San José State University
Casa/Department of Justice Studies
#47848, JS 120-02 Juvenile Justice, Fall, 2011
Instructor:
Office Location:
Telephone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Class Days/Time:
Classroom:
Dorian Dreyfuss, J.D. M.A.
521 MacQuarrie Hall
(408) 924-2746
Dorian.Dreyfuss @sjsu.edu
Tuesdays 10:30-11:45; Thursday 10-11:45
TuTh 12:00-1:15
302 Clark
Desire2Learn
Copies of the course materials such as the syllabus, major assignment handouts, etc. may be
found on D2L.
Course Description
The course will provide an orientation to the issues, policies and procedures which make up our
system of justice for children. The function and legal responsibilities of the
Police, probation, Juvenile Court and Corrections system will be studied. Emphasis will be on
societal forces that bring children into the Justice System including child abuse, and gang
participation as well as the legal response of mandated agencies. Recent case law will also be
examined.
Course Goals and Student Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
LO1 Discuss the history of Juvenile Justice, impact of the Childsavers and the goals
of the first Juvenile Court.
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LO2 Be familiar with and understand the difficulties in collecting data on Juvenile
Delinquency and Dependency. (met by exam and research paper)
LO3 Distinguish between Choice and Trait theories of Delinquency and Dependency.(met by
exams and research papers
LO4 Distinguish Social Structure and Social Process theories of Delinquency and Dependency.
(met by exams, in class writing assignments and research paper)
LO5 Understand the significance of Life Course Theory.(met by exams and research paper)
LO6 Discuss the differential treatment of females within the Juvenile Delinquency and
Dependency systems.(met by exams, in class writing assignments, tours, and research paper)
LO7 Know the significance of dysfunctional families on at-risk youth.(met by exams and
research paper)
LO8 Describe the influence of gangs within the Juvenile Justice System.(Met by exams,
research paper and in class assignments)
LO9 Describe the influence of school on delinquency.(met by exams and research paper)
LO10 Be Familiar with major Court Decisions and litigation impacting Juvenile Justice.(met by
exams)
LO11 Recognize the failures and successes in Juvenile Corrections.(met by exams, guest
speakers, videos and research paper).
Students will gain an understanding of the history of both child victims of crime and child
perpetrators of crime. Analysis of the overlap between children in the dependency
system(300 status) with children in the delinquency system(600 status). Groundwork will be laid
for further study in Juvenile Justice and students considering a career in the Justice system will
understand the role of law enforcement, social workers, probation officers and attorneys.
Analysis of theories of delinquency including psychological, biological and sociological will
provide students with a framework for understanding law violation. Through institution tours and
Court observation students will gain a greater understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of
the Juvenile Justice system. Students will also gain appreciation and empathy for all child
victims and offenders who find themselves within the System.
Required Texts/Readings
Juvenile Delinquency, the Core; Larry Siegel and Brandon Welsh, Wadsworth: 4th edition,
2011 isbn 13-978049580986-9 paperback
Tattoos on the Heart; the Power of Boundless Compassion; Gregory Boyle, Simon & Schuster,
2010 isbn 9781-4391-5302-4
Books are available at the bookstore and online.
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Library Liaison
(Nyle Monday 408-808-2041. Please contact if you have trouble finding sources
for your papers. He is a wonderful resource
Classroom Protocol
Please be prepared and punctual. It’s a good idea to print out the Powerpoint lectures
before class. If you anticipate being late or leaving early on a regular basis please inform
the instructor. If you leave during lecture, please do so by the rear exit. Texting,
excessive talking, and using laptops for purposes other than our course work are
disruptive to all. Study groups are a great way to enhance the learning process and get
to know your fellow students. If needed I will help facilitate groups. Please find a
buddy to share notes with if you miss class, do not ask the instructor for her notes.
I encourage thoughtful discussion and response to lectures. This is an interactive classdon’t be surprised if you are called on to respond to a question. Please upload a clear
photo(your Tower card picture is best) of yourself to D2L so I may learn names faster.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE COURSE MATERIAL COVERS SENSITIVE AND
PROVACATIVE ISSUES. AS SUCH, IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO BRING CHILDREN TO
CLASS. STUDENTS MAY ALSO HAVE PARTICULAR SENSITIVITIES TO THE
CURRICULUM. PLEASE BRING IT TO MY ATTENTION OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE
UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER IF IT INTERFERES WITH YOUR ABILITY TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASS. Lectures will be posted in
Dropbox on D2L along with handouts and reviews. Please check this site regularly.
