Introduction to Criminal Justice, CCJ 2020

College of Criminology and Criminal Justice

MWF 12:20 PM - 1:10 PM, Room 102 Bellamy Hall

Section 01, Spring Semester 2007

Cecil E. Greek, Ph.D., cgreek@mailer.fsu.edu,
Hecht House - Room 219
Office Phone: 644-4746, Home: 906-0340, Cell: 339-4268
Office Hours: W, F 8:00 AM - Noon

Graduate Assistant: Claire Karas, email: cek06d@garnet.acns.fsu.edu

Course Description:

This course provides an introduction to the criminal justice system. The primary goal of this course is to develop a general understanding of the criminal justice system’s response to crime in society. It is important to note that the general theme of this course involves the delicate balance between community interests and individual rights that criminal justice decision making requires. We will explore this theme by examining the criminal justice process in some detail, focusing on how the system is structured to respond to crime. This requires an understanding of the core elements of the criminal justice system: police, courts, and corrections.

We will explore the criminal justice system in five parts.

Part 1 In Part 1 we will examine crime in America. We will briefly touch on the basic functions of each component of the criminal justice system, discuss the definition of crime and different kinds of crime, and then explore the causes of crime.

Part 2 This part of the course will focus on the beginning stages of the criminal justice process, exploring policing and police decision making. We will explore the history and structure of policing, police management, and legal aspects of policing.

Part 3 This section of the course will address adjudication. Here we will explore the operation of the court system by examining the courtroom work group, all stages of the court process, and progression of cases through the system.

Part 4 This section of the course will explore corrections. We will discuss probation, parole, community corrections, prisons, and jails. We will also give considerable attention to life in male and female institutions.

Part 5 In the final section of the course, we will examine special criminal justice issues. These issues include juvenile justice, drugs and crime, multinational criminal justice, and the future of criminal justice.

Required Texts:

1) Schmalleger, Frank. (2007). Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. 9th Edition. Prentice Hall.

2) Barker, Joan. (1999). Danger, Duty and Disillusion. Waveland Press.

3) Conover, Ted. (2001). Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing. Random House Publishers.

Method of Instruction:

Class sessions will consist of lectures, guest lectures, videos and discussion. The PRS instant feedback system will be used, so students must purchase a remote control. It should be bundled with the textbook. This unit will be used to take class attendance, in-class quizzes and to gather student opinions. See below:

On how to use the remote: http://www.gtcocalcomp.com/supportprsrf_students.htm

Course Reading and Lectures Outline:

Chapters should be read before the start of each week.

Section 1: CRIME IN AMERICA

We will discuss the history and development of the concept of criminal justice, the nature of crime and victimization, and overview of criminal law. Text: Chapters 1- 4. Barker: 1-4.

Week 1 (January 8-12): Chapter 1-What Is Criminal Justice?

Barker 1 (Video: OJ Simpson Aftermath**1)

*Week 2 (January 15-19): Chapter 2-The Crime Picture

Barker 2

Week 3 (January 22-26): Chapter 3-The Search for Causes

Barker 3 (Video: Devil’s Playground**2)

Week 4 (January 29-Feb. 2): Chapter 4-Criminal Law

Barker 4

Exam 1: February 5^th

Test will cover text chapters 1-4, Barker (Chapters 1-4), lectures, etc. from January 8 thru Feb. 2.

Section 2: “POLICING”

We will look closely at the history of police in society and how these organizations function. We will hear from law enforcement practitioners and get an overview of rules and statues governing law enforcement practice. Text: Chapters 5- 7, Barker: 5 to end.

Week 5 (February 5-9): Chapter 5-Policing: History and Structure

Barker 5

Week 6 (February 12-16): Chapter 7- Policing: Legal Aspects

Barker 6 (Guest speaker: Mark Wheeler, TPD**3)

Week 7 (February 19-23): Chapter 8: Policing: Issues and Challenges

Barker 7 (Guest speaker: Diop Kamau, PoliceAbuse.com**4)

Section 3: ADJUDICATION

This section will examine the structure of federal and state courts as well as the administration of the same. The pre-trial procedures and the process will be reviewed. Text: Chapters 8-10.

