Criminal Justice Courses
This course is intended for non-majors/non-minors and does not apply to the major or minor in Criminology & Criminal Justice. It provides a broad overview of crime and the criminal justice system, including measurement, explanations, and responses to crime, with attention to the social, political, and economic forces that shape definitions of criminal behavior and the institutions designed to address it.
This course presents an overview of the criminal justice system and social control, from policing to trials and sentencing policy. Among other topics, students will discuss tough on crime policies, drug treatment courts, the War on Terrorism, the politics of crime and crime control, the punishment of sex offenders and its implications for public safety, rules of evidence, prison riots, and the death penalty. The emphasis in the course is to critically evaluate how individuals are processed through the criminal justice system and the implications this processing has on public safety, civil liberties, public policy, and social control.
Development of law enforcement; organization and jurisdiction of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies; and functions of police officers.
Organization and management of the security function in industry, business, and government. Exploration of methods to protect personnel, facilities, and other major assets.
Overview of the United States Department of Homeland Security from its initiation to present day; exploration of the wide range of issues that the department influences, both policy and operational.
Introduction and overview of the complex world of Community Based Corrections; offering a history of the evolution of punishment and implementation of alternative sanctions.
Examines the extent and patterns of delinquency, theories of delinquency, research on the causes of delinquency, the juvenile justice system, and the prevention and control of delinquent behavior.
Overview of the judicial component of the criminal justice system in the United States; examines the organization of courts, roles and responsibilities of courtroom players, and systemic challenges.
Overview of U.S. corrections, jails and prisons, institutional procedures, recent innovations, and the future of corrections.
Examination of selected problems and issues in Criminology and Criminal Justice. A maximum of six hours may be use toward the major.
Study of traditional and modern explanations of crime and criminality.
Effect of race and/or ethnicity on experiences in the criminal justice system, focusing mostly on research/theories of offending, victimization, and experiences as CJ system workers. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.
Effect of gender on experiences in the criminal justice system, focusing mostly on research/theories of offending, victimization, and experiences as CJ system workers. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.
Examination of issues related to the oppression of people on the basis of their class, race, sex, gender, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and physical or mental ability within the criminal justice system. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.
Overview of criminal justice career opportunities and a variety of specializations within the field; focus on professional development skills.
Theoretical and specific instruction in both the conduct and application of research methods in criminal justice settings. Includes problem of research and policy dimensions of both direct and applied approaches.
Examination of selected problems and issues in criminal justice.
Examination in historical sequence of the perspectives on and methods of crime control, from the traditional to the modern.
Gender and justice issues related to women sentenced to death; exploring the historical, social, political, and legal issues of serving time in female prisons.
Examination of the various issues that confront women who are incarcerated; legal issues surrounding women's pathways to crime and their incarceration experiences will be explored.
Study of intermediate punishments and alternatives to incarceration.
Examines the philosophical basis of law enforcement and traces the development of the law enforcement function.
This course provides student with instruction in the fundamentals of criminal investigation from a forensic science perspective.
An analysis of selected areas of terrorism and counter-terrorism, with an emphasis on parallels between terrorism and crime.
Critically evaluates various root causes and consequences of hate crimes; analyzed through an integration of social science theory, empirical research, and legal scholarship.
Examination of violence in the context of domestic situations; an exploration of historical and contemporary contexts, various intervention strategies and preventative measures.
This course provides a discussion of white-collar crime for the standpoint of criminological theory as well as criminal justice system policies, laws, and procedures.
Analysis of different types of homicide, such as felony-murders, crimes of passion, serial killings, celebrity-perpetrated killings, and/or mass murders.
Exploration of the various types of human trafficking, their underlying causes and contributing factors, and preventative measures and counter-trafficking initiatives.
Examines drug-related topics, such as the history of drug use, drug trafficking organizations, and domestic and international drug-related policies.
Exploration of crime and criminal justice systems around the world; various transnational and international crimes, state criminal justice systems, and regional and supranational criminal justice mechanisms are examined.
