INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Course Syllabus - CJV01
Fall 2013
Professor Ted O. Prell
NOTE TO STUDENT:
This course is transferable to any California State University (CSU) or University of
California (UC). As such the work you do in this course must be of CSU or UC quality.
Phone Number:
805-289-6145
E-mail: tprell@vcccd.edu
DO NOT Send Any Emails to Me via D2L
NOTE: If you are going to email me be sure you list your name and the course
name/number in the subject box. Without that I do not open the email, especially if I
do not recognize the email name or address. I respond to all emails from students, even if
my response is as simple as “I received your email.” If you send me an email and do not
receive a response from me it is because I did not get it. With spam blockers and other
filter systems on VCCCD there is a possibility that our system may block out your email.
If this is the case it is your responsibility to find another way to communicate with me.
Office Hours:
Mondays/Wednesdays: 2:30-3:30 PM
Tuesdays/Thursdays: 1:15-2:45 PM
Or by appointment
Office Location:
CRC-106
CLASS SCHEDULE:
T-TR: 10:30 AM-11:45 AM
CHEATING OR PLAGIARISM
Ventura College takes academic honesty very seriously, since ethical behavior and
integrity are vital components of ensuring mutual respect across campus. Instructors,
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accordingly, have the responsibility and authority for dealing with instances of cheating
or plagiarism that may occur in their classes. Such activities could include stealing tests,
using “cheat sheets,” copying off another’s test, or turning in someone else’s work as
his/her own.
Further, instructors have the responsibility to report instances of cheating to their Deans
in that cheating in any form is a violation of the Ventura College Student Conduct Code
and as such is subject to investigation, charges of misconduct, and disciplinary
consequences. See current Ventura College Catalog; Academic Policies and Appendices
sections. For further information on Academic Honesty, please see venturacollege.edu.
I subscribe to the academic policies found in the Ventura College Catalog. Although all
are important, pay particular attention to those policies on Attendance and Absence
and Academic Honesty.
Ventura College believes, as do I, that honesty is vital to the integrity of our College
programs, our courses, within our entire college community, and especially in the
classroom.
Academic dishonesty (such as cheating) is defined as “an act of obtaining or
attempting to present academic work through fraudulent or deceptive means in
order to obtain credit for this work. This dishonesty and/or cheating by whatever
means, including electronic, is described as, but is not limited to:
1. Submitting work previously presented in another course
2. Copying in whole or in part from another student’s test or paper
3. Using sources or material not authorized by the instructor
4. Altering or interfering with grading policies
5. Sitting in for an exam for another student or by another student
6. Plagiarizing work, such as copying sentences, phrases, or passages without citing
the source, while writing a paper or doing research and submitting this work as
his/her own
7. Sharing your paper information during an exam, test, or quiz.”
NOTE: The above “Academic Honesty” items, especially number 2, 6 and 7, apply to
any essay, research paper, test, exam, quiz or other assignment given in this class as well
as those that may be of a “take home” nature unless specifically waived by me. For help
on how to properly cite sources without plagiarizing (cheating), please make an
appointment with an English tutor (see p. 7 below).
There will be three tests. Each test will be worth 200 points. The lowest score of the
three tests will automatically be deleted. Tests will cover text, handout and supplemental
materials and include notes written on the whiteboard by the instructor, guest lecturer or
as a result of group activities. Because you will be deleting the lowest score there will be
NO make-up tests. You must take the test at the time designated by the instructor, unless
an alternative date is approved by the instructor BEFORE the scheduled test.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Criminal Justice A Brief Introduction, 10th edition by: Frank Schmalleger
 It is important to obtain the text, bring it to every class meeting and do the
reading assignments from it. In-class exercises from the text reading
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
assignments will be made and being prepared for those assignments are an
integral part of the grading process.
Chapters covered in the required text are:
Week Number
and Date
1
8-19
2
8-26
3
9-3
4
9-9
5-6
9-16 & 9-23
7
9-30
8
10-7
9-10
10-14 & 10-21
11-12
10-28 & 11-4
13-14
11-12 &11-18
15
11-25
16
12-2
17
12-9
Chapter
Chapter topic
Number
Orientation
1
What is CJ?
4
Policing: Purpose &
Organization
The Courts
7
8
11
The Courtroom Work
Group and the Criminal
Trial
Prisons and Jails
2
The Crime Picture
3
Criminal Law
5
Policing: Legal Aspects
6
Policing: Issues and
Challenges
Sentencing
9
10
13 and
Catchup/Review
Notes
Probation, Parole, and
Community
Corrections
Juvenile Justice
DESCRIPTION:
A general overview of the United States criminal justice system will be offered. The
history and philosophy of the criminal justice system will be examined. Systematic
problems, such as organization and jurisdiction of local, state, and federal criminal justice
components are discussed and possible solutions developed. Historical and current
theories of crime causation and punishment in America are explained and discussed.
