Criminal Justice (CRMJ)
This course provides an analysis of the structure, process, and personnel involved in the state and federal court systems. An overview criminal law concepts and procedures, beginning with their historical basis in the Constitution is covered. The relationship between public order and due process will be examined. Students will trace the flow of a criminal case from the time the crime is committed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
This course is cross-listed with SOC-306. This course introduces students to the history of policing and provides an overview of recent approaches to policing. This course also includes an in-depth examination of police behavior, discretion, and community responses and attitudes toward law enforcement.
This course will examines organized criminal structures including street gangs and organized crime rings. Studies the role society plays in increasing and decreasing membership into these organizations. Explores the societal and law enforcement approaches to the reduction of organized crime.
This course is cross-listed with SOC-308. This course covers key theories about the causes of terrorism, including social-psychological theories about the individual to macro-level theories about which countries experience terrorism and why. Students will learn about types of terrorism including suicide terrorism, state terrorism, ecoterrorism, and revolutionary terrorism. Various responses to terrorism are considered, including the law, media representations of terrorism, and human rights repercussions.
This course critically examines the influence of race, class and gender in the creation and application of criminal justice. This course discusses victimization and criminal behavior patterns, theoretical explanations, and the dynamics of differential involvement of specific groups in the criminal justice system. The class considers social movements and advocacy groups and their alternative proposals to transform the way we think of and enact justice, punishment, and prevention.
Students examine theoretical perspectives on crime causation and review associated empirical literature. The course covers the application of theory to various criminal justice policies.
Investigates the role of the correctional system in the prisoner reentry process. Reviews the empirical research on successful reentry programs. This course covers the challenges of reentry for the community and those returning to society.
Exposes students to social problems related to mass incarceration, including those that impact families, local economies, law enforcement-community relations, and churches. Students investigate policies aimed at addressing these issues.
Students will learn theories and evidence-based techniques to interview and interrogate witnesses, informants and suspects. Students also consider and discuss the codes of ethics to which investigators adhere as well as the impact of technological advancements on the future of criminal investigation.
Study of a special topic in one of the fields of Criminal Justice. May be repeated for credit. Special topic courses are developed by faculty according to student interest and are offered periodically.
This course explores the concept of faith and justice and how these ideas have changed over time. Considers various faith-based methods used to restore an offender to the community, including restorative justice. Examines the Christian faith as a motivator in producing social change pertaining to crime, victimization, offending, and reentry.
Prerequisite: CRMJ-311
Terms Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.