This course presents an overview of the nature of street gangs. A general survey of theory, measurement, and reproach on gangs along with gang control programs and policies will be presented. Diverse research-based perspectives about gangs will be exposed to students, often times contrasting with depictions of gangs from law enforcement and the news/entertainment media. Various mediums will be used to illustrate the gap between the idea of what a street gang is and the reality of street gangs. The emphasis in this course is to critically evaluate what we know about street gangs, their relationship to crime, and what public policies can and should be used to deter crime and violence.
This course provides an overview of criminal victimization in the U.S. This course includes an examination of theories of victimization, research on the scope and impact of specific types of victimization, and efforts to prevent victimization. Additional topics covered include victims’ interactions with the criminal justice system, victims’ rights, social services for victims, and other efforts to address the needs of crime victims.
Examines the historical, philosophical, and legal underpinnings of the juvenile justice system, the institutions related to the control and prevention of delinquent behavior, and the various challenges and dilemmas faced by the professionals working in those institutions.
The focus of this course is on crime and delinquency in Ancient Rome. Students will examine the changes in how serious acts of violence (e.g., murder) were and were not considered to be crimes during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. Additionally, students will examine the forms of punishment used and sanctions employed by the Romans. Being able to physically visit several sites from Ancient Rome (e.g., the city of Pompeii, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum) allows students to directly connect with unique norms, mores, and culture that is very distinct from the present day.
This course allows students to explore the origins of the Italian School of Criminology and Biological Positivism. Starting with Cesare Lombroso, the Father of Criminology, students will trace the rise and influence of Atavistic Criminology and its impact on the Eugenics Movement, Fascism, and Public Policy in Italy and the broader world. Students will visit Lombroso’s home city, Turin, Italy. Additionally, students will also visit Milan, Italy to examine the relationship between atavistic criminology, eugenics, and Fascism in Italy.
Introduction to the general principles of substantive criminal law; exploration of the nature of criminal acts, mental state, defenses, and burdens of proof.
Examination and analysis of Constitutional provisions and case law governing selected areas of criminal procedure.
History, analysis, and evaluation of American correctional institutions, including the sociology of confinement and reform movements within the system.
Exploration of the nature, function, and limits of law in society.
Examination of selected problems and issues in criminal justice. A maximum of twelve hours may be used toward the major.
Research under faculty supervision; requires faculty approval. A maximum of 3 hours may be used toward the major or minor.
Cyber Criminology Courses
Introduction to the traditional and contemporary forms of cybercrime, including hacking, insider threat, illicit drug markets, cyber bullying, and cyber terrorism.
This course introduces students to intelligence studies. It takes a broad look at how intelligence informs policy. It emphasizes critical thinking and critical reading. Its goal is to teach students to effectively monitor, collect, and analyze security threats in order to facilitate threat prioritization and the development of policy solutions.
Examination of selected issues in cyber security in the United States and throughout the world.
Examination of cyber criminology from a law and policy perspective, including its impact on the Fourth and Fifth Amendment, jurisprudence, and the changing conceptions of privacy and identity.
Opportunity for students to conduct career exploration and build a record of experience in the fields of cyber criminology, network analysis, and digital forensics. To take this course students must obtain permission from the instructor for a specific number of hours and pass a background check. A maximum of 3 credit hours can be used towards the minor.
Examination of the role that technology plays in modern-day policing; provides students with a detailed overview of how the cyber, digital, and technological worlds have historically impacted policing.
Technical examination of how investigators collect, extract, analyze, and preserve data seized from devices in criminal cases; students gain hands-on experience with different forensic tools and software and learn of the various legal challenges in digital forensic investigations.
Examination of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies as they pertain to criminal investigations; students will learn how to track and trace Bitcoin transactions using open source and proprietary tools. Students will have the opportunity to become trained and certified from Chainalysis.
Examination of selected issues in cyber security in the United States and throughout the world. A maximum of six hours may be used toward the minor.
Opportunity for students to further build a record of experience in the cyber criminology field by focusing on a topic agreed upon by the instructor and student. A maximum of 3 hours may be used toward the minor.