Chippewa Valley Technical College504-900 Introduction to Criminal Justice Syllabus
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Course Information
Course Number 504-900
Course Title Introduction to Criminal Justice
Course Description
In this course students will examine the criminal justice system from both a historical and current perspective. Students will determine modern police functions from an historical perspective; identify the role of law enforcement officers in American society; differentiate between the roles and functions of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; explore the variety of career opportunities in the criminal justice system; apply professional principles as a criminal justice professional; examine internal and external controls by describe how professionalism, ethics, and moral standards relate to a criminal justice career, examine how laws and the court’s findings provide guidance and how each community lends to the atmosphere of an organization.
Learners will also be provided an opportunity to examine, through research of scholarly sources, a topic of interested relating to the course materials and produce a written document.
Total Credits3.00
Textbooks
Hess, K. M., Orthmann, C. H., & Cho, H. L. (2015). Introduction to Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (12th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Law Enforcement Standards Board. Agency Policy: A Training Guide for Law Enforcement Officers. Wisconsin Department of Justice. Edition: December 2014.
Law Enforcement Standards Board. Ethics and Decision Making: A Training Guide for Law Enforcement Officers. Wisconsin Department of Justice. Edition: December 2014.
Core Abilities
1.Communicates Effectively
2.Models Integrity
3.Thinks Critically
4.Values Diversity
Program Outcomes
1.Examine the components of and interrelationships in the criminal justice system
2.Apply appropriate communication skills to public safety incidents
3.Adhere to the professional code of ethics for a criminal justice practitioner
Course Competencies1.Determine modern police functions and policies from an historical perspective.
2.Compare the three U.S. eras of policing
3.Differentiate between the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
4.Compare and contrast national crime measurement and reporting tools
5.Identify the role of law enforcement officers in American society.
6.Examine specialized roles in modern policing.
7.Identify alternative roles in the criminal justice system.
8.Identify the roles of departmental policies in criminal justice organizations.
9.Apply professional principles as a law enforcement officer.
10.Examine law enforcement response to local and national threats to our communities
11.Identify community resources in your area.
12.Examine significant criminal justice related literature
13.Examine current events and trends in criminal justice.
Academic Honesty
You are required to be familiar with the Academic Honesty guidelines on plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation, falsifying, misuse of others materials, fabrication, and other related topics in the Student Handbook. Students are expected to do their own work unless advised that collaboration is acceptable.
You may use facts from other sources if you re-write them in your own words. Any time you quote directly from another source or paraphrase substantially, you must cite the source you used. Failure to use proper citation procedure is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism will result in a grade of "0" if it is flagrant and/or deliberate. Copying from another person's paper or test is academic dishonesty; it will result in a grade of "0" for that assignment. In addition, you will be referred to Student Services for discipline based on college policy.
When you take a test, you are expected to keep your eyes on your own paper and protect your test paper from being copied by a classmate. You may not have someone take an online/hybrid or proctored test for you. Do not buy course work, have others complete any part of your course activities or assessments for you, or share your work with others (even after the course is completed). This would be academically dishonest.
Academic Support Services
The Academic Services team provides academic instruction, course preparation, and learning support. Learning materials and one-to-one instruction are provided by qualified faculty. No appointments are necessary! The first time you visit our lab you are required to register, which allows us to obtain valuable data about our services. For more information, please go to the Academic Services website https://mycvtc.cvtc.edu/site/student/Pages/Academic-Services.aspx.
Attendance
It is highly recommended students attend 90% of all classes. Each instructor maintains attendance records. Significant absence may result in the student being unable to meet the course competencies and therefore fail the course. Significant absences may also affect consideration as a viable candidate into the 720-hour Law Enforcement Academy.
You are expected to have 90% attendance per the Wisconsin Department of Justice Training and Standards if accepted into the law enforcement academy or jail academy. Failure to meet the 90% attendance standard may result in dismissal from the academy. Further information concerning reporting of absences and attendance requirements will be discussed by instructors and outlined in each course syllabus.
Students must report to all classes on time. Tardiness will not be tolerated. It will be the responsibility of the individual instructor to enforce and report attendance issues to the Department Chair or Academy Director.
Unexcused absences are not acceptable. It will be the responsibility of the individual instructor to enforce and report violations of attendance rules to the Department Chair or Academy Director.
If a student misses more than 3 consecutive class sessions/3 hours one time a week, he or she may be contacted by the instructor and/or referred to the counselor to determine the issue preventing attendance if there is no response from the student.
All absences will be recorded and are only excused absences listed from the categories below.
Court dates-notify the instructor at least 48 hours in advance.
Personal Illness or Injury: notify as soon as possible and you may need to provide written proof for medical illness or injury if the instructor asks for this documentation.
Death in the Immediate Family: notify the instructor within 24 hours.
Other Circumstances: at the discretion of the instructor and notify as soon as possible after becoming aware of the anticipated absence.
In the event of an emergency situation, which may conflict with a major exam, the exam MUST be made up no later than THREE school days after the absence or at another specified time determined by your instructor. This must be discussed with the instructor as soon as possible.
If you do not notify the instructor of your absence in advance of a quiz/exam/assignment you miss, you will not be able to make up the missed work after the fact.
Grading Information
As you work through each learning plan for the course, you will complete a variety of learning activities that will help you learn facts/concepts, processes, and procedures (learning objectives). Completing these learning activities will prepare you for the performance assessment (evaluation) of each target competency. Your assignments will include opportunities for informal feedback (non-graded) as well as formal feedback (graded). Performance assessments will be graded according to the competency criteria and core ability indicators designated for the course. Core ability indicators are employer identified broad skills or outcomes. They are sometimes referred to as the soft skills needed for employment. Employers look for soft skills (core abilities) and trade skills (competencies) when hiring employees.
