Course Schedule and Catalog

Department: Sociology

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ***** This course will focus on the three major components of the criminal justice system: the police, the courts, and corrections. It will give attention to the development of the police role, the contemporary nature of policing (including community policing), and the system of legal limitations within which the police must operate, and police culture. It will examine the roles of judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, plea bargaining, juries, appeals, pre-sentence investigation, and sentencing. Finally, it will pay special attention to issues of responsibility and punishment (including the death penalty), and to various correctional options such as prisons, probation, parole, and alternatives. Each segment of the course will include attention to issues of viable public policy. ***** Enrollment limited to 30.