1/15/2025 5:53:51 AM	AJ 56 Course Outline as of Spring 1994	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  AJ 56	Title:  CRIMIN JUST IN SOC
Full Title:  Crime and Criminal Justice in Society
Last Reviewed:2/12/2018

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

A critical examination of the nature and extent of crime in contemporary society and the social, legal and political responses to criminal and delinquent behavior. Does not apply to Administration of Justice majors.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

A critical examination of the nature & the social, legal & political responses to criminal & delinquent behavior.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Spring 1994	Inactive:
Area:	D	Social and Behavioral Sciences
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	D	Social Science		Fall 1995
	D0	Sociology and Criminology
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Spring 1994	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2025	Inactive:
C-ID:
CID Descriptor: SOCI 160	Introduction to Crime	SRJC Equivalent Course(s): AJ26

Certificate/Major Applicable: Not Certificate/Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of the socio-political

construction, and its nature and purposes by successful completion of

written examinations.

2.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of victimology, and of

its relationship to crime construction and prevention, by the application

of field research/interview techniques and by the successful completion of

written examinations.

3.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of selected theories of

criminality by the completion of a comparison matrix, by participation in

student class presentations, and by successful completion of written

examinations.

4.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of the institutional and

non-institutional responses to crime by the successful completion of

written exams, and by the critical reviews of selected videos and court

visitations.

5.  The student will demonstrate an understanding of the significant

issues in crime, justice, and society through individual research and

student debates, and by successful completion of assigned papers and

written exams.

Topics and Scope

I.  Crime:  Its nature and Scope

   A.  Criminal Behavior vs Deviant Behavior

   B.  The Socio-Political Construction of Crime

   C.  The Measurement of Crime

   D.  The Public Perception of Crime

   E.  Victimology

   F.  A Crime Typology

II.  Theories of Criminality

  A.  The Rationalist Paradym

  B.  Biological Determinism

  C.  Social Process Models

  D.  Social Structure Models

  E.  Psychological Models

III.  Criminal Justice and the Rule of Law

     A.  The Consensus Model

     B.  The Conflict Model

     C.  Foundations of Substantive Law

     D.  Foundation of Procedural Law

     E.  Law vs Order: A Conflict of Values

     F.  Crime Control vs Due Process

     G.  The Legal Control of Private Behavior

IV.  Institutional Responses to Crime

    A.  The Organization of Police Power

    B.  The Functions of Policing

    C.  Police and the Rule of Law

    D.  The Structure of American Court Systems

   E.  The Constitutional Rights of Citizens

   F.  Court Processes and Procedures

   G.  The Courtroom Actors

   H.  Assembly-line Justice

   I.  Sentencing the Criminal Offender

   J.  Purposes of Criminal Sanction

   K.  Community-based Corrections

   L.  Institutional Corrections

V.  Non-Institutional Responses to Crime

   A.  Political Action Groups

   B.  Neighborhood Watch

   C.  Community Resources

   D.  The Roles and Responsibilities of Citizens

VI.  Critical Issues in Crime and Justice

    A.  Handguns and Homicide

    B.  The Death Penalty:  What Should Its Role Be?

    C.  Vice, Sin and Morality:  Private Behavior or Public Good?

    D.  Deviance and Control:  The Right to be Different

    E.  Abortion:  Personal Choice or Homicide?

    F.  The Control of Police Behavior:  Who Should Watch the Watchers?

    G.  Should Pornography be Protected by the First Amendment?

Assignments:

Required reading assignments.

Research paper.

Outside research and preparation for student presentations in class.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 30%
Written homework, Reading reports, Essay exams, Term papers
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 90%
Multiple choice, Matching items
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Messner, Steven F. and Richard Rosenfeld "Crime and the American Dream",

1993

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