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ACTIVITIES:
 Trial Court Visit – Any time
OR
 Ventura Court of Appeals Visit–
Date TBA - 2:45 PM
NOTE: There is only ONE day and time
to visit the Court of Appeals. That day will
be announced in class as soon as it is
confirmed with the Court of Appeals.
NOTE: The above Trial Court assignment
is in lieu of the Appeals Court visit for
those that are unable to attend. The page
number requirements are the same.
Field Trip: Ventura County Jail – Todd
Road Facility, Todd Rd., Santa Paula 5:30
PM
NOTE: There is an assignment in lieu of
the jail visit for those that are unable to
attend. The page number requirements are
the same.
Observe a trial or preliminary hearing or an
appeal in progress.
Write a 3-4 FULL page paper. The 3-4
pages do not count the title page/work
cited page.
See pages 9-12 of this syllabus for issues
to be addressed in the paper.
Papers not meeting the minimum
number of pages will be graded starting
at 70% value.
Observe a Correctional Facility and write a
3-4 FULL page paper on questions
prepared by the instructor. The 3-4 pages
do not count the title page, the work cited
page OR the space that is taken up by
instructor’s name, title of essay, course
number, etc. on the first page.
See pages 9-12 of this syllabus for issues
to be addressed in the paper.
Papers not meeting the minimum
number of pages will be graded starting
at 70% value.
CONDUCT:
Students are expected to maintain a professional demeanor at all times.
“Sidebar” conversations are rude and distracting to the surrounding students as well as
the instructor and will not be tolerated.
Please be considerate and respectful of others both inside and outside the classroom.
Students are encouraged to participate in class discussion and exercises/activities as
appropriate.
Please respect the learning environment by listening when others (including the
instructor) are speaking or participating as requested during and outside of class.
GRADING:
Grades will be based on a point method (refer below) and will emphasize the importance
of attendance and participation.
Questions on quizzes and tests come from a variety of sources including, but not limited
to; lecture, the text, videos, PowerPoint presentations, guest lecturers, notes placed on the
whiteboard by the instructor or as the result of work done in group exercises, etc.
Therefore attendance to gather all of the material is vitally important to successful
completion of this course.
There will be consequences for missed classes, early departures, and tardies as follows:
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Missing 9 hours or more – 100 points
NOTE: Three (3) tardies equal one absence.
It is your responsibility to ensure I have documented your presence if you come in after
I have taken roll or you leave before I take roll.
The student may be dropped from the class upon missing the ninth hour. Do not
depend on me to drop you if you exceed the nine hour standard. It is your responsibility
to track your absences, tardies, or early departures.
As an example, for this class, you can miss only six (6) class meetings before being in
jeopardy of being dropped from the class or losing 100 points from the final grade.
NOTE: The only excused absences are for jury duty and military duty. Other than that
there is no such thing as an excused absence; you are in class or you aren’t. There is no
“make-up” process for work and/or classes missed.
Attendance is an important part of the educational/learning process. My expectation is
that you will attend, be on time, and stay for each entire class. See above under
“GRADING.”
PLEASE NOTE: No assignment, including exams, will be accepted after the due date
(refer to “dates to remember” below) EXCEPT with the approval, in advance, of the
instructor. Any exception will be granted on a case by case basis. It is the student’s
responsibility to seek approval to turn in late work during the instructor’s scheduled
office hours or by appointment.
Any papers or other assignments that are turned in late will result in a reduction in
the number of points awarded for that assignment.
Terminology Quiz Schedule
The quiz questions will be taken from the terms identified in the text in bold black letters.
You will find that same terminology in the text margin in bold dark blue letters.
The below is the Fall, 2013 schedule for the chapter terminology quizzes.
For each quiz you will need the 15 question scantron “Quizstrip” and a #2 pencil.
The quiz will be delivered at the beginning of class on the below dates, as soon as
roll is taken.
These dates are tentative and subject to change.
You will be given NO MORE THAN
10 minutes to complete the quiz.
Date
9-5-13
9-12-13
9-19-13
9-26-13
10-3-13
10-10-13
10-17-13
10-24-13
10-31-13
Chapter Number
Chapter1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
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11-7-13
11-14-13
11-21-13
GRADING CRITERIA
 SLO Quiz
 Jail Essay
 Court Essay
 3 tests @ 200 pts. ea.
