Course Descriptions

Criminal Justice

CRJ100E Introduction to Law Enforcement

Are the “cops” shows on TV an accurate depiction of what really goes on in law enforcement? This course is an examination of various aspects of police operations and administration. Topics include the purpose and types of police patrol, communications, public relations, and the elements of effective management policies. Police organization and bureaucracy are also examined.

CRJ110E Introduction to Corrections

In 2005, over 7 million people were on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole – 3.2% of all U.S. adult residents, or one in every 32 adults. Is the correctional system part of the problem, or part of the solution? This course is designed to address correctional issues from policy making to treatment modalities. The issue of historical perspective and its relation to corrections today is a major focus, in addition to providing comprehensive coverage of topics such as custody versus treatment, private versus public interests, confinement versus community-based alternatives, current trends in corrections, and the challenges facing the practitioners.

CRJ242E Criminology

The course examines the patterns, causes, and consequences of crime, and the ways in which the criminal justice system attempts to deal with the crime problem in the United States. Topics include: analysis of how laws are created; theories of crime causation; penology, the relationship between crime/criminal justice and social class, race/ethnicity, and gender; fear of crime; the social construction of crime in the media; the growth of the prison system; and an assessment of the efficacy of alternative "crime-fighting" strategies such as community policing.

CRJ243E Juvenile Delinquency

Why do children do the terrible things we read about in the paper or see on the evening news? Is it really as bad as it seems? This course is an analysis of the origins of the societal category “Juvenile Delinquency” and a search for causes and cures of juvenile delinquent careers. The course also examines the major contemporary issues in the field. Topics include: decriminalization, deinstitutionalization, court diversion, radical non-intervention, community arbitration, and community-based corrections.

CRJ244E Children in Crisis

Child abuse is a violation of an innocent youngster and a gross assault on the values of society. This course focuses on the characteristics and dynamics of sexual predators within our communities who prey on children, and considers the efforts at prevention, intervention, and prosecution designed to break the child abuse cycle. Issues include: sexual misconduct in Massachusetts schools; the dangers of the Internet; shaken baby syndrome; priestly sexual abuse; repressed memories; balancing children’s safety and sex offender’s rights; sentencing issues; and the case of Andrea Yates.

CRJ245E A Study of Violent Crime

This course surveys the nature and extent of violent crime in actual crime cases and examines the social structures in our society that allows violence to exist. Topics for review include gang war, molestation of children, sex and violence, and family violence. High profile cases will include Commonwealth v Porter, Commonwealth v Stewart, and California v Peterson.

CRJ246E White-Collar Crime

Bad guys used to wear black; now they wear Armani. This course covers the theoretical explanations for white-collar crime committed by individual offenders and corporations. Areas of study include fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, bribery, insurance and healthcare fraud, identity theft, internet crimes, terrorism, and software piracy. Students study the extent and costs of these crimes, victim and offender profiles, and corporate liability.

CRJ248E Introduction to Criminal Justice

Does the criminal justice system work? This course focuses on the criminal justice system and issues concerning the jury system, the principle behind defense of insanity, defendants’ rights, a judge’s authority in sentencing, the role of the district attorney, and public safety.

CRJ249E Cyber Crime

Nearly all business transactions depend on computer technology today, creating a whole new venue for criminal activity. The course focuses on computer-related high-technology crimes. Areas of study include privacy issues, electronic commerce, computer-related evidence, hidden criminality, encryption, new legal precedents, and the stance of corporations. Students study an electronic crime scene, the fundamentals of internet investigations, and the need for technical expertise in law enforcement, the courts, and the legislature. The course examines the computer’s role in crime, its use as a tool and a target, and the manner in which enforcement extends beyond its jurisdiction.

CRJ250E Introduction to Forensic Psychology

This course examines the field of forensic psychology and explores the historical origins and evolution of the domain as an emerging scientific discipline. Students are exposed to current theories and theorists who contribute to the field, and examine sociopathy, psychopathy, criminal profiling, and the realities of forensic psychology. Ethical considerations in conducting forensic evaluations are discussed as well as legal case law.

CRJ251E Introduction to Forensic Science

This course examines the many different fields of study within forensic science. Students review the theories and the application of science in the collection, examination, interpretation, and evaluation of evidence collected during a criminal investigation. Terminology and important legal case law is introduced.

CRJ260E Great American Criminal Trials

Criminal trials have been the ultimate means to determine guilt or innocence in American society from colonial times to the present.  Criminal trials have been a prime source of popular entertainment, public ritual and real-life human drama.  This course focuses upon the background of the crime and the highlights of the trial, including:  jury selection; introduction of evidence; whether or not the defendant takes the stand in order to testify; the verdict and its appropriateness of lack thereof; and the impact of the trial on the government and the defendant.  Included are landmark cases such as U.S. v Hinckley, Florida v Smith, California v Simpson, Commonwealth v Amireault, Connecticut v Skakel, and the New Bedford Rape Trial.

CRJ265E Terrorism in the United States

How do we fight and defend ourselves against an unseen enemy? This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of preparing an organization and community for terrorism in the 21st century. The focus is to provide an understanding about the tools and methods used to plan for, respond to, and deal with the consequences of a domestic terrorist incident involving nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons of mass destruction.