We will be using Turnitin.com this semester. The Course Code will be distributed
when the semester begins. IF THERE IS A CAMPUS EMERGENCY OR I AM
UNABLE TO ATTEND CLASS I WILL EMAIL STUDENTS.
Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops,
academic renewal, etc. Information on add/drops are available at http://info.sjsu.edu/webdbgen/narr/soc-fall/rec-298.html. Information about late drop is available at
http://www.sjsu.edu/sac/advising/latedrops/policy/ . Students should be aware of the current
deadlines and penalties for adding and dropping classes.
Assignments and Grading Policy
Three exams will be required: two midterms and a final exam. Additionally, a
research paper, 8-10 pages in length is required.
The exams will cover lectures, videos, guest speakers and text readings. The
exams will have objective and fill-in components. Additionally there will be
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three in class writing assignments based on Videos and four homework
assignments. The Research Paper will be based on a choice of topics including
Homeless Minors, the efficacy of Father Boyle’s work in Tatttoos on the Heart,
and Recent changes in Juvenile Corrections. Those assignments will be found
in Dropbox, along with dates for submission of sources, turnitin codes etc. The
homework assignments are optional and count for extra credit. Homework is
due at the beginning of the class period, hard copy, handed to me. No late
homework is accepted. The dates for these assignments are in the schedule
and may not be made up if a student misses that day of classes. Students are
welcome to participate in a Juvenile Hall tour at the end of the semester, time
permitting. A review for each exam will be posted one week before the exam.
The best way to study is to annotate the review sheet and study in groups. I
will facilitate the groups in class. Missed exams may only be made up on the
last day of class with proper documentation. THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO
EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE! Students are encouraged to read online news
articles (NYTIMES.com) and bring the articles in to share with the class. If you
miss a class, find a buddy to share notes. An incomplete will only be given if
the student has completed two thirds of the work and presents a valid,
documented explanation for the request. Oversleeping exams does not
constitute a valid excuse. Class assignments, announcements, lectures,
grades and supplementary readings will be located on Desire2 learn, in
Dropbox.
(Insert your enumerations and brief descriptions for the course assignments here, and indicate
how each assignment is aligning with the learning outcomes. Include information about due
dates and assignment weights. Specify grading policies including how grades are determined,
what grades are possible, whether extra credit is available, what the penalty is for late or missed
work, and what constitutes a passing grade for the course. Include the date of the final exam/s. If
you grade on participation, indicators on how participations will be assessed should be included.
Attendance per se shall not be used as a criterion for grading according to Academic Policy F69-24. )
READ CAREFULLY!
Late papers will receive a 5 point deduction for each calendar day. Students who miss
small group assignments because of absence may not make up the work. Students who miss
exams without proper documentation will not receive credit. Homework assignments are due
at the beginning of class. There is no credit for late homework assignments. Email is not an
appropriate method to submit work without the instructors’ consent.
The Justice Studies Department has instituted new writing standards which require the
following:
1. Conformity to APA standards for scholarly writing
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2. Consistent use of grammatical constructions, punctuation, sequencing (paragraphing,
referencing, hyphenation, spelling, headings, capitalizations, pages, abbreviations,
margins;
3. Appropriate content, clarity, conciseness, and style;
4. Neat appearance.
5. 20% of each written assignment (papers) will be graded solely on writing.
6. Each written assignment must contain no more than 5 novel grammatical errors and/or 5
novel APA errors.
7. When a paper is submitted that does not meet department standards, it will be
returned (ungraded) to the student for revision. The student will have 3 calendar
days to revise and resubmit the paper.
8. Any paper that is returned to the student for revisions will have an automatic 10%
deduction in the total grade of the assignment.
9. Upon resubmission, if a paper still does not meet departmental standards, the
student will be given a “0” for the written portion of the total paper grade and will
be graded only for required content.
