Quick Links to Sections on this Page:

Related Site Links:

• Major Requirements
• Course Descriptions
• Academic Advisor

• Fall 2009 Schedule
• Fall 2009 Textbook list
• Spring 2010 Schedule

• Spring 2010 Textbook list
• CCJ Home Page
• CCJ Site Map

To receive a Criminology and Criminal Justice degree from SIUC, students must complete 33 hours of Criminology and Criminal Justice courses. This includes 15 hours of required Administration of Justice courses, and at least 18 hours of elective Criminology and Criminal Justice courses, including at least two at the 400-level. Furthermore, of the 18 elective Criminology and Criminal Justice hours, at least 9 hours of "restricted Criminology and Criminale electives" must be completed to meet major requirements.

Course Number

Course Description

201/3

INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.  Survey of the agencies and processes involved in the administration of criminal justice. The history of English law; the criminal justice process and system, including underlying ideologies, procedures, fundamental legal concepts, and the roles and functions of police, courts, and correctional services.  Prerequisite: none.

203/3

CRIME, JUSTICE AND SOCIAL DIVERSITY.  (University Core Curriculum) This course examines how social heterogeneity and inequality influence the processes involved in the definition and recognition of behavior through law, particularly the criminal law.  Factors such as race, ethnicity, gender and class are related to definitions of crime and justice, and to the likelihood of being the victim of crime.  The differential influence of the operations and outcomes of the criminal justice system on diverse groups in U.S. society is emphasized.  Prerequisite: none.

290/3

INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.  Multi-disciplinary study of the etiology and patterning of offender behavior.  Prerequisite: none.

302/3

INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION.  An introduction to the principles of administration and organization of criminal justice agencies.  Prerequisite:  201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

303/3

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.  Principles of behavioral science are applied to the recurrent patterns of criminal investigation as a social and fact-finding process; survey of criminalistics.  Prerequisite: 201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

306/3

POLICING IN AMERICA.  Examines police as a part of society's official control apparatus.  Major topics include historical development of the police, role of the police in the criminal justice system, functions and effectiveness of the police, and the relationship of the police to the communities they serve.  Prerequisite:  201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

310/3

INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL LAW.  The nature and theories of law and social control; legal reasoning and case analysis; simple legal research; statutory construction; principles and history of punishment; constitutional, historical and general legal principles applicable to the criminal law.  Prerequisite: none.

316/3

INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH.  A basic introduction to the scientific perspective, relationship of research and theory, research design, measurement issues, reporting of research and program evaluation.  Emphasis on problems peculiar to criminological research.  Prerequisite:  201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

317/3

ANALYSIS IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.  This course teaches students to analyze the types of data used in criminal justice and criminology research.  The class has a "practitioner" orientation, emphasizing how to understand, interpret, and use statistics.  A variety of widely used techniques will be covered, including descriptive, univariate, and bivariate analyses.  Prerequisite:  201, 290, and 316 or consent of instructor.

320/3

PROSECUTION AND ADJUDICATION.  Examination of the structure and process involved in theprosecution, adjudication, and sentencing of criminal defendants.  The exercise of prosecutorial and judicial discretion is analyzed, with emphasis placed on understanding the influence of legal, organizational, and environmental contexts on decision-making.  Prerequisite:  201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

325/3       

SPECIAL TOPICS IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.  Topics will be selected from current issues in criminology and criminal justice.  Examples include “media and crime,” “gangs,” “international comparisons of criminal justice,” “qualitative criminology.”  May be repeated for a maximum of six credits.  Prerequisite: none.

330/3       

ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.  This course examines major ethical systems and their application to issues in criminal justice and  the behavior of criminal justice practitioners in police courts, and corrections.  Prerequisite: 201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.   Comparative exploration of crime, justice, and criminal justice systems in different societies around the world.  Transnational crime and criminal justice is also discussed.  General patterns and trends are explored, with specific exemplary cases examined.  Prerequisite: none.

344/3

DRUG USE.  Types of drugs, drug impact on the American culture, legal and illegal uses of drugs, offenses related to drug use, reaction of the criminal justice system to drugs and drug users, and the treatment and prevention programs coping with drug use.  Prerequisite: none.

350/3       

INTRODUCTION TO PRIVATE SECURITY.  Examines the role and  functions of proprietary and contact security, loss prevention and asset protection measures in the private sphere.  Emphasis is placed on examining contemporary events and factors  which influence how, when and why security measures can be applied and measuring  their contribution and effectiveness.  Prerequisite: 201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

360/3

LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL. Situated in critical theories of crime and deviance, this course introduces key social science theories and research traditions in the study of law, particularly as they relate to class, gender, and sexuality.  Course explores patterns and dynamics of law as an instrument and outcome of social control, and focuses on the processes and structures underlying law as an outcome and instrument of social change. Prerequisite: 201 and 290 or consent of instructor.

JUVENILE JUSTICE.  Examines the statutory bases which distinguish delinquency from adult crime and the juvenile justice system from the criminal justice systems.  Emphasis placed on the rationale for treating juveniles accused of crime differently than their adult counterparts.  Assesses the distinct juvenile justice system that has evolved in the U.S. to prevent and respond to juvenile offending.  Prerequisite: none.

