Sociology & Criminal Justice Courses

This course is designed to provide an overview of the justice process and the criminal justice system in general. Concepts of crime, deviance and justice will be discussed. Individual rights in a democratic society will be explored, as will the legal definitions of various crimes. The law enforcement, judicial, juvenile justice and corrections subsystems will also be explored, and a number of reform proposals presented.

This course examines current issues of ethics in criminal justice. The major focus is to develop a general understanding of ethics, decision-making, actions and thought processes within the criminal justice system. This course will include law enforcement scenarios and allow students to make their own decisions and justify them while staying within the boundaries of the law and professional codes of ethics.

This course examines the structure and function of criminal courts, emphasizing procedural rules and their application in the U.S. justice system. Topics include due process, evidentiary standards, the roles of key courtroom actors, pretrial and trial procedures, and post-conviction processes.