Criminal Justice (CRIJ)

Introduction to the operation of the U.S. criminal justice system including an overview of law enforcement, the judiciary and corrections.

Examination of the role of the judiciary in the criminal justice system. Topics include the structure of the American court system, prosecution, pretrial procedures, grand jury process, adjudication process, types and rules of evidence, and sentencing concepts. Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301.

Study of criminal law, its philosophical and historical development, major definitions and concepts, classifications and elements of crime, penalties using Texas statutes as illustrations and criminal responsibility. Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301.

Introductory overview of the juvenile justice system in the United States, to include common law roots, case law and evolution of juvenile courts and corrections. Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301.

Introductory overview of modern corrections including its history and current correctional issues and practices. Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301.

Investigative theory; collection and preservation of evidence; sources of information; interview and interrogation; uses of forensic sciences; case and trial preparation as they apply to the field of criminal justice. Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301.

A study of the procedural rules for judicial enforcement of the substantive criminal law and analysis of constitutional law as it relates to the criminal justice system. Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301.

Introductory overview of the U.S. system of policing including its history, development and methods of policing. Prerequisite: CRIJ 1301.

Examination of various research, planning and evaluation methods as they apply to the field of criminal justice. Prerequisites: CRIJ 1301 and 6 hours of Criminal Justice.

Application of forensic behavioral sciences and mental health concepts relating to the practice of criminal justice, including civil commitment of sex offenders, review of criminal defendants' competence to stand trial, and defenses to culpability based upon mental disorder, behavioral profiling, and offender diagnosis and treatment. Prerequisites: Junior standing and completion of either the social/behavioral component or CRIJ 1301.

Survey of the origins and subfields of criminology/criminal justice, how crime is defined and measured, issues affecting victims of crime and leading theories that attempt to explain crime. Prerequisites: CRIJ 1301 and 6 hours of Criminal Justice.

An examination of the philosophical ideals of ethics that arise in the criminal justice context. Prerequisites: CRIJ 1301 and 6 hours of Criminal Justice.

Overview of the various management and organization theories as applied to the criminal justice context. Prerequisites: CRIJ 1301 and 6 hours of Criminal Justice.

Intensive seminar in Criminal Justice, culminating in the production of a significant research paper. Prerequisites: Six hours of CRIJ and PSYC 3381 or SOCI 3381.

In-depth examination of law and society through the philosophy and evolution of legal systems and legal institutions. The major functions of law as agents of social control, dispute resolution and societal engineering are addressed. Prerequisites: POLS 2304 or SOCI 1301 and 3 semester hours of Criminal Justice, Criminology or Sociology. (Credit may not be obtained in more than one of CRIJ 4320, CRIM 4320 and SOCI 4320.)

Survey of American constitutional law, using leading cases, both historic and contemporary, of the Supreme Court of the United States. Establishment of the federal political system for which the Constitution provided and the judicial allocations of political and economic power within that system. Prerequisites: 6 semester hours of Political Science. (Credit may not be obtained in more than one of CRIJ 4331, POLS 4331 and CRIM 4331.)

Survey of American constitutional law using leading cases, both historic and contemporary, of the Supreme Court of the United States. Matters of rights and liberties, their recognition and definition, policies of rights developed by the Supreme Court of the United States. Prerequisites: 6 semester hours of Political Science. (Credit may not be obtained in more than one of CRIJ 4332, POLS 4332 and CRIM 4332.)

Federal judicial system in terms of structure, function and process with stress on court interaction at both intracourt and intersystem levels. Prerequisites: 6 semester hours of Political Science. (Credit may not be obtained in more than one of CRIJ 4333, POLS 4333 and CRIM 4333.)

Focused study of an issue in Criminal Justice. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes. Prerequisite: 6 hrs. of Criminal Justice.

Examination of the historical role of crime victims, nature of victimization in modern society, the victimization process, solutions to victimization and victim's rights. Emphasis given to the social, legal, psychological and societal aspects of victimization. Victim-offender interaction and societal response to victimization will also be treated. Prerequisites: 6 semester hours of social science. (Credit may not be obtained in both CRIJ 4345 and CRIM 4345.)

Experiential learning of criminal justice in real-life conditions providing an arena for the application of classroom principles within the context of the day to day reality of the criminal justice system. The internship includes, but is not limited to, field supervision and/or observation. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior status, approval by Program Director, acceptance by Appropriate Organization. May be repeated for a maximum of nine semester hours toward degree.