CCJ 3024: Advanced Principles of Criminal Justice
Summer B 2016, Section 4B11
Instructor:
Lindsay Leban
Lecture:
MTWTF
4th period: 10:40am –11:30am
LIT 0242
Office Hours:
WF
11:30am – 12:30am
Turlington 3353
Required Texts:
Frank E. Hagan. (2016). Introduction to Criminology, 9th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. (ISBN: 9781452242347)
Marcus Felson & Mary Eckert. (2016). Crime and Everyday Life, 5th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. (ISBN: 9781483384689)
Several other readings will be posted on Canvas.
Course Description:
This course is designed to introduce students to research and theory as related to the study of crime, deviance, and the criminal justice system. Specifically, this course focuses on the causes and effects of criminality (sociological, psychological, biological, etc.), criminal justice system structure, as well as efforts to prevent and intervene on criminal behavior. Emphasis is placed on the social context of crime, including examination of how different types of crimes relate to theory. Throughout the semester this course will provide opportunities for students to expand their ability to think critically through a range of class interactions and writings.
Course Objectives:
1. Identify and discuss potential causes of crime – including biological, psychological, and sociological – and deviance in society.
2. Understand the criminal justice system's responses to criminal and deviant behavior.
3. Identify and discuss how societal and legal changes have affected crime causation and how these factors have been interconnected throughout history.
4. Examine and refine analytical, reasoning, and connective abilities, recognizing how theory and social variables are connected and interdependent.
5. Identify and discuss theoretical explanations regarding crime and crime’s role in society, including the connection between theory, programs, and policy.
Course Requirements and Policies:
Communications:
Canvas will be used in this course to post grades and participate in the discussion posts.
Canvas is accessible at: http://lss.at.ufl.edu. If you experience any computer-related difficulties, don't hesitate to contact the UF Computing Help Desk at http://helpdesk.ufl.edu, 352-392-4357.
Please familiarize yourself with the course site, as it is intended to enhance your learning experience. The "Student Help FAQ" tab is a good introduction for anyone new to Canvas.
Please contact me through email () or via Canvas mail. Emails sent during regular business hours will typically receive a response within 24 hours. Emails sent on holidays or weekends will normally be responded to within 48 hours. Send me emails from your UFL email or through Canvas, as emails sent from other platforms may be sent to junk mail.
Attendance:
Attendance is required for this course, and you are responsible for signing the sign-in sheet during each class. In the case of exceptional emergencies (illness, death in the family, etc.) you must provide me with a documented excuse in order for your absence to be excused. In such circumstances missing class will not negatively impact your grade.
Assignments and Grading:
(Helpful hint: plan ahead, review due dates, and inform me of any conflicts you foresee as soon as possible.)
Exams:
There will be 3 non-cumulative exams in this course, each worth 100 points. The total exam grade will count for 300 points. Exams will cover lecture and reading materials. Each Exam will consist of 40 multiple-choice questions worth 2.5 points each, closed-book, with 50 minutes per exam.
You are expected to be in class for tests. If there are extenuating circumstances that will require a student to miss an exam (religious holidays, illness, death in the family, etc.), you must notify me prior to the exam time and you must provide documentation of your excuse. The make-up test will be an essay format.
Reaction Paper:
There will be one semester paper assigned to be due on August 1st. You will define a criminological theory discussed in class. Make sure to cover all propositions within the theory and clearly discuss the theory at length. Find a real-life event (newspaper, news, online, etc.) that lends itself to the application of your chosen theory and discuss this connection. Also, discuss how society could learn from the event and theory and how this may shape policy in the future.
Formatting:
3-5 Pages
Double Spaced
Times New Roman 12 point font
1 inch margins
Rubric:
Formatting (10points)
Academic voice (10points)
Define criminological theory (40 points)
Related theory to real life event properly (20 points)
Discuss how society can learn from event and theory (20 points)
Weekly Online Discussions:
There will be 5 online discussions. Every week (with the exception of the final week), students will be required to write a post for the online discussions in Canvas. For each post, students will have a choice of several prompts on which to respond. Each post is worth 20 points. To receive all 20 points, students will need to write a post that thoroughly addresses the prompt they choose, as well as comment on at least 2 others’ posts. Late posts will be subject to a 2-point deduction per day. Posts are due at 11:59pm on each Friday.
