This course provides an introduction to criminal justice. One of the primary goals of this course is to provide a general understanding of how the criminal justice system responds to crime in society. The main component parts of the criminal justice system (i.e., police, courts, and corrections) will be examined with a particular emphasis on developing an understanding of the behavior and interactions among the main actors in the criminal justice system. To accomplish this goal, we will examine how criminal cases are processed in the criminal justice system. We will also consider how external forces, such as political decisions, public opinion, and the media influence criminal justice decision-making. Students will also formulate, argue, and evaluate ethical perspectives regarding criminal justice systems, individual-level decisions, and recognize relationships with other ethical problems in society. Finally, throughout the course we will emphasize how the societal response to crime has evolved over time.

This course provides an overview of delinquent behavior, the juvenile justice system, and explanations of juvenile delinquency. To understand the rehabilitative philosophy and fundamental ethics of the juvenile system, and its ongoing tension with the punishment-oriented philosophy of the adult criminal court, the course will cover the meaning and historical origins of delinquency, and the creation of a separate legal system for juveniles. This course analyzes the effects of legal cases on the evolution and functioning of this system. The course will also cover the features of the system from arrest, to intake, to adjudication, and disposition, disparities in each of the stages, and the decision-making and ethical responsibilities of the key actors. Throughout, students will learn what research shows with respect to the operations of the system and the effects of its programs. Also covered will be the extent and effects of delinquency, within the United States and elsewhere in the world, and a survey of the scientific explanations for delinquent behavior.