Introduction to Criminal Justice (ONLINE) – CRIJ 1301
Fall 2014 – Syllabus
Professor: Jennifer Klein, Ph.D.
Email:
Office: BUS 229 Office Phone: (903) 565-5680
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10:00am – 1:00pm (in person, by phone or by appointment)
Course Objectives: The main purpose of this core course is to help you develop a basic understanding of how the criminal justice system works and how it reacts to various issues regarding crime and crime control. The materials will examine how various segments (the legislature, police, courts, corrections, juvenile justice, etc.) react to issues surrounding crime suppression. This perspective will allow us to delve into how policies are intended to work and how they actually unfold in practice.
Like the other basic courses in the curriculum, this class provides a foundation for understanding how the criminal justice system operates. As such, this class is a building block for pursuing other specialized courses and more advanced topics. In order to accomplish this task, the course is structured to achieve the following aims: 1) to develop a basic understanding of how the criminal justice system works; 2) to become familiar with the role of the legislature, police, courts, corrections, and juvenile justice with respect to crime suppression; 3) to explore policy developments and their applications; and, 4) to concentrate on criminal justice developments within the State of Texas.
Course Materials:Bohm, Robert M. & Haley, Keith N. (2012). Introduction to Criminal Justice (7thor 8thEdition).McGraw-Hill Publishers.
This semester, we will be using the Bohm & Haley text as your primary source material. This text is required and you will be reading nearly the entire book this semester. Although nearly each chapter is assigned to you this semester, I will specifically state the page ranges that you are required to read each week. It is in your best interest to purchase and read this text as you will be tested on materials directly from the chapters. There are two editions out there – the 7th and 8th edition of this textbook. The 7th edition is less expensive than the 8th edition and will do just fine for the purposes of this course. There are not many differences between the two, but I will be using the 7th as the source material for your exams and lectures.
Course Policies
Course Grade: Your course grade for the semester is dependent on the work that you put into the class. I do not curve grades, nor do I offer extra credit at the end of the semester. Please do not ask for extra points at the end of the semester that would boost you to the next letter grade – they will not be given. Since this is an online class, it is up to you to complete the assignments on time. It is also your responsibility to contact me if you miss an assignment and need to discuss the possibility of a makeup. Because this syllabus lists all of the due dates for your assignments and quizzes, there should be no reason for late submissions.
Assignments:This semester you will be required to complete four written assignments related to some area of the criminal justice system. These assignments will be short (1 page minimum, 2 page maximum, double spaced), and will ask you respond to the provided prompt. These assignments will be varied in their requirements, but you be asked to critically think in all of these exercises. Each assignment will be worth 15 points.
Furthermore, you will have a semester paper due at the end of term. This paper is a little longer than your short paper assignments (5 pages minimum, 6 pages maximum, double spaced). For this assignment, you will be required to write on one of two provided prompts and are asked to provide outside resources (your text book and lecture materials do not count as outside materials). This paper will count for 50 points toward your final semester grade.
Grammar, punctuation and syntax matter in all written assignments. You must submit your own independent work online and your assignments will be screened for plagiarism. You have an extra responsibility to monitor your work for plagiarism whether it is intentional or otherwise. If you are using someone else’s ideas to emphasize your arguments, you MUST cite that information and properly reference it. Please keep track of when everything is due, as I do not accept any late submissions. If you fail to turn in any of the assignments on time, then you will forfeit any of the points available to you and your grade for that assignment will be recorded as a zero in the grade book.
Quizzes: Throughout this semester, you will be required to take several online quizzes that cover material from each of the modules. You will have 5 quizzes that you will take online through the Blackboard website. These quizzes will be timed, so you will need to know the material ahead of time. However, you will still be able to use whatever materials are at your disposal. Just know that if you do not review and study the material beforehand, you will not have enough time to search for the answers while you are taking the quizzes. The dates of each quiz can be found in the Class Schedule portion of the syllabus. You have a 24-hour window of time to take the quiz – this should allow for anyone who has conflicts to be able to take the quiz. Each quiz is worth 20 points towards your final grade. You will be given 20 attempts to get all 20 questions correct. You have 30 minutes to complete each quiz. If you have a conflict about any of these quiz days, it is up to you to inform me of said conflict before the day of the quiz. Once the quiz is complete, you are no longer eligible for make-up opportunities. This means if you forget to take the quiz and fail to inform me about the conflict ahead of time then you are ineligible to take a makeup.
