Fall 2008
Class Meetings : MWF (1:00—1:50)
Classroom: Constant Hall 1005
Professor: Dr. A. Chappell
Office: BAL 6014
Office Phone: 683-4041
Office Hours: M and W (2:00—3:30)
Email: achappel@odu.edu
Teaching Assistant:
Office:
Office Hours:
Email:
Required Text
Samaha, Joel. 2006. Criminal Justice , 7 th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Course Description
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the criminal justice system’s structure and processes. It will focus on the major components of the
CJS—police, courts, and corrections. Crime trends, statistics, and current topics will also be discussed.
Objectives x To appreciate the informality of the criminal justice process x To understand the variables that may affect one’s path in the criminal justice system x To assess the effectiveness of the criminal justice system x To appreciate the balance between liberty and civility in American Society x To exercise critical thinking skills
Course Requirements
Exams
There will be three (3) non-cumulative exams based on class lectures, guest speakers, inclass videos, and assigned readings. The exams will be comprised of approximately 50 multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank and/or short answer questions. I will lecture on specific topics, but it is impossible to cover all of the material that will be tested on exams, so it is your responsibility to read and understand your text.
Current Topic Paper
You will have one major writing assignment based on a current topic in criminal justice.
Paper topics and details will be provided in class. Late papers are only accepted with excused absence without penalty. Otherwise, late papers lose 5 points per day .
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x All assignments must be typed. x Papers are NOT accepted via email.
Extra Credit
Extra credit opportunities may be offered to the class. You will only receive points for extra credit assignments if you follow the directions, turn the assignment in on time, and type the assignment. Extra credit is not accepted late under any circumstances.
Attendance/Participation
Students are expected to attend all class meetings and are responsible for all material covered in class, especially discussion topics and class announcements. I will not provide notes to students who miss class. Students are also responsible for announcements posted on Blackboard and emails to the class. The class participation grade is based on the completion of “free-writes” and other similar (written) measures of attendance and participation at the instructor’ s discretion. There are no make-ups for participation assignments.
Makeup Exam Policy
Makeup exams will only be given to students who provide the instructor with a university recognized excused absence.
Excused absences include (but are not limited to): illness with a doctor’ s note, serious family emergency, special curricular requirements, and participation in official university activities. Make up exams are likely to differ in format from regular exam (e.g., essay) and must be taken within one month of regularly scheduled exam. They are scheduled by the student through the Learning
Assessment Lab at http: www.clt.odu.edu/lal/ (Please note: the Learning Assessment Lab only allows students to make up exams on Saturdays).
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any form. Plagiarism is cited in the
University Honor Pledge as a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Students found in violation are subject to disciplinary action. According to Section 3.F of the Student
Disciplinary Policies and Procedures under the Student Code of Conduct:
"A student will have committed plagiarism if he or she reproduces someone else’s work without acknowledging its source; or if the source is cited which the student has not cited or used (1998).
Plagiarism includes submitting a research paper obtained from a commercial research service, the Internet, or from another student as if it were original work; making simple changes to borrowed materials while leaving the organization content, or phraseology intact; or copying material from a source, supplying proper documentation, but leaving out quotation marks (1998).” http://orgs.odu.edu/hc/pages/plagiarism.shtml
Note that the penalties for Academic dishonesty are severe (e.g., permanent mark on
University transcript, suspension/expulsion from University) and that they will be followed.
Class Conduct
Students are expected to be on time and stay for the entire class period. Do not come into class late or you may be asked to leave. Lack of courtesy will not be tolerated.
Please turn off your cell phones/pagers/ipods and other electronic devices and keep them
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out of my sight. No text-messaging or internet surfing during class (including when we are watching videos).
Special Needs
In compliance with PL94-142 and more recent federal legislation affirming the rights of disabled individuals, provisions will be made for students with special needs on an individual basis. The student must provide a letter from the Disability Services Office, located at 1525 Webb Center. Any accommodations will be based upon written guidelines from the Disability Services Office.
Evaluation and Grading
3 Exams: 75% of final grade (25% each)
Current Topics writing assignment: 15% of final grade
Participation: 10%
Final Grading Scheme
Your earned grade percentage will be converted to a letter grade as listed below:
A 89.5 +
B+ 85.5— 89.4
B
C+
79.5— 85.4
75.5— 79.4
C 69.5— 75.4
D+ 65.5— 69.4
D
E
Weekly Course Topics and Reading Assignments
59.5— 65.4 d 59.4
*This syllabus is tentative and is likely to change. You are responsible for any changes made in class by the Professor.
TOPIC READING ASSIGNMENT DATE
WEEK 1
M 8/25
W 8/27
F 8/29
WEEK 2
M 9/1
W 9/3
F 9/5
WEEK 3
M 9/8
W 9/10
F 9/12
WEEK 4
M 9/15
W 9/17
F 9/19
Introduction to Course
CJ Process
Crime and Criminals
Labor Day—no class
Introduction to Police
Police-History
READ YOUR SYLLABUS!
Police-Eras, Styles
Guest Speaker: Police officer
Ch. 1
Ch. 2
Ch. 5
Ch. 5
Ch. 5
Patrol/Investigation/Technology Ch. 6
Police Training/Education
Demographics
Working Personality/Stress
Ch. 5
Ch. 5
Ch. 5, 6
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WEEK 5
M 9/22
W 9/24
F 9/26
WEEK 6
M 9/29
W 10/1
F 10/3
WEEK 7
M 10/6
W 10/8
F 10/10
WEEK 8
M 10/13
W 10/15
F 10/17
WEEK 9
M 10/20
W 10/22
F 10/24
WEEK 10
M 10/27
W 10/29
F 11/31
WEEK 11
M 11/03
W 11/05
F 11/07
WEEK 12
M 11/10
W 11/12
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
11/14
WEEK 13
11/17
11/19
11/21
WEEK 14
11/24
11/26
F 11/28
WEEK 15
M 12/01
W 12/03
12/05
Video: Nightline -Abner Louima Ch. 7
Misconduct/Racial Profiling
Exam I
Court Structure
Courtroom Workgroup
Guest Speaker: Attorney
Pretrial Procedures video: Real Justice video: Real Justice
Fall Break—no class
Pretrial Procedures
Plea Bargains
Trial
Trial
Exam II
Sentencing
Sentencing
Death Penalty
Community Corrections
Community Corrections
Ch. 7
Ch. 1, 2, 5-7
Ch. 8
Ch. 8
Ch. 9
Ch. 9
Ch. 9
Ch. 9
Ch. 10
Ch. 10
Ch. 10
Ch. 8-10
Ch. 12
Ch. 12
Guest Speaker: Probation officer Ch. 12
Prisons and Jails video: The Farm (ASC)
Ch. 13 video: The Farm (ASC)
Paper Due Ch. 13
Prisons and Jails Ch. 13
Ch. 13 Guest Speaker
Prison Life
Thanksgiving—no class
Thanksgiving—no class
Ch. 14
Prison Life
Reentry: Life after Prison
Ch. 11
Ch. 11
Ch. 11
Ch. 14
Ch. 14
Review Day (last day of classes) Ch. 11-14
Final Exam: Monday, December 8 at 1:00 pm
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