CJ INTERACTIVE CHAPTER AND TOPIC ORGANIZATION
PART ONE: FOUNDATIONS
1. The Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice Goals
Criminal Justice Process
Due Process vs. Crime Control
2. Defining & Measuring Crime
Defining Crime
How Crimes are Measured
Violent Crime
Property Crime
White Collar and Organized Crime
3. Explaining Criminal Behavior
Theories of Crime
4. Criminal Law
Sources of Law and Types of Law
Crime Elements
Categories of Crime
Legal Defenses
Outlines the five major goals of the criminal justice system
Outlines the criminal justice process. Also presents three components of the system: police, courts, and
corrections.
Describes the balance between protecting society from crime and protecting the rights of individuals.
Defines crime from various perspectives (legalistic, political, sociological, psychological)
Summaries the key sources (UCR, NCVS) and questions you ask concerning crime statistics.
Defines the major types of violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, assault) (As defined by the FBI's UCR
program)
Describes the major types of property crimes (larceny-theft, burglary, auto theft, arson) (As defined by the
FBI's UCR program)
Describes white collar and organized crime (As defined by the FBI)
Outlines the eight general categories of crime theories and presents a scenario for you to review how first
impressions of behavior relate to specific crime theories.
Outlines the sources and types of law.
Outlines the three elements of a crime that must be present before an act is declared to be a crime.
Outlines three general categories of crime and presents several scenarios to help you distinguish each of
the categories.
Outlines the four broad legal defense categories and provides examples to illustrate each type.
PART TWO: THE POLICE
5. The Police: History, Structure & Functions
History and Professionalism of the Police Outlines the history of the police and its move toward professionalism.
Modern American Policing Eras
Outlines the four major eras of American Policing. You will learn about each era’s characteristics, the
catalyst for the era, examples and the current policing style influenced by that era.
Levels of Law Enforcement
Outlines the levels of law enforcement: Federal, State, Local, Private, and how each of these levels over
lap.
Overview of the general roles of police in society (enforcing the law, apprehending offenders, preventing
crime, keeping the peace) and operational strategies (patrol, emergency resonse, investigation, problem
Police Roles and Functions
solving, support services)
Overview of typical organizational structure of police agencies to include descriptions of typical line
Police Organization
operations, staff operations, and "chain of command" overview.
Policing Styles
Highlights three policing styles: Watchman, Legalistic, and Service.
6. The Police and the Constitution
The Fourth amendment
Search and Arrest Warrants
Warrantless Searches
Interrogations and Confessions
Remedies for Violations of Rights
7. The Police: Issues and Challenges
Ethics and Corruption
Types of Force
Police Liability
Community Policing
Explains the terms person, houses, papers, and effects as it relates to the Fourth Amendment
terminology.
Explains the three warrant components.
Describes warrantless searches.
Describes how the fifth Amendment is relevant to interrogations and confessions.
Examines the civil, criminal, and non-judicial remedies available to individuals when their constitutional
rights are violated
Describes the law enforcement code of ethics and factors that contribute to police corruption.
Highlights the types of force that can be used by police.
Explores the areas of liability related to policing.
Outlines the four basic principles of community policing and provides interviews with community policing
officers.
PART THREE: THE COURTS
8. The Courts: History, Structure, and Key Players
History and Organization of the Courts
Describes the history and organization of the courts.
Courtroom Roles
Summarizes the key roles in a courtroom
The Prosecution and Defense
Presents the roles and responsibilities of the prosecution and defense before, during, and after trial
The Trial Judge
Summarizes the responsibilites of the trial judge
The Grand Jury
Summarizes the role of the grand jury as compared to trial juries
Types of Witnesses
Explains and compares/contrasts lay witnesses and expert witnesses
9. Pre-Trial Activities and the Criminal Trial
Post-Arrest Activities
Overview of the pre-trial process (booking through arraignment)
The Bail System
Overview of the bail system and process
The Pros and Cons of Plea Bargaining
Plea bargaining process and pros and cons
Steps in the Trial Process
Outlines the eight major steps in a trial.
Rights at Trial
Explains criminal rights, from first contact with a defendant during a trial through the legal appeal process.
Jury Deliberation
Processes and considerations of jury decision-making
10. Sentencing
Sentencing
Pre-Sentence Reports
Determinate and indeterminate
sentencing
Capital Punishment
The Appeals Process
Victim Rights History
Outlines basic sentencing categories a defendant can receive.
Summarizes pre-sentence reports and process
Explains determinate and indeterminate sentencing
Describes capital punishment in the United States.
Outlines the appeals process.
Summarizes key victim rights organizations and legislation.
PART FOUR: CORRECTIONS
11. Corrections: History and Institutions
History of Prisons
History of Women’s Prisons
Prisons and Jails
Prison Employees
Correctional Systems
12. Corrections in the Community
The Value of Probation and Parole
Objectives and Conditions of Probation
Special supervision programs
History of Parole
Parole Board
13. Life Behind Bars
The legal rights of inmates
Prison Life: Two Perspectives
Special offenders
Prison programs
Prisoner Reentry
Outlines the nine prison eras.
Describes the historical evolution of women's prisons
Compares and contrasts the roles and characteristics of prisons and jails
Explores the roles and responsibilites of various prison employees
Explores issues surrounding the privatization of prisons
Examines the role of probation and parole in the US
Presents common conditions and objectives of probation
Presents work-release, halfway houses, electronic monitoring, and community service programs
Presents a history of the parole system in the US
The role of parole boards
Describes the laws that concern inmates' rights
Relates the various elements of prison life and subcultures that exist within a prison through two inmate
interviews.
Explores the challenges to dealing with special offenders (juvenile, mentally ill, elderly, and drug
offenders)
Presents an overview of different types of common prison programs (educational/vocational, mental
health and substance abuse, employment, and recreation programs)
Describes challenges to successful prisoner re-entry
PART FIVE: JUVENILE JUSTICE
14. The Juvenile Justice System
How Juveniles are Processed
Difference between Adult and Juvenile
Justice system
History of the Juvenile Justice Court
Juvenile’s Legal Rights
Types of Juvenile Offenders
Outlines the four major phases and tasks used to process juveniles in the justice system.
Describes difference between the Adult Criminal Justice System and the Juvenile Justice System.
Outlines the history of the juvenile justice court.
Outlines the legal rights of juveniles
Describes the types of juvenile offenders.