 12 quizzes
 Final
TOTAL
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
50 “
100 “
100 ”
400 “ (delete the lowest score)
100 “ (delete the lowest 2 scores)
250 “
1000 POINTS
900-1000
Points = A
800-899
“ =B
700-799
“ =C
600-69 9
“ =D
Less than 600
“ =F
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Except for the Final test these dates are tentative and subject to change.
 September 17, 2013 –Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) quiz
 September 24, 2013 –Test #1
 October 8, 2013 – Jail Visit
 October 22, 2013 – Test #2
 October 24, 2013– Jail Essay Due
 November 19, 2013 – Test #3
 TBA – Appeals Court Visit
 TBA– Court Essay Due (two weeks, after the court visit)
 December 17, 2013 – Final, 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Do not wait until the last minute to do your assignments. Excuses for late work such as
“I didn’t have time to do it, I had to work overtime, I had child care problems, I had a
sports event to participate in, I was sick, etc.” will not be accepted.
Do not turn in your work by leaving it in my box OR e-mail me your assignments unless
you get my permission first.
Be sure the computer you are using and its software are compatible (I.E. Word v. Word
Perfect, IBM v. Mac, etc.) with other computers you might be using to ensure you have
your work done on time. I will not accept flash drives or CDs.
Unless otherwise specified, all work will be type written using standard academic font,
(12 characters per inch cpi, usually Times New Roman – but any font will work as long
as it is legible) and double spaced. Failure to meet this criteria could result in a reduced
grade or a zero (“0”) grade for that work.
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If you have any special needs for educational assistance or you are not sure if you have
special needs I encourage you to go to, or call (289-6300), the Educational Assistance
Center (EAC) and explore their services and resources that may help you as a college
student. I will be happy to provide you with directions to the EAC or to take you directly
there. This course requires a lot of written communication. It would be to your best
interest, if you think you may need help in the area of reading comprehension and/or
writing skills, to take advantage of the EAC or other college resources available to you.
For other Support Services refer to the current Class Schedule.
Tutors
Ventura college students can receive free tutoring at the Tutor Center located on the first
floor of the LRC. English tutors are available by both appointment and drop in basis.
These tutors can help with the “homework” assignments. While they may not know the
details of the actual class material, the English tutors can be of benefit when it comes to
helping you flesh out your ideas, writing at a college level, and using proper citations.
Note however, this is not a “proof reading” service. You must be willing to sit down and
work together with the tutor.
Ventura College also has a Reading and Writing Center located in LRC-155,
805-289- 6371. This center assists students developing their reading and writing skills.
Turn off your cell phone or put it on vibrate in class. Answering a phone call or text
message during class is strongly discouraged. If you get a call/text during class, and you
must respond to it, quietly leave the classroom and quietly reenter when you are through.
Use of electronics in class is prohibited and will be cause for exclusion from class.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Student outcomes: At the end of this course, the student will be
able to:
1. Identify crime typologies
2. Identify and compare the important U.S. Supreme Court
decisions of relevance to juvenile justice, and describe their
impact on the handling of juveniles by the system
3. Identify and assess the general constitutional principles relevant
to the administration of justice
Assessment
Essay exams, group
exercises
Group projects, in-class
presentations, essay
exams
Essay exams, oral
presentations
STUDY GUIDE:
Study guides will be emailed to the student about one week before the scheduled test. If you
attend lectures, take notes, participate in class activities AND review the student material in
your text you can better prepare for examinations.
TRANSFER POTENTIAL
For transferability information, please consult the Ventura College Catalogue located on the
web at http://www.students.vcccd.edu/cats/vc_13-14 catalog.pdf. For additional
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transferability information contact the Ventura College Counseling Department, the Transfer
Center, or the ASSIST website, at http://www.assist.org.
COLLEGE POLICIES
College-wide policies are stated in the Ventura College Catalog and include enrollment
limitations, student rights, cancellation of classes, affirmative action, drug and alcohol policy,
alcohol/drug free environment, sexual harassment policy, campus security policy, student
right to know act statement, student rights and responsibilities, academic integrity, student
appeals, grievance procedure, and disciplinary procedure. The catalog is available on the
internet at http://www.students.vcccd.edu/cats/vc_13-14_catalog.pdf.
STUDENT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Ventura Community College is committed to providing students with a quality education
that upholds high academic standards; the academic integrity of each student is valued.
