Criminology & Criminal Justice Course Descriptions
CRJ 105 - The Criminal Justice System
3 Credits
An introduction to the U.S. justice system. An analysis of the formal components of
the system—law enforcement, prosecution, the courts, and corrections—and the processes
by which these functions interrelate. The course is designed to give the student a
comprehensive perspective of the system of justice in the U.S.
CRJ/POL - 230 The Law, Society & Policy
3 Credits
An introduction to the notion of law, its function in society, its place in a political
system. Examination of the relationship of law to economic, social and political reality;
the role of the judicial process in policymaking. Consideration is given to Common
Law and Civil Code legal systems; substantive and procedural aspects of civil and
criminal law with emphasis on understanding the nature of the law.
CRJ/POL 231 - The History of the Constitution of the United States of America
3 Credits
An examination of the nature, scope, and history of U. S. government as embodied in
the U. S. Constitution. Special emphasis on the constitutional limits to and extent
of federal power as developed since 1787 through the history of leading constitutional
Supreme Court decisions: judicial review, federalism, commerce and taxation, the contract
clause, due process, equal protection, and civil liberties.
Prerequisites: POL 101 or POL/CRJ 230. Not open to students with credit in POL/CRJ
261.
CRJ/POL 236 - The Judicial Process
3 Credits
Treatment of the workings and problems of the U.S. judicial system with emphasis on
the structure and function of the federal and state court systems; criminal procedure
and pertinent legal aspects of corrections.
CRJ/SOC 263 - Juvenile Delinquency
3 Credits
The history of the treatment of juvenile offenders, patterns of delinquency, treatment
modalities, causative factors, the juvenile justice system, social and cultural influences
upon juveniles in modern society, and current theories of juvenile delinquency.
CRJ 268 - Victimology
3 Credits
An examination of theory and research of victims of crime, with particular emphasis
on victims of child abuse and neglect, domestic violence including spousal abuse,
elder abuse and exploitation, rape and other forms of sexual violence. The psychological
and physiological reactions of crime victims to trauma and implications for appropriate
treatment practices within the criminal justice system will be examined with attention
to diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
CRJ 278 - Crime in Media & Popular Culture
3 Credits
This course examines the role of media and popular culture in shaping public perceptions
of crime and the criminal justice system. Issues examined include: media portrayals
of race and crime, the influence of legal dramas on the court process, and the impact
of media on the public’s perception of crime, police, courts, and corrections.
CRJ/POL 279A - CORE: Environmental Values & Policymaking
3 Credits
This course explores how the “common good” might be considered a way of judging government’s
actions with respect to the natural environment. Some environmentalists wonder if
conventional thinking—even democracy itself—is up to the challenge. Course will illustrate
real-world technical complexities and uncertainties, and the existence of competing
worthy (and costly) common objectives besides environmental protection, stand in the
way of any easy solutions to environmental problems.
This course is necessarily interdisciplinary since neither nature nor policymaking
is organized by academic departments.
Pre- or Co-requisite: ENG 102 or ENG 111. Not open to students with credit in CRJ/POL
258.
CRJ 279G/PJU 279G - CORE: Interpersonal Negotiation & Mediation
3 Credits
This course introduces basic and intermediate level skills useful for resolving interpersonal
conflicts and reconciling relationships post trauma. Building on an understanding
of conflict theory and communication, the course uses skills of active listening,
problem-solving and bargaining in family, work and community conflicts.
Emphasis will be placed on training through simulations and role-play. Particular
attention will be focused on the areas of interest-based negotiation, principled mediation
and victim-offender reconciliation. These topics will serve as the vehicle for addressing
the question of the seminar: How shall we live in the world in the light of divine
and social justice?
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 102 or ENG 111. Not open
to students with credit in PJU 230 or CRJ 237 or CRJ 379B. This course partially fulfills
the Social and Behavioral Science requirement.
CRJ 280 - Police & Modern Society
3 Credits
A review of the historical, philosophical, and legal issues related to the role of
the police, both public and private, in a modern democratic society. This course fulfills
the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement.
CRJ 305 - Ethics in Doing Justice
3 Credits
An analysis of public and private institutions and structures affecting the socio-cultural
bonds of society and ways of understanding human rights; an examination of the underlying
historical, philosophical and legal issues of freedom, security, and citizenship in
contemporary social settings. A special emphasis will be placed on varying ways of
understanding the meaning of justice in different contemporary settings.
CRJ 310 - Corrections
3 Credits
Examination of correctional institutions and correctional policy with emphasis on
the social and political contexts and consequences of contemporary correctional policies
and practices. Issues examined include: history of corrections, correctional policy,
mass incarceration, prisoner re-entry, community based corrections, and the impact
of correctional policy on communities.
Not open to students with credit in CRJ 269 and in the CRJ 315 two credit course.
CRJ 320 - Women, Crime & Criminal Justice
3 Credits
The study of women crime victims, offenders, and criminal justice professionals. Issues
examined include: victimization of women including sexual assault and domestic violence,
patterns of criminality of female offenders, theories of female criminality, and incarcerated
female offenders.
CRJ 330 - Punishment, Sentencing & the Death Penalty
3 Credits
This course examines historical, cross cultural, and contemporary perspectives on
punishment. The impact of theories and philosophies of punishment on sentencing is
examined. Emphasis will be placed on the development, impact, and effectiveness of
sentencing policies. Particular attention will be devoted to the death penalty including
analysis of historical, legal, cross-cultural, and contemporary issues.
