Criminal Justice Graduate Courses

Evolution of the criminal justice system in America and selected international experience, emphasizing the eighteenth century through the present. Focus on the development of institutions: police, prisons, courts, and corrections.   [ 4 cr.]

Grad Prereq: upper-level or graduate standing.

Offered: Spring 2010

This course will expand students’ understanding of criminal deviant behavior and the major theories of social and institutional control. It also addresses the effectiveness of social control methods and the policy implications associated with deterring deviant behavior.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

  [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Through the use of film, literature, social science texts and class lectures, the course provides an intensive focus on one of contemporary society’s most significant institutions-the American Prison System. The course begins with an identification of the basic structures of the prison system. Focus then turns to developing an understanding of the operational processes that occur within these prison structures. Next, the intended and unintended functions or goals of imprisonment are evaluated. Finally, the effects of the prison institution on various sub-populations within American society (including inmates, inmate families, and prison staff) and the outside community in general is examined.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the discipline of victimology, an emerging area of specialization in the field of criminology. Emphasis will focus on crime victims and their plight, the relationships between crime victims and other social groups and institutions, such as the media, business, politicians, special interest groups, and social movements. The issues of Justice and Redress from the perspective of the victim as well as general society will be stressed. An overview of victim prevention programs and victim assistance programs will be presented. Topics such as the Restorative Justice Model, Victim Repayment, and Victim/Offender Mediation will be included in the course content. While the course follows an interdisciplinary approach and is designed for general interest and appeal, it has particular relevance for students drawn from disciplinary interests in the fields of criminal justice, psychology, sociology, education, health care administration, and political science.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Problems Analysis of policy issues concerning juvenile justice and youth crime. Scope and nature of youth crime and the young offender. Juvenile justice procedures, programs, and institutional roles. Considers delinquency prevention programs, violent offenders, dispositional alternatives, and crimes against youth.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Examines the nature and extent of corporate and white-collar crime, including detection, deterrence, and criminal liability sanctions. Social and legal changes related to corporate illegality. Case materials address securities fraud, money "laundering," professional deviance, political corruption, and other topics. Policy responses including RICO and other laws, regulations, and court processing.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

This course will include a general introduction to the overt as well as underlying ideology, history, reasons and causes of terrorism. Both domestic and international terrorism will be discussed. Domestic hate groups will also receive particular attention. The roles of politics and the media will be discussed. Students will be exposed to the philosophies of terrorists and terrorism. Counter terrorism will also be discussed at length. Students are expected to participate actively in the course. There will be written assignments, a midterm, a class presentation, and a final paper.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Forensic Criminal Investigation is an examination of the strategies, techniques, and procedures implicated in the process of conducting forensic criminal investigations, i.e. cases that will seek adjudication in the criminal court. Students will examine cold cases, concluded successful investigations, ongoing investigations as well as the perspective and worldview of the perpetrators and victims of violent crimes in an effort to deconstruct and disassemble crimes, crime scenes and the criminal mind.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Much recent scholarship has affirmed that women and girls are positioned within the criminal justice system in ways that are an overall detriment and disadvantage toward the interests of fairness, equity, and parity. This course will examine the myriad manifestations of sexism, misogyny, and male hegemony that are still emblematic of public representation of the criminal justice system for women. Women who are criminal justice workers, victims, arrestees and defendants, sex-workers, attorneys, and members of the client class of criminal justice consumers are routinely sexualized, objectified, and rendered waif-like and helpless, in all too familiar secondary, submissive, and subservient roles.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Assessment of the ways in which American society understands and responds to crime. Investigates acts regarded as criminal, as well as why they are so regarded, through an analysis of the ideas of harm and danger to society.   [ 4 cr.]

Grad Prereq: upper-level or graduate standing.

Offered: Spring 2010

This course introduces students to the use of quantitative data in analyzing the criminal justice system. It serves as an introduction to the statistical methods used in applied social science research and furthers students’ understanding of the role statistical analysis plays in planning and policy development.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

This course introduces students to the practice, theory, and philosophy of social science research, with a special focus on criminal justice. It not only broadens students’ knowledge of the ethical issues associated with research, but also introduces them to a variety of research techniques such as surveys, field research, and experimental designs. Research Methods will lay the foundation for students to become informed “consumers” of research, as well as “producers” of it.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

  [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

This course will examine the development of individual criminality and criminal careers, social group processes implicated in criminal activity, varieties of criminal behavior including violent, sexual and predatory crime, mental disorders, psychopathy, victimization, offender profiling, and forensic criminal investigation. The course will also explore the contribution of psychology to our contemporary understanding of crime and criminogenic behavior through the application of psychological theories in the investigation of crime.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Explores the ways in which issues of class, race, gender, and sexuality inform the perspective(s) of the criminal justice, social, legal, or medical services practitioner in his/her delivery of services. The standpoint and worldview of the recipient(s) of the myriad police imprint, in most situations the subaltern: the underclass, the working poor, ethnic others, immigrant adults, and children, asylum seekers, people of color, women, and non-heterosexuals, will be examined and deconstructed. Students will be brought to an understanding as to the position of cultural ideology, (that of the practitioner and the client class), in affecting the spectrum of the criminal justice, social service, medical and legal service delivery apparatus.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

This course examines the origins and evolution of contemporary criminal procedure. Case law governing criminal justice functions such as stops, interrogations, arrests, warrants, identification practices, the use of informants, and searches and seizures will be explored through the prism of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

Individual faculty supervision of an independent student project demonstrating application of previous program coursework to a selected topic, issue, or theme in criminal justice.   [ 4 cr.]

Grad Prereq: approval of program director prior to registration.

Offered: Spring 2010

  [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010

The challenge of administering, managing, and leading today’s criminal justice organizations is becoming increasingly complicated due to many factors, ranging from terrorism and cyber crime to politicization and privatization. This course provides students with not only a conceptual and theoretical basis on which to manage these complex entities, but also practical approaches to organizational effectiveness, integrity, and innovation. 4 cr   [ 4 cr.]

Offered: Spring 2010