Academic integrity means academic honesty or the ethical adherence to guidelines set by
individual instructors and the College. The academic integrity of each student is crucial
not only to that individual student’s quality of education but to the academic reputation of
Ventura College as a whole. Academic dishonesty jeopardizes individual students and the
educational mission of Ventura College.
For more information regarding possible violations, penalties, and procedures, see the VC
Catalog, available on the internet at http://www.students.vcccd.edu/cats/vc_1314_catalog.pdf.
DISABILITY ACCOMODATION STATEMENT
Any student who feels he or she may need an accommodation for any type of disability
should make contact with the Educational Assistance Center (EAC) in the
Administration building. Phone (805) 289-6300
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
It is the policy of Ventura College and their Board that there will be no discrimination
or harassment on the grounds of sex, race, color, marital status, sexual orientation,
religion, national origin, age or disability in any educational programs, activities, or
employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination
should contact Mr. David Bransky, Assistant Dean, Student Services, Title IX Officer,
and Section 504/ADA Coordinator, (805) 289- 3138 or Dean Tim Harrison,
289-6348/6121
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To:
CJV01 - Introduction to Criminal Justice Students
From:
Ted O. Prell – Professor: Criminal Justice Department, Ventura College
Subject:
Court Visit Assignment: 800 So. Victoria Ave., Ventura
One of your tasks for this semester is to visit a courtroom where a trial or a preliminary hearing
is in progress and write a 3-4 full page essay about the court process. Essays that do not meet the
criteria for minimum number of pages will be graded at 70% of their value. Do not visit an
arraignment Court. You will not see a trial or a preliminary hearing at an arraignment. A major
part of this visit is to see, hear, and document the court process, including witness testimony. The
trial can be civil, traffic or criminal. The proceeding can be either a court or a jury trial. The
person offering testimony can be a victim, a witness, an investigating officer, the defendant in the
case, etc.
The courthouse is located at 800 So. Victoria Ave., Ventura. Court starts at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Courtrooms vary for types of trials, but traffic is always heard in Courtroom 10, and minor
(other types) crimes are heard in Courtroom 11. Trials are assigned to various courtrooms from
Courtroom 12 and 13 at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The best papers are those that discuss not only the court procedures that were seen during the
visit, but also identify those things you saw during your court visit that relate to what we have
talked about in class or are in your text in chapters 7 and 8; the responsibilities of the courtroom
work group for instance. Also your personal observations of the court and the demonstrated
demeanor by the members of the courtroom work group as opposed to what you thought it would
be from your own experiences, watching TV, movies, etc. This will help to demonstrate your
grasp of the process as it fits into the Criminal Justice System. Discussing any testimony you
saw, how the attorneys interacted with each other, the judge and the witnesses and whether the
attorneys appeared to be prepared, would also be beneficial.
What I don’t want to read is a description of the courtroom; how many rows of seats there were,
where the flags were located or a description of the flags, how many times you had to go through
the metal detector, whether you had to take your shoes off or had to open your cell phone, the
trouble you had finding a courtroom, how long it took you to find a courtroom, etc., or anything
else that is not relevant to the purpose of the courtroom visit.
NOTE:
There will be a visit to the Ventura Court of Appeals that will meet the requirements as your court
visit. The date for this visit is still to be determined but will start at (approximately) 2:45 PM .
There will be only ONE date to do the Court of Appeals visit.
CJV01 - Court Essay
Students may choose one of the two following options for this paper:
Option 1: Process Essay: In this essay, explain the process of the proceeding (appeal, trial or
preliminary examination) that you observed as it was explained in your text and your class
lectures. Provide examples from your actual observation to illustrate how each step of the
process works. Then explain the significance of the proceeding in the context of our justice
system.
A good way for you to approach this assignment is to prepare an outline of the process that you
intend to observe. Allow space next to each step of the process in your outline to write notes
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during and after your observation. Your notes should reflect what you observed in the courtroom
that serves as an example of how this process plays out in an actual court proceeding and your
personal comments. For example, if you are explaining the appeals process, one of the steps is
that the court “… may also allow attorneys from both sides to make brief oral arguments…”
(Schmalleger 208). In your explanation of this step of the process, you should include a brief
summary of the actual oral arguments that you observed during your observation of the appeals
process as an example of how this step works. Then you should comment on the oral arguments
(Were they effective? Why or why not?)
Your thesis statement for this essay should clearly state the overall purpose of the process that
you observed and whether what you observed conformed with what you learned in class or not.
Then each of the body paragraphs of your essay should explain one step of the process, include
one example from your observation and include your comments. Your conclusion should
restate your thesis and explain the significance of your essay i.e. what is the overall significance
of this legal process in our justice system.