Discussion Activities: To keep you engaged and thinking about the topics that we will cover in this class, I am requiring you to engage in four discussion activities. The first will be a basic introductory activity where you get to know your classmates. The other three discussion activities will be focused on class topics where you will have the opportunity to express your opinions and thoughts about lecture materials and your text. Each discussion activity will be worth 15 points towards your final grade. Your discussion activities are listed on the Blackboard website. Because the due dates for all discussion activities are listed on the syllabus, there should be no reason for you not to complete them on time. There are no makeups unless you have a medically excused reason.
Lectures: Unlike a traditional, in-person class, there are no scheduled times for us to meet as a group for lecture. Instead, I will post lectures for each chapter online. These lectures are meant to supplement the material in the text. These lectures will by no means provide you all the information needed for the weekly unit quizzes. You are responsible for the material in the lectures as well as the text.
Each lecture will be posted within the unit folder by the start date for that unit. You will need a video player to watch the lectures. Each lecture will last between 15-25 minutes per chapter.
Grading Scale:
Your grade will consist of points awarded to the successful completion of the following components:
- 4 written assignments (15 points each)60 points
- 1 final semester paper (50 points)50 points
- 4 discussion posts (15 points each)60 points
- 5 quizzes (20 points each, 1 quiz per unit)100 points
270 points total
Letter Grades will be assigned as follows:
Total Points / Letter Grade / Grade Points270 – 228 / A / 4.0
227.5 – 192 / B / 3.0
191.5 – 156 / C / 2.0
155.5 – 120 / D / 1.0
121.5 and below / F / 0.0
University Policies and Procedures
Academic dishonesty is a violation of University policy and professional standards. If compared to a violation of the criminal law, it would be classed as a felony. Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating, plagiarism, or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses. The penalty for academic dishonesty in this class will be no less than immediate failure of the course and a permanent student record of the reason therefore. In most cases, a written record of academic dishonesty or an instructor’s report of same to an agency investigator during a background check will bar an individual from employment by a criminal justice agency as it is considered indicative of subsequent corrupt acts.
Make-up Exams: The University Catalog does not establish make-ups as a student right. All exams are forecasted; therefore, no make-up opportunities are contemplated. Opportunities to make-up missed examinations will be provided only for exceptional reasons and must be documented (e.g., hospital records, obituaries). Make-up examinations may be in forms completely different from original examinations and will be scheduled at the convenience of the instructor.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) the University offers accommodations to students with learning, physical and/or psychiatric disabilities. If you have a disability, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, PTSD or ADHD, or you have a history of modifications or accommodations in a previous educational environment you are encouraged to contact the Student Accessibility and Resources office and schedule an interview with the Accessibility Case Manager/ADA Coordinator, Cynthia Lowery Staples. If you are unsure if the above criteria applies to you, but have questions or concerns please contact the SAR office. For more information or to set up an appointment please visit the SAR office located in the University Center, Room 3150 or call 903.566.7079. You may also send an email to
Student Rights, Responsibilities and Integrity: UT Tyler has detailed guidelines regarding issues of integrity that ensure the quality of education provided by the university. Consult the Student Handbook for details. To know and understand the policies which affect your rights and responsibilities as a student at UT Tyler, please follow this link:
Student Absence due to Religious Observance
Students who anticipate being absent from class due to a religious observance are requested to inform the instructor of such absences by the second class meeting of the semester.
Student Absence for University-Sponsored Events and Activities
If you intend to be absent for a university-sponsored event or activity, you (or the event sponsor) must notify the instructor at least two weeks prior to the date of the planned absence. At that time the instructor will set a date and time when make-up assignments will be completed.
