CJ 303 Assignments and Grading
Criminal Justice and Social Control
Fall 2013 – Monday/Wednesday 12:00 to 12:50
Blended Class: Friday hours are online/outside the classroom
Assignments/Tests
Quizzes/Essays (100 points)*
Two Exams (50 points each)
Exam 1
Exam 2
TOTAL - 200 points
Due Date
Ongoing
October 11
December 11
*Students can miss one quiz/essay and still receive 100 points; any points over 100 are extra credit
Course Description
The course addresses the interrelationship of social control, social policy and administration of criminal
justice in contemporary American society.
Grading
Each exam, quiz and assignment will be given a point score. Final course grades will be based on total points
using the standard percentages listed in the table below.
Grade as a Percentage
100% to 93%
92% to 90%
89% to 87%
86% to 83%
82% to 80%
79% to 77%
76% to 73%
72% to 70%
69% to 67%
66% to 63%
62% to 60%
59% and Below
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
The raw scores for exams, quizzes and assignments will be posted on Blackboard in the Grade Center.
Assignments/quizzes will not be accepted after the due date without prior approval from the instructor.
Assignments and Exams
To take into consideration different skills that will be required of students after graduation, as well as
different ways of learning and demonstrating knowledge of the subject, your grade will be based on a variety
of assignments, quizzes and exams:
 Quizzes and essays related to the weekly readings using Blackboard to measure understanding
of the material and allow students to analyze current policy issues. You will need to keep up
with the reading to complete the quizzes/essays. Specific information about each quiz/essay will be
provided the Wednesday before the due date.
 Small group discussions with a related written assignment to measure critical thinking and
understanding of policy issues.
 Two exams which measures understanding of the material covered in class and textbooks.
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The quizzes and exams will consist of multiple choice, true false, matching, short essay and short answer
questions. Per the registration information, Friday is the day for online assignments, exams, etc. All quizzes
and exams will be administered on Fridays from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. The time allowed for completing each
quiz or exam will depend on the number of questions.
Required Textbooks
Crime, Justice, and Social Control, edited by Christine Curtis and Stuart Henry, Cognella Publishing, 2013
See announcement on Blackboard for ordering instructions.
Class Discussion
This course will begin with a discussion of social control theory and a typology of social control that includes
informal, medical and legal forms of control. Then we will discuss different dimensions of social control as
they relate to criminal justice policies in law enforcement, adjudication of criminal cases and corrections. We
will also address issues related to race/ethnicity, gender, and social class.
In the discussion of different social policies and current events, we will explore answers to the following
questions to analyze the alternatives to address issues/problems confronting criminal justice professionals:
 What is the issue/problem being addressed?
 What is the current policy?
 Who is responsible for policy decisions related to this issue?
 What are the other policy options?
 What are the pros and cons of different options?
 What is the relative cost of the alternatives?
 Are there issues in implementing specific policies?
Class Participation: Class participation is expected. Class participation includes asking questions,
answering questions regarding the reading assignments and lectures, and discussing current events and policy
issues.
Students should read the assigned articles/chapters prior to class sessions and be prepared to answer
questions when called on during class discussions.
Classroom Conduct: You may use laptop computers to take notes during class and access material relevant
to the class discussion. Other online usage is disruptive and is not allowed. All music players, phones, pagers
and other devices should be turned off during class. If you have a job that requires you to keep your pager on
at all times, notify the instructor at the beginning of the semester and keep the pager on vibrate.
Class discussion and critical thinking about social issues are encouraged, but we all should be respectful of
the views of others. When we talk about social control and social policy, there are always at least two sides
to an issue, and we want to explore all aspects of the topics covered.
Discussion of Current Events: On Mondays, students are encouraged to provide news articles or topics
for discussion related to criminal justice policy issues from the news. Send a web link to the
instructor by the Friday evening prior to class.
Course Material Available Online
Some course material will be available on Blackboard (syllabus, definitions, PowerPoint presentations from
lectures, quizzes, tests, essay assignments etc.). Current events will be posted for discussion each week on
Blackboard.
