KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE PROPOSAL OR REVISION,
Cover Sheet (10/02/2002)
Course Number/Program Name
CRJU 7708 / MSCJ
Department
Sociology and Criminal Justice
Degree Title (if applicable) N/A
Proposed Effective Date Fall 2011
Check one or more of the following and complete the appropriate sections:
X New Course Proposal
Course Title Change
Course Number Change
Course Credit Change
Course Prerequisite Change
Course Description Change
Sections to be Completed
II, III, IV, V, VII
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
Notes:
If proposed changes to an existing course are substantial (credit hours, title, and description), a
new course with a new number should be proposed.
A new Course Proposal (Sections II, III, IV, V, VII) is required for each new course
proposed as part of a new program. Current catalog information (Section I) is required for
each existing course incorporated into the program.
Minor changes to a course can use the simplified E-Z Course Change Form.
Submitted by:
Faculty Member
Approved
_____
Date
Not Approved
Department Curriculum Committee Date
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Not Approved
Department Chair
Date
School Curriculum Committee
Date
School Dean
Date
GPCC Chair
Date
Dean, Graduate College
Date
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Vice President for Academic Affairs Date
Approved
Not Approved
President
Date
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KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM CHANGE
I.
Current Information (Fill in for changes)
Page Number in Current Catalog
Course Prefix and Number
Course Title
Credit Hours
Prerequisites
Description (or Current Degree Requirements)
II.
Proposed Information (Fill in for changes and new courses)
Course Prefix and Number __CRJU 7708____________________
Course Title Criminal Justice Policy and Analysis
_
Credit Hours 3-0-3
Prerequisite: Admission to the MSCJ Program or permission of the MSCJ Program Director.
Description (or Proposed Degree Requirements)
This course covers basic concepts of crime prevention theories and strategies and
addresses different crime control program and models. Topics include how and why
crime rates differ, the utility of research to address policy questions, and what works and
what does not work in crime prevention/control programs.
III.
Justification
Students enrolled in the Masters’ degree program in Criminal Justice must
complete 18 credit hours of required core courses and 15 hours of electives. The
15 credit hours of electives consist of 5 (five) courses concentrated in two areas:
Comparative/International Perspectives and Criminal Justice Policy. CRJU 7708
is one of the five electives that emphasizes the latter which enhances students’
knowledge and skills in criminal justice administration and leadership.
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IV.
Additional Information (for New Courses only)
Instructor: Rebecca (Becky) Petersen
Texts:
1) Lab, Stephen P. (2007). Crime prevention: Approaches, practices and evaluations.
6th ed. Anderson Publishing.
2) Sherman, Lawrence W. Et al. (eds). (2006). Evidence-based crime prevention.
Routledge.
3) Worrall, John L. (2008). Crime control in America: What works? 2nd ed. Allyn &
Bacon.
4) U.S. Criminal Justice Policy. (2011). Karim Ismaili (ed.). Jones and Bartlett
Publishers. ISBN 0763741299
Objectives: Students should be able to:
1) analyze how crime prevention proposals and programs are linked to political ideologies
and beliefs about crime.
2) demonstrate an ability to evaluate the trends in the development and implementation of
crime control policy.
3) be familiar with the major crime prevention interventions, initiatives, and policies.
4) assess the difficulties in implementing and researching crime prevention.
5) relate crime control strategies to perceptions of crime causation.
6) be able to identify crime prevention interventions in their surroundings.
7) improve the ability to articulate positions on crime control policy both verbally and in
writing.
Instructional Method
Student learning occurs through a variety of teaching techniques, including
lectures, guest speakers, PowerPoint presentations, class discussions, group
discussions, and use of educational videos. Since this is a graduate level course,
more class time will be devoted to more student-student and/or student-instructor
interaction to better enrich the student learning experience.
Method of Evaluation
Final grade will be based on Exam 1 (50 points), Exam 2 (50 points), leading class
discussion (30 points), and policy paper (50 points), a total of 200 points. The final
grading scale below will be applied:
A = 90%-100% or 179-200 points
B = 80%-89% or 159-178 points
C = 70%-79% or 139-158 points
D = 60%-69% or 119-138 points
F = less than 60% or 118 or fewer points
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V.