EVALUATION
Mt #1
Mt#2
Paper #1
Final Exam
In Class Writing
75 pts
75 pts
100 pts
75 pts
75 pts
400 pts total
Extra Credit
40 pts
________________________________________________________________________
440 pts possible
392-400 A+
372-391 A
360-371 A348-359 B+
332-347 B
320-331 B308-319 C+
292-307 C
280-291 C268-279 D+
252-267 D
240-251 D240 & below F
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ACADEMIC STANDARDS/EVALUATION PROCESS
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A+ GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 98%-100% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK AND DISPLAY EXCEPTIONAL ANALYTICAL, CONCEPTUAL AND CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS.
A GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 93%-98% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK AND DISPLAY EXCELLENT ANALYTICAL, CONCEPTUAL AND CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS.
A- GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 90-92% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK AND DISPLAY SUBSTANTIAL ANALYTICAL, CONCEPTUAL AND CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS.
B+ GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 87%-89% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH DEFICITS IN THEIR WRITTEN WORK WHICH MAY INCLUDE
VAGUENESS, LACK OF APPROPRIATE APA STYLE, A WEAKNESS IN CONCEPTUAL OR
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.
B GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 83%-86% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH DEFICITS IN THEIR WRITTEN WORK WHICH MAY INCLUDE LACK OF
SPECIFICITY, VAGUENESS, WEAK SOURCES, OR LACK OF DEPTH.
B- GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 80-82 % ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH DEFICITS IN THREE OR MORE AREAS OF THEIR WRITTEN WORK.
C+ GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 77%-79% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH FOUR OR MORE DEFICITS IN THEIR WRITTEN WORK WHICH MAY
INCLUDE CLARITY, VAGUENESS, WEAK SOURCES, NON APA FORMAT, NOT FOLLOWING
DIRECTIONS, LACK OF DEPTH IN ANALYSIS.
C GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 73%-76% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH FIVE OR MORE DEFICITS IN THEIR WRITTEN WORK WHICH MAY
INCLUDE WORK NOT TURNED IN, NON APA STYLE, LACK OF DEPTH AND ANALYSIS AND
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.
C- GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 70%-72% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH MAJOR DEFICITS IN WRITTEN WORK INCLUDING NON APA, NOT
FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS, NOT TURNING IN WORK, LACK OF DEPTH, LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE, WEAK SOURCES.
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D+ GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 67%-69% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH MAJOR DEFICITS IN WRITTEN WORK INCLUDING NON APA , NOT
FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS, LATE WORK, SUPERFICIAL ANALYSIS, WEAK SOURCES.
D GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO EARN BETWEEN 63%-66% ON THEIR
COURSE WORK WITH SUBSTANTIAL DEFICITS IN WRITING STYLE, OR WORK NOT
TURNED IN, NON APA STYLE AND SUPERFICIAL ANALYSIS. D- WOULD EARN 60%-62%.
F GRADES ARE RECEIVED BY STUDENTS WHO DO NOT COMPLETE EXAMS OR
ASSIGNMENTS, WHO RECEIVE BELOW A 60% AND SHOW LITTLE EFFORT TO IMPROVE
THEIR GRADES.
University Policies
Academic integrity
Students should know that the University’s Academic Integrity Policy is availabe at
http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/download/judicial_affairs/Academic_Integrity_Policy_S07-2.pdf. Your
own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University and
the University’s integrity policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work.
Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and
Ethical Development. The website for Student Conduct and Ethical Development is available at
http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/judicial_affairs/index.html.
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism
(presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving
proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all
assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you
would like to include in your assignment any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for
another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy F06-1 requires approval of instructors.
Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to
make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment
with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires
that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability
Resource Center) to establish a record of their disability.
Student Technology Resources (Optional)
Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1st
floor of Clark Hall and on the 2nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be
available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King
Library.
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A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services
located in IRC 112. These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video
players, 16 mm, slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless
microphones, projection screens and monitors.
Learning Assistance Resource Center (Optional)
The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) is located in Room 600 in the Student
Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic
potential and to motivate them to become self-directed learners. The center provides support
services, such as skills assessment, individual or group tutorials, subject advising, learning
assistance, summer academic preparation and basic skills development. The LARC website is
located at http:/www.sjsu.edu/larc/.
SJSU Writing Center (Optional)
The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional
instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU
colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained
to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The Writing
Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/about/staff//.