Week 8 (February 26-March 2): Chapter 9-The Courts

Barker 8 (Guest speaker: David Lewis, AG’s Office**5)

Spring Break is March 5-9.

Week 9 (March 12-16): Chapter 10-Pretrial Activities and the Criminal Trial

Barker 9 (Video: Inside the Jury Room**6)

Exam 2: March 16th

Test will cover text chapters 5-10 (skip 6), Barker (2nd half), lectures, etc from February 5 to March 16.

Section 4: CORRECTIONS

This section will review sanctions currently used for offenders. We will examine the history and current practice of our correctional systems. Text: Chapters 10-13. Conover Book.

Week 10 (March 19-23): Chapter 11– Sentencing

Conover 1

Week 11 (March 26-30): Chapter 12- Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections

Conover 2-3 (Video: Convicts on the Street**7)

Week 12 (April 2-6): Chapter 13-Prisons and Jails

Conover 4-5 (Guest Speaker: Laura Bedard, FL DC**8)

Week 13 (April 9-13): Chapter 14-Prison Life

Conover 6-7 (Video: San Quentin**9)

Section 5: SPECIAL ISSUES

Week 14 (April 16-20): Chapter 17–Terrorism and Multinational Criminal Justice

Conover (finish book) (Video: Cyberwar**10)

Last Day of Class is April 20

FINAL EXAM

Thursday, April 26

10AM -- Noon

Final exam will cover text chapters 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, Conover (entire book), lectures, and videotapes from March 19 to April 20.

* Denotes a cancelled class during the week
Jan. 15	MLK Birthday
March 5, 7, 9	Spring Break

Course Assessment Assignments:

1) Exams:

There will be three exams. All exams will be multiple choice. The first and second exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions (100 possible points each). There are sample test/quizzes inside the Blackboard site. Questions for all tests will be derived from lectures, guest lectures, films, textbook and the required supplemental books (Barker). Bring pencils to the exams.

The final exam will consist of 100 multiple choice questions. The final exam may include basic and general concepts found throughout the course and the book. However, the primary focus of this exam is from materials covered in the last third of the class, including the Conover book. (100 possible Points).

Make up exams: Make up exams are discouraged and will only be granted in extenuating circumstances. The student must contact Dr. Greek BEFORE the scheduled exam. If a make up exam is granted, the student must provide a documented medical excuse. All make-up exams will be essay. Sleeping through an exam is not excusable (the Chris Rix rule).

2) Quizzes

A weekly quiz will be worth up to 5 points each. There will be 14 in class quizzes. Only the 10 highest quiz grades will be counted in the final grade; therefore there are 4 quizzes that will not be counted. These quizzes cannot be made up, regardless of your reasons for missing them. This includes notes from Thagart, your best friend’s illness, court appearances, obligations for other classes, work, the weather, over sleeping, and trips. Quizzes will be unannounced. Please do not ask us when the quizzes are scheduled or if they will occur in the beginning or end of the class. We can not answer such questions. (50 total points possible).

3) Attendance

Attendance is highly recommended for this course. Attendance (and quizzes) will be recorded by use of the PRS system, so please bring your remote unit to every class. There should be no late arrivals or early departures. If you are not present at the beginning of class, or leave class before a quiz is given, you will not be able to take the quizzes. If you leave class after taking the quiz (without prior arrangement with the instructor) you will receive a zero on the quiz. If a video is shown in class or guest speaker appears and you miss that class, you will not be permitted to make up the follow-up journal writing assignment. Each student will be awarded 50 points in the grade book for class attendance at the start of the semester. For each class missed beyond 3 absences, 2 points will be deducted from the 50 possible points.

Classroom Etiquette:

A standard of classroom etiquette is expected and required for a group this large. Students shall not arrive late to class, leave early, sleep during class, and talk during lectures, read newspapers or other non-class related reading materials, or play games on your computers or cell phones. Cell phones and pagers need to be turned off upon entering class. Please do not pack up early. The noise from packing up books is distracting to other students and the lecturer. It is our hope that the classroom environment will be enjoyable. From time to time we will discuss controversial topics; though you may not agree with someone’s opinion, please be considerate while they are speaking. Expressing opinions, intellectual debates and asking questions are encouraged; however name-calling or private conversations are not. If a student repeatedly disregards these standards, they will be asked to leave the lecture.

