CRMJ 1001 Intro to Criminal Justice

This introductory course provides a comprehensive overview of the American criminal justice system. The student will explore the criminal justice process from the initial stages of law enforcement through the administration of justice. This course is designed to introduce the student to the foundational principles of criminal justice, the competing values of crime control and due process, and contemporary challenges facing the criminal justice system. (3 lect.)

Credits

3 credits

Major Topics

• Major components of the American criminal justice system
• Current legal and procedural issues in the American criminal justice system
• Historical development of the American criminal justice system
• Theories of crime and deviance
• The interrelationship between the police, courts, and corrections

Outcomes

In order to successfully complete this course, the student will:

1. Explain the major components of the American criminal justice system including law enforcement, the courts, and corrections and the roles and responsibilities of the key actors within each component.

2. Analyze current legal and procedural issues that affect criminal justice agencies, professionals, victims, offenders, and the general public including the competing values of individual rights and law and order.

3. Discuss the development of the criminal justice system from historical, political, and constitutional contexts.

4. Explain theories of crime and deviance including responses to deviant behavior, the role of discretion within the criminal justice system and the impact of the criminal justice system on individuals and society.

5. Analyze the interrelationship between the police, courts, and corrections.