Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Research Paper

First Advisor

Neil Cogan

Abstract

It has attracted more students from year to year at Whittier College that an Introduction to a Criminal Justice course is implemented as part of the university. It is my major concern and firm belief that the Criminal Justice System must secure a sufficient share of the better education of not only Whittier College, but Universities nationwide. Based on my experience as a Criminal Justice/Criminology major, it is my job to put together a feasible Introduction to Criminal Justice course for students who wish to pursue public policy or simply would like to inquire a general understanding about the American Criminal Justice system. After tinkering with what I can now called my finalized version of a sample syllabus, I would like to introduce the course and its purpose: This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts, institutions, and formal and informal structures of the U.S. Criminal Justice system. The class will begin by discussing the three major components of the Criminal Justice system, also known as the three c’s: cops, courts, and corrections. The primary goal of this course is to inquire a general understanding about the American Criminal Justice system and its response to crime. This course includes a description and analysis of standard measures of criminal justice activity, crime reduction strategies and contemporary suggestions for improving criminal justice. Throughout my preparation for designing this course, I kept in mind the idea to keep material fresh and students engaged. This is why I decided on Frank Shmalleger’s 2017 Criminal Justice: Brief (12/edition) as the required text for the course. As I planned material for this syllabus I relied on the central question as a test of whether material should be included or not. Shmalleger’s text covers all ranges of What is Criminal Justice” and the means to its implementation. Furthermore, this course is designed to challenge the student and apply critical thinking skills in lecture, the final paper, and all three exams. During the semester, a final case research paper will be due. Students will have the opportunity to research a completed or ongoing criminal case/trial of their choice that has not been discussed in class. This section of the course will go hand in hand with Shmalleger’s Chapter 3, and Chapter 7-9, discussing criminal law, the courts, and sentencing. Students who show completion of this course will be able to demonstrate knowledge concerning the components of the American Criminal Justice System and express the reasons for public concern about crime and criminal behavior in the U.S.

Comments

WSP Major: Criminology/Criminal Justice

Download

Share

COinS