It is strongly suggested that you take notes during class. You may print out the PowerPoint slides and bring those to use as notetaking aids if you wish.

4) Personal Journal: Short reaction blogs to classroom videos, guest speakers, etc.

You are requested to keep a personal journal for this course. Over the course of the semester you will be asked to write short reaction responses (1 to 2 pages) in your journal, based upon the guest speakers and documentary video materials. There will be 10 of these, thus 10 entries in your journal. (1) Your reaction response must include a one paragraph summary of the material. (40%) (2) Compare or contrast the statements of the guest speaker or the documentary with the textbook readings for the week. (40%) (3) Take a personal stance describing your position on this issue. (10%) (4) Defend your position and conclude concisely. (10%) Additional directions for each reaction paper are below:

1. React to this statement:
“The OJ Simpson Trial was a travesty of justice.”
Specific directions for the OJ trial video.
(1) Summarize the documentary briefly (one paragraph).
(2) Using your entire textbook (including Barker) locate a section that you feel shed lights on some of the issues which this trial brought out. How does the section shed light or differ from the documentary's presentation.
(3) Take a stance regarding this case. Was justice served in this case? Was it a travesty of justice? Why or why not?
(4) Defend your position.

2. React to this statement:
“The behavior of the of teens depicted in the video Devil’s Playground throws many traditional criminological explanations of deviance into doubt.”
Specific directions for the Devil’s Playground video.
(1) Summarize the documentary briefly (one paragraph).
(2) Take a stance regarding this case study. Can the behavior of teens depicted in the video be best explained as the result of one or two of the traditional criminological explanations (choose specific models) of delinquency. Why or why not? Defend your position.
(3) Using chapter 3 in Schmalleger locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up which might explain the depicted behavior. Use these to support your position.

3. Write a reaction paper based upon Mark Wheeler's classroom presentation on Community Policing.
React to this statement:
“Community policy is a major break from past methods of policing and should dramatically change police-citizen interaction.”
You can either attack or defend the above statement.
Specific directions for this reaction paper.
(1) Summarize the guest speaker's talk briefly (one paragraph).
(2) Take a stance regarding community policy. React to the statement: "Community policy is a major break from past methods of policing and should dramatically change police-citizen interaction."
Why or why not? Defend your position.
(3) Using chapter 5 in Schmalleger locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up which support your position. In addition, use at least one of the first 5 chapters in Barker to support your argument.

4. React to this statement:
"The methods used by Diop Kamau and his organization the Police Complaint Center represent the most effective way currently available to curb police abuses."
Specific directions for this reaction paper.
(1) Summarize what Diop Kamau described in class about how his organization exposes police abuses and what they uncover.
(2) Take a stance regarding this method of attempting to reform the police. Can undercover cameras lead the police to behave better? Why or why not? Defend your position.
(3) Using chapter 8 in Schmalleger and several sections in Barker chapters locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up. Use these materials to support your position.

5. React to this statement:
"The role of a prosecutor should focus on winning the case rather than uncovering the truth."
Specific directions for this reaction paper.
(1) Summarize the important roles of the prosecutor as described in class by David Lewis.
(2) Take a stance regarding the statement above. Should prosecutors focus on uncovering truth or getting convictions? Defend your position.
(3) Using chapters 9 and 10 in Schmalleger locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up. Use these materials to support your position.

6. React to this statement:
"The sentencing outcome in the case depicted in Inside the Jury Room was just."
Specific directions for this reaction paper.
(1) Summarize the case, the jury deliberation process and the verdict.
(2) Take a stance regarding the statement above. Do you think that the sentencing outcome was justified? Why or why not? Should the jury have had more facts or additional jury instructions?
(3) Using chapter 11 (Sentencing) in Schmalleger locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up. Use these materials to support your position.

