Offered by Department of Criminal Justice
and Social Work
College of Natural and Social Sciences
CJUS Courses
- CJUS 101GS - Introduction to Criminal Justice - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
This course is intended to provide a broad understanding of the functional components of
the criminal justice system and their interrelationship. It will also provide a basic
understanding of the American crime problem.
- CJUS 201 - The Juvenile Justice System - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
This course is intended to introduce various components that comprise the juvenile justice
system. Topics will include juvenile courts, role modeling, interaction between youth and
the juvenile justice system, and the future of the juvenile justice system.
- CJUS 215 - Correctional Services and Systems - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
This course covers the historical development of corrections leading to an analysis of our
correctional process and systems in contemporary America.
- CJUS 230 - The Police Service - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
This course is intended to introduce students to the major developments and problems in
policing. Topics will include rights and responsibilities of the uniformed officer, patrol
and manpower distribution theories, police unionism, ethics and corruption, community
relations, and the police subculture as a distinct value system.
- CJUS 250 - Criminal Justice Research Methods I - 3 hours
- Prereq: STAT 235* or STAT 241*
A course intended to give students some fundamentals in planning, research, and grant
writing for criminal justice subsystems, (Program planning and evaluation).
- CJUS 305 - Criminal Justice Research Methods II - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 250
A course intended to give students an applied research experience in the field of criminal justice.
- CJUS 310 - Community Based Corrections - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
This course is concerned with correctional theory and practice as they are applied in the
community setting. Specific areas of concern are probation, parole, diversion, and
nontraditional community correctional programs. The application of community resources and
responsibilities with the needs of offenders in the criminal justice system is a primary
focus of the course. Some contrasts and comparisons are made with the institutional
correctional setting.
- CJUS 315 - Victimology: Victims of Crime - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
This course is designed to introduce the students to the overall problems
dealing with victimization. Areas covered will include homicides, child abuse
and neglect, rape, spouse abuse, abuse to the elderly, and other
victimizations along with the post traumatic stress involved. The philosophy,
history, and objectives of victimology will be reviewed in additions to the
Victims' Rights Movement and research findings about victims. This course is
designed to assist students in relating to victims of crime in a professional
manner.
- CJUS 321 - Technology in Criminal Justice - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
This course is designed to introduce students to some of the major developments and issues in technology that are facing
the criminal justice system. Students will explore topics such as cybercrime, digital investigation and evidence preservation,
use of technology in the commission of sex crimes, fraud, hacking, terrorism, and the legal issues and statues surrounding
the use of technology in the commission of crime and in the investigation of crimes involving technology.
- CJUS 326 - Theories of Crime and Criminal Law - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
This course is intended to introduce students to the philosophical foundations of criminal law, as well as the various theories
that have been proposed to address criminal offending and the prevention of crime. Students will evaluate each theory within the
context of the crime and the criminal justice system in the United States.
- CJUS 330 - Laws of Arrest, Search and Seizure - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
An examination of state and federal American law concerning arrest, search and seizure.
Emphasis on basic legal precedents developed by courts.
- CJUS 340 - Criminal Evidence and Procedure - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
The emphasis of this course will be on the concept of evidence and the rules governing its
admissibility. There will also be theoretical and pragmatic considerations of
constitutional requirements affecting evidence and procedure.
- CJUS 345 - Criminal Law - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
Examines the foundation and elements of criminal law. Special emphasis is placed upon the
definition of crime, criminal liability, defenses to criminal liability and the sanctions
for committing crime.
- CJUS 350 - Organized Crime - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
Designed to examine the different organized criminal elements in American society. This
examination will include their economic effect on society, law enforcement efforts to
minimize that effect, the major criminal areas involved in their day-to-day operations,
and the historical development of the criminal groups as they exist today.
- CJUS 353 - Crime Prevention and Security - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
Concerned with the security and safety of communities, businesses, and individuals. It
emphasizes the needs for citizen involvement, private industry and business participation,
educational programs, in cooperation with criminal justice agencies.
- CJUS 360 - Sex Crimes - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
This course is designed to introduce the students to the growing problem of sex crimes. Areas covered will include prostitution,
the role of fantasy in sex crimes, pornography, Internet related sex crimes, sex trafficking and tourism, pedophilia, dangerous
sex crimes, and rape. Related laws, typologies of offenders, profiling offenders, and evidence collection will also be discussed.
- CJUS 375 - Comparative Criminal Justice Systems - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
An examination of selected non-American criminal justice systems. Specific areas of
comparison will include but not be limited to, the police, judiciary, and criminal
corrections, of selected foreign systems.
