12/26/2024 7:44:18 PM	AJ 56 Course Outline as of Fall 2008	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  AJ 56	Title:  CRIM JUSTICE IN SOCIETY
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.  

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Elibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
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.  

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Elibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
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: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

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

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Critique the social and political

responses to crime.

2. Describe the concepts of criminology, victimology, and penology and

their relationship to crime and justice in society.

3. Assess selected theories of criminology and apply the methods of

inquiry of the social and behavioral sciences to administration of

justice.

4. Evaluate critical issues relating to crime and justice in society.

5. Categorize criminogenic factors, including biological, physical,

psychological, crime as learned behavior, sociological, control theory,

and environmental explanations for the occurrence of crime.

6. Evaluate key responses to crime and criminal behavior by law

enforcementagencies.

7. Identify the principal criminal justice agencies within the criminal

justice system.  

Topics and Scope

I.  Crime:  Its Nature and Scope

   A.  Purpose of criminal law

   B.  Definition of a crime

   C.  Public perception of crime/visible crime

   D.  Measurement of crime (Uniform Crime Reports and National Crime

       Victimization Survey)

   E.  Cyclical nature of crime statistics

   F.  Dark figure of crime

   G.  Reasons why crime is not reported

       1. Fear

       2. Perception of justice system

       3. Cultural considerations

       4. Apathy/Victim precipitation

   H. Cultural considerations

   I. Victimology

II. Theories of criminology

   A. Application of the methods of inquiry of the social and behavioral

sciences to administration of justice

   B. Biological explanations

   C. Physical explanations

   D. Psychological explanations

   E. Crime as learned behavior

   F. Sociological explanations

   G. Control theory

   H. Environmental theory

III.Application of Criminal justice and systems

   A. Role of law enforcement

   B. Due Process (ideal) vs. crime control (real) models of justice

   C. Role of the District Attorney

   D. Role of defense counsel

   E. Role of Superior Court

   F. Appellate Courts and Doctrine of Judicial Review

   G. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

   H. County jails

IV. Analysis of key concepts to crime and justice in society

   A. Political considerations

   B. Initiative process/law and the ballot box

   C. Selective incapacitation

   D. Determinate and indeterminate sentencing

   E. Versatility effect

   F. Crime tax

   G. Plea bargaining/assembly-line justice

   H. Jury nullification

   I. Critical issues related to criminology

   J. Recidivism

   K. Special needs doctrine

   L. Labeling

   M. Drug influence studies

      1. Primary charge

      2. Precipitating offenses

   N. Treatment gap

   O. Incarcerated and/or probationary status frustration

   P. Ethnic and cultural influences

   Q. Subculture of violence

   R. Institutionalization

   S. Internal and external controls

   T. Child abuse

   U. Super predator

   V. Penology

V.  Critical issues in crime and justice in society

   A. Capital punishment

   B. Domestic violence

   C. Three Strikes

   D. Megan's Law

   E. Prisons - costs vs. rehabilitation

   F. Gangs and crime

   G. "War on Drugs"-Substance abuse and crime  

Assignments:

1. Read 20-30 pages weekly from National Criminal Justice Reference

Service crime files and related articles.

2. Internet research in preparation of written papers and field

visitations.

3. Field visitations: Drug Court or 1210 Court; Domestic Violence Court;

Sonoma County Jail; Workplace visitation and interview; look up on Megan's

Law database.

4. Oral report in class.

5. Complete 3 examinations.  

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 15 - 25%
Written homework, Reading reports, Term papers
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 20%
Homework problems, Internet research
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 50 - 70%
Multiple choice, Matching items, Essay exams
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Oral report; field vistations

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

National Criminal Justice Reference Service Crime Files, current edition.

Crime Profiles: The Anatomy of Dangerous Persons, Places, and Situations.

Miethe, T.D., McCorkle, R.C. and Listwan, S.J. (2006) Roxbury Press.

Why Crime Rates Fell, Conklin, J.E., (2003) Allyn & Bacon.

Crime and Society, White, R. and Habibis, D. (2005) Oxford Press.

Sense and Nonsense About Crime and Drugs, A Policy Guide (6th Ed.,)

Walker, S.(2005) Wadsworth Publishing.

Instructor prepared materials.  

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