Syllabus- CJ 58
Crime and Delinquency

 

Instructor:  Mrs. Sarah Nordin     

Three (3) Credit Hours

Office: (707) 864-7276                              

Home: (707) 552-8355

E-mail nordin98@pacbell.net, sarah.nordin@solano.edu

 

 

Office Hours

 Online- per email or Canvas. If you email me or contact and have not heard from me in 12 hours- call me! I answer every email daily. The best way to contact me is by email at nordin98@pacbell.net or sarah.nordin@solano.edu or phone- 707 552-8355

 

 

I

A Brief Introduction to Corrections

Robert D. Hanser - University of Louisiana at Monroe

 

 You may want to check out the Online Student Resources that accompany your text  

An introduction to the major types of criminal behavior patterns of career offenders, and causal factors of crime and delinquency.  The course will survey historical development, current concepts and practices, explanations of criminal justice system.  It will also address the concerns with institutional corrections, probation and parole, and how processes in these institutions modify the offender’s behavior.

 

 

 

 

Student Learning Outcomes

1. List and analyze types of human behavior which constitutes violations of human behavior of legal codes and conduct of conduct within organized society
2. Identify and discuss individual cause theories, social structure theories, social process and social reaction theories in relation to criminal and delinquent behavior.
3. Identify several ethical issues involved with dealing with public offenders within the criminal justice system. 

 

 

This class is offered as an ONLINE class, so there will be no face-to-face meetings. But I am available for face-to-face group or individual tutorials if students would like that. While there is no “attendance” grade per se - Your regular online presence is important and participation in online class discussion boards and activities is part of your grade.

 

Course Description:

The way a society treats, manages, and controls people who break its laws is a fascinating window into its values. The study of Corrections systems is a vital and critical component of the criminal justice system, yet the world of Corrections is often poorly understood by the public. Despite historically low crime rates the energy and cost of corrections in the United States has continued to grow over the last several decades without a significant decline in sight. In this course we will examine a variety of issues including:

• The history of corrections
• How are offenders supervised both in secure facilities and in the community?
• How the corrections system fits into the larger criminal justice system.
• The range of sanctions in use today
• The actual experiences of men and women in the correctional setting.
• Special correctional populations (including issues of drug addiction and mental health)
• The Death Penalty
• Juvenile offenders.

We’ll also look at what the future holds in Corrections and how the system may change in the future. Whether or not you have an interest in or goals that include a career in Corrections - I hope that you’ll leave this course with significant information on Corrections practices, concepts, and ways that as a society we can work to keep improving the system.

 

Learning Objectives: By the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Define and use important criminological concepts and explain their significance in relation to the Corrections system in America.
2. Identify and explain how correctional practices, policies, and programs work to address the needs of the offender, victim, community, and society.
3. Compare and contrast different types of correctional facilities, programs, and policies.
4. Explain how the correctional system adjusts to respond to different populations (males, females and juvenile) and how it interacts with special populations including those struggling with drug addiction and mental illness.
5. Explain ways in which the correctional system responds to continuing internal challenges including over-crowding, drug use and violence.
6. Critique correctional facilities, practices, policies, and programs by evaluating their mission, the manner in which they are instituted, and the data available regarding their success.
7. Possess a deeper understanding of the causes of crime and the characteristics of Offenders.
8. Develop ideas and strategies to assess and combat current problems within the Corrections system.
9. Conduct research on Corrections issues.
10. Examine and analyze a series of real-life cases within a theoretical framework
11. Assess the validity of information about the Corrections system and determine the difference between unreliable and/or biased sources and scholarly and academic research.

 

Taking Online Classes:

 First – please make sure you are familiar with the CANVAS system and feel comfortable with it. This will be where you not only find your classwork and assignments but where you will be handing things in. Make sure you have CANVAS linked to your email accounts. You can even get updates on your phone!

 Second - In general, you will be allowed to move through the curriculum at your own pace. Please be aware though that there are deadlines for discussions, quizzes and written work and your work MUST be handed in by the deadlines. You will need to move through the Different Modules on CANVAS sequentially and you won’t be allowed to “jump” ahead. You will need to complete one Module before you can move onto the next.

Criminal Justice is a discipline that thrives on debate, and we will be discussing several "hot button" cases that are currently in the news - so be prepared to participate in our online discussion boards on a regular basis

 

CJ class online discussion board rules:

Everyone has their own thoughts and opinions and brings their own unique experiences and perspectives to the table. That being said – Our online discussions about some of the cases in our class can get heated – especially if it’s a case that involves a person or group that you care passionately about.

 

Criminal Justice Class Ground Rules:

 

• No verbal attacks or personal slurs
• No name-calling · No abusive language
• Be prepared to back up your opinion with a fact or two (How do you “know” that person is guilty?)
• Be patient with people you disagree with
• Be open to new ideas and viewpoints
• Don't discount the opinions of fellow students because they are "too young to know anything" or "too old to understand"

 "What happens in CJ stays in CJ".