Resources and Funding Required (New Courses only)
Resource
Amount
Faculty
Other Personnel
Equipment
Supplies
Travel
New Books
New Journals
Other (Specify)
TOTAL
Funding Required Beyond
Normal Departmental Growth
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VI. COURSE MASTER FORM
This form will be completed by the requesting department and will be sent to the Office of the
Registrar once the course has been approved by the Office of the President.
The form is required for all new courses.
DISCIPLINE
COURSE NUMBER
COURSE TITLE FOR LABEL
(Note: Limit 16 spaces)
CLASS-LAB-CREDIT HOURS
Approval, Effective Term
Grades Allowed (Regular or S/U)
If course used to satisfy CPC, what areas?
Learning Support Programs courses which are
required as prerequisites
APPROVED:
________________________________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs or Designee __
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VII Attach Syllabus
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Course Syllabus
CRJU 7708 (Criminal Justice Policy and Analysis)
Dr. Rebecca (Becky) Petersen
Office: Social Science Building, #4062
Office Phone: 770-420-4732; 770-423-6739
Email: rpeterse@kennesaw.edu
Prerequisite: Admission to the MSCJ Program or permission of the MSCJ Program Director.
Course Description: This course covers basic concepts of crime prevention theories and
strategies and addresses different crime control program and models. Topics include how and
why crime rates differ, the utility of research to address policy questions, and what works and
what does not work in crime prevention/control programs.
Course Objectives: After completing the course, the student should be able to:
1) analyze how crime prevention proposals and programs are linked to political ideologies
and beliefs about crime.
2) demonstrate an ability to evaluate the trends in the development and implementation of
crime control policy.
3) be familiar with the major crime prevention interventions, initiatives, and policies.
4) assess the difficulties in implementing and researching crime prevention.
5) relate crime control strategies to perceptions of crime causation.
6) be able to identify crime prevention interventions in their surroundings.
7) improve the ability to articulate positions on crime control policy both verbally and in
writing.
Required Reading:
Students are expected to read all course readings prior to class meetings, so that you can engage
in informed class discussions about these materials. BRING YOUR TEXT AND
MATERIALS TO CLASS EVERY CLASS PERIOD.
1. Lab, Stephen P. (2007). Crime prevention: Approaches, practices and evaluations. 6th
ed. Anderson Publishing.
2. Sherman, Lawrence W. Et al. (eds). (2006). Evidence-based crime prevention.
Routledge.
3. Worrall, John L. (2008). Crime control in America: What works? 2nd ed. Allyn &
Bacon.
4. U.S. Criminal Justice Policy. (2011). Karim Ismaili (ed.). Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
ISBN 0763741299
5. Additional readings will be assigned during the semester and will most likely come from
readily available sources, including the Internet. These additional reading assignments
will be provided by the instructor. You also should be reading or accessing international
news on a daily basis. Whatever you read, you should always consider the source and
question whether it is reliable. It is good to develop independent and critical thinking on
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an issue rather than adopting the view of a political commentator who may have a hidden
agenda.
Participation and Attendance Policy: This is a participatory graduate-level class meaning that
your absence affects the learning of others. Class participation means more than merely
showing up for class. Class participation includes, but is not limited to (1) actively and
frequently participating in class and being adequately prepared; (2) keeping abreast of news
related to crime/criminal justice and sharing relevant news information with the class; and (3)
discussing all assigned readings and engaging in discussion each class session.
As such, regular attendance is required. You are expected to attend every scheduled class, to
arrive on time, to remain for the entire class period and to be prepared. It is a disruption to the
instructor and the class when you are late (or when you leave early). If you miss class due
to an illness or an emergency, please ask one of your peers if you “missed anything important”
and not the professor. Please do not contact the instructor as to why you will not be attending
class or why you did not.
Assignments:
1) Students are expected to read ALL assigned material prior to class and are expected to be
active participants in class. Be prepared to discuss all assigned readings in a discussion format
each class period. Just as you expect me to be prepared for class, I expect the same of you.