Grading:
Attendance 50 points
Exam 1 100 points
Exam 2 100 points
Exam 3 100 points
Reaction Paper 100 points
Discussions 100 points
650 points
I will compute the percentage grade by dividing the total points earned by 640 total possible points. There is no curve in this class. The letter grade will be assigned as follows:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 88-89
B 83-87
B- 80-82
C+ 78-79
C 73-77
C- 70-72
D+ 68-69
D 63-67
D- 60-62
F 59 and below
Classroom Conduct and Preparation:
Students are expected to act in a professional manner at all times. Students failing to act in a professional manner will be asked to leave the class. Professionalism includes, but is not limited to: civility and courtesy to everyone in class, including your instructor. This class should be viewed as a safe environment for all students to express their opinions without the fear of ridicule or judgment. Comments made to one another should be respectful and civil. Disagreements will be handled in a mature manner, where students attack the issues rather than one another.
Academic Honesty:
Academic honesty and integrity are fundamental values of the University community. Students should be sure that they understand the UF Student Honor Code at http://www.dso.ufl.edu/students.php.
I will not tolerate plagiarism. Please consult the following website to learn what constitutes plagiarism: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/plagiarism.html (from The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina).
Proper citations are required for written work in this course. Useful websites to visit are http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ and http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/. Both sites offer useful tips and formatting guidelines for proper citation, punctuation or general grammar questions, and basic writing tips you should find useful when completing your discussion posts.
Accommodations:
Students requesting accommodation for disabilities must first register with the Dean of Students Office (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc). The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation. You must submit this documentation prior to submitting assignments or taking the quizzes or exams. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the office as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations.
CCJ 3024 Summer B 2016
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
DATE / TOPIC / REQUIRED READING / WHAT’S DUE?June 27 / Syllabus & Introduction
Criminal Justice System: Structure
Juvenile Justice System: Structure / F & E Ch. 1
June 28
June 29
June 30
July 1 / Research in Criminology and CJ: Measuring Crime: Official, Self-Report, and Victimization Data / Hagan Ch. 2 & 3
F & E Ch. 5
Discussion 1 Post
due July 1 @ 11:59pm
July 4
July 5
July 6
July 7 / Theories of Crime
Situational Context of Crime / Hagan Ch. 5, 6, 7, & 8
F & E Ch. 3 & 8
July 8 / EXAM 1 / Discussion 2 Post
due July 8 @ 11:59pm
July 11
July 12 / Consequences of Crime & Victimization / Hagan Ch. 4
July 13
July 14
July 15 / Violent Crime / Hagan Ch. 9
F & E Ch. 4
Discussion 3 Post
due July 15 @ 11:59pm
July 18
July 19 / Special Crime Groups: Property Crime / Hagan Ch. 10
F & E Ch. 9
July 20
July 21 / Special Crime Groups: White Collar and Organized Crime / Hagan Ch. 11 & 13
F & E Ch. 12
July 22 / EXAM 2 / Discussion 4 Post
due July 22 @ 11:59pm
July 25
July 26 / Special Crime Groups: Juveniles & Gangs / F & E Ch. 6 & 7
July 27
July 28 / Special Crime Groups: Cybercrime / Hagan Ch. 15
July 29
Aug 1
Aug 2 / Courts: Procedures, Punishment, & Sentencing; The Plea / F & E Ch. 10, 11, 13 / Discussion 5 Post
due July 29 @ 11:59pm
Reaction Paper Due August 1 @ 11:59pm
Aug 3
Aug 4 / Corrections & Prevention: Police, Prisons, Programs: The Empty Chair / F & E Ch. 10, 11, 13
Aug 5 / EXAM 3