Fall 2012

3 Credits

Science 2, Room 208, Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 8:00 - 8:50 AM (Section 1); 1:00 – 1:50 (Section 2)

Course Description

"Purpose, function and history of agencies dealing with the administration of justice; survey of criminal procedures; organization of law enforcement agencies at federal, state, and local levels; organization and function of courts; probation and parole and pardons; penology and prison administration; purpose and function of victim services." 

[From California State University, Fresno General Catalog: 2011-2012, p. 457]*
 

Prerequisite Courses

None
 

Required Course Text

Larry J. Siegel and Joseph Senna, Essentials of Criminal Justice, 5th ed. (Belmont, CA: Thomson, 2007)

 

Advisory

Students must be aware that Crim 2: Administration of Justice discusses issues in crime and criminality in frank and occasionally vivid terms, including issues such as violent crimes and capital punishment among other matters the student may find personally objectionable. Students must be aware these issues will surface in context with course material.
 

Introduction

Since Man first devised the rule of law, those who govern often have been perplexed by how they might judiciously provide adequate law enforcement for the governed, fair trials for the accused and fitting punishment for the convicted. It is a matter of considerable debate how far Man has progressed in effectively administering this process, this mercurial system of justice. We can but hope that advances in civilization, progress in advancing the cause of law and, generally, the enlightenment of Man have enhanced the likelihood an offender will be captured, ensured the accused will receive a fair trial, and warranted those convicted will receive just treatment. Conversely, there is substantial evidence that Man has far to go before any justice system approaches perfection. Nevertheless, the American criminal justice system is (comparatively) among the best in the world, and remains so from one generation to the next because it continues to evolve; and so, curiously, it is the mercurial ethos of the American justice system that is its strength. Those who wish to study American criminal justice must first come to understand its blueprint (structure) as a vital organization of government and how it operates as a bureaucracy within a larger system. Crim 2: Administration of Justice is designed to fulfill these goals.

Student Learning Objectives

By the end of this course the student will be able to:

1. Relate the 3 sections of the criminal justice system
2. Relate the functions of law enforcement and basic police management theories
3. Relate the functions of the courts and the American court system role in criminal justice
4. Relate the functions of corrections and the various parts of custodial and non-custodial corrections in America
5. Relate the function of the victim in regard to crime causation

Course Requirements:

Student evaluation will be based on the ability to understand and relate course material. Course grading will be based on attendance and participation, ten small papers, two quizzes, a midterm, and a final. Students are cordially encouraged to remember that grades are earned, not given, and that the grading process herein is not relative, but absolute; i.e., students are not competing against each other for grades, but against a standard (see below).

A: 90–100
B: 80–89
C: 70–79
D: 60–69
F < 59.9
 

I. Attendance and Participation

Students are expected to attend class on time and only enrolled students may attend, as class size is limited. A portion of the course grade will come from class participation, based on preparedness and willingness to contribute to class discussion. Students are provided with a list of readings for each class. It is expected that assigned readings will be completed by the dates listed. The class involves Socratic interaction with supplemental multi-media presentations and occasional handout material will be provided; therefore, attendance represented by passive recording device is prohibited.
 

II. Examinations and Quizzes

The midterm and final examinations are each worth 100 points but are weighted differently for the final course grade, the former being 30% of the final grade, the latter 40% (see below). Examinations will be true/false and multiple choice with answers to be completed on a SCANTRON 882-E card, available at the campus bookstore. Both quizzes will be in the form of essay questions. Two in-class quiz scores are combined to serve as extra credit on the final exam score. [E.g., if one scores an 88 on the final exam and has accumulated 4.0 points (of 5.0 possible) on the quizzes, the student’s adjusted final exam score is 92.]  ALL material for exams and quizzes will come from class lectures and assigned readings. The midterm examination will be based on material presented between the beginning of class and the midterm date; the final examination will cover material presented over the second half of the semester. The course includes ten small writing assignments, which are due as a prerequisite of taking the final examination. Electronic submission of required assignments is not permitted.  No final can be scheduled after the final date, but instead students who cannot take the final on the scheduled final date may take it early. 

 

III. Assignments

There will be ten small writing assignments due as a prerequisite of taking the final examination that shall constitute 30% of the course grade:

The student must complete and submit ten 1-2 page research papers, each of 250-500 words.  Fridays are set aside for students to research contemporary issues in Administration of Justice at the library or on the internet.  The research papers must be properly attributed and cited appropriately.  Papers will be collected every Monday and late papers will not be accepted.  No papers will be accepted after the date of the final.  Only ten papers will be counted and the first ten will serve as completion of the assignment (no extra credit in other words). 
 

