Course Descriptions

Eastern Kentucky University

College of Justice and Safety

School of Justice Studies

Dean

Dr. Victor Kappeler

Criminal Justice

CRJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice. (3) A.  A general overview of the criminal justice system including a description of the major agencies: police, prosecution, courts, and corrections, and an analysis of their interdependence in the criminal justice process.

CRJ 204 Foundations of Corrections (3) A.  An overview of the evolution, structure, and functioning of corrections in the United States.  Examines correctional processes, populations, and issues.

CRJ 301 Drugs, Crime and Society. (3) A.   Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing or departmental approval.  An examination of drug trafficking, the connection between drug use and other types of crime, and a review of drug control policies, including the impact of the media and politics.

CRJ 302 Living and Working in Prison (3) A. Cross-listed as COR 302. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Examines inmate subcultures and violence in prisons. Analyzes prison environment for correctional officers. Explores life behind bars/ offender difficulties in reentering society. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 302 and COR 302.

CRJ 303 The Offender in the Community (3) A. Cross-listed as COR 303. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Explores impact offenders have on community. Examines formal correctional options and alternative methods of social control used to manage offenders in community. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 303 and COR 303.

CRJ 305 Domestic Violence. (3) A.   Cross-listed as WGS 305.  Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval. Examination of the theoretical and empirical literature on violence against women, children, and elders.  Addresses such issues as physical and sexual abuse of children, courtship violence, domestic violence, marital rape, and elder abuse.  Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 305 and WGS 305.

CRJ 311 Juvenile Justice System (3) A. Cross-listed as COR 311. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Examines the evolution of the juvenile justice system, police response to delinquency, and juvenile court’s role in protecting the public and serving children. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 311 and COR 311.

CRJ 312 Judicial Processes. (3) A.   Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  An in-depth study of law-making and the American judicial process.  Includes a systematic and comprehensive analysis of American courts, their pivotal role in the criminal justice system, and the function and responsibilities of the key personnel within them.

CRJ 313 Criminal Justice Ethics.  (3)  A. Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  Examines the moral, legal and normative obligations of the state and criminal justice professionals.  Surveys the philosophies and theories of ethics and deviance.  Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 313 and 313S.

CRJ 313S Criminal Justice Ethics. (3). A. Prerequisites: CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or

better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval. Examines the moral, legal and normative obligations of the state and criminal justice professionals. Surveys the philosophies and theories of ethics and deviance enhanced with a service-learning component. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 313 and 313S.

CRJ 314 Law and Society (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Critically examines law in everyday life. Law infuses popular media, constructs (and constrains) identity, and pervades language. In turn, media, identity, and discourse construct our understandings of law. Particular attention is paid to the law’s role in practices and discourses of resistance and in exerting social control.

CRJ 315 Administration of Justice.  (3)  A. Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  Examines theories of organization and management as they relate to criminal justice practice.  Organizational life, leadership personnel management, bureaucracy, resource management, and other critical administration issues are addressed.

CRJ 323 Legal and Ethical Issues in Adult Corrections (3) A. Cross-listed as COR 323. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. An overview of legal court decisions related to adult corrections. Analyzes ethical issues surrounding adult correctional contexts and practices. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 323 and COR 323.

CRJ 325 White Collar Crime. (3) A.  Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  A review and analysis of the upper world crimes of business and government committed in the course of legitimate occupations and financial activities.

CRJ 331 Perspectives on Crime and Delinquency. (3) A.  Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Overview of crime and its control.  Examines law making, law breaking, and the social response from theoretical perspectives including social, economic, cultural, symbolic, psychological and biological.  Includes historical and contemporary developments. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 331 and COR 310 or CRJ 331W.

CRJ 331W  Perspectives on Crime and Delinquency (3) A. Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 105 or HON 102 and CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval. Overview of crime and its control. Examines law making, law breaking, and the social response from theoretical perspectives including social, economic, cultural, symbolic, psychological and biological. Includes historical and contemporary developments.

Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 331W and CRJ 331 or COR 310.