7. React to this statement:
"More serious offenders can be placed on parole if supervision is adequate."
Specific directions for this reaction paper.
(1) Summarize the depictions of intensive supervision parole as depicted in the video "Convicts on the Street."
(2) Take a stance regarding the statement above. Do you think that the such offenders can be placed successfully on parole?
(3) Using chapter 12 (Probation and Parole) in Schmalleger locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up. Use these materials to support your position.

8. React to this statement:
"Life inside our jails and prisons appears to be more punitive than in earlier eras."
Specific directions for this reaction paper.
(1) Summarize the way that life inside our prisons is depicted in the following sources:
a. the video Life Inside
b. Laura Bedard's class lecture
(2) Take a stance regarding the statement above. Do you think that our prisons have become more punitive?
(3) You may use chapters 12 and 13 in Schmalleger locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up. Use these materials to support your position.

9. React to this statement:
“Inmate subcultures now make it impossible for correction officers and staff to maintain order in our prisons.”
(1) Summarize the way inmate subcultures are depicted in the following sources:
a. The San Quentin video
b. in Ted Conover's book New Jack
React to this statement:
“Inmate subcultures now make it impossible for correction officers and staff to maintain order in our prisons.”
(2) Take a stance regarding the statement above. Do you think that our prisons have become more unmanageable?
(3) You may use chapters 12 and 13 in Schmalleger locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up. Use these materials to support your position.

10. React to this statement:
“Cyberwar now represents a major threat to our nation and global stability.”
(1) Summarize the major components of cyberwar and cyberterrorism as depicted in the video.
(2) Take a stance regarding the statement above. Do you think that cyberwar is a major threat? Why or Why not?
(3) You may chapters 17 in Schmalleger to locate sections that you feel shed light on some of the issues brought up. Use these materials to support your position.

You will be awarded up to 100 points for your journal. A minimum of 8 quality entries must appear in your journal to receive full credit. For less than 8 entries 12 points will be deducted for each missing entry. Journal will be turned in as a typed document, not hand written. Journal will be turned in the last day of class, Friday April 20^th. No late work will be accepted.

Below are some sample journal entries that effectively meet the requirements:

OJ Video
The documentary viewed in class depicted the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson which for a lengthy period of time captured the attention of the country as well as the world. Despite what was seemingly overwhelming evidence to the contrary, O.J. Simpson’s eventual acquittal shocked the legal community and further exposed the racial polarization which continues to exist in our country today. It would be hard for one to argue that O.J. Simpson’s acquittal was not a travesty of justice based on the evidence presented in the trial. The following section of the textbook convincingly sheds light on some of the issues that the documentary presented during the course of the trial.

Chapter 10, titled “Pretrial Activities and the Criminal Trial,” directly parallels the criminal procedure in the Simpson trial as shown in the documentary.
Jury Selection is examined from pages 430 to 433 and is an excellent section for explaining what I think was an issue of the video. Jury selection is defined as the process whereby, according to law and precedent, members of a trial jury are chosen, but I think the video presented this process as more of a jury non selection process. Meaning that there’s no such thing as jury selection, it’s who you want to get rid of. Page 431 best describes the feeling that some people in the documentary felt about the jury that was chosen. The text states that “Critics charge that the end result of the jury-selection process is a jury composed of people who are uneducated, uninformed, and generally inexperienced at making any type of well-considered decision. Some jurors may not understand the charges against the defendant or comprehend what is required for a finding of guilty or innocence.” “ Likewise, some may not even possess the attention span needed to hear all the testimony that will be offered in the case. As a consequence, decisions rendered by such a jury may be based more on emotion than on findings of fact”.

Page 437 in the text also explains the principle issue of the video which was Mark Fuhrman’s testimony. The text explains that the purpose of cross-examination is to test the credibility and memory of a witness. During direct examination Mark Fuhrman denied on the stand that he was a racist or had ever used the word “nigger” to describe black people. But the defense later destroyed Fuhrman’s credibility when they found the trial deciding tapes. Page 437 describes how Fuhrman committed perjury and was “subject to impeachment”. Mark Fuhrman’s testimony according to the definition of perjury was no longer relevant to the case at hand. Mark Fuhrman got nailed.

