Criminal Justice Courses (CRIJ)
1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3-0). Topics for this course include history and philosophy of criminal justice and ethical considerations, crime defined, its nature and impact, overview of criminal justice system, prosecution and defense, trial process, corrections.
1306 The Courts and Criminal Procedure (3-0). Topics for this course include the judiciary in the criminal justice system, right to counsel, pre-trial releases, grand juries, adjudication process, types and rules of evidence and sentencing.
1307 Crime in America (3-0). Topics for this course include American crime problems in historical perspective, social and public factors affecting crime, impact and crime trends, social characteristics of specific crimes, prevention of crimes.
1310 Fundamentals of Criminal Law (3-0). Topics for this course include include a study of the nature of criminal law, philosophical and historical development, major definitions and concepts, classification of crime, elements of crimes and penalties using Texas statutes as illustrations, criminal responsibility.
1313 Juvenile Justice System (3-0). (THE CB course - not mandated) A study of the juvenile justice process to include specialized juvenile law, role of the juvenile law, role of the juvenile courts, role of police agencies, role of correctional agencies and theories concerning delinquency.
2313 Correctional System and Practices (3-0). (This course is a mandated new THECB course for the criminal justice field of study). Correction in the criminal justice system; organization of correctional system; correctional role; institutional operations; alternatives to institutionalization; treatment and rehabilitation; current and future issues.
2314 Criminal Investigation (3-0). Topics for this course include instruction on investigative theory; collection and preservation of evidence; sources of information; interview and interrogation; uses of forensic sciences; case and trial preparation.
2323 Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement (3-0). Topics for this course include instruction on police authority, responsibilities, constitutional restraints; Law of Arrest; Search and Seizure; Police Liability.
2328 Police Systems and Practices (3-0). Topics for this course include instruction on the police profession, organization of law enforcement systems; the police role; police discretion; ethics; police-community interaction; current and future issues.
3303 Theory and Practice in the Juvenile Justice System (3-0). An intensive examination of the juvenile justice process. Topics focus on the specialized nature of the juvenile system, including juvenile law, the varied roles of juvenile courts, the police and correctional agencies, and an analysis of contemporary American juvenile justice philosophy and practices.
3305 Perspectives on Crime in America (3-0). An intensive examination of American crime problems in historical perspective. Through the lens of various perspectives regarding the cause and prevention of crime, the course explores the social and public factors affecting crime, the divergent trends in criminal behavior, and the social characteristics of specific types of criminal deviance.
3307 The Legislative Process (3-0). An in-depth analysis of the legislative process on both the national and state levels.
3310 Criminal Justice Process (3-0). An in-depth examination of the various components of the criminal justice system as a process. Topics include legislation and crime, the police, constitutional limits on investigation and apprehension, the role of prosecuting and defense attorneys, bail and preventive detention, processes relating to the guilty plea and the function of the criminal trial and the correctional process. Requires junior standing and the completion of the law enforcement transfer curriculum.
3312 Criminal Justice Administration (3-0). This course is designed to provide students with the basic philosophy, principles, and organizational structures available for administrators of the police, the courts, and corrections. The intent is not to postulate a one, true management style, or organization. It is to develop set of principles and practices used to organize and operationalize the personnel, and define their functions and roles within the criminal justice system. The course will examine the police, the courts, and corrections aspects separately.
3361 Judicial Process and Behavior (3-0). A study of the judicial process, judicial personnel (including judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys), judicial reasoning and behavior and the impact of judicial activity. Although some attention will be directed to appellate courts (both national and state), the primary emphasis will be on trial courts.
4301 American Constitutional Law (3-0). An analysis and interpretation, primarily through case studies, of judicial decisions leading to the development of constitutional principles of judicial review, separation of powers, federalism, implied powers, taxation and commerce.
4302 American Constitutional Law (3-0). An analysis and interpretation, primarily through case studies, of judicial decisions leading to the development of constitutional rights with particular emphasis on political, procedural, civil and personal liberties.
4310 Probation and Parole (3-0). Focuses on the analysis and evaluation of programs and processes in community settings such as diversion, probation, parole, and other community-reintegration procedures. Programs are discussed in terms of definition, history, purpose, possibilities, administration and process, problems, cost, and effectiveness.
4330 Seminar on Correctional Problems (3-0). Examination of the most important obstacles faced by corrections in America. Emphasis on professional shortcomings, system deficiencies, and public inadequacies.
4350 Seminar on Police Problems (3-0). An examination of the most important obstacles encountered by American law enforcement with emphasis upon professional shortcomings. Relies heavily upon guided independent student problem identification, research, analysis and the formulation of recommendations. Requires senior standing and the completion of the law enforcement transfer curriculum.
4354 Professionalism and Ethics in Criminal Justice (3-0). The study of theories and practices in areas of legality, morality, values, and ethics as they pertain to criminal justice. Included will be such topics as police corruption, brutality, and methods of dealing with such practices, as well as the concept of profession and professional conduct.
4360 Police Personnel Management (3-0). An examination of the present dimensions and future trends of police personnel management with special emphasis on employee development programs, performance appraisal, discipline and labor relations including collective bargaining and police unions.
4371 Internship in Law Enforcement (3-0). A participant-observation course arranged with local law enforcement or criminal justice agencies entailing a minimum of 100 hours of field experience. Designed to familiarize students with the application of knowledge gained in course work and with operations and problems of agencies. Students must be officially pursuing a criminal justice degree and have senior standing. May not be used to satisfy advanced course work requirements for a supporting concentration in criminal justice.
4381 Special Topics (3-0). A course dealing with selected topics in the criminal justice field. (May be repeated once for credit when topic varies.) Prerequisite: Junior standing.
