Examines the most important themes in the American legal system. Introduces students to the legal institutions, including the constitutional basis of the law, the justification of criminal law, the rationale for punishment, and the stages and people in the American legal process. Liberal Education Goal Area 9
Common Course Outline

CRJS 1120 Criminal Justice and Society (4 credits)

A general introduction to the philosophies, principles, and social aspects which underlie the formulation of law and administration of justice in the United States. Provides an overview of the institutions and relationships of those agencies composing the criminal justice system and an introduction to systems theory. Includes computer-based exercises that familiarize students with available data sources, interrelationships between criminal justice and the larger society, and possible outcomes of alternative policy choices.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 2200 Systems Dynamics (3 credits)

The central concept to systems dynamics is the need to understand how all the parts of a system interact with one another. In this context, organizations can be seen as complex and chaotic systems. The various parts and people in an organizational system interact through "feedback" loops, where a change in one over time affects others, which in turn affects the original, etc. System approaches and theory try to understand the basic structure of the system and therefore the behavior it can produce. This course provides instruction in systems dynamics, its applications, and the computer modeling of systems through the use of Stella software. Prerequisite: CRJS 1120; Prerequisite or Corequisite: CRJS 3201.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 2221 Comparative Justice (3 credits)

Introduction to a variety of international systems of justice. Students critically examine international legal traditions, study the criminal justice institutions that make up the systems of justice, and explore the cultural, social, and political contexts that contribute to the maintenance of the justice systems. Explores attempts to develop an international criminal justice system. Liberal Education Goal Area 8.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3201 Research Methods and Statistics for Criminal Justice (4 credits)

An introduction to the framing and addressing of research questions within a criminal justice context. Students will be exposed to descriptive, explanatory, and exploratory research designs and the application of appropriate quantitative analytic techniques to those research designs.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3304 Police Process (4 credits)

An introduction to the police component of the criminal justice system. Based on both classical readings and current issues in the police field, this course covers police history, the police role and functions in modern society, and the evolving nature of police work. Special emphasis given to the evolving nature in police work after the events of September 11th, 2001. Prerequisite: CRJS 1120 and CRJS 3201, or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3305 Judicial Process (4 credits)

Examines the criminal justice and civil law judicial process. Covers judicial involvement from pre-arrest warrant issuance to appellate court review. Focuses on the role, function, and behavior of prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges. Prerequisites: CRJS 1120
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3306 Correctional Process (4 credits)

Provides the student with an understanding of corrections as a major part of the criminal justice system. Focuses on principles, assumptions, and processes pertaining to achieving correctional goals and objectives. Prerequisites: CRJS 1120 and CRJS 3201, or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3310 Introduction to Emergency Management (3 credits)

This course explores the needs of public safety officials who have responsibility for emergency preparedness planning and response. Includes contexts for emergency planning -legal and jurisdictional; responsibility for planning and responding to emergencies; different types of emergencies, and an approach to planning that can be applied to emergency situations. Addresses specific issues associated with the planning process, including the role of the manager, the necessity for multi-agency involvement, various analytical techniques employed in planning, different levels of emergency planning, and different elements of the plan. This course examines the history and perspectives of emergency management, hazards, concepts and taxonomies, all-hazards approach, phases of emergency management, risk assessment, risk communication and emergency management functions. Prerequisite(s): CRJS 1000 or CRJS 1120
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3315 Criminology and Delinquency (4 credits)

Significant theoretical traditions, subsequent research, and policy related to crime and delinquency. Students will be exposed to the following crime data sources: official statistics, victimization reports, and self-reports. Prerequisites: CRJS 1120 and CRJS 3201, or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3319 Topics In Criminal Justice (1-2 credits)

Designed to present special topics, problems or areas of current interest to the field of Criminal Justice.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3334 Criminal Justice Planning (3 credits)

A systemic overview of crime prevention presented within a framework of a planned, proactive response to crime by all components of the criminal justice system. Examines principles of planning, research, and evaluation as applied to crime prevention. Prerequisites: CRJS 1120, CRJS 3201, CRJS 3304, CRJS 3305, and CRJS 3306, or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3344 Criminal Justice and Domestic Violence (3 credits)

The historical roots of domestic and sexual violence, and the continuing prevalence and magnitude of the problem. This course focuses on coordinated community efforts in the United States to keep families and others safe from relationship violence; thoroughly examines methods used by the criminal justice system to prevent and treat domestic violence; emphasizes the changing response of police, social agencies, the courts, and our lawmakers to domestic violence cases; and investigates ways in which the legal system treats victims of abuse who fight back and sometimes kill abusers. Prerequisite: CRJS 1120.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3345 Criminal Justice Administration (3 credits)