CRJ 345 Diversity and Criminal Justice.  (3) A.  Cross-listed as AFA 346 and WGS 345.  Prerequisites:  sophomore standing or departmental approval.  Contemporary race, gender, and other diversity issues that affect offenders, victims, society, and the criminal justice system. Includes domestic and international human rights and social justice issues of protection and human development. (This course provides credit in Women and Gender Studies and in the African/African-American Program.) Credit will not be awarded to students who have credit for AFA 346 or WGS 345.

CRJ 350 International and Comparative Criminal Justice Systems. (3) A.  Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  A survey of selected world criminal justice systems including police, courts, and corrections.  Cross-national and cross-cultural criminality from several perspectives will be examined.

CRJ 355 Rural Crime and Justice.  (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  Survey of rural crime and justice issues, crime trends, policing and control of rural crime with particular attention given to Kentucky and Appalachia. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 355 and APP 355.

CRJ 360 Rehabilitation Strategies for Adult and Juvenile Offenders (3) A. Cross-listed as COR 360. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Debates the rehabilitative goal of corrections and juvenile justice. Examines contemporary strategies and their effectiveness in controlling/changing offender behavior. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 360 and COR 360.

CRJ 375 Climate Change and Crime. (3) A.  Prerequisites: Junior standing; CRJ 101 with a grade of C or higher. Overview of climate change and its effects.  Draws on leading crime theories to discuss the potential impact of climate change on crime. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 375 Climate Change and Crime and CRJ 406 Critical Issues in CRJ: Climate Change and Crime.

CRJ 388 Criminal Justice Research. (3) A.   Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Overview of the research process, with emphasis on finding, using, and evaluating criminal justice research.  Examination of both quantitative and qualitative social science research methods and procedures appropriate to the study of crime policy and criminal justice.  Credit will not be awarded to students who have credit for COR 388 or CRJ 388W.

CRJ 388W  Criminal Justice Research (3) A. Prerequisite:  ENG 102, or ENG 105, or HON 102 and CRJ 101 or COR 201 with a grade of C or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  Overview of the research process, with emphasis on finding, using and evaluating criminal justice research.  Examination of both quantitative and qualitative social science research methods and procedures appropriate to the study of crime policy and criminal justice.  Credit will not be awarded to students who have credit for COR 388 or CRJ 388.

CRJ 400 Applied Criminal Justice Analysis. (3) A.  Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Analytical and statistical concepts and procedures relevant to crime and criminal justice data.  Includes quantitative and qualitative techniques.

CRJ 401 Organized Crime. (3) A.  Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  History, scope, and methods of control of organized crime.  Emphasis on local, regional, national and international control of organized crime.  Cultural and social implications of the presence of organized crime are examined in depth.

CRJ 403 Crime Mapping.  (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  The purpose of this class is to introduce the student to theoretical and practical aspects of crime mapping and the spatial analysis of crime.  In addition the lab portion of the class will provide hands-on training in crime mapping practices.  3 Lec/2 Lab.

CRJ 406 Critical Issues in Criminal Justice. (3) I, II.  Prerequisites:  CRJ 101 with a grade of “C” or better, sophomore standing, or departmental approval.  Examination of the criminal justice system and process with an emphasis on problems and trends.  This course provides an analytical overview of justice and its response to the needs of society. May be retaken for a maximum of six hours on different topics.

CRJ 410 Alcohol and the Law.  (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  This course is an overview of the history of alcohol and prohibition in the U.S.  Subtopics include:  the American temperance tradition, moderation vs. prohibition, government enforced morals, and the interconnection among religion, politics and the law.

CRJ 411 Capital Punishment in the U.S. (3) A.  Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing; CRJ 101 with a grade of C or higher. Examines the historical and contemporary administration of the death penalty in the United States.  Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 411 Capital Punishment in the U.S. and CRJ 423 Topical Seminar: Capital Punishment in the U.S.

CRJ 412 Gender, Class and Race. (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Critically examines gender, class and race and their intersections as they pertain to crime, offending, victimization, and punishment. This course will lead students to an understanding of how the criminal justice apparatus operates within larger social, political, and economic systems of oppression and domination over marginalized populations.

CRJ 413 Addressing Mental Health and Substance Abuse Needs of Adult Offenders (3) A. Formerly: COR 320.Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing.Cross-listed as COR 413. Examines etiology and effects of substance abuse/ mental health problems of adult offenders. Describes intervention strategies. Credit will not be awarded to students who have credit for COR 413 or COR 320.