CRJ/SOC 340 - Human Trafficking
3 Credits
This course provides students with an overview of human trafficking on a domestic
and international scale. The course will explore the root causes of this crime, trafficker
tactics, victim indicators, current laws, law enforcement’s view and approach to this
criminal activity, and the role of advocacy by non-governmental organizations.
Not open to students with credit in CRJ/SOC 385C.
CRJ/SOC 348B - Prisons & Mental Hospitals
3 Credits
An historical review of the notions of criminality and mental illness with a focus
on the emergence and development of prisons and mental hospitals.
Prerequisites: ENG 101-102 or 110-111.
CRJ/SOC/POL 352 - Research Methods
3 Credits
This course examines research design and measurement techniques useful for understanding
social science research. The course is skill based involving students in critical
evaluation of existing research relevant to their specific field of study, design
of a research project, and an introduction to data analysis using SPSS.
Of particular interest are issues of problem definition and research question formulation,
conceptualization and operationalization of variables, sampling, and application of
various methodologies from experimental designs to evaluation research.
Prerequisites: MTH 140; junior standing or consent of the instructor.
CRJ/SOC 365 - Criminology
3 Credits
Study of the nature, distribution and types of crime in society. Theories of crime
causation in both historical and contemporary perspectives are examined.
Prerequisite: CRJ 105, junior or senior standing or consent of instructor.
CRJ 378 - Race & Ethnicity in Criminal Justice
3 Credits
This course examines the role of race and ethnicity in criminal justice. Course material
and assigned readings will examine current criminal justice theory and research in
the study of race and ethnicity. Topics include: history of race and ethnicity in
the construction of law, differences in rates of involvement in crime by race and
ethnicity, and disparities in the impact of criminal justice based on race and ethnicity.
Policies for alleviating inequality in the criminal justice system will be examined.
CRJ/POL/SOC 379C - CORE: Causes of Collective Violence: Terrorism, Genocide, War
3 Credits
This is an introduction to theories of conflict and war from the inter-group to the
international level. Included are causes of terrorism, ethnic conflict and genocide,
revolution, and interstate war. This includes an analysis of causes of conflict at
four levels: individual, small group, the nation/state, and the international system.
This course is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories from biology, psychology, sociology,
economics, and political science. Case studies of contemporary conflicts are utilized
to explain and test various theoretical perspectives and to examine the consequences
of war.
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 102 or ENG 111.
CRJ 379A/POL 379D/HST 379A - CORE: Justice, Rights, Liberty
3 Credits
The search for justice in terms of the development of civil rights in the United States.
Readings, discussions, and debate on the concept of justice; examination of history,
substance, and value of civil rights—with special attention paid to the Bill of Rights;
focus on the Civil Rights Movement (race and gender) as a case study.
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 102 or ENG 111. This course
fulfills the Arts requirement (HST) or partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral
Science requirement (POL/CRJ). Not open to students with credit in POL/CRJ 232. This
course fulfills the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement.
CRJ 479 - CORE: Criminal Justice Seminar
3 Credits
This senior capstone seminar integrates theory and research to analyze selected contemporary
criminal justice issues. Students will synthesize knowledge from previous coursework
in the major and core curriculum to examine the origin, impact and implications of
criminal justice policies.
Prerequisite: Completion of junior core seminar, senior standing, and completion of
at least two courses in criminal justice or consent of instructor.
CRJ 1/2/3/485 - Special Topics
2-3 Credits
Intensive reading and class discussion of selected topics in criminal justice not
covered in regular courses.
CRJ 2/3/486 - Independent Study
2-3 Credits
Intensive reading or special research projects for students with advanced standing.
Includes Honors Program research.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor, academic advisor, division chairperson.
CRJ 497 - Internship
1-6 or 9 Credits
Supervised internship of 50 hours of activity for each hour of credit in an approved
agency setting. Placements are arranged in cooperation with the student and agency
representative.
Prerequisites: Junior standing, 2.5 GPA or permission of the instructor, and four
courses in areas of concentration; successful completion of application requirements
for internship. No more than 9 hours of internship credit allowed. Course will be
graded Pass/Fail.
POL 101 - The Great Issues of Politics
3 Credits
Introduction to the study of politics and government; survey of the discipline, the
structure of the United States system of government and the major issues of political
science including: the theory and function of government and the political process,
public law, international politics, comparative government and foreign relations,
and political development. Emphasis is on issues, approaches, methodologies, democracy
and citizenship.
SCE 000 - Senior Comprehensive Examination
0 Credits
SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology
3 Credits
A survey of the basic concepts of the sociological analysis of human behavior. Topics
include culture and socialization; deviance and social control; stratification and
social class; inequalities of gender, race, ethnicity, and class; collective behavior
and social change; and the role of social institutions in society including family,
health care, education, religion, politics, and the economy. Some sections may include
a service-learning component. This course fulfills the diversity, global, and multicultural
requirement.
SOC 215 - Deviance & Institutional Problems
3 Credits
This course is a study of the definition and management of those defined as socially
deviant with an emphasis on western societies. A sociological perspective is used
to examine a range of topics including drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, stigma
management, fear and risk perceptions, and the medicalization of deviance, as well
as evaluate contemporary institutional problems surrounding the management of deviance
such as inequality, classism, racism, and sexism.