Social Security and FERPA Statement:
It is the policy of The University of Texas at Tyler to protect the confidential nature of social security numbers. The University has changed its computer programming so that all students have an identification number. The electronic transmission of grades (e.g., via e-mail) risks violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; grades will not be transmitted electronically.
Semester Schedule
Date / Topic / Readings and AssignmentsUnit 1: The Foundations of Criminal Justice
Week 1:
August 25-29 / Syllabus
Crime and Justice in the US / Chapter 1
(pg. 3-22)
Week 2:
September 1-5 / Crime and Its Consequences / Chapter 2
(pg. 26-43, top)
(pg. 50-54)
Week 3:
September 8-12 / Explaining Crime / Chapter 3
(pg. 60-64, top)
(pg. 67, criminal anthropology)
(pg. 75-88, top)
Week 4:
September 15-19 / The Rule of Law / Chapter 4
(pg. 95-113, bottom)
(pg. 118-127, top)
Unit Due Dates / September 5 (5pm due)
September 12 (5pm due)
September 16 (5pm due)
September 19 (9am start) / Discussion Activity #1 (Pt. 1)
Discussion Activity #1 (Pt. 2)
Writing Assignment #1
Quiz #1
Unit 2: Law Enforcement
Week 5:
September 22-26 / History and Structure of American Law Enforcement / Chapter 5
(pg. 137-165, bottom)
Week 6:
September 29 - October 3 / Policing: Roles, Styles and Functions / Chapter 6
(pg. 197-212, bottom)
(pg. 217-236)
Unit Due Dates / September 26 (5pm due)
September 29 (5pm due)
October 3 (5pm due)
October 3 (9am start) / Writing Assignment #2
Discussion Activity #2 (Pt. 1)
Discussion Activity #2 (Pt. 2)
Quiz #2
Unit 3: The Courts
Week 7:
October 6-10 / The Administration of Justice / Chapter 8
(pg. 273-316, full chapter)
Week 8:
October 13-17 / Sentencing, Appeals and the Death Penalty / Chapter 9
(pg. 321-335, bottom)
(pg. 335-345, bottom)
Unit Due Dates / October 10 (5pm due)
October 14 (5pm due)
October 17 (5pm due)
October 17 (9am start) / Writing Assignment #3
Discussion Activity #3 (Pt. 1)
Discussion Activity #3 (Pt. 2)
Quiz #3
Unit 4: Corrections
Week 9:
October 20-24 / Institutional Corrections / Chapter 10
(pg. 354-360)
(pg. 365-387)
Week 10:
October 27-31 / Prison Life, Inmate Rights, Release and Recidivism / Chapter 11
(pg. 402-427, full chapter)
Week 11:
November 3-7 / Community Corrections / Chapter 12
(pg. 431-457)
Unit Due Dates / October 31 (5pm due)
November 7 (9am start) / Writing Assignment #4
Quiz #4
Unit 5: Additional Issues in Criminal Justice
Week 12:
November 10-14 / Juvenile Justice / Chapter 13
(pg. 478-488, bottom)
(pg. 503-513)
Week 13:
November 17-21 / The Future of Criminal Justice in the United States / Chapter 14
(pg. 517-539, full chapter)
Week 14:
November 24-28 / No Class (Happy Thanksgiving!)
Week 15:
December 1-5 / Last Week of Class / Final Papers Due
Unit Due Dates / November 14 (5pm due)
November 21 (5pm due)
December 5 (5pm due)
December 5 (9am start) / Discussion Activity #4 (Pt. 1)
Discussion Activity #4 (Pt. 2)
Final Paper
Quiz #5
* Please note that this course schedule is tentative and could change at the discretion of the professor. While I do not foresee any reasons to change this semester’s schedule, there may be an unforeseen reason that presents itself at any point. If a change is necessary, I will inform you of these changes via Blackboard and will provide a revised syllabus.