COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO

DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Spring 2010

SYLLABUS - Criminal Justice

CRIJ 104 - Introduction to Corrections

3 CREDIT HOURS

Instructor: Brett Reid Office: Canyon Bldg. Room 202

Office Phone: 732-6339 E-Mail Address:

Office Hours: 10:00-4:00, M T W R F

Class Schedule: Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.

Class Location: Shields 118 or determined at a later date depending on class size

Course Description: History, theory practices, and research in adult, juvenile, community, and institutional corrections.

Required Text: Corrections in the 21st Century, Fourth Edition, Schmalleger and Smykla, Publisher: McGraw Hill

The CSI Mission Statement

The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides quality educational, social, cultural, economic, and workforce development opportunities that meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves. CSI prepares students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives in a global society.

Social Science Department Goals: This course also addresses the following Social Science Department goals:

1. Help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.

2. Help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.

3. Help students develop ability to distinguish between fact and opinion.

4. Teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.

5. Teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences and education to make better-

informed decisions.

6. Help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.

7. Prepare to transfer to a university.

Criminal Justice Program Objectives:

  1. To examine the social, philosophical, and historical perspectives of criminal behavior and the administration of justice.
  2. To introduce students to major criminal procedure concepts and examine how corresponding Supreme Court precedent impacts criminal procedure.
  3. To introduce students to the historical development of policing in America and contemporary policing theories.
  4. To introduce students to the historical development of corrections in America and contemporary correctional theories.
  5. To introduce students to the law of criminal evidence and examine how criminal evidence law is applied during a criminal trial.
  6. To prepare students for transfer to a four-year criminal justice program and upper-division course work in criminal justice administration.
  7. To prepare students for entry level positions in the criminal justice field.

Course Objectives: The intended outcomes of CRIJ 104 are the students:

1.  Understand the historical development of corrections and correctional authority how trends in corrections have changed over time.

2.  Know and understand the traditions of corrections and examine critical perspectives.

3.  Know and understand the social world of prisoners and correctional officers.

4.  Know and understand the different prison populations including women, juvenile, and minorities.

5.  Know and understand alternatives to incarceration and legal rights of inmates.

6.  Know and understand the controversy regarding the death penalty.

Outcomes Assessment

Multiple Choice Exam / Fill in the Blank Exam / Classroom Discussion / Attendance Roster
1 / ü / ü / ü
2 / ü / ü / ü
3 / ü / ü / ü
4 / ü / ü / ü / ü
5 / ü / ü / ü
6 / ü / ü

Alignment of Course Assessments with Social Science Goals and Criminal Justice Program Objectives

Social Science Department Goals / Law Enforcement Program Objectives
Multiple Choice Exam / 1,2,3,4,6,7 / 3,4,6
Fill in the Blank Exam / 1,3,4,6,7 / 2,3,4,6
Classroom Discussion / 1,3,4,5,7 / 2,3,4,6
Moot Court / 1,3,4,5,6,7 / 2,3,4,5,6
Attendance Roster / 1,4,6,7 / 3,4,6

Policies and Procedures

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend class. I will take attendance each day we are scheduled to meet. If a student misses the first three classes, I may drop the student from the class. Student’s attendance will also account for a portion of the student’s overall grade.

Honesty Policy: I follow the honesty policy defined in the CSI Student Handbook. If a student cheats on an exam or plagiarizes on a writing assignment, I will give the student a zero on that exam. If a student violates the honesty policy more than once, I may fail the student.

Late Policy: I expect students to take exams and quizzes on the day scheduled. I will notify students at least one day in advance of giving a quiz. No make up quizzes will be given if a student is absent on the day a quiz is given. Each quiz will be given following the lecture and discuss for that chapter. If a student cannot be present on the day an exam is scheduled, please notify me in advance. Make up exams will be given, but I may give the student a different exam. I will deduct 10 points from make up tests if the absence is not excused prior to the exam.

Required Assignments: The assignments will be completed as given regarding the material presented by the instructor. Tests and quizzes will be given as well as practical exercises that will be evaluated on an individual basis by the instructor(s).


Grading Practices

1. There are three (3) written exams worth 100 points each. Exams will be composed of multiple choice

and/or true/false questions. For Web based classes, the tests will be available on Blackboard.

2. Writing assignments may be worth an additional 30 points. Writing Assignments are REQUIRED,

not optional. You should select 1 “Review” question from the end of each chapter through Chapter

15 and submit your response to me by email at Your responses should be at least 100

words in length. Avoid “rambling” just to fill space.

3. I will give you 2 bonus points credit for each class you attend for a total of 30 points.

4. Extra credit opportunities may be given at the discretion of the instructor.

5. The following grading scale will be used:

A = 287-330 pts.

B = 244-286 pts.

C = 201-243 pts.

D = 158-200 pts.

F = 157 points or less.

Class Policies

Your exams and all other work should be done individually. I trust that you will ethically complete your tests and assignments as intended. The tests are not open book or open notes. Cheating on tests may be grounds for a final grade of “F” in the course.

The instructor reserves the right to make adjustments in policies when those policies are necessary for the benefit of the students. Be assured that I want you both to learn and succeed in this class and that I will do whatever is reasonable to help you accomplish these goals.

COURSE OUTLINE-ALWAYS TENTATIVE

Writing assignments should be submitted to me in a timely fashion, although there are no particular due dates for any of the chapters. The three tests cover material in the following chapters and corresponding Power Points:

Test 1-Chapters 1-5

Test 2- Chapters 6-10

Test 3- Chapters 11-15

I will make study guides available to you at the beginning of the term and if you study them, they should guide you sufficiently through the exams.

Student Disability: Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related accommodations. To determine eligibility and secure services, students should contact the coordinator of Disability Services at their first opportunity after registration for a class. Student Services is located on the second floor of the Taylor Building on the Twin Falls Campus. Contact at 208.732.6260 (voice) or 208.734.9929 (TTY), or email .

Online Course Evaluations: Students are strongly encouraged to complete evaluations at the end of this course. Evaluations are very important to assist the teaching staff to continually improve the course. Evaluations are available online at: http://evalauation.csi.edu Evaluations open up two weeks prior to the end of the course. The last day to complete an evaluation is the last day of the course. During the time the evaluations are open, students can complete the course evaluations at their convenience from any computer with Internet access, including in the open lad in the LIBRARY AND IN THE sub. When students log in they should see the evaluations for the courses in which they are enrolled. Evaluations are anonymous. Filling out the evaluation should only take a few minutes. Your honest feedback is greatly appreciated.