IV. Electronic Devices Prohibited
The use of electronic devices in class is prohibited, to include cellular telephones, PDAs, computers, and/or any electronic video or audio recording device, without the expressed permission of the instructor.  Devices excepted are those which serve the impaired to enhance (but not to record) classroom presentation. Violators will be dismissed from class and subject to disciplinary policies of the university.

V. Missed Events

Quizzes cannot be made-up (i.e., taken at a date later than scheduled).  Classes cannot be made-up; however, students are responsible for material they may have missed by their absence.   Before a make-up examination can be taken, the required papers first must be submitted ON TIME. In the event a test cannot be taken prior to the date on which grades must be submitted, an Incomplete grade will be issued if the required papers are submitted on time.  Otherwise, if the papers are not submitted and the test is not completed, the student will have a zero registered as the grade for the writing assignment.  At semester’s end, no excuses will be entertained for missing the final or submitting the required papers on time.

VI.  Addenda

Students with Disabilities*

Upon identifying themselves to the instructor and the university, students with disabilities will receive reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation. For more information, contact Services to Students with Disabilities in Madden Library 1049 (278-2811).

Honor Code*

Members of the CSU Fresno academic community adhere to principles of academic integrity and mutual respect while engaged in university work and related activities." You should:

understand or seek clarification about expectations for academic integrity in this course (including no cheating, plagiarism and inappropriate collaboration)

neither give nor receive unauthorized aid on examinations or other course work that is used by the instructor as the basis of grading.

take responsibility to monitor academic dishonesty in any form and to report it to the instructor or other appropriate official for action.

Cheating and Plagiarism*

Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one's grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another student to do so. Typically, such acts occur in relation to examinations. However, it is the intent of this definition that the term 'cheating' not be limited to examination situations only, but that it include any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating which consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material (i.e., their intellectual property) so used as one's own work." Penalties for cheating and plagiarism range from a 0 or F on a particular assignment, through an F for the course, to expulsion from the university. For more information on the University's policy regarding cheating and plagiarism, refer to the Class Schedule (Legal Notices on Cheating and Plagiarism) or the University Catalog (Policies and Regulations).

Computers*

At California State University, Fresno, computers and communications links to remote resources are recognized as being integral to the education and research experience. Every student is required to have his/her own computer or have other personal access to a workstation (including a modem and a printer) with all the recommended software. The minimum and recommended standards for the workstations and software, which may vary by academic major, are updated periodically and are available from Information Technology Services (http://www.csufresno.edu/ITS/) or the University Bookstore. In the curriculum and class assignments, students are presumed to have 24-hour access to a computer workstation and the necessary communication links to the University's information resources.

Our campus has developed SupportNet to connect students with specific campus resources promoting academic success.  I have agreed to participate in this program and may refer you to it if I believe you need the services provided by SupportNet to succeed in this course.

Disruptive Classroom Behavior*

The classroom is a special environment in which students and faculty come together to promote learning and growth. It is essential to this learning environment that respect for the rights of others seeking to learn, respect for the professionalism of the instructor, and the general goals of academic freedom are maintained. ... Differences of viewpoint or concerns should be expressed in terms which are supportive of the learning process, creating an environment in which students and faculty may learn to reason with clarity and compassion, to share of themselves without losing their identities, and to develop and understanding of the community in which they live . . . Student conduct which disrupts the learning process shall not be tolerated and may lead to disciplinary action and/or removal from class.

Copyright Policy*

Copyright laws and fair use policies protect the rights of those who have produced the material. The copy in this course has been provided for private study, scholarship, or research.  Other uses may require permission from the copyright holder.  The user of this work is responsible for adhering to copyright law of the U.S. (Title 17, U.S. Code). To help you familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright web page, www.lib.csufresno.edu/extra/copyright/.

Digital Campus course web sites contain material protected by copyrights held by the instructor, other individuals or institutions. Such material is used for educational purposes in accord with copyright law and/or with permission given by the owners of the original material.  You may download one copy of the materials on any single computer for non-commercial, personal, or educational purposes only, provided that you (1) do not modify it, (2) use it only for the duration of this course, and (3) include both this notice and any copyright notice originally included with the material.   Beyond this use, no material from the course web site may be copied, reproduced, re-published, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way without the permission of the original copyright holder.  The instructor assumes no responsibility for individuals who improperly use copyrighted material placed on the web site.

*Quoted with permission from university publications.

**The schedule and procedures for this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.