The following is an example of a visual organizer for this paper:
Title of your essay
Introduction
1. Hook (something to interest your reader)
2.Background information (information necessary for your reader to understand)
3. Thesis (the overall purpose of the proceeding and whether the actual proceeding that you
observed served this purpose).
Body Paragraph 1
1. Explain step one of the process and the court actor(s) involved
2. Provide an example from your observation that illustrates this step.
3. Comment on what you observed:
Body Paragraph 2
1. Explain step two of the process and the court actor(s) involved
2. Provide an example from your observation that illustrates this step.
3. Comment on what you observed
Continue with as many body paragraphs as you need to explain each step of the process. Don’t
forget that you must include an example from your observation and your own commentary
for each step
Conclusion
1. Restate your thesis
2. Explain the significance of the legal proceeding in our justice system
Option 2: Comparison/Contrast Essay: In this essay, you will compare and contrast your
personal observation of an appeal, trial or preliminary examination with an impression that you
formed previous to your observation based on your own experiences, watching TV, movies etc.
The best way to prepare for writing this essay is to make a list of all the ideas that you had about
this court proceeding based on your previous impressions and a list of what you actually observed
and your notations about what was the same and what was different. Your list might look like
this:
What I thought based on…
The prosecutor yells at the defendant and then
the defendant confesses on the witness stand
What I actually observed
The defendant does not testify on the witness
stand
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Note: Usually it is not in the defendant’s best interest to testify because then the prosecutor
would be able to question the defendant.
After you make your list of what is similar and what is different, write a statement summarizing
the overall similarity or difference between your previous impression and what you actually
observed. This will be your thesis statement.
The following is an example of a visual organizer for this paper:
Title
Introduction
1. Hook (something to catch the interest of your reader)
2. Background information (what the reader will need to know in order to understand your
essay)
3. Thesis statement (a statement summarizing how your observation of an actual proceeding was
similar or different from your previous impressions based on TV, movies, experiences
Body Paragraph One
1. First aspect of the proceeding that you observed
2. How it is similar or different from your previous impression
3. Comment: What did you learn? What surprised you? What did you think? (This part is based
on your notations).
Body Paragraph Two
1. Second aspect of the proceeding that you observed
2. How it is similar or different from your previous impression
3. Comment: What did you learn? What surprised you? What did you think?
Continue with as many body paragraphs as you need in order to discuss all of the relevant aspects
of your observation/previous impression.
Conclusion
1. Restate your thesis.
2. Explain the significance of your essay i.e. What did you learn overall? Are fictional
depictions of the courtroom experience accurate or sensationalized? Does the average person
have accurate information about the justice system if the information he/she gets is primarily
from TV, movies, personal experiences, what others describe?
CJV01 – Jail Essay
For those that attend the jail tour write your 3-4 FULL page essay using the following as a
guide.
What are direct-supervision jails? How do they differ from traditional jails? Advocates of directsupervision jails make many arguments in support of them. How does the Todd Road Jail facility
conform to the direct-supervision model? Does this design and the techniques employed
effectively solve some of the many challenges corrections officers face today, such as
overcrowding, mixing male and female populations, controlling contraband and preventing
violence in the jails?
Before you attend the tour make sure you read chapter 11 of your text and are familiar with the
information as it relates to the prompt and the following details that you will be observing.
Each study group will be responsible for remembering details of the jail visit such as:
 Experience (number of years in law enforcement) and ranks of deputies doing the tour
 The capacity of the jail and its current population
 Examples of and control of contraband
 System of classifying inmates
 Rehabilitation and what impact it has on recidivism
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




Types of rehabilitation programs at Todd Rd. jail
Podular/Unit architecture with a participative, proactive management philosophy
How does Todd Rd. jail fit into the description of “direct supervision” jails in your text?
Average per day cost of housing an inmate in the jail
Effect of AB 109, Public Safety Realignment on the jail, its inmates and jail employees
CJV01
For those that cannot attend the jail visit you can write your 3-4 FULL page essay on the below
in lieu of the jail visit.
Refer to Chapter 11 of your text.
Compare and contrast prisons and jails. What unique qualities do jails have that prisons do not
and what unique qualities do prisons have that jails do not. How might the administrator’s of jails
and prisons capitalize on those qualities? What design and techniques employed effectively in
both jails and prisons solve some of the many challenges corrections officers face today, such as
overcrowding, mixing male and female populations, controlling contraband and preventing
violence in the jails?
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