Criminal Justice Course Descriptions

CRMJ 201 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours
An introduction to the American criminal justice system, including the history and philosophy of law enforcement, the nature of crime in the United States, an introduction to the substantive criminal law, the nature and theory of the criminal justice process from arrest to corrections, and the roles of the major actors in that process (police, prosecutors, defense lawyers, judges, and corrections personnel).

CRMJ 370 Police Systems & Practices 3 Credit Hours
An introduction to law enforcement in the United States, including a brief history of policing, contemporary trends in criminality, and current issues facing police administrators. Attention will also be given to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and their implications for law enforcement.

CRMJ 371 Criminal Law and Criminal Courts 3 Credit Hours
This course examines the origin and general principles of criminal law, principles of criminal liability, and elements of offenses. Additionally, the course considers the ideology, structure, and role of the criminal courts in relation to criminal law.

CRMJ 372 Critical Issues in Law Enforcement 3 Credit Hours
A critical analysis of contemporary issues in the law enforcement community, including the following: police stress, use of deadly force, police brutality, corruption, unionization, substance abuse by police officers, and other issues currently confronting law enforcement administrators and policymakers.

CRMJ 373 Criminal Evidence 3 Credit Hours
An introduction to the types of evidence, collection of evidence, the chain of custody, and procedures relating to its introduction into judicial proceedings. Special attention is given to Fourth Amendment constitutional issues.

CRMJ 375 Criminal Justice Agency Administration 3 Credit Hours
An introduction to criminal justice agency administration, including the following: the nature of criminal justice organizations, criminal justice personnel, group behavior in criminal justice organizations, and processes in criminal justice organizations.

CRMJ 380 Corrections 3 Credit Hours
An introduction to corrections, correctional theory, and correction policy through the in-depth study of key areas in corrections, including correctional history, systems, policy, treatment programs, prison life, community-based corrections, probation and parole, and juvenile corrections.

CRMJ 381 Organized Crime 3 Credit Hours
An examination and analysis of organized crime, of controversies surrounding the phenomenon, and of efforts aimed at its control. Attention will be given to defining organized crime, to its development, and to various theories that seek to explain its existence. Other topics include the activities that constitute the business of organized crime, the relationship between organized crime and curruption of governmental officials, the techniques used to control it, and the policy implications inherent in responses to organized crime.

CRMJ 385 Juvenile Justice 3 Credit Hours
An introduction to delinquency, to the juvenile justice process from intake to disposition, to trends in the treatment of juvenile offenders, and to juvenile justice reform (decriminalization, diversion, deinstitutionalization, and due process).

CRMJ 386 Research Methods in Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours
An introduction to research and to statistical methods, data bases, and computer applications in relation to the various fields of criminal justice. Special attention will be given to the problems associated with collection and analysis of criminal justice data.

CRMJ 465 Special Topics in Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours
An advanced seminar designed to examine in-depth selected topics in criminal justice.

CRMJ 498 Senior Research Project 3 Credit Hours
An independent research project resulting in a formal paper, the project must be approved by the department head in consultation with an appropriate member of the faculty who will supervise the project. Virtually any aspect of criminal justice may be investigated. Especially recommended for those considering graduate or professional study.

CRMJ 499 Internship 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: permission of director of internships.
Internships with government and other agencies are offered to combine academic training with professional experience.