Principles of organization and management of criminal justice agencies. Line and non-line functions, personnel administration, planning, budgeting, goals and control are examined. Prerequisites: CRJS 3304, CRJS 3305, or CRJS 3306.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3351 Criminal Profiling (3 credits)

Students are exposed to behavioral evidence management techniques, learning how to infer offender traits from physical and/or behavioral evidence. This course is applied to solving real crime through an understanding of the nature and behavior of criminals. Prerequisites: CRJS 1120, CRJS 3201, and CRJS 3315.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3355 Drugs and Criminal Justice (3 credits)

Focuses on the historical and contemporary patterns of psychoactive drug use in the United States and on the development and evaluation of criminal justice policies intended to reduce or eliminate drug use and/or drug problems. Topics include major types of psychoactive drugs, the War on Drugs, the international context of drug production and distribution, and personal and social problems resulting from drug use.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3356 Introduction to Homeland Security (4 credits)

Addresses the role of state and local law enforcement in national defense. Also addresses critical issues such as civil liberties, privacy rights, police organization and structure, as well as the relationship between federal and local law enforcement. Introduces students to emergency management and the critical importance of managing risk. Prerequisite: CRJS 1120.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3357 Applied Civil Law (3 credits)

An examination of the statutes and a review of cases with regard for those aspects of family and business law that are most typical to law enforcement.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3358 Criminal Law (4 credits)

This course encompasses the basic concepts of the criminal law and the elements of criminal offenses in Minnesota in particular. Crimes against persons, crimes against property, crimes against the administration of justice and others are reviewed. The case method is used to define the contours of judicial interpretation of the criminal law.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3359 Criminal Investigation (4 credits)

The concepts and principles related to criminal investigation. This course addresses those techniques and methods of evidentiary collection, processing, and testimony commonly employed by police investigators and crime scene technicians conducting a lawful inquiry, from arrival at a crime scene to laboratory analysis to closing the investigation by making an arrest. Also includes a section devoted to police report writing as well as a laboratory section where various evidence collection and crime scene processing techniques are conducted. Prerequisite: CRJS 3358 or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3360 Criminal Procedure and Evidence (4 credits)

This course focuses on the rights of the criminally accused, primarily those involved in the pre- trial stages of the criminal process. The Bill of Rights as it pertains to the criminally accused will be examined. The rules of evidence defining the types and use of criminal evidence allowed in court will also be addressed in this course.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 3380 Community Corrections (3 credits)

An in-depth examination of community corrections programs including: program planning, implementation and evaluation, client's rights, intake, contracting, release, use of community resources, and use of various treatment modalities. Prerequisite: CRJS 3306.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 4103 Criminal Justice Diversity (3 credits)

A course in applied human relations that examines the dynamics of class, race, and gender as they intersect with the social realities of crime and justice in the U.S. today. How class, race, and gender operate both separately and in combination to influence the criminal justice system. Includes a summary of reforms and policies to reduce bias in crime control and criminal reduction currently under consideration. Prepares students for conducting and managing criminal justice in a pluralistic society. The facts and theoretical foundation are presented so that students can make their own informed decisions about discrimination in the criminal justice system.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 4420 Legal Aspects of Corrections (3 credits)

This course examines the scope and nature of legal aspects of corrections in the United States. It emphasizes the court structure and sentencing practices, prison law, probation and parole law, juvenile law. Liability for correction personnel is also examined. Prerequisite: CRJS 3306.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 4480 Police and Community Relations (4 credits)

Primarily intended for those entering the police profession, this course covers the rules that govern peace officer behavior under the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training Board; addresses a number of Minnesota Board of Police Officer Standards and Training learning objectives, including victimization, ethical behavior, media relations, and response to and coping with stress; and examines police and community relations. Prerequisites: CRJS 1120 and CRJS 3304.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 4487 Offender Intervention (3 credits)

Examines counseling and treatment approaches and strategies applicable for use in correctional settings including institutions and community corrections. Various treatment modalities are explored in relationship to offender rehabilitation. Prerequisite: CRJS 3306.
Common Course Outline

CRJS 4920 Directed Group Study (4 credits)

When taken as a requirement the following description may apply: Course entails advanced study in theories, philosophies, and practices in criminal justice. Requires extensive review of writings with emphasis on recent developments in the practice of criminal justice. Prerequisite: Senior status or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline