Criminal Justice Course Descriptions

Courses for All Students

CJUST 105 Law Enforcement
CJUST 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice
CJUST 115 Corrections
CJUST 317 Criminal Law
CJUST 318 Criminology
CJUST 320 Special Topics
CJUST 321 Environmental Crime
CJUST 335 Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice
CJUST 345 Criminal Investigation
CJUST 365 Drugs and Crime
CJUST 370 Organized Crime
CJUST 380 White Collar
CJUST 480 Internship

Nontraditional (Accelerated) Program Courses

CJUST 300 Crime and Justice in America
CJUST 305 Technical/Report Writing
CJUST 310 Media Relations/Oral Communications
CJUST 315 Ethics in Criminal Justice
CJUST 325 Cultural Diversity and Sensitivity
CJUST 330 Police-Community Relations
CJUST 340 Law Enforcement Management
CJUST 350 Constitutional
CJUST 352 Forensics
CJUST 353 Domestic Violence
CJUST 354 Crime Analysis and GIS Mapping
CJUST 355 Civil Rights and Liberties
CJUST 360 Crime Gun Interdiction
CJUST 400 Criminal Justice Research Methods
CJUST 405 Social Deviance
CJUST 410 Statistics and Information Technology
CJUST 415 Probation and Parole

CJUST 105 Law Enforcement (3)
Examines the history, functions, and problems of law enforcement in the United States.  There is a special emphasis on promising solutions to problems affecting policing in contemporary American society.  (Spring)

CJUST 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
A general introduction to the three components of the American justice system:  the police, the courts, and corrections.  This course has special emphasis on the historical development, procedures, problems, and directions for reform of each component, and is normally a prerequisite for CJUST 317 and 318.  (Fall)

CJUST 115 Corrections (3) 
Examines the history, functions, and problems of corrections in the United States.  Both institutionalized corrections (e.g., jails and prisons) and community corrections (e.g., probation) are studied.  There is a special emphasis on promising solutions to problems facing corrections in contemporary American society.  (Fall)

CJUST 317 Criminal Law (3)
This course is an introduction to the legal principles that govern criminal acts (with emphasis on the basic elements of crime), the crimes against person, property, and society in general, and the privileges and defenses of the accused.   A case study approach will be used.  Prerequisites: SOC 100 and CJUST 110.  (Spring)

CJUST 318 Criminology (3)
This course provides a study of the making of laws, the breaking of laws, and the social reaction to the breaking of laws.  Different types of crimes (e.g., violent crime, property crime and "victimless" crime) are examined.  The social control of crime is also discussed.  Prerequisites: SOC 100 and CJUST 110.  (Fall)

CJUST 320 Special Topics (3)
This course is offered on important and timely topics that are not normally covered in the CJ curriculum.  Examples include courses on terrorism, computer crime, and women and crime.

CJUST 321 Environmental Crime (3)
This course examines the social history and development of environmental protection.  There is an emphasis on understanding the nature and extent of environmental crimes which are acts committed with the intent to harm or with potential to cause harm to ecological and/or biological systems and for the purpose of securing business or personal advantage.  (As needed)

CJUST 335 Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice (3)
An examination of the unlawful behavior of minors from a variety of perspectives, including historical, psychological, social psychological, cross-cultural and sociological perspectives.  Topics include definitions of delinquency, long and short term trends, explanations of delinquent behavior, drug use, gangs, treatment and prevention strategies, and the juvenile justice system.

CJUST 345 Criminal Investigation (3)
Introduction to the lawful gathering and evaluation of information concerning criminal acts (with attention to the fundamentals of investigation), the organization and management of the investigative process, and the knowledge and skills necessary for investigation.

CJUST 365 Drugs and Crime (3)
This course is an examination of the linkages between drugs (licit and illicit) and crime.  Topics include history of drug use in the United States, drug smuggling and dealing, competing hypotheses regarding the connections between drugs and street crime, and the debate over decriminalization and legalization.  Special attention to how social research findings contradict media presentations.

CJUST 370 Organized Crime (3)
This course is the history, structure, and operations of organized crime.  Special attention is given to the laws and attempts to contain organized crime, particularly as they relate to new forms of organized crime (e.g. the Russian Mafia).

CJUST 380 White Collar (3)
The study of the nature, types, and costs of white-collar crime.  Special attention is given to corporate crime, computer crime, and political crime.

