CCJS 300: CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODS
SPRING 2014
Cambridge Community Center 1100
SECTION 0301 Tuesday & Thursday, 12:30pm-1:45pm
SECTION 0401 Tuesday & Thursday, 11:00am-12:15pm
Instructor: Dr. Alan R. Lehman
2209 LeFrak Hall
alehman@umd.edu
301 405-4735
Office Hours: Wednesday
11:00am–2:00pm
And by appointment
Teaching Assistants: Lisa Alix (0301)
acorn1992@hotmail.com
Anat Kimchi (0401)
anat.kimchi@gmail.com
2209 LeFrak Hall
301 405-4735
Office Hours: Lisa Alix
Thursday
9:00am-12:00pm
Anat Kimchi
Wednesday
1:00pm-4:00pm
Course Description:
CCJS 300 is an introduction to the formulation of research questions covering
research design, data collection, and interpretation and reporting in criminological
and justice-system settings. Using data provided by the instructor, you will conduct
basic descriptive and inferential statistics using computer software (SPSS). In this
course, you will learn how to generate and interpret statistical output.
Course Prerequisites:
You MUST have already COMPLETED CCJS 100 and 105; AND one of the following
statistics courses: CCJS 200, SOCY 201, PSYC 200, ECON 321, or BMGT 230 in order to
take this class.
Required Textbooks:
Hagan, Frank E. 2014. Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology, 9th
edition, Allyn and Bacon, New York. (ISBN: 978-0-13-300861-6)
Kirkpatrick, Lee A., and Brooke C. Feeney. 2013. A Simple Guide to IBM SPSS
Statistics for Version 20.0, Thomson Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.
(ISBN: 978-1-285-08601-9)
Required Data:
The data files, codebooks, and any other supplementary files that will be used for
this course are on our Canvas space.
Course Grading:
Your grade will be based upon three exams and 7 class assignments, four of which
will include statistical programming (IBM SPSS). Each exam will count 20% toward
your final grade, the assignments will be worth a total of 40%).
The exams will cover material from the lectures, class discussions, and assigned
readings from the textbooks. Exams are not cumulative. I have a very strict policy
concerning makeup exams. Exams must be taken on the assigned day unless you have
presented a valid, written excuse before the exam and made arrangements to take a
makeup exam. Health center notes are not valid excuses! Under no circumstances will
oversleeping, car trouble, or health problems be grounds for a makeup. Dr. Lehman
reserves the right to change the format of the makeup exam if he so wishes.
Class assignments are due by the end of class on the day it is due (see table with
dates and due dates). Assignments may always be turned in early and can be given to
me in person or submitted in my mailbox in the CCJS office. If you choose to work on
your assignment rather than attend class (this is not recommended), it must be given
to the CCJS office (2220) on the 2nd floor of LeFrak Hall to be date and time
stamped by the end of the class period or it will be considered late! Assignments
may not be submitted via email. While it is perfectly acceptable to get help with
these assignments from Dr. Lehman or the teaching assistants, each student must
complete his or her own assignments and do their own work. Late assignments will not
be accepted; there will be no makeup assignments unless you have presented a valid,
written excuse before the assignment is due and made specific arrangements with Dr.
Lehman.
Academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty in any form will absolutely not be tolerated. Academic
dishonesty encompasses behaviors such as plagiarism, cheating on exams and
assignments, giving false statements, etc. All students are required to sign the
Honor Pledge on each exam and computer assignment.
Class Assignments
Class assignments will be given out in class; all assignments will also be available
on Canvas. You will be printing out all of the SPSS output, so you need to register
for a PRINT ACCOUNT in the BSOS computer lab (the main entrance to the lab is 0291
LeFrak and the print registration room is 0221 inside 0291) if you do not already
have one. It is strongly suggested that you save electronic copies of all of your
computer output. The best way to do this is to use a ‘key chain’ flash storage
drive; the BSOS office in LeFrak carries such flash drives.
