DOC PREVIEW
UT SW 360K - Syllabus

This preview shows page 1 out of 4 pages.

Save
View full document
View full document
Premium Document
Do you want full access? Go Premium and unlock all 4 pages.
Access to all documents
Download any document
Ad free experience
Premium Document
Do you want full access? Go Premium and unlock all 4 pages.
Access to all documents
Download any document
Ad free experience

Unformatted text preview:

SW360 - INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM Course Number: SW 360/393V6 Instructors: Michael Lauderdale, Clara Pope Willoughby Centennial Profes-sor of Criminal Justice in Social Work and Ms. Tricia S. Greene, SSRAIII Unique #: 58627, 58850 Office: SWB 3.113J Semester Spring 2000 Office 471-9246 Phone: Room: SWB 2.106 The Utopia Theatre Electronic Access: [email protected] http:://www.utexas.edu/depts/sswork/eclass room/lauderdale/311.htm Time: Tues. And Thurs. 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Office Hours: Mon.: 1 to 3 p.m.; Friday 9 to 11 a.m. Other times by Appointment Course Description: During the last few years no part of American life has generated more concern than rising rates of crime, particularly violent crime and crimes by adolescents and children. This course exam-ines responses to crime and the characteristics of the criminal justice system in the United States, its vari-ous components and current challenges to the system today. Attention is paid to the evolution of the system and comparison of problems and approaches both historically and cross culturally. Particular emphasis is placed upon aspects of the system under change including various approaches to policing, victim assis-tance, sentencing and incarceration alternatives and the expanding role of community in protection, polic-ing, and corrections. The course will stress efforts at prevention, community involvement, and alternatives in corrections. Guest speakers will be drawn from various components of the system including the police, the courts, and the correctional institutions. Class material will include an overview of the professions in the field and information about career opportunities. Prerequisites: Admission and in good standing at the university. Course Objectives: By the end of the semester the student should be able to: 1. Identify and describe the major components of the criminal justice system. 2. Explain the functions of each component and identify the professional roles of per-sons working in the system. 3. Discuss the various challenges to the general system, identify problems in each com-ponent, and be able to relate these challenges to broader social and economic issues. 4. Discuss issues in the distribution of justice and the role of the criminal justice system in American society. 5. Identify areas of responsibility for individuals in criminal justice both in terms of employment and each person’s role in lessening the rate and severity of crime.Criminal Justice Syllabus Social Work 311 Page 2 Course Requirements: Attendance at all classes is expected and students should be prepared to partici-pate. Lack of attendance and failure to participate will affect adequate progress through the course. Class roll will be taken and absences can result in lowering of grade. Persons coming to class late will be counted as absent. Any assigned homework or extra participation must be turned in at the time scheduled or no credit will be permitted. There will be three exams: First, Midterm, and Final. The exams will cover read-ing assignments and lecture material. Material in each exam will be cumulative and the Final Examination will be comprehensive. No makeup or skipped exams will be permitted. Schedules and coverage of mate-rial may be changed at the discretion of the instructor based upon course progress; however no exam shall be moved to an earlier than scheduled date. Requirements, important dates, and grade components are summarized as follows. Requirement Date Percent of Grade First Exam February 18 20 Final Exam Official University Schedule 35 Participation and Attendance As noted 45 Final Exam Schedule: http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/schedules/spring/fr-final.html Grading of Exams and any other Assignments: Exams will be objective and multiple choice. Any other assignments are to be turned in at the due time and there will be no allowance for alternatives or time ex-tensions. Opportunity for Participation: Opportunities will be provided during the semester for volunteer work within the criminal justice system as well as special exercises. Additional handouts will describe these op-portunities. These opportunities will count toward the Participation and Attendance Credit area. Students are expected to relate class material to current issues of criminal justice in the community and the media. The instructor will regularly call for illustrations of topics from the class and students will be expected to relate topics to current issues. In addition to print and electronic media, the World Wide Web is an impor-tant source of such information. The syllabus provides a few illustrative Web sites and the various campus computer laboratories have fast access to such Web sites. Students who have individually funded user ac-counts from the Computer Center also have such access from personal computers. Class Format: Initial topic coverage will be by lecture. It will be necessary to have read assigned mate-rial before class. Grades will be based upon all aspects and assignments in the class. Always be prepared for the class with reading and homework assignments completed before the class. The Instructor reserves the right to change dates of examinations and conditions for earning volunteer and participation credit as assessment of class progress is made and opportunities for student participation are secured. However no examination will occur at a date earlier than that listed in this syllabus. Required Texts: Cole, George F. and Smith, (1998). The American System of Criminal Justice (Eighth Edition) Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Schedule of Topics Month Day & Topic Reading Date Chapter January Tues. 18 Overview of course, assignments, schedules and responsibilities 1 Definitions of Crime and Criminal Justice; Civil Wrongs and Professor Lauderdale Spring 1999Criminal Justice Syllabus Social Work 311 Page 3 Criminal Acts; How Much Crime is There and the Risk of Being a Victim of a Crime. Thurs. 20 Conceptual and Empirical Definitions of Crime and Measures and 2 & 3 Distributions of Incidence; Official Measures of Crime; Risk of Victimization Trends in Crime; Elements in the Criminal Justice System, The Federal, State and Local Structures, How Decisions are made in the System, Careers in Criminal Justice Tues. 25 Foundations of Criminal Law, Criminal Law versus Civil Law, 3 Issues of Justice, Equity and Truth, The Impact of Social Class, Age; Theories of


View Full Document

UT SW 360K - Syllabus

Download Syllabus
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view Syllabus and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view Syllabus 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?