My stance on this case stays the same. It would be hard for one to argue that O.J. Simpson’s acquittal was not a travesty of justice based on the evidence and other aspects of the trial. First, the prosecution pushed for a change of venue to LA which ended up working in favor of the defense by totally changing the racial demographic of the jury. Los Angeles has a long history of tension between minorities and police authority, especially after the Rodney King incident and the LA riots. DNA evidence implicated O.J. Simpson in the crime but was downplayed by the jury and considered irrelevant.
Once Mark Fuhrman’s testimony was discredited, it paved the way for Johnnie Cochran’s smoke and mirrors. Johnnie Cochran’s glove gimmick “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” ultimately proved to be a deciding factor for the jury. I think the verdict in this case was a direct result of jury nullification. I also believe that Judge Ito had a hard time asserting his authority in the courtroom. I hope in time our jury system is re evaluated.
Inside the Jury Room
In the film "Inside the Jury Room", Laura Trijillo was being tried against the state of Colorado with the charge of child abuse resulting in death. The penalty for this crime is 48 years in prison. Laura's child's name was Alize and she was 2 years old. The cause of death was due to months of abuse and one bad night. The child was found in the morning lying on the floor not breathing. That night she was beaten to death by Laura's boyfriend Randy. During the testimonies given by Laura and her boyfriend, Laura did not show emotion at all and Randy admitted to hitting the baby in the stomach. Laura also stated that she never knew of Randy ever hitting the baby; which was a lie. In the jury room, the majority of the women were more sentimental rather than the guys. The guys thought that Laura was guilty. The women that were taking her side were saying she was unable to protect herself and the baby. Laura was in a wheelchair because she was shot and paralyzed from the waist down. The night of the incident she said she had taken pain medication and went to bed. She left the baby with Randy. She claimed she had no idea that Randy would ever hit the baby. The jury voted to give Laura the least penalty of the charges that were brought up. The verdict was a misdemeanor charge and 2 years in prison.

The outcome of the sentence, in my opinion, was not just. I believe that Laura was guilty of her charge of child abuse. She may have not killed the baby herself but I believe she had something to do with it. The evidence and the autopsy of the baby were too much for Laura not to know that her child was being abused. She knew that her child was abused by her boyfriend and she continued to stay with him. The night she said she went to sleep, she left the baby with Randy knowing that she was in danger of being abused. Laura was too calm and had no emotion. How could you have no emotion when your own child is dead? During the trial Laura had an attitude the whole time and seemed like she could care less about the verdict. I don't think that she deserved what the jury gave her. Laura did not want to give her boyfriend away, she kept defending him. Although he killed her child, she still wrote him letters in jail. That's INSANE!! Yes, I thought that the jury should have had more instruction and facts. There was not enough to charge Laura with child abuse resulting in death but if there were more facts I think the jury would have realized that Laura was an accomplice to her daughter's murder.

In Schmalleger, chapter 11, section: Structured Sentencing, mitigating circumstances applies in Laura's case. Half the jury thought she should receive a lesser sentence than the one being charged for. Laura was charged with a lesser sentence in regards to her history of life and to the fact that she did not kill the baby herself. The circumstances were there but the books contradict why they were mitigated for Laura. The book states that the circumstances include cooperation with investigation which she clearly was not cooperative, surrender and she did not, good character which that Laura does not have and others. These circumstances seem to figure right so why was her charge mitigated? In the section: The Presentence Investigation Report states that the presentence investigation consists of the convicted offender's background prior to sentencing. Laura's background was brought up in trial to help her. Her history consisted of rape at 14, single, poor mom, being abused as a child and the list goes on. I believe that if this information was not brought into the courtroom Laura would not have a lesser sentence. Laura was guilty in my eyes whether she had a bad childhood or not.
Guest speaker Diop Kamua from policeabuse.com
The presentation given by Mr. Diop Kamau of the Police Complaint Center focused primarily on the widespread occurrences of racial profiling and bias, as well as the undercover, “hidden camera” investigations that he and his organization have performed in an effort to confront biased officers and their precincts. In his presentation, Kamau noted his years of experience as a police officer in Ventura and Hawthorne, California, and that having a policing background and knowing the police officer’s rules of conduct and procedure has greatly helped him in his investigations. As he explained, Mr. Kamau’s organization sets up certain scenarios involving race, and is always careful not to break any laws. When a police stop occurs, Kamau and his crew videotape it secretly and look for any bias, profiling, or illegal conduct by the officer. One particular experiment involved giving a young black volunteer a brand new Cadillac and having him drive safely through a white portion of town, only to be stopped by a white officer claiming he was “suspicious”. The Police Complaint Center also does hidden camera investigations monitoring the process of filing a complaint against a police officer. The process, which should be as simple as walking into the department headquarters and receiving a form, often turns out to be difficult and sometimes nearly impossible, and Mr. Kamau was even placed under arrest after trying to obtain a complaint form. Mr. Kamau explained his organization as not being a police hate group, but rather as an option for victims of police abuse, brutality and discrimination to fight corruption and hold police and their agencies accountable.