CJUST 480 Internship (1-6)
Provides opportunities for students to serve as interns at nearby social service, criminal justice, and social action agencies. Permission of the instructor, the department chair, and the dean for academic affairs is required.  Prerequisites: SOC 100 for sociology majors, CJUST 110 for criminal justice majors.  This course is normally available only for juniors and seniors.

Nontraditional (Accelerated) Program Courses 

CJUST 300 Crime and Justice in America (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
The course is the study of the causes and correlates of crime.  Also discussed are the different types of crime (e.g., street crime, white-collar crime and organized crime) with an emphasis on the social background, motivation, and conduct of law violators.  The social control of crime and criminality are also studied.  Particular emphasis is placed on social justice and criminal justice.

CJUST 305 Technical/Report Writing (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course is designed to improve students’ written presentation of their work and to expand their ability to use technology in the composing process.

CJUST 310 Media Relations/Oral Communications (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course is designed to improve students’ speaking skills as they relate to preparation and delivery of oral presentations of their work.  Students will learn how to use presentation software, such as PowerPoint.

CJUST 315 Ethics in Criminal Justice (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course is an examination of a wide range of ethical issues in policing, the practice of law, sentencing, corrections, criminal justice research, and crime control policy.

CJUST 325 Cultural Diversity and Sensitivity (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course acquaints the student with a broad range of cultural, racial, and social groups.  It focuses on the causes of the differential treatment of specific groups and the problems created for these groups and the community.  The course also suggests some solutions that law enforcement professionals will find useful in dealing with members of these groups.

CJUST 330 Police-Community Relations (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course is an examination and analysis of the movement known as community policing with special focus on the basic philosophy, application, issues, models and contemporary research findings on community-oriented policing.

CJUST 340 Law Enforcement Management (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course focuses on organization theories and behaviors for the criminal justice agency, such as organization and policy planning, budgeting, forecasting, human resources management, and project implementation.

CJUST 350 Constitutional (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
A study of general principles of constitutional law under the United States' Constitution.  Also reviewed are the judicial function in constitutional cases, the federal system, the powers of the national government, and the powers reserved to the states.

CJUST 352 Forensics (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
Designed to demonstrate and study the techniques of the crime scene search, such as the collection and preservation of physical evidence, the classification and identification of individual scientific tests, and the rules of evidence governing admissibility of physical evidence and the role of forensic science in the criminal justice system.

CJUST 353 Domestic Violence (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
Examines the nature and extent of domestic violence, to include spousal and child maltreatment.  It also examines the links between domestic violence and other forms of criminality.

CJUST 354 Crime Analysis and GIS Mapping (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course teaches students how to analyze crime and criminality by way of geographic profiling and mapping techniques.

CJUST 355 Civil Rights and Liberties (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
Reviews the development of the Bill of Rights and political and civil liberties in the American constitutional system, as well as the limitations on governmental powers, with an emphasis on freedom of speech, press, religion, and the rights of the accused.

CJUST 360 Crime Gun Interdiction (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
An examination of various aspects of crime gun interdiction and investigation, such as tracing crime guns, identifying patterns and focusing enforcement efforts; as well as, analyzing policies and standing operating procedures regarding firearm tracing and strategies for the interdiction of illegally trafficked firearms.

CJUST 400 Criminal Justice Research Methods (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
A course concentrating on basic procedures constituting the research process.  This course focuses on the relationship between theory and methodology, as well as the principles and problems of data collection in experimental and non-experimental research.

CJUST 405 Social Deviance (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
A central theme of this course is that deviance plays an integral role in the definition of what is normal in human group life.  Deviant behavior as an agent of social change as well as a source of social stability will be addressed.  Various sociological perspectives will be employed in discussing such topics as crime and violence, substance abuse, mental illness and sexual deviance.

CJUST 410 Statistics and Information Technology (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
A continuation of CJ 400, emphasizing the application of statistical techniques to the analysis of data.  The use of information technology (e.g., database software and statistical software) is also emphasized.  Prerequisite: CJUST 400.

CJUST 415 Probation and Parole (3) (Division of Continuing Studies Only)
This course is an examination of the probation and parole systems and other alternatives to incarceration.  Emphasis is placed on balanced and restorative justice.