2) Beginning in three weeks, each of you will have the opportunity to lead the first hour of class
discussion (schedule to be determined). Your objectives during this hour are to provide a concise
overview of the assigned readings, offer your own insights and critical
assessment of the material, and then facilitate questions discussion among the class. Specific
guidelines on this will be distributed next week.
3) Each of you will complete a crime control/prevention policy paper on the topic of choice
(which needs approval from the instructor). Your paper should be 15-20 pages in length (typed,
double-spaced, 12 point font), with citations and references conforming to the standards of any
major social science journal. Detailed crime control prevention policy paper requirements will
be posted within two weeks.
Examinations:
There will be two exams, each worth 25%. NO LATE OR MAKE UP EXAMS WILL BE
GIVEN! You must be on-time for class to take the exam.
Bring a blue/green book with you on exam days.
Examinations will cover material combined from required readings, classroom lectures,
classroom discussions, guest speakers, and educational videos. I do not cover all the material
in your required readings and as such, you are responsible for your own reading. Furthermore,
much of the lecture and class discussions include material not in your required reading, thus,
your attendance and participation is of utmost importance.
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Grading and Evaluation:
A variety of methods are used to evaluate your progress on course objectives to demonstrate
your knowledge and ability to apply the course material. Your final grade will be based upon the
following point distribution:
Exam 1
Exam 2
Leading class discussion
Policy paper
TOTAL
50 points
50 points
30 points
70 points
200 points
The following grade distribution is guaranteed:
A = 90%-100% or 179-200 points
B = 80%-89% or 159-178 points
C = 70%-79% or 139-158 points
D = 60%-69% or 119-138 points
F = less than 60% or 118 or fewer points
Academic Integrity Statement: Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions
of the Student Code of Conduct, as published in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs.
Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University ’s policy on academic
honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating, unauthorized access to
University materials, misrepresentation/falsification of University records or academic work,
malicious removal, retention, or destruction of library materials, malicious/ intentional misuse of
computer facilities and/or services, and misuse of student identification cards. Incidents of
alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the
University Judiciary Program, which includes either an “informal” resolution by a faculty
member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a
student to the Code of Conduct ’s minimum one semester suspension requirement.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: KSU provides program accessibility and
reasonable accommodations for students defined as disabled under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A number of services
are available to help disabled students with their academic work. In order to make arrangements
for special services, students must visit the Office of Disabled Student Support Services (located
on the second floor of the Student Center) and arrange an individual assistance plan.
Writing Center: KSU also offers a free service to all students with the goals of not only helping
students write better papers, but also making the students become better writers. I encourage you
to visit their office in the Humanities Building (Room 242) and talk to their personnel about your
writing assignments. You can also go to their website at
http://www.kennesaw.edu/english/WritingCenter/ and click on the “Make an Appointment” link.
Incompletes: According to the KSU catalog regarding an “incomplete grade (I), a grade of
incomplete “will be awarded only when the student has done satisfactory work up to the last two
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weeks of the semester, but for nonacademic reasons beyond his/her control is unable to meet the
full requirements of the course.”
Make-Up Exam Policy: Each student is expected to take all the exams on the scheduled dates.
Students with a valid excuse (and hopefully with prior approval from the instructor) for missing
a scheduled exam may make up one test. Make-up exams will be given at the end of the
semester and may consist entirely of essay questions. Students can make up one exam only.
(Tentative) SCHEDULE OF TOPICS and READINGS
Week 1-
Crime and the causes of crime
The politics of crime control policy
Week 2-
Defining and modeling crime prevention and crime control
Evaluation and crime prevention and control
Week 3-
Crime control perspectives: Police, courts and corrections
Week 4-
The physical environment, broken windows and crime
Neighborhood crime prevention
Week 5-
Displacement and diffusion as crime control
Week 6-
The mass media and crime prevention
Week 7-
General deterrence
Exam #1
Week 8 -
Developmental and social crime prevention
Weeks 9 and 10 -
Prediction for Secondary prevention
Week 11-
Drugs, crime and crime prevention
Week 12-
Communities and Schools in combating crime
Week 13-
Fall break
Week 14 -
Situational crime prevention and control
Week 15-
Specific deterrence and incapacitation
Rehabilitation
Week 16-
Final exam
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