CRJ 415 Prostitution and Criminal Justice.  (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  This course is an analytic overview of the history of prostitution in the United States.  Subtopics that will be included are:  the American reform tradition, deviance, social control, regulation vs. prohibition, feminism, and politics.

CRJ 422 Human Trafficking. (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Critically examines the global problem of human trafficking. Using a historical and comparative framework, this course reveals variation in human trafficking patterns in different regions of the world and efforts to combat human trafficking by means of prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.

CRJ 423 Topical Seminar:______. (3) A.  Prerequisites:  departmental approval, sophomore standing.  Intensive study of selected topics related to criminal justice.  May be retaken with different topics.

CRJ 424 Field Experience. (3) A.  Prerequisites:  instructor and departmental approval, sophomore standing.  Designed to broaden the educational experience through appropriate observational work assignments.  (Intended for pre-service students in non-sworn positions.)  May be retaken 1 time for 6 total credit hours.

CRJ 425 Criminal Gangs. (3) A.  Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Course examines single purpose criminal gangs that commit crimes for profit for a short time period and organized criminal gangs that have extensive supporting networks and long histories of criminal activity such as adult street gangs, prison gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs and drug trafficking organizations.

CRJ 440  Pathological Gambling and Crime. (3) A.  Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing; CRJ 101 with a grade of C or higher. This course examines problem gambling and its relationship to crime and criminal justice. Special attention is given law, corrections, and offending. Credit will not be awarded for both CRJ 440 Pathological Gambling and Crime and CRJ 423 Topical Seminar: Problem Gambling.

CRJ 460 Independent Study.  (1-3)  A.  Prerequisites: departmental approval, sophomore standing.  Individual study and/or research on a problem pertaining to criminal justice.  Student must have the independent study proposal form approved by faculty supervisor and departmental chair prior to enrollment.  May be retaken for a maximum of six hours.

CRJ 490 Senior Seminar.  (3)  A.  Prerequisites:  senior standing and completion of CRJ 331, CRJ 388 and at least 21 hours of CRJ coursework or departmental approval.  Capstone course consisting of development and production of a senior level research paper grounded in relevant criminal justice literature.  Emphasis on integration of knowledge acquired in previous courses.

Police Studies

PLS 103 Police, Order Maintenance and Crime. (3) A. Overview of the role of police. The historical development of policing, police functions and bureaucratic organization are examined. Police misconduct, discretion and effectiveness receive special attention.

PLS 216 Criminal Law. (3) I, II.  The nature of the criminal act; the essential elements; theories of responsibility; exculpatory matters; overview of common law offenses; identification of trends in the law.

PLS 220 Criminal Investigation.  (3)  A.  Fundamental of criminal investigation, crime scene search and recording, collection and preservation of physical evidence, scientific aids, modus operandi, sources of information, interviews and interrogation, follow-up, case preparation and case management.

PLS 315 Police Administration and Management. (3) I, II.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  Critically examines the theories of motivation, leadership, and organization in the police context.  Police administrative and management functions studied emphasizing personnel management and organizational change.

PLS 316 Criminal Evidence. (3) I, II.    Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  Overview of trial procedures; classification of evidence; proof; presumptions; relevance; eyewitness identification; testimonial privileges; character; hearsay; impeachment; scientific evidence; collection and preservation of evidence.

PLS 326 Ethical Decisions and Police. (3) A.Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing.Examines the problems of ethical philosophies, theories and law in the context of policing. Consideration is given to problems of police judgment arising from unquestioned assumptions about morality. Focuses on forms of ethical violation at the individual, group and organization levels as well as strategies for prevention and control.

PLS 330 Topics in Police Studies. (1‑6) A.   Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  Examination of a contemporary issue in policing including historical perspective, societal issues, present status, and future development.  The police response to a specific problem is the core of this course.  Course may be taken for a maximum of six hours under different headings.