- CJUS 380 - Minorities and Criminal Justice - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
This course provides a survey of minority relations and criminal justice adjudication in
America (law enforcement, judicial processing and corrections). Particular attention is
focused on majority/minority relations and how these sentiments are reflected within the
criminal justice process. While many minority groups will be examined, three will be
emphasized: (1) racial minorities; (2) female victims and offenders; and (3) unique white
ethnic subcultures.
- CJUS 390 - Criminal Investigation - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS
Deals with the following fundamental procedures of criminal investigation: Crime scene
search and recording; collection and preservation of physical evidence; scientific
evaluation; modus operandi; sources of information; interviews and interrogations; and
case preparation.
- CJUS 401 - Special Topics - 1-3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 101GS or permission of instructor
Concerned with current issues and developments in the criminal justice field. Each
semester a topic will be chosen as the subject for inquiry. It is designed for students
who wish to explore current issues and broaden their exposure to important and timely
issues in criminal justice. This course may be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours.
- CJUS 411 - Readings in Criminal Justice - 1-3 hours
- Prereq: 9 hours of CJUS, permission of instructor
An independent study course intended to supplement students' understanding of the criminal
justice system through selected readings in the field. This course may be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
- CJUS 415 - Correctional Casework - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 215*
Designed to develop knowledge of specific treatment programs and to help students learn
the role of correctional caseworkers as practiced in correctional agencies.
- CJUS 420 - Supervision and Management in Criminal Justice - 3 hours
- Prereq: junior standing
This course introduces upper-level students to supervision and management concepts within criminal justice organizations,
Students will learn how to employ sound principles of human relations and supervision techniques to be effective leaders.
- CJUS 430 - Drugs and the Criminal Justice System - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
This course focuses on the historical and contemporary pattern of psychoactive
drug use in the United States and on the development of criminal justice
policies intended to reduce or eliminate drug use and/or drug problems.
Specific topics include major types of psychoactive drugs, the War on Drugs,
the international context of drug production and distribution, and personal
and social problems resulting from drug use. A major focus of the course will
be the evaluation of different criminal justice strategies for reducing
drug-related problems.
- CJUS 431 - Correctional Law and Administration - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 215*
This course is designed as an upper division class presenting the fundamental
aspects of correctional law and a consideration of the impact of law on
correctional administration. The course will provide the student the
opportunity to examine the legal process, case law and the nature of
litigation against correctional administrators and the impact of these actions
on corrections. Recommended prior coursework: CJUS 215
and either CJUS 345 or PSCI 320.
- CJUS 435 - Interviewing and Correctional Case Management - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 415*
This course is designed to develop student knowledge of specific interviewing
techniques, case management and technical report writing as they apply to the
fields of probation, parole, community corrections and correctional
institutions. Specific emphasis will include the integration of assessment
tools, interview results and community resources to formulate case management
plans. This class emphasizes report writing and traditional written products
as they relate to the corrections field.
- CJUS 475 - Internship - 6 or 9 hours
- Prereq: 9 hours of CJUS, permission of instructor and department chair
Designed to give students on-the-job exposure to their areas of interest within the
criminal justice system. Offered only as credit/no credit.
- CJUS 476 - Terrorism and Crisis Negotiations - 3 hours
- Prereq: none
This course is designed to introduce the students to the overall theories
behind the use of terrorism to obtain a political objective and an overview of
major terrorist organizations. Emphasis will be placed on the culture
diversity within the United States and other countries. Specifically it will
show the actions of different ethnic, culture and religious groups that have
resorted to the use of terrorism because of government actions. This class
will also discuss the primary methods of operational and counter actions taken
by police and government agencies. A portion of the class will be devoted to
the planning and conducting hostage negotiations and examining the
psychological factors on both the hostage taker and hostage.
- CJUS 480 - Senior Seminar: Professional Ethics and Career Development - 3 hours
- Prereq: senior standing
Graduating seniors must take this class in the school year they plan on
graduating. This is a capstone course for the criminal justice program and
will include assessment methods. Emphasis of the course will be on ethics in
the criminal justice profession and the continued development of skills that
will aid in the student's career development.
- CJUS 490 - Advanced Criminal and Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) - 3 hours
- Prereq: CJUS 390*
This course is designed to present various advanced methods and theories of
criminal investigation, crime scene process, and related areas of forensic
science. More complex crimes not covered in CJUS 390 will be examined, with
associated crime scene material presented. Additionally, criminal
identification methods and investigative behavior in court will be presented.
- CJUS 499 - Independent Study - 1-3 hours
- Prereq: 9 hours of CJUS, permission of instructor and department chair
An examination in depth of specific areas of the criminal justice system, with emphasis on
the special roles of related agencies and disciplines. This course may be repeated to a
maximum of six hours with permission of the Chair.
* This course is the immediate prerequisite. Other preparation is required prior to this immediate prerequisite.