Peer Mentor Center (Optional)
The Peer Mentor Center is located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall in the Academic Success Center.
The Peer Mentor Center is staffed with Peer Mentors who excel in helping students manage
university life, tackling problems that range from academic challenges to interpersonal struggles.
On the road to graduation, Peer Mentors are navigators, offering “roadside assistance” to peers
who feel a bit lost or simply need help mapping out the locations of campus resources. Peer
Mentor services are free and available on a drop –in basis, no reservation required. Website of
Peer Mentor Center is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/muse/peermentor/ .
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JS 120-2 Juvenile Justice Fall 2011
Week
Date
Topis, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
1
Thur.
Aug. 25
Introduction, role, class mechanics, books, overview,
Papers, extra credit, evaluations
2
Tues.
Aug 30
CONCEPTS OF DELINQUENCY; History and
Thur.
Sept 1
3
Tues.
Sept.6
Finish Film, discussion in small groups; begin Nature and Extent of
Delinquency. Begin Reading Tattoos on the Heart. Complete by
Second Midterm.
Thur.
Sept.8
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES; Individual views of
Tues.
Sept.13
Continue Psychological explanations, if time, begin Sociological
explanations.
Text. Cp. 4
Check dropbox for Journal Articles
In class writing assignment#2 on Video
Reading: check dropbox for Journal Articles.
Thur.
Sept.15
5
6
philosophy of Juvenile Justice from antiquity-20th century.
Text: Cp. 11 & 1
Finish History, begin overview of current issues. In class
Assignment #1 of Video.
Text: Cp. 2
Homework Assignment #1, due at beginning of class Tues.6th.
(find it in dropbox)
Delinquency, choice, trait, DSM categories.
Text: Cp.3
Continue Trait, begin biological/psychological explanations
Reading: check dropbox for Journal Articles. Small group
discussions on these articles on 9/20.
Tues.
Sept.20
Continue Sociological theory;
REVIEW FOR MIDTERM
Thur.
Sept.22
First midterm Exam; bring scantron 882
Tues. Sept .
27
Development Views of Delinquency: Life Course & Latent
9
Thur.Sept.
29
7
Tues.
Oct.4
Thur.
Oct. 6
8
Tues.
Oct. 4
Thur.
Oct. 6
9
Tues
Oct.11
Thur 13
10
11
12
Cp. 5.
Trait theory. Gender differences, girl gangs, rising delinquency,
victimization, trafficking.
Homework Assignment #2 in dropbox
Text. Cp.5- 6
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
The Family, Child abuse & Neglect and the Dependency Court
system.
Text. Cp. 7
Journal Article in dropbox
Influence of Gangs
Text: Cp. 6
Video
Recent Case law The Drug Experience-solutions/Justice System
Response
Text. Cp. 10
Small group Discussion
REFERENCES/ABSTRACTS DUE FOR RESEARCH PAPER
Legal Rights at School, search/seizure, privacy, cyberbullying,
suspension, expulsion
Text Cp. 9
Drug Use, Interventions, Drug Court
Homework Assignment #4
Text Cp. 10
Tues Oct 18
Thur.
Oct.20
Review for Second Midterm-small group discussions
Tues. Nov.
1
Thur. Nov
3
LAW AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
Tues. Nov.
8
Thur. Nov
10
Juvenile Court Processing
Juvenile Detention Tour
Cp. 13
Dispositions/sentencing for Minors
Second Midterm
Police Intervention, legal rights, procedures, Court decisions
Cp. 12; Journal Article in Dropbox
Recent Court Cases
10
Cp. 14
13
Tues. Nov.
15
Thur. Nov.
17
Issues in Juvenile Corrections/community/in-custody/secure
facilities.
Cp.14
Journal Article in Dropbox
Video
14
Tue Nov. 24 Juvenile Sentencing/recent changes
Thur.
Journal Article in Dropbox
Nov.24
Guest Speaker
Arizona Corrections-In Class Writing Assignment #3
15
Tues Dec.29 RESEARCH PAPERS DUE
Thur. Dec 1 Small group Discussions
Review for Final
16
Tues .Dec. 6 The Future for Juvenile Justice- Journal Articles in Dropbox
Thur. Dec.8 Last Day of Instruction, Make-up exam day
Final
Exam
December
15
9:45-1200 302 Clark
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