CJ& 101 - Introduction to Criminal Justice

Credits: 5
An introductory survey of the American criminal justice system that examines the history, structure, operations, and ethical issues within the criminal justice system. Students will survey aspects of criminal law, criminal procedures, law enforcement agencies, the criminal courts, and corrections (both institutional and community-based). 

Satisfies Requirement: Social Science
Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a knowledge of the four major areas of the criminal justice system: policing, courts, corrections, and the juvenile justice system, and the history of those components.

2. Explain the various types of crime and criminals, the numerous theories of crime causation, and the relationship between crime and its various correlations.

3. Explain the role of policing in a modern society and its impact on multicultural communities.

4. Discuss the impact of bias, discrimination, and ethical standards on the criminal justice system as it relates to social justice reform.

5. Summarize the goals, organizations, and procedures of the criminal justice system through a multicultural lens.

1. Give reasons for conclusions, assumptions, beliefs and hypotheses.
2. Meet obligations necessary to complete individual and group tasks.

• Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
• Diversity and Equity - In order to advance equity and social justice, students will be able to examine their own and others’ identities, behaviors, and/or cultural perspectives as they connect to power, privilege, and/or resistance.
• Responsibility - Responsibility encompasses those behaviors and dispositions necessary for students to be effective members of a community. This outcome is designed to help students recognize the value of a commitment to those responsibilities which will enable them to work successfully individually and with others.