There will be no curve-final grades will be assigned based on the following scale:
A+
= 97.00% - 100%
A
= 93.00% - 96.99%
A-
= 90.00% - 92.99%
B+
= 87.00% - 89.99%
B
= 83.00% - 86.99
B-
= 80.00% - 82.99%
C+
= 77.00% - 79.99%
C
= 73.00% - 76.99%
C-
= 70.00% - 72.99%
D+
= 67.00% - 69.99%
D
= 63.00% - 66.99%
D-
= 60.00% - 62.99%
F
=
<60.00%
Week
Week 1
Week 2
Date(s)
January 28
Topics, Exams, Due Dates
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Research Methods
Book Chapter(s)
Hagan Chapter 1
January 30
Finish Introduction(The Elegant
Universe film clip)
Begin Ethics in Research
Hagan Chapter 1
Finish Ethics in Research
(Ethics Assignment given out)
Begin Experimental Methods and
Research Design
Hagan Chapter 2
Finish Experimental Methods and
Research Design
(Ethics Assignment Due)
EXAM #1
Hagan Chapter 3
February 4
February 6
Week 3
February 11
February 13
Week 4
February 18
Week 5
February 20
February 25
February 27
Week 6
March 4
March 6
Week 7
March 11
March 13
Week 8
March 18
&
March 20
No Class—Dr. Lehman at Conference
MEET IN COMPUTER LAB 5 (ROOM 0214,
LeFrak Hall) THIS WEEK (See Lab
Assignment Sheet for dates and
times.)
(SPSS Assignment #1 given out)
Begin Sampling and Survey Research:
Questionnaires
Finish Sampling and Survey
Research: Questionnaires
(SPSS Assignment #1 due)
(Sampling & Survey Assignment given
out)
Begin Interviews and Telephone
Surveys
(SPSS Assignment #2 given out,
In-Class Computer Instruction)
Finish Interviews and Telephone
Surveys
(Sampling & Survey Assignment due)
Spring Break-No Classes-Have Fun!
Hagan Chapter 2
Hagan Chapter 3
Hagan Chapters 1-3
Kirkpatrick &
Feeney
Chapters 1-3, 5
Hagan pgs. 252-254
Hagan Chapter 4
(pgs. 110-122)
Hagan Chapter 5
Hagan Chapter 5
Hagan Chapter 6
Hagan Chapter 6
Week
Week 9
Date(s)
March 25
Book Chapter(s)
Hagan Chapter 7
LaPiere Article
Jack London Chapter
Field Day Assignment
Mandatory Attendance
(SPSS Assignment #2 due [Optional])
Exam #2
(SPSS Assignment #2 due [Required])
Hagan Chapter 7
April 3
Begin Unobtrusive Measures and
Secondary Analysis
(SPSS Assignment #3 given out,
In-Class Computer Instruction)
Research in the Future?
Hagan Chapter 8
April 8
Begin Film: Adjustment Bureau
April 10
Finish Film: Adjustment Bureau
(SPSS Assignment #3 due)
Finish Unobtrusive Measures and
Secondary Analysis
(SPSS Assignment #4 given out,
In-Class Computer Instruction)
March 27
Week 10
Topics, Exams, Due Dates
Participant Observation and Case
Studies
April 1
Week 11
Hagan Chapters 4-7
LaPiere Article
Jack London Chapter
Week 12
April 15
Hagan Chapter 8
Week 13
April 17
April 22
Begin Validity & Reliability
Finish Validity & Reliability
Hagan Chapter 9
Hagan Chapter 9
Week 14
April 24
April 29
Begin Scaling/Index Construction
Finish Scaling/Index Construction
Hagan Chapter 10
Hagan Chapter 10
May 1
Begin Policy Analysis and
Evaluation Research
(SPSS Assignment #4 due [Optional])
Finish Policy Analysis and
Evaluation Research
(SPSS Assignment #4 due [Required])
Hagan Chapter 11
Week 15
May 6
Hagan Chapter 11
Week 16
May 8
May 13
No Class—Dr. Lehman at Conference
Exam Review
Hagan Chapters 8-11
Finals:
0401(11:00am)
Thursday
May 15
Final Exam 8:00am-10:00am
Hagan Chapters 8-11
Hagan Chapters 8-11
0301(12:30pm)
Tuesday
May 20
Final Exam 1:30pm-3:30pm