Special Topics in Criminal Justice
- Offered: On demand
- Prerequisites: Instructor's permission.
- Bulletin Year: 2022 - 2023 Undergraduate Bulletin | View the current NMU Catalog.
CJ 350 is an in-depth study of the body of United States common and statutory law that defines criminal offenses, regulates the apprehension, charging, and trial of suspected persons, establishes the legal defenses, and sets penalties and modes of treatment applicable to convicted offenders.
This course explores the nature, extent, causes and methods of treatment and prevention of crime and criminality. Emphasis is placed on theories and methods of studying crime and criminal behavior as social phenomena.
This course describes and examines the history and current state of the illegal drug problem in the United States from the early 1800s to the present. This includes the nature of illegal drug use, the drug-crime connection, illegal drug production and trafficking, the structure of illegal drug enterprises, drug user profiles, drug control policy and treatment programs, and the drug legalization debate.
This course focuses on planning, conducting and analyzing interviews and interrogations as part of an investigation. Fundamental theories will be demonstrated in practical exercises including detecting deception. The class will analyze and discuss key Supreme Court decisions, particularly Miranda v. Arizona and the subsequent Fifth and Sixth Amendment cases that guide current practices in public and private investigations.
An overview of the major issues, trends and the political and social dimensions of criminal convictions. An analysis of constitutional law, court decisions, current legislation of the federal and state law affecting prisons and the judicial proceedings.
Study of offenders in terms of their personal background and definitional dimensions. Attitudes, behavior and criminal careers are examined to help develop realistic perspective on crime and criminals.
Introduction to the philosophy, theory and practice involved in dealing officially with convicted offenders; appraisal of treatment and post-correctional practices plus functions of probation and parole are analyzed. Problems, trends and issues are identified.
Theory of investigation, crime scene conduct, collection and preservation of physical evidence; introduction to criminalistics and crime scene processing; overview of methods used in scientific interpretation of evidence; pursuit of investigative leads; and preparation of evidence for use in the judicial system.
Notes:This course was previously numbered CJ 314 The Investigative Process I.
An examination of the criminal court system and criminal adjudication processes from setting bail through sentencing and appeal. Analysis of the professional roles of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and the courtroom work group.