Grading Scale and Assessment Values
Assignments,Quizzes, Exams and Final grades are based on the following percentages:
97-100% A+
93-96% A
90-92% A-
87-89% B+
83-86% B
80-82% B-
77-79% C+
73-76% C
70-72% C-
67-69% D+
63-66% D
60-63% D-
59% and below F
Grades will be provided to the Registrar at mid-term and at the end of the semester. Students should keep their own records of quizzes, exams, papers and other assignments to allow you to know where they fall on the grading scale.
Guidelines for Success
You are starting your career now. How so? Your classroom performance is likely to be a direct reflection of the type of performer you will be in your job. For example, if you show up to class late, you run the risk of that behavior pouring over into work. Because of this, be sure that you are performing at a level that you believe is the best representation of yourself at all times.
Prepare yourself for learning. Read all materials and complete learning assignments and assessments. Ask questions you have about the content. Think about how the content relates to you and how it might connect to your future career.
Engage yourself in the learning community. Actively participate. The more you do, the more you will learn.
Complete tasks on time. It is disruptive to the learning process when students are arriving at different times and missing deadlines. Notify your instructor if you have a situation or a scheduling conflict.
Dress appropriately when learning on campus or when performing tasks in learning labs.
Communicate professionally. Be respectful to each other and each other’s ideas. This means not interrupting others or talking to your neighbor while others are talking. Use positive, inclusive language when addressing someone's comments, even when their opinion is different than your own. Professional emails should include a salutation and contain a business tone.
Late Assignments
Will not be accepted unless there is advance notice AND/OR an emergency situation. If you do not notify the instructor of your absence in advance of a quiz/exam/assignment you miss, you will not be able to make up the missed work after the fact unless you have an excused absence and you contact the instructor, which was described above. Poor planning is not an acceptable reason.
No Show Policy
Course attendance is a key factor in your academic success, and verification of such attendance ensures that the College is distributing financial aid to individuals who have begun to attend classes according to federal financial aid Title IV legislation. If you do not attend classes or begin the course by the end of the first week of the semester, you are reported to the Registrar's office by your instructor as a "no show" and you are canceled from the course. As a "no show", you will receive an 80% refund. "No show" status will also impact your financial aid. For more information and policy details for each class type (online, hybrid, etc.), please see your Student Handbook or the Academic Policies on MyCVTC: https://mycvtc.cvtc.edu/site/student/Forms/DocumentForms/no-show.pdf#search=no%2520show%2520policy
In the case of extenuating circumstances, for all class types, you must notify the instructor in writing (email or letter) if unable to attend class in week one as defined above. Without exception, when your extenuating circumstances prevent you from attending in week one, you must begin the course no later than Friday of week two. If you do not attend by the extended date, you will be reported as a "no show" even if a prior written contact was made.
Phone and Digital Courtesy
Please ask the instructor's permission before recording lectures or using technology that would distract others or cause safety concerns in the classroom/lab. Copyrighted material, such as videos, etc. may not be recorded. Cell phones should be silenced or turned off during class. Reading or composing text messages during class is not permitted unless it is part of the instructor's class activity.
When emailing CVTC faculty, staff, and students, please be respectful and professional in your messages. It's always a good idea to read what you have written outloud before you send an email. Emails should contain concise writing with enough details in the message, so that others can effectively respond back to you.
In E360 discussions and collaborations, please remember we are all human, people make mistakes, and that there is a person with feelings on the other side of the screen. Share your knowledge, keep your opinions/feelings in check (no harsh comments or CAPS for shouting), and respect other's privacy. Be concise and informative in your posts, so that others can respond/add to the learning discussion.
Right to Know
CVTC is committed to quality education and values YOUR success. Please consult the student website and/or handbook for our Right to Know policies. See: https://mycvtc.cvtc.edu/site/student/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/site/student/Shared%20Documents/Right%20to%20Know.pdf&action=default In fulfilling this commitment, the college is responsive to student concerns. In most cases student concerns are best resolved through discussion with instructors (when appropriate). However, there may be times when you need to talk with someone else. Concerns can be expressed by going through Academic Advising to set up a counseling session https://mycvtc.cvtc.edu/site/student/Pages/StudentSuccess.aspx.
Safety, Property, and Housekeeping Guidelines
To remain in the program, students must adhere to safety guidelines and treat CVTC property and that of others with respect. Horseplay will not be tolerated. Work performed in the lab must be executed in accordance with the safety standards as set forth by the instructor and specific safety precautions needed for each task.
Students are required to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment when in the lab area or working on activities that may pose a hazard to themselves or others. Students must wear industry appropriate footwear when working in labs.
Good housekeeping is important to safety in any operation or industry. Students are expected to keep their work areas neat and orderly, minimizing potential safety hazards. It is the duty of all students to watch for potential safety concerns throughout the classroom/lab and bring any unsafe practices to the attention of the instructor.
Students are required to know the location of all fire exits, fire extinguishers, eyewash and shower stations, emergency evacuation routes, and a procedure to obtain help in an emergency.
CVTC tools and equipment are not to be taken from the CVTC classroom/lab. All tools are to be used safely and with respect. Tools are to be returned to their proper storage space at the end of each class. Supplies are to be used with discretion and used in a professional manner. You are encouraged to practice good environmental stewardship by eliminating the wasteful use of supplies.
For tracking purposes, your written documents should contain the following:
1. Your Name (first and last)
2. Your Course Title
3. The Date
4. Title of Activity