Houston Community College
CRIJ 2314: Criminal Investigations
Fall 2012
Instructor Name and Contact Information:
Joe Wojcik
Joseph.Wojcik@HCCS.edu
Cell Phone: 832-493-7337 Office Hours: By appointment only
Semester, Time of Class, Room Number: Meeting Tuesday and Thursday-11:00 am to 12:30
pm, Room 106, Katy Campus
Student Teacher Conference: By appointment only
Catalog Description:
Study of investigative theory, the collection and preservation of evidence, sources of information,
concepts of interviewing and interrogation, the use of forensic sciences, and trial preparation.
Course Learning Outcomes:
 Define the goals and objectives of criminal investigation.
 Demonstrate the ability to conduct proper crime scene investigations.
 Illustrate the use of forensic science for various statutory offenses.
 Organize the criminal case including field notes, reports, crime scene activities, and
mandatory documentation of statutory warnings.
Textbook (Required): Criminal Investigations: A Method for Reconstructing the Past,
Osterburg/Ward, Lexis/Nexus
Optional text :
None
Learning Activities:
Instruction will consist of a series of lectures, reading assignments, some internet research,
video, guest lecturers and of course, classroom discussion.
GRADE DETERMINATION:
Your grade will be
determined by the
following
Points
(if applicable)
Percent
of Final
Average
Multiple choice and short answer
200
50
See “Assignment” section for directions
100
25
100
25
400
100
Details
Two (2) Examinations
Fingerprint Analysis and
Comparison
“Forensics Mistakes”
assignment
See “Assignment” section for directions
Total:
LETTER GRADE ASSIGNMENT:
Letter Grade
Final Average in Percent
A
360-400
B
320-359
C
280-319
D
240-279
F
Below 240
Student Achievement
Attendance: Please be on time for class. If you plan to miss, or are unable to attend class,
please contact me via email or telephone (text or voicemail. Failure to do so will result in the
docuentationof an unexcused absence. Excessive absences will affect your final grade. A fifth
(5th) absence will decrease your overall grade by ten (10) points, six (6) absences by twenty (20)
points, and seven (7) absences by fifty (50) points. More than seven (7) absences will affect your
grade by one hundred (100) points.
Assignments: Only under extreme circumstances, as defined by the instructor will be
accepted via email. Assignments are due on the dates indicated on the date indicated on this
syllabus. Late assignments will be accepted at the discretion of the instructor. Late assignments
will not receive full credit. Late assignments will receive no more than eighty percent (80%) of its
originally assigned value, and must be received no later than the next time class meets.
Assignments received later will receive no more than fifty percent (50%) of its original value.
Details of Assignments (Can also be found on The Learning Web):
 Two (2) examinations will be given during the semester, a midterm and a final. The exams
will be composed of multiple choice and short answer questions
 A fingerprint exercise, analysis and comparison assignment will be required. The student will
be expected to roll fingerprints onto a fingerprint card, identify specific characteristic of an
unknown fingerprint, compare it with known prints, match the unknown fingerprint to a known

fingerprint, and then summarize how they reached that conclusion. Further details of this
assignment will be discussed in class.
A “Forensics Mistakes” assignment will be completed. This assignment will be discussed in
class.
Make-up Exams: Rescheduling of examinations will be at the Instructor’s discretion. Students
must contact the instructor to reschedule any examinations not completed on the scheduled date.
Cell phones and other electronic devices: During class time, all cell phones and other
electronic devices must be turned off. Cell phone use during class is prohibited. If you are
expecting to receive an emergency telephone call, discuss with the instructor before class. If you
receive such a call, please leave the room to complete it. Laptops will not be allowed without prior
discussion and permission of the instructor.
Student Discipline: Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately while on
College property or in an online environment. Students may receive disciplinary action up to and
including suspension, if they violate System or College rules, disrupt classes, or interfere with the
opportunity of others to obtain an education. Students who pose a threat to the safety of others
will be subject to immediate withdrawal from the classroom, campus environment, and may result
in an administrative withdrawal without refund, as well as face subsequent criminal charges, as
appropriate.
Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact
the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty
is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services
Office.
For questions, contact Donna Price at 713.718.5165 or the Disability Counselor at your college.
The Disability Counselor for HCC-Northwest is Mahnaz Kolaini, 713-718-5422. To visit the ADA
Web site, log on to www.hccs.edu, click Future Students, scroll down the page and click on the
words Disability Information.
Withdrawal: Students who take a course for the third time or more must now pay
significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. At HCC
it is an additional $50 per credit hour. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are
not earning passing grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your
study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation,
and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available. Also, the state of Texas
has passed a new law limiting new students (as of Fall 2007) to no more than six withdrawals
throughout their academic career in obtaining a baccalaureate degree.
Due to new HCC policies and state mandates, I will NOT withdraw students for low or no
attendance. If you wish to withdraw from this course, please contact a counselor in Student
Services or me. I recommend that you discuss this with me before you decide, but the decision is
yours. The last day that you can withdraw is 11/03/2010, 4:30PM. If you do not withdraw by this
date, you will NOT receive a 'W'.
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
If you are caught cheating in any way, on a quiz, a test, a paper, or a project, you will receive an
'F' for the course. I will follow school policy; I do not negotiate "second chances," period. Please-if you are having trouble of any kind, discuss it with me. The tiny advantage you would get from
cheating is vastly outweighed by the risk you would be taking. I am willing to help in any way I
can, but I will NOT excuse cheating, no matter how much I like you or feel sorry for you.
The Houston Community College is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the
academic community. In becoming a part of the academic community, students are responsible
for honesty and independent effort. Failure to uphold these standards includes, but is not limited
to, the following: plagiarizing written work or projects, cheating on exams, quizzes or
assignments, collusion on an exam or project, and misrepresentation of credentials or
prerequisites when registering for a course. Cheating includes looking at or copying from another
student's exam, orally communicating or receiving answers during an exam, having another
person take an exam or complete a project or assignment, using unauthorized notes, texts, or
other materials for an exam, and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any
part of an exam. Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another
(that is, without giving proper credit by documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a
paper, report, or project that someone else has prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is
inappropriately collaborating on assignments designed to be completed independently. These
definitions are not exhaustive.
SCANS Competencies
This course will promote reading comprehension, critical analysis and learning how to learn.
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary
to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short
online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the
survey will be made available to your professors and division chairs for continual improvement of
instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online
near the end of the term.
Tentative Instructional Outline:
Activities
and Assignment
Objectives
and Details
1st Meeting/Syllabus/Class Expectations
1
08/27-29
Chapter 1
The Investigator: Responsibilities and Attributes
2
Chapter 2
Physical Evidence
Chapter 3
The Crime Scene
Chapter 4
People as a Source of Information
Chapter 5
Records and Files
09/05
3
09/10-12
4
09/17-19
5
09/24-26
6
Chapter 6
Interviews
Chapter 7
Informants
Chapter 8
Surveillance
Chapter 9
Eyewitness Identification
Chapter 10
Interrogation
PPT
Serial Killers
Chapter 12
Managing Criminal Investigations
Chapter 13
Reconstructing the Past
Chapter 14
Crime and Constitutional Law
Chapter 15
Homicide
10/01-03
7
10/08-10
8
10/15-17
9
10/22-24
10
10/29-31
11
11/05-07
12
11/12-13
13
11/19
14
11/26-28
15
12/03-05
16
12/10-14
FINAL EXAM W EEK
Final Examination Week, 12/11, 11:00 am
Fingerprint and Forensics Mistakes Assignments Due 12/11
Other Student Information: student clubs, tutoring (in person, in libraries, computer programs,
and online), labs, web resources, student services, service learning, scholarships and other
opportunities, etc.
HCC Core Curriculum: Check with your chair to see whether this statement or a similar one is
required.
“For information regarding HCC’s Core Curriculum, see p. 46 of the HCC Catalog. For
information about HCC’s Social
Sciences Exemplary Educational Objectives, see p. 59-60 of the HCC Catalog.”