CJ - Criminal Justice

CJ 230 Introduction to Criminal Justice

This course provides an introduction, overview and survey of the American criminal justice system. Emphasis will be placed on the study of such issues as discretionary decision-making in the administration of justice, community policing, domestic violence intervention and institutional responses to law.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

CJ 299 Special Topics

This course is a general topics course allowing faculty and students to study particular topics of interest.

Credits

3.0

Offered

As Needed

CJ 300 Criminalistics

Prerequisite: CJ 230 and PSCI 308 or LWCJ 308; or Permission of Instructor

An introductory, non –scientific survey course in criminalistics and the basics of forensic science. Focus will be on criminal investigations, the recognition, collection, preservation and analysis of physical evidence from the crime scene, to the crime lab, to the courtroom.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester (Odd Years)

LWCJ 308 Criminal Law

Prerequisite: LWPS 230 or Permission of Instructor

This course addresses the substantive study of criminal law, how society declares what conduct is criminal and what punishment should be imposed for such conduct. Such questions as what effect does heredity, environment, poverty, urban life, lack of education and unemployment have on the proclivity for criminal behavior will be examined.
 

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Term; Even Years

CJ 375 Independent Study

Prerequisites: 12 credits in the major, and permission of the instructor. Reading and/or research in a selected area of criminal justice.

Credits

1.0 - 3.0

Offered

Both Semesters and Summer

CJ 399 Internship in Criminal Justice

Prerequisites: 15 credits in the major, an overall GPA of 2.5 and permission of the supervising instructor and the director of the Law and Criminal Justice program.

 

Participation and experience in law and society related settings through supervised full- or part-time work. Placements may be in a variety of settings such as: court systems, states attorneys’ offices, prisons, law enforcement agencies, advocacy organizations or government offices. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Credits

3.0 - 15.0

Offered

Both Semesters and Summer

LWCJ 401A Pre-Law Clinic Seminar

Prerequisites: LW 230, CJ 230, PSCI 308 or LWCJ 308 and LW 300 and with permission of the instructor. The Pre-Law Clinic provides students with hands-on experience by conducting investigations, legal research, and preparing real cases for trial. The Clinic has a classroom seminar and collaborative investigative component.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester

LWCJ 401B Pre-Law Clinic

Corequisite: LWCJ 401A. Grading is satisfactory/unsatisfactory. The Pre-Law Clinic provides students with hands-on experience by conducting investigations, legal research, and preparing real cases for trial. The Clinic has a classroom seminar and collaborative investigative component.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester

LWCJ 402A Pre-Law Clinic Seminar II

Prerequisites: Completion of LWCJ 401A and LWCJ 401B and by permission of the instructor. The Pre-Law Clinic II permits students to continue their PTC client and project work through the spring semester.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

LWCJ 402B Pre-Law Clinic II

Corequisite: LWCJ 401A and LWCJ 401B and by permission of the instructor. The Pre-Law Clinic II permits students to continue their PTC client and project work through the spring semester.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

CJ 470 Sr Seminar in Criminal Justice

Prerequisite: CJ 230 This course is the capstone experience for the criminal justice focus area in the Law and Criminal Justice major. It is a topics course in which students will collectively explore a current trend or issue in criminal justice and then work individually on a research project of their choice.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

LWCJ 499 Departmental Honors

Prerequisite: By invitation of the department. The departmental honors paper is a two-semester senior-year program designed for students who wish to pursue intensive research or special projects in close coordination with faculty advisers. Departmental honors students are known as the Christine P. Tischer Scholars and receive 6 credits for this work.

Credits

6.0

Offered

Year Long