        In regard to the Police Complaint Center and their practice of using hidden cameras to uncover police bigotry and corruption, I agree wholeheartedly with the belief that this method is currently the best and most effective way to curb police abuses. The Schmalleger text defines the term racial profiling on page 346 of chapter 8, in the section “Racial Profiling and Biased Policing”, as any police initiated action that relies on race, ethnicity, or national origin rather than the behavior of the individual or information that leads police to a particular individual who has been identified as being, or having been engaged in criminal activity. This definition is clearly in-sync with the racism Kamau and his organization fight against. The Schmalleger text also refers to racial profiling as “driving while black”, and lists an example similar to a situation presented by Mr. Kamau on page 348; in which a police officer stops and unjustifiably harasses a young black male driving an expensive BMW. In the example, the officer questions the youth for “being in the wrong neighborhood” (a majority white neighborhood), and harasses the driver for a petty traffic violation like an underinflated tires, failing to signal properly, or driving with an illegible license plate. Accounts like these from minorities across the country are exactly like those mentioned by Mr. Kamau, and the issues of racial profiling and police misconduct have become so problematic that police departments around the country have issued public statements and implemented policies that strongly condemn racial profiling. However, as Mr. Kamau pointed out in his presentation, it is often far easier for police forces to publicly condemn a course of action, rather than actually making a concerted effort to confront it. A crucial part of the issue of police profiling resides in the fact that police have not only a sizeable amount of power, but discretion as well; so officers with pre-existing bias are far more likely to make stops or arrests based on mere racist assumptions. In chapter five, page 92 of her book “Danger, Duty and Disillusion: The Worldview of Los Angeles Police Officers”, author and police researcher Joan Barker notes that the large amount of discretion given to police, and the threat of unfair/uneven treatment is one of the largest sources of anxiety among regular citizens. Barker then goes on to describe one common “type” of officer that is likely the source of anxiety and complaint from minorities, the “hard charging” type; an officer who sees little use in spending more time and interpreting evidence carefully, and who tends to agree with the practice of “kicking ass and taking names”.

        The method of stealthily capturing police profiling, bigotry, and abuses of power is not only perfectly legal, but also rather efficient in embarrassing guilty officers and making them admit their wrongdoing. Also, I feel that the approach Mr. Kamau and his organization use is particularly effective in that it captures the attention of the media and general public to the injustices that do occur around the United States. I definitely feel that it’s very important that the media recognize and penalize what the Schmalleger text describes on page 343 of chapter 8 as a “problem police officer”, or a law enforcement officer who exhibits problem behavior, as indicated by high rates of citizen complaints and use of force incidents; and that Kamau‘s method of confronting such abuses is the most effective. There is no doubt in my mind that many of the abusive officers mentioned by Mr. Kamau fit the category of problem police officers, and I believe very strongly that they should be penalized who using their power and discretion inappropriately. Needless to say, the press coverage generated by his investigations has made Kamau many enemies within police society, and he described a particular occasion in 1989 in which hundreds of police officers and law enforcement employees picketed in front of his office. While police officers and employees have the right to demonstrate and feel poorly toward Kamau and his team, I do not believe that there is a more effective approach at this time. Some would argue that the practice of filing complaints against police officers is the most effective method of punishing them, but Mr. Kamau detailed many events in which minorities attempted to obtain a form from the police department and it was either extremely difficult or impossible; the incident of Kamau’s arrest after trying to receive a form in Houston, Texas has already been discussed. Also, Kamau noted that often times officers will deliberately change charges to more severe ones if a complaint is levied against them, out of spite.

