SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
Criminal Justice Administration
CJ 510: Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement
Spring Semester, 2014
Harold D. Carter
© 1-760-235-9530 or text
email haroldcarolyn@sbcglobal.net
Wed 7:25 – 10:05
Brawley room 108
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COURSE DESCRIPTION AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The criminal justice system in the United States is an extremely complex enterprise that touches our lives in a variety
of ways. For example we are called on to serve on juries, receive traffic citations, are victims or perpetrators of
crime, have family members who are incarcerated, or become involved in violent domestic disputes or involved in
drug activity. For those who come in contact with the system it becomes apparent that it is characterized by diversity,
internal conflicts and fragmentation, making it very difficult for the average citizen to make sense of it.
This course seeks to familiarize you with the various contemporary issues faced by the criminal justice system and
the services and resources provided by these organizations. It does this by introducing you to the traditional
components of the justice system law enforcement, prosecution, defense, the courts and corrections and then
exploring such contemporary issues as Evolving strategies intended to improve the delivery of criminal justice
services and accomplish organizational goals. We will discuss and explore the problems and issues related to the
operation of the Criminal Justice and it’s impact our society such as the causes of police brutality, officer involved
shootings, police use of discretion, gun violence in our society and issues such as hiring, retention and training of
personnel. We will examine the impact of community policing and its ability to make generational changes in the
way criminal justice system delivers service and attempts to change the culture of law enforcement in America. We
will also examine the relationship between criminal justice agencies and the community itself, especially how
criminal justice service delivery in our cities and towns as shaped by a host of factors including population, social
structure, politics and community expectations.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS
Achievement of course objectives will be facilitated through the use of several instructional methods:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Reading and discussion questions in the required text and recommended materials;
Class discussion and lecture;
Guest speakers from public and private agencies supporting criminal and juvenile justice
administration in the Imperial Valley.
Two (2) quizzes and a final exam; focusing on discussion questions from the assigned readings and
presentations made by the agencies from the community;
A paper or creative project related to the issues presented in class and the texts selected for this
course. Papers should be six to eight pages in length, typed using a word-processer, double spaced,
pages numbers, and stapled in the upper left hand corner (no covers). A creative project may be
done in lieu of the paper. Students who chose a creative project are encouraged to use a variety of
media such as video, role play, panel discussion, etc. Creative projects may involve up to three
persons from the class. Papers and projects will be presented to the class in the last sessions of the
course. Instead of a paper or project students may elect to build a journal article file of 13 articles
from professional journals related to the issues being studied during the class. All 13 articles
should be numbered 1 throuogh13 and attached to a single cover sheet ( table of contents) Listing
the source, Author and Date of the article. Articles can be obtained from the internet and from
professional journals at the SDSU library.
6.
Participation, attendance and participation in class activities and presentations and discussions is
critical. Participation is a substantial component of the final grade.
GRADES
The total possible score for the course is 100% Grades will be assigned on the basis of the following weights:
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Final Exam
Paper & Presentation or journal files$
30%
30%
30%
10%
100
RESOURCES
THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS ARE REQUIRED:
1.
2.
Steven G. Brandl and David E. Barlow (2004) The Police in America( Classic and Contemporary Reading).
Wadsworth Publishing.
Denny F. Pace (2003) Fourth edition, Community Relations Concepts. Wadsworth Publishing ,Cengage
learning.
The text will be supplemented by readings and articles, guest speakers and subject related videos supplied by the
instructor.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is to take and present as one’s own the writing or ideas of others. You should understand the concept of
plagiarism and keep it in mind when preparing your paper/project or taking quizzes. A more detailed description of
plagiarism is available on request
Tentative Schedule of Activities and Assignments
1/22
Syllabus and course overview
The syllabus is required reading. Please read it thoroughly by the next session. During this session we will
review the syllabus; talk about what the important current contemporary issues law enforcement is faced with
now and into the future. We will also discuss ideas for your paper or creative project and course
requirements.
1/29
Police history and role in the United States and the evolving strategy of policing in America.
2/5
Policing the ghetto underclass and the politics of law and enforcement, the political economy of community
policing.
2/12
The function of police in Modern American society and use of police discretion.
2/19
The “causes” of police brutality and the theory and evidence on police use of force.
2/26
The professional political model of the good policeman and administrative interventions on police shootings
and discretion an empirical examination.
3/5
Strategies of policing: The Kansas City preventive patrol experiment and the effects of gun seizures on gun
violence. Quiz 1.
3/12
The criminal investigative process: The relationship between evidence, Detective effort and the disposition
of burglary and robbery investigations.
3/19
Team policing: Structural change in large municipal police organizations during the community policing era.
3/26
Improving policing: A problem oriented approach and Broken windows.
4/2
Spring Break no class
4/9
Part VI Conclusion’s and policy Implications. Quiz 2.
Community Relations Concepts
4/16
Why community relations? the structure of the community Chapters 1&2.
4/23
Law Enforcement, Judiciary and Corrections and the Criminal Justice System and the Community. Chapters
3&4.
4/30
Minority Groups in the Community and Community Power Structure. Chapters 5&6 Sharing Power with
Institutions and Human Relations Problems in Courts and Corrections Chapters 7&8. Student Presentations
begin.
5/7
Human Relations Problems and Police Processes and an Analysis of Community Problems Chapters 9&10.
Student presentations, what we have learned and review for final exam.
5/ 14
Final exam class ends.