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Information Required on Written Assignments
Name and RedID
Date
Class (CJ 303, MW 12:00)
Instructor
Christine Curtis
E-mail: christinecurtis2@msn.com
Phone: 619-892-3109 – voice mail
Office: PSFA 157
Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday 9:30 am -11:30 am and 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Please monitor your e-mail for class announcements, including cancellation of a class session. When
you send e-mails to the instructor, please identify in the subject line that the e-mail is related to the CJ
303 class.
Note: This syllabus is subject to change. Each student is responsible for conforming to all changes.
Plagiarism and other forms of intellectual dishonesty will not be tolerated.
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CJ 303 Reading Assignments/Lectures
Reading assignments should be completed prior to the class session each week so you are prepared for
class discussions.
Date
Topics
Reading Assignments from
Textbook
8/26, 8/28
Introductions; Overview of Class and Assignments; Criminal
Justice Process; What is Social Control?
Find a news article related to social control and post a oneparagraph summary of the social control issues under
Discussion Board on Blackboard. Due 9/6 5 points
Labor Day Holiday
Curtis and Henry, pp 1-9
8/30
9/2
9/4
9/6
9/9, 9/11
9/13
9/16, 9/18
9/20
9/23, 9/25
9/27
9/30, 10/2
10/4
10/7
10/9
10/11
10/14, 10/16
10/18
10/21, 10/23
10/25
10/28
10/30
11/1
11/4, 11/6
11/8
Understanding Social Control
Introduction: What is Social Control? (continued)
Policy Process
Discussion Board Assignment on news article due
Understanding Social Control (continued)
Sociological Perspective
Why People Ban Behavior
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 9/13 10 points
Sociological Perspective
Linking Moral Panic and Moral Regulation
Social Class and Crime
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 9/20 10 points
Sociological Perspective
Implications for Human Rights Policy
Relationship Between Perceived Causes of Crime and Social
Control Policies
Quiz/essay on Blackboard due 9/27 10 points
Adjudication and Sentencing
Morality, Ethics and the Death Penalty
Wrongful Conviction
Quiz/essay on Blackboard due 10/4 10 points
Constitutional Rights Affecting Criminal Justice System
(Video Scotsboro 9; Gideon v Wainwright)
Adjudication and Sentencing
American Courts
Exam #1 Online 50 points
Adjudication and Sentencing
Mental Health and the CJ Systems as Agents of Control
Toward Restorative and Community Justice
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 10/18 10 points
Policing and Investigations
Police Discretion
Abuse of Power (Video - Rodney King and Ramparts Division
cases in Los Angeles)
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 10/24 10 points
Policing and Investigations
Racial Profiling
Small Group Discussion – Police Discretion and Use of Force
1 page written assignment related to small group discussion
Due 11/4 5 points
Correctional Policies and Issues
Unlocking America
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 11/8 10 points
Curtis and Henry, pp 9-33
Henry, pp 37-50
Heir, et al. pp 51-66
Costelloe and Michalowski, pp 67-78
International Council on Human
Rights Policy, pp 79-87
Whitehead and Brasswell, pp 91-106
Zalman, pp 107- 118
Spohn, pp 119-132
Thompson pp 133-138
Brasswell, Fuller and Lozoff, pp 139147
Gaines and Kappeler, pp 151-190
Buerger, pp 191-202
JFA Institute, pp 219-252
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11/11
11/13
11/15
11/18, 11/20
11/22
11/25, 11/27
11/28 and 29
12/2, 12/4
12/6
12/11
Veteran’s Day Holiday
Correctional Policies and Issues
Realignment in California AB 109
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 11/15 10 points
Correctional Policies and Issues
Gender Responsive Strategies for Women
Reflections and Perspectives on Reentry
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 11/22 10 points
Juvenile Justice
Programming in the Modern Juvenile Court
No Class Wednesday 11/27
Thanksgiving Holiday
Juvenile Justice
Preparing for Prison: Criminalization of School Discipline
Quiz/essay on Blackboard Due 12/6 10 points
Exam #2 Online 50 points
No class meeting 12/9
Owen and Mobley, pp 253-260
Bloom, Owen and Covington, pp 269280
Pinard, pp 261-268
Greenwood, pp 311-318
Hirschfield, pp 283-300