Sometimes in discussions people will reveal very deeply personal things about themselves, their families or their private lives, and it’s important for all of us that people feel "safe" to do that in my online classes. Do your best to respect the privacy and dignity of other students. Don't gossip to others about your fellow students, their backgrounds, lifestyles or beliefs.

Some Overall Hints:

 

Allow yourself plenty of time to get assignments and homework completed.

. · Use your campus resources! (You'd be surprised how many don't)

• Let me know if you are having any questions, concerns, problems or are struggling. If I know about your situation in advance, often I can help you, or I can help you find someone who can.
• Don’t leave things to pile up until they become a crisis.

 

 

What you can expect from me:

• As your instructor you can expect to find me approachable and clear with my expectations.
• I believe in supporting my students on their academic journey.
• I genuinely want to hear your opinions, find out about you and help you be the best Criminal Justice student you can be.
• I enjoy getting your feedback.
• I love it when my students teach me something - just as much as I enjoy teaching.
• I'll probably ask you way more times than you want to hear "Got any data to support that theory?"

 A few things to know about me:

 

I am a full-time instructor here at Solano College and have been for 24 years. I was a Juvenile Probation Officer in San Diego for a year and an Adult Probation Officer in Houston for 16 years. I received a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Management at Sam Houston University in Texas while working full time at the Probation Department. I retired from the probation department to pursue a Doctorate in Criminology and completed the requisite coursework towards that degree in Texas prior to relocating to California.  Five years after becoming a full-time instructor at Solano I started the online program along with two business instructors. The online program started in 2000 and I have been teaching online every semester we have classes since that year.  I also was the first online coordinator and held that position for five years earning a national award for one of best run online programs in the United States. My husband is a third-grade teacher in Fairfield and together we love to travel and spend time with our three grandchildren.

 

What I expect from you:

1. I expect you to be committed to your education. That means sometimes you’ll have to put yourself first and stay home and study rather than doing something more fun.
2. I expect you to take this class seriously and be ready to work.
3. I expect you to be responsible and proactive about your education: Tell me ahead of time if you aren't prepared for a test, quiz or exam; Let me know right away if you are struggling or don't understand something; Tell me if you need to be away from your computer and/or class for any length of time. Tell me ahead of time if you know you cannot complete an assignment on time or will miss an exam or other deadline. We may be able to work things out - but if it's the night before final grades are due before you speak up - it's hard for me to do anything about it.
4. I expect you to do your best to be open-minded. We will be covering a lot of things that fire people up- High-profile cases; Religion, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Racism... all topics that some people may have quite different ideas about than you. Some of the things we cover may even make you a bit uncomfortable. I don't expect you to change all your opinions or beliefs, but I expect you to be willing to be challenged on a few of your ideas and to be willing to challenge yourself to think about things in a new way. Law is not like other discipline. There is often a legal reason for something that may not sit easily with our personal or moral codes – but that's what makes it so interesting.
5. I expect you to treat your fellow students with respect. Their examples and experiences are just as valuable as yours or mine are. As journalist Chris Green of the Kansas Leadership Center wrote "Sometimes we learn the most from those we like the least".
6. I expect more from you than just bland comments like "That was nice"; "I liked it"; "It was a good film". Tell me what was valuable to you about it. Be prepared to back your ideas or opinions up with data if you can.
7. I expect you to think critically about everything. I expect you to think about the material we use, react to it, analyze it and find ways to apply the things you've learned to your own life experience.
8. I expect you be fully engaged in our online discussions. We all benefit from interacting with others and comparing ideas and experiences.
9. I expect you to come to me with any suggestions, complaints or concerns you have about the class or my teaching so that I can improve, and I expect you to take constructive criticism from me

 

Online Class Survival Skills

 

