sources of data on criminal victimization; victimizer attitudes toward their victims; victim- offender relationships; victim/target selection; victim personal characteristics; and victim behavior as a situational variable.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 211, Junior standing

CRJU 478 WORKPLACE VIOLENCE (Credit, 3 hours)
Students will consider causes of workplace violence such as a job threat, lack of dispute-resolution skills, mental illness, general life stress, and substance abuse, including violence as a cultural norm. Behavioral topologies will be compared to most recent use of personality profiling, ethics, the nonviolence paradigm, building values into the organization, paranoid organizations, creation of organizational violence, and analysis of healthy organization.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 211, Junior standing

CRJU 483 SOCIAL CONTROL IN THE CRIMINAL AND CIVIL COURTS (Credit, 3 hours)
Examination of the court implementation process as social control in both civil and criminal law. The effects of organizational process on issues and court players including attorneys, plaintiff and defense civilians, the court, jury, judges, police, and probation officers.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 245, CRJU 247

CRJU 492 CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORKSHOP (Credit, 3 hours)
Topics vary each time course is offered. A focus will be on timely subjects and those of concern to criminal justice practitioners and the public.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, Junior standing

CRJU 495 SEMINAR IN CORPORATE SECURITY (Credit, 3 hours)
Seminar considering private sector corporate security, training, definition of risk, predatory prevention, reduction of criminal opportunity in different types of businesses, policy development, employee assistance programs, organizational behavior, understanding of systems and security awareness training at different levels of organization, and reducing liability.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 240

CRJU 498 INDEPENDENT STUDY (Credit, 3 hours)
The student presents a plan for study to a criminal justice faculty who acts as a mentor through- out the semester. The student and professor meet regularly in order to complete supervision of the project. The student and professor work in conjunction with the program director in completing the study. The study plan requires authorization of the program director.
Prerequisite: CRJU 201, CRJU 357. Junior standing and approval of chair.

CRJU 499 SENIOR SEMINAR- PRACTITIONER PROFESSIONALISM (Credit, 3 hours)
A senior capstone course which centers on the student's marketing skills, consolidation of "college knowledge" useful in prospecting and securing employment. Students will learn how to prepare for an interview for criminal justice and private sector positions using social science theory, practice and methodology, develop resumes', and how to utilize the computer in locating and applying for jobs on the Internet as well as through more traditional means at the local, state, and national levels.
Pre- requisite: CRJU 201, senior standing or permission of chair.