Syllabus for Intro to Criminal Justice
Steve Marrs

1st/4th Six Weeks

1. Criminal Justice in the United States
a. Introduction
b. The Criminal Justice System
c. Demographics and Criminal Justice
2. Crime, Criminals, and Victims
a. Types of Crime
b. Crime Trends
c. Substance use and Crime
d. Criminals
e. Victims
3. Explanations of Criminal Behavior
a. Sociological Theories
b. Social Structure Theories
c. Social Progress Theories
d. Labeling Theories
e. Social Conflict Theories
f. Economic Theories
g. Biological Theories
h. Situation Theories
4. Criminal Justice and the Law
a. Principles of Criminal Law
b. Criminal Law and the Constitution
c. Classifications of Criminal Law
d. Criminal Procedure
5. The Missions and Roles of the Police
a. History of the Police
b. Law Enforcement Agencies
c. Police Missions
d. Community Service
6. Policing Strategies
a. Patrol
b. Proactive Policing
c. Criminal Investigation
d. Community Policing
7. Police and the Law
a. Law Enforcement and the Constitution
b. Arrest
c. Searches
d. Interrogation
e. Identification Procedures
8. Issues in Policing
a. The Police Working Personality
b. Recruitment, Training, and Promotion
c. Police Stress
d. Police Misconduct

2nd / 5th Six Weeks

1. Courts and Courtroom Work Groups
a. Criminal Courts
b. Due Process
c. Crime Control
d. Social Service
e. Judges
f. Prosecutors
g. Defense Counsel
2. Proceedings before Trail
a. The decision of Charge
b. The 1st Appearance
c. Bail and Detention
d. Arraignment and Pre-Trial Hearings
3. Disposition of Trial
a. Jury Trial
b. Jury Selection
c. Fair Trial
d. Proving Guilt
e. Pleas
4. Sentencing
a. Types of Sentences
b. Death Sentence

3rd / 6th Six Weeks

1. Community Corrections
a. Probation
b. Intermediate Punishments
2. Prisons, Jails, and Prisoners
a. Prisons
b. Correction Officers
c. Jails
d. Private Prisons
e. Prisoners
3. Prison Life
a. Male Prison Subcultures
b. The Prison Economy
c. Gangs
d. Violence
e. Riots
f. Crowding
g. Programs
h. Prisoner’s Rights
4. Returning to Society
a. Release from Prison
b. The History of Parole
c. The Mission of Parole
d. Parole Authorities
e. Parole Release
f. Parole Supervision
5. Juvenile Justice
a. Delinquency
b. Juvenile Justice System
c. Police and Juveniles