Thanks to Middle State Tennessee University for these

1. Familiarize yourself with the course design. Study the syllabus. Make sure you understand not only what is required, but when it is required, and how to do each requirement. If you have questions, please let me know.
2. Read the Syllabus. The distance learning course syllabus contains all the information the student needs to progress through a distance learning course. This includes information about the course description, objectives, and requirements, course meetings, assignments and testing, media and technology used, a course calendar or assignment schedule, and support contact information.
3. Be Realistic. You will not have to keep a class attendance schedule, but you will have to do regular academic work. Plan to spend at least 15 hours each week for this class. If there is insufficient time in your personal schedule to do the work of the course, you’ll be frustrated.
4. Set interim goals and deadlines for yourself and stick to them. Keep a calendar showing the number of weeks in the semester and mark it off with the amount of work you need to do each week. Mark in the days when you will expect to take tests, submit projects, contribute to a discussion group. Don't fall behind in your work! Keep reminding yourself that you will always have more to do near the end of a course than at the beginning.
5. Organize your goals in a study schedule. Identify study times when you are fresh and attentive and stick to those times every week. Think of the study times as "reserved time." No phone calls, no Facebook! Let your family and friends know when you are busy. If you miss too many study times, revise your schedule.
6. Avoid interruptions. Avoid all interruptions and distractions while you are viewing a video,, reading your textbook, working on an assignment or studying. Turn your phone off if there is no one available to answer it but you.
7. Know where to study. Find a place that is free from distractions. If you can – create a dedicated “office space” for yourself that is off-limits to everyone where you keep your materials, books and other things you need to stay focused. If that’s not possible, try keeping your materials and books in a file box or on a tray that you can easily clear away without losing things - it can be a big help. If your employer is supportive - You might also consider work- (before or after hours or on your lunch break of course); the college library, or a separate room in your home.
8. Stay in touch with me! Contact me regularly, especially when you have questions about course content materials. I am available by phone and/or email, or you may make an appointment for an on- campus meeting.
9. Prepare for assignments and tests. In distance learning, course assignments could involve the use from different mediums: print, videos, audios, and the Internet. Remember you are not just watching or listening. You are learning from the information on those various mediums. Take notes. Imagine questions that might be on a test from your study guide, from your textbook, from videos or audiotapes, or from the Internet course assignments.

 

Academic Honesty

 

Solano College's community functions best when its members treat one another with honesty, fairness, respect and trust. Therefore, an individual should realize that deception for the purpose of individual gain is an offense against the members of the College community. Such instances of dishonesty include:

 

Plagiarism

 

Although difficult to define, plagiarism consists in taking the words or specific substance of another and either copying or paraphrasing the work without giving credit to the source. The following examples are only some of the many forms plagiarism may take:

 

1. Submitting a term paper, examination or other work written by someone else. This is a flagrant instance of plagiarism
2. Failure to give credit in a footnote for ideas, statements of facts or conclusions derived by another
3. Failure to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it is a paragraph, a sentence or even a part thereof
4. Close and extended paraphrasing of another.

 

 

 

Cheating

 

Using unauthorized notes, study aids, or information from another student or student's paper on an in-class examination; altering a graded work after it has been returned, then submitting the work for re-grading; and allowing another person to do one's work and to submit the work under one's own name.

 

 

Fabrication

 

Presenting data in a piece of work which were not gathered in accordance with guidelines defining the appropriate methods for collecting or generating data and failing to include a substantially accurate account of the method by which the data were generated or collected.

 

Aiding and Abetting Dishonesty

 

Providing material or information to another person with knowledge that these materials or information will be used improperly.

 

Forgery

 

Altering documents affecting academic records; forging a signature of authorization or falsifying information on an official academic document, election form, grade report, letter of permission, petition, or any document designed to meet or exempt a student from an established College academic  regulation          

 

 

           

 

 

 The following rubric is for the discussions. Be mindful that meaningful discussions are the best way to interact with me and your fellow students. If you turn in a discussion after the Saturday deadline, you will not be given any points for it.

Discussion Requirements

CATEGORY	8-10 Points	6-7 Points	1-5 Points	0 Points
Topic Response	Responding to the instructor's topic by Thursday.	Responding to the instructor's topic by Friday.	Responding to the instructor's topic by Saturday.	Not responding to the instructor's topic.
Quality Threads	Student comments that add significantly to the discussion by suggesting other solutions, pointing out problems, or even respectfully disagreeing. Student also substantiates any comments made with reasoning. Spelling and grammar is error free.	Student comments that add moderately to the discussion by suggesting other solutions, pointing out problems, or even respectfully disagreeing. Student does not substantiate any comments made with reasoning  One or two spelling or grammar errors.	Student comments that do not add to the discussion. Student does not substantiate any comments made with reasoning r . Multiple spelling and grammar errors.	Student does not participate at all in the threaded discussion.

 

 

 

 

 

Exams:  Mid-Term and Final:

 

Midterm: .  This test is worth 100 points towards your grade. You may use your book or notes for this test and you have two chances to take it, keeping the highest score. However, it is timed- so study before you take the test.

 

Final:  A final will consist of approximately 100 questions.  This test will be worth 100 points towards your final grade. You may use your book or notes for this test and you have two chances to take it, keeping the highest score. However, it is timed- so study before you take the test.

 Failure to take the final will result in an F for the course!  NO EXCEPTIONS!   There will be NO makeup exams given unless discussed with the instructor.     

 

Grading

  

 

The instructor reserves the right to revise this syllabus to accommodate any guest speakers, special events and /or presentations.     

 

Grading will be on a cumulative system as follows:

                        Postings and Assignments   300 points         425-500 = A        

                        Midterm   100 points                                     349-424 = B

                         Final   100 points    

                         Extra points   20                                                     274-348 = C

                                                                                                           200-273 = D                           

                                                                                                            0-199   = F