Course Descriptions

Unless otherwise indicated, courses are 3 semester hours credit, 3 hours lecture per week. The course numbers in parenthesis are the equivalent Texas Common Course Number System.

101. Introduction to Criminal Justice 
History, development, and philosophy of law enforcement; introduction to criminal justice agencies. Required for all criminal justice majors and minors.

201. Criminal Investigation 
Introduction to the fundamentals of criminal investigation, including collection and preservation of evidence.

213. Civil Procedure
Introduction to the rules of procedure governing the process of civil litigation with emphasis on those portions that normally involve the legal assistant in trial preparation, discovery, and drafting of pleadings.

214. Legal Ethics
1 semester hour, 1 hour lecture. A review of the required standards of ethical conduct required by the legal profession for legal assistants

231. Introduction to Corrections
Comprehensive survey of measures used, with and without confinement, under provisions of penal law.

301. Law Enforcement
Policing as a social activity; police institutions and processes are examined from historical and contemporary perspectives.

303. Criminal Law [Advanced]
Substantive law of crime and defenses.

305. Criminal Procedure [Advanced]
Examination of the rules of procedure governing due process issues in the enforcement of the criminal law.

307. Stress and the Criminal Justice Practitioner
Inform future Criminal Justice practitioners about the phenomenon known as stress and specifically the stressors involved in all facets of the criminal justice profession.

308. Agency Response to Terrorism
Assessment of terrorist threats to both government and residents of the United States from both foreign and domestic sources.

309. Management of Critical Incidents
Survey of methods for effectively managing critical incidents in Criminal Justice agencies to include hostage and barricaded incidents as well as emotionally disturbed suspects. The course emphasizes negotiations as the best means for resolving conflicts and saving the lives of those involved. [New course, effective 9-1-99]

310. Administration of a Criminal Justice Agency
Examination of the role, scope and functions of supervisors within the criminal justice agency setting. Required course for criminal justice majors.

311. Evidence
Techniques, rules and methods applied to the acquisition, admissibility and use of evidence.

312. Correctional Procedural Law
An examination of the legal procedures applicable to the administration of correctional institutions and community-based supervision of convicted offenders.

313. Corporate Security Law
A survey of the law governing the private sector processes of protecting lives and property in the business environment.

 

314. Corporate Security and Assets Protection
Analysis of protective measures utilized by industrial, commercial, and community organizations.

332. Community Based Corrections
Analysis of methods utilized in probation and parole. Examines alternative methods, such as halfway houses.

350. Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
The comparison of the United States criminal justice system with that of selected other countries, beginning with a review of the foundations of the criminal justice system and extending to the various components of these systems.

351. Criminal Deviance
An examination of the economic, social and spatial aspects of selected criminal offenses: Prerequisite: SOC354. Suggested background: SOC353 and PSY385.

371. Survey of Forensic Science

An introductory survey of forensic sciences; fingerprints, firearms, tool marks, documents, hairs, fibers, glass, soil and biological materials, such as blood and semen; crime scene procedures and methods of laboratory analysis.

401. Readings in Criminal Justice
Course entails advanced readings in the theories, philosophies and practices in criminal justice. Requires extensive review of writings with emphasis on major development, in the practice of criminal justice. May be repeated with change of topic. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

411. Juvenile Justice Administration
Legal and philosophical foundations of the juvenile justice system with respect to recent legislative and judicial mandates and social science research. Suggested background: SOC353.

413. Legal Research
Legal research and terminology, including research methodology, law library familiarization and development of research skills through the use of law digests, encyclopedias, reporters, statutes and other library materials; writing case briefs and law memorandums. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

414. Appeals and Briefs
Development of advanced legal writing skills through preparation of appellate briefs. Prerequisites: CJS305 and CJS413.

420. Criminal Justice Planning
Introduction to planning and evaluation techniques. Examines the design of experimental programs in the field of criminal justice. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

431. Penology
The theories of punishment are examined. The economic impact of these punishment models is compared within the context of the operation and function of confinement institutions. Prerequisites: CJS312 and CJS332.

450. Problems in Criminal Justice
Analysis of particular issues posing major difficulties to the police, courts, and correctional agencies. Recent examples include occupational [law enforcement/corrections] Stress, and Terrorism, both as a state or national institution and as a political tool. May be repeated with a change of problem examined. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

460. Internship in Criminal Justice
Supervised work experience with an approved justice agency. The course is graded on a P/F basis. Prerequisites-. Criminal Justice major with junior standing, both overall and criminal justice GPA of 2.5 or better, completion of 18 semester hours of criminal justice course work and consent of the instructor.

475. Independent Study
Directed independent study including in-depth research, reading, and writing in the field of criminal justice. Prerequisites.- Criminal justice major with junior standing, both overall and criminal justice GPA of 2.5 or better, completion of 18 semester hours of criminal justice course work and consent of the instructor.

 

The University does not offer a graduate degree in criminal justice. The department is pleased to offer what we believe to be the best Baccalaureate program in criminal justice available.

Graduate students at Stephen F. Austin State University, as part of a specialty option for the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (M.I.S.) degree or take courses as electives to support their chosen graduate degree plan. Additionally, students in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program may use criminal justice as a minor.

CJS 510.  Administration of a Criminal Justice Agency
Examination of the role, scope and functions of supervisors within the criminal justice agency setting. Required course for criminal justice majors.

CJS 513. Legal Research

Legal research and terminology, including research methodology, law library familiarization and development of research skills through the use of law digests, encyclopedias, reporters, statutes and other library materials; writing case briefs and law memorandums.

CJS 514. Appeals and Briefs
Development of advanced legal writing skills through preparation of appellate briefs.

CJS 520. Criminal Justice Planning
Introduction to planning and evaluation techniques. Examines the design of experimental programs in the field of criminal justice. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

CJS 531. Penology

The theories of punishment are examined. The economic impact of these punishment models is compared within the context of the operation and function of confinement institutions. Prerequisites: CJS312 and CJS332.

CJS 550. Issues in Public Safety Administration
Advanced analysis of specific issues posing major difficulties to those agencies involved in public safety.  May be repeated once with change of issue examined. [To be added Spring, 2001]

CJS 560. Internship In Criminal Justice
Supervised work experience with an approved justice agency.

CJS 575. Advanced Graduate Studies
Directed independent study including in depth research, reading, and writing in the field of criminal justice.