        With the evidence in mind, it is clear to see that racial profiling and police abuses of power are extremely important issues in American society, and that finding a way to curb these incidents is even more crucial. It is even more evident that the method utilized by Mr. Kamau and his Police Complaint Center is the only effective method currently available to help curb police abuses and profiling. By bringing racial profiling and abusive incidents to the public light, I feel that Mr. Kamau is helping spread awareness of the truth that racially-motivated abuses do occur; and that accounts of such treatment are factual, and not merely conspiracies spread by “angry black men.”

Overall Course Grading:

Exam, quiz, attendance and journal grades are available in the course grade book at https://campus.fsu.edu/. Please do not email us asking for specific grades (i.e., What did I get on quiz 11?). All grades will be available on Blackboard (campus.fsu.edu). If you have a concern about a specific grade we will be happy to meet with you to discuss your concerns. Due to the size of the class, weekly quizzes and exams will not be handed back in class. Any students wishing to receive their graded work can do so by stopping by office hours or making an appointment.

There will be no incomplete grades assigned for the semester and, in the absence of a bona fide medical emergency, no make up exams. Grades will be figured based on total points possible (500 points – 300 from tests, 50 from quizzes, 100 from journal entries, and 50 from attendance).

Grading Scale
Letter Grade	Average	Point Equivalent
A	93-100	465-500
A-	90-92	450-464
B+	87-89	435-449
B	83-86	415-434
B-	80-82	400-414
C+	77-79	385-399
C	73-76	365-384
C-	70-72	350-364
D	65-69	325-349
F	0-64	0-324

Extra credit: No extra credit will be given in this course. Please do not ask.

Email Policy:

Email concerning the class will be sent to the students’ FSU accounts. Email topics include information concerning quizzes, frequently asked questions, requests to meet with an individual student, and other vital information. It is important that you check your email often. If you do not have an FSU account, you will need to establish one. Information on how to do so is available at: http://www.ucs.fsu.edu/students/started.html. Your garnet email may be forwarded to another email address (such has Hotmail, AOL, or Yahoo) or read online on FSU WebMail (https://webmail.fsu.edu/horde/imp/login.php ). Information on how to forward your garnet mail is available at http://www.ucs.fsu.edu/docs/forward.html

When you communicate with the course instructors through email, please include your first and last name within the text of the email. We do not know the identity of whoever@yahoo.com, therefore we cannot adequately address your concerns.

Academic Honor Code:

The Florida State University Honor Code will be adhered to and enforced. Specific honor code violations, both personal and academic can be found in the University Bulletin or on-line at http://www.fsu.edu/%7Edof/forms/honorpolicy.pdf

Violations listed below will be prosecuted. Examples have been provided for the purpose of illustration and are not intended to be all-inclusive.

1. PLAGIARISM. Intentionally presenting the work of another as one's own (i.e., without proper acknowledgement of the source).

Typical Examples Include: Using another's work from print, web, or other sources without acknowledging the source; quoting from a source without citation; using facts, figures, graphs, charts or information without acknowledgement of the source.

Week 1 (January 8-12): Chapter 1-What Is Criminal Justice?

Week 3 (January 22-26): Chapter 3-The Search for Causes

Week 6 (February 12-16): Chapter 7- Policing: Legal Aspects

Week 10 (March 19-23): Chapter 11– Sentencing

Week 11 (March 26-30): Chapter 12- Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections

Week 12 (April 2-6): Chapter 13-Prisons and Jails

Jan. 15

March 5, 7, 9

Letter Grade

Average

A

93-100

A-

90-92

B+

87-89

B

83-86

B-

80-82

C+

77-79

C

73-76

C-

70-72

D

65-69

F

0-64