PLS 349 Applied Learning in Police Administration. (.5‑8) A.  Prerequisites:  departmental approval, sophomore standing.  Work under faculty and field supervisors, in placements related to academic studies.  One to eight hours credit per semester or summer.  Total hours: eight, associate; fifteen, baccalaureate.  Minimum 80 hours work required for each academic credit.  A maximum of three hours of PLS 349 and 424 can be applied toward the PLS major or minor.

PLS 349 A-N Cooperative Study:  Police Administration. (.5‑8) A.  Prerequisites:  departmental approval, sophomore standing.  Work under faculty and field supervisors, in placements related to academic studies.  One to eight hours credit per semester or summer.  Total hours: eight, associate; fifteen, baccalaureate.  Minimum 80 hours work required for each academic credit.  A maximum of three hours of PLS 349 and 424 can be applied toward the PLS major or minor.   

PLS 375 Terrorism/Counterterrorism. (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing.A study of domestic, foreign, transnational and state terrorism. This course examines issues related to defining, preventing and combating terrorism. Various social and historical forces and events will be considered in order to contextualize specific key individuals, organizations and actions.

PLS 380 Police in the Popular Media.  (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  A study of the public’s perception of police through popular media (music, radio, television, films, short stories and books) and how those media sources might influence policing itself.

PLS 385 Police Related Violence.  (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  A descriptive, theoretical and philosophical approach to violence used by the police and violence directed toward them.  Psychological and sub-cultural impacts will be examined.  Additional analysis associated with lethal and non-lethal violence policy and strategies are included.

PLS 390 Predatory Crime and Crime Patterns. (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  Examination of selected crime categories including predatory street, conventional property, and sex crimes. Areas of  concentration include theoretical and ecological characteristics, victim‑offender relationships, and crime patterns emphasizing police responses.

PLS 401 Multi-Culturalism and Policing. (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Examines the policing of marginalized populations and investigates the realities of these persons within policing. Specific populations can include racial and ethnic minorities, age, women, sexual minorities, persons with physical and mental disabilities, immigrant populations, veterans, and others.

PLS 403 Homicide.  (3) A.  Prerequisite:  sophomore standing.  Explore current theoretical, philosophical and empirical literature associated with homicide.  Content includes descriptive, theoretical, empirical, and practical explanations of criminal homicide patterns.  Included will be an examination of death investigation systems and police responses.

PLS 408 Policing and Technology. (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Examines the current realities of cyber crime and the official police response. Consideration will be given to legal issues, civil liberties, police deviance and the sociopolitical impacts of technology. 

PLS 410 The Police and Community. (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Examines relationships between the police and community that address crime and quality of life problems. Community is examined as a geographical space made of multiple and diverse publics sometimes requiring different strategies and attention. A distinction is drawn between public relations and police community partnerships.

PLS 414 Social Forces and Policing Society (3) A. Prerequisites: CRJ 101 and PLS 103.  Sophomore standing or higher.  Examines the history and evolution of policing in the United States with an emphasis on the political, social, cultural, legal and organizational forces that have molded that history.  The roles and functions of police in America are examined in detail within the context of race, class and gender.

PLS 415 Contemporary Police Strategies.  (3)  A.  Prerequisite:  senior standing.  Review of contemporary police issues, programs, and strategies.  Detailed analysis and evaluation of police practices, including impact on the relationship between the police and the community.  Assessment of police reform measures and accountability mechanism. 

PLS 416 Criminal Procedure. (3) A.   Prerequisite: PLS 216, sophomore standing, or instructor approval. A detailed study of the laws of arrest (including the use of force), search and seizure, emphasizing the constitutional basis, historical development, statutes, and recent court decisions.

PLS 420 Surveillance & Society. (3) A. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Examines the nexus of surveillance, policing, and society. The course explores the role of states, corporations and individuals in monitoring and policing of bodies, populations, property and information. Consideration is given to historical and contemporary dynamics of surveillance: socio-technical assemblages, risk and security discourses, institutional blurring, inequalities and civil liberties.

PLS 426 Federal Criminal Law. (3) A.   Prerequisites:  PLS 216 or CRJ 312; sophomore standing.  An examination of the federal criminal law enforcement system with a focus on substantive offenses. In addition to specific crimes, the basis of federal jurisdiction will be studied.