384/3        

INTRODUCTION TO CORRECTIONS.  Examination of the historical context, philosophical concepts and major developments which have shaped corrections in the United States.  Various sentencing options, correctional approaches and programs, the role of corrections in the larger criminal justice system, and contemporary correctional issues are examined.  Prerequisite:  201 and 290.  Cannot be taken for credit by students who have completed CCJ 472.

390/1-8    

READINGS IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.  (Maximum 4 credit hours per term)  In-depth, introductory and advanced readings in areas not covered in other Criminology and Criminal Justice courses.  The student must submit a statement    describing the topic and relevant reading materials to the faculty member sponsoring the student's readings.  Prerequisite:  201, 290 and consent of instructor.

395/3-15

SUPERVISED FIELD EXPERIENCES IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. Familiarization and direct experience in applied settings.  Under supervision of faculty and adjunct staff, the student assumes a student-participant role in the criminal justice agency.  Student must submit internship application during the first thirty days of the preceding spring or fall semester.  Prerequisite:  201, 290, and 12 additional hours of Criminology and Criminal Justice courses at SIUC; minimum GPA of 2.5 overall and in CCJ courses through the semester prior to the internship   experience; or consent of department.  Mandatory Pass/Fail.

408/3

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.  An introduction to the procedural aspects of criminal law pertaining to police powers in connection with the laws of arrest, search and seizure,  the exclusionary rule, civil liberties, eavesdropping, confessions, and related decision-making factors.  Prerequisite: 201, 290, and 316 or consent of instructor.

410/3

POLICING COMMUNITIES.  This course examines the theories underlying modern police reform, how these theories have altered practice, the challenges of implementing and sustaining police reform, and the outcomes of such efforts.  Prerequisites: 210, 290, and 316 or consent of instructor.

411/3

ASSESSMENT OF OFFENDERS. Assessment examines the theories, application, and research relevant to the identification, evaluation, and treatment planning for offenders under supervision by probation, parole, prison, and other community-based correctional organizations.  The course also reviews the evidence of effectiveness associated with classification and assessment tools.  Prerequisites:  201, 290, and 316 or consent of  instructor.

415/3

PREVENTION OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY.  Multi-disciplinary analysis of the functions, goals, and effectiveness of measures to forestall delinquency and crime.  Etiology of delinquent behaviors as related to community institutions such as police, courts, corrections, mental health clinics, schools, churches, and citizen groups.  Prerequisite: 201, 290 and 316 or consent of instructor.

418/3       

CRIMINAL VIOLENCE.  Examination of historical, comparative, cultural and social structural aspects of homicide, robbery, rape and assaults.  Course focuses on trends and patterns in criminal violence, the role of firearms, victim/offender relationships and post- arrest processing of the offender in the criminal justice system.  Prerequisite:  201, 290, and 316 or consent of instructor.

460/3

WOMEN AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.  (Same as Sociology 461 and Women's Studies 476.)  Addresses the topics of women as offenders, as victims and as workers in the criminal justice system.  Prerequisite: none.

461/3

WHITE-COLLAR CRIME.  Examines the physical and financial harm caused by  wayward corporations and business employees from both theoretical and empirical perspectives.  Emphasis is placed on ethics, theory, legal decision-making, and the regulatory monitoring and control of illegal corporate activity.  Prerequisite: none.

462/3

VICTIMS OF CRIME.  (Same as Sociology 462) Examines the extent and nature of  victimization, theories about the causes of victimization, the effects of crime on victims and services available to deal with those effects, victims' experiences in the criminal justice system, the victim rights movement, and alternative ways of defining and responding to victimization.  Prerequisite: none.

468/3

LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL OF WOMEN.  (Same as History 468 and Women’s  Studies 468.) An examination of the ways in which the law affects the behavior, life changes, identities and experiences of women, from colonial times to the present.

473/3

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.  (Same as Sociology 473.)  Nature of theories of  delinquent; analytical skills in studying the delinquency offenders; systematic assessment of efforts at prevention, control, and rehabilitation in light of theoretical perspectives.  Prerequisite:201, 290, and 316 or consent of instructor.

480/3        

EFFECTIVE CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES.  Exploration and evaluation of correctional intervention strategies developed for the sentencing of adjudicated persons.  Particular emphasis on examining empirical research literature on effective correctional practices, including programs currently implemented in institutional setting, alternatives to institutional corrections, and community based programs.  Prerequisites: 201, 290, 316, and 384, or consent of instructor.

490/1-3  

INDEPENDENT STUDY IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.   Supervised readings or independent research projects in various aspects of crime control, treatment of offenders; and the management of criminal justice programs and  agencies.  May be repeated up to a maximum of three credit hours.  Prerequisite: 201, 290, and 316 and consent of instructor.

492/3

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.  A forum, geared toward seniors majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice, that focuses on criminal justice issues of  concern to students and faculty.  May re-enroll for a maximum of six credits.  Satisfies the CoLA Writing-Across-the-Curriculum requirement.  Prerequisite:  201, 290, and 316 and consent of instructor.