Criminal Justice

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Analyze the criminal adjudication process from arrest through appeals, identifying the roles and responsibilities of key legal actors (e.g., police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges).

• Evaluate contemporary issues in the administration of justice, such as the death penalty, plea bargaining, and alternatives to incarceration, using legal principles and empirical evidence.

• Compare and contrast sentencing options and post-conviction processes, including the rationale, effectiveness, and equity of various criminal sanctions.

• Critically assess the impact of legal and policy reforms on the fairness and efficiency of the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on current debates and court decisions.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Current Event Analysis	50 points
Homework Assignments (13)	260 points
Reflection Assignments (13)	260 points
Midterm and Final Exams	200 points

Letter Grade | % points accumulated

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
≥ 93.0%	A
90.0-92.9%	A-
87.0-89.9%	B+
83.0-86.9%	B
80.0-82.9%	B-
77.0-79.9%	C+
73.0-76.9%	C
70.0-72.9%	C-
60.0-69.9%	D
<60.0%	F

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance/participation is not a graded component included in the student's final grade for this course.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Hartley, R. D., Rabe, G. A., & Champion, D. J. (2018). Criminal Courts: Structure, Process, and Issues (4th ed.). Pearson.