This course is meant to introduce students to the structure, function, and underlying philosophy of the American Criminal Justice System and, more importantly, to a host of critical problems and compelling issues that attend its operation.

We will read materials--text, newspapers, historical accounts, etc.--about how it works and fails to work to control crime and correct offeners in the overarching name of public safety.

We will also hear from a variety of experts--live and on videotape--as we call upon many of those who deal, on a daily basis, with those issues which we will be studying in class. Accordingly, you will have the unique opportunity to hear and witness, first hand, criminal justice policies relating to such things as the power of police to arrest and detain, to search for and seize evidence of crime, and to use deadly force. We will study other issues like police corruption; judicial discretion; criminal sentencing; defending those accused of crime; prison crowding and other problems that challenge our nation’s prisons and jails; and the realities of life in and after prison. We will explore these issues from the perspectives of the public; of police, prosecutors, public defenders, judges, and correctional officials; and of criminal defendants and ex-convicts, as well. The course will draw significantly from audio-visual resources, as we will screen films and videos that capture the uniquely human dimension of these and other compelling criminal justice issues.

The class is designed both to accommodate the needs of aspiring criminal justice majors who seek a solid understanding of the fundamentals of criminal justice and to stimulate the curiosity and interest non-majors who seek to develop an informed appreciation of the complex problems of controlling crime without jeopardizing civil liberties.

No matter what your academic orientation or political philosophy, it is my hope that the course will, at various times, enthuse, frustrate, annoy, enrage, gratify, depress, and excite each of you, as we explore the challenge of crime in America. There are few other areas in the realm of human existence that evoke as many contradictory and powerful emotions as does the administration of criminal justice. Whatever else it might do, this course is meant, above all, to provoke you to serious and critical thought about issues ranging from the nature and causes of crime to the purpose, operation, and effectiveness of the massive, and often flawed, components--law enforcement, the judiciary, and corrections--that society has erected to manage crime.

My own objective--in and beyond this course--is to help you to become a "critical consumer" of information relating to criminal justice policies, practices, and issues. Your success in this endeavor will require a greater measure of academic dedication and personal discipline than some students are accustomed to. As a result, we may occasionally seem to be at odds, especially if I sense that you, yourself, do not share this goal. While I do not require class attendance, for example, I do expect it and believe that you will benefit from it. More importantly, I do require that you be attentive and responsive when in class.

The assigned text was selected as an excellent survey of criminal justice topics and issues. The extensiveness of the text makes it impossible to discuss in class many of the important topics raised therein. Accordingly, it is critical that you thoroughly consume and digest the assigned readings on your own, as much of the material cannot be covered in class. Conversely, our in-class treatment of some issues will be much more comprehensive than that of the text.

That said, I welcome you to explore the fascinating, provocative, and often disturbing world of criminal justice with me. It is a world that warrants our very careful and critical consideration. As we study justice, we inevitably develope a richer understanding of our society and of ourselves.

ATTENDANCE (SDSU University Policy)

• Instructor-initiated drops: If a student who is enrolled in a class does not attend the first class meeting of the semester or session and is not present at the start of the second meeting, the instructor may give the student’s place to another student, and the absent student shall officially withdraw from the course. [Note: Ultimately, it shall be the student's responsibility to withdraw from the class, not the instructor's resonsibility to drop him/her.]
• A student who is absent from class due to official university functions for which student is an official representative of the university will be subject to the same academic, attendance, examination, and assignment requirements as all other students in the class. Students whose participation in such events occasions any absence from class will receive the same accommodation for "make-ups" of tests or other assignments as all other students.
• All students must obtain and bring to EVERY class an eInstruction CPS "clicker." See section in reading assignments, below. The clickers will be used to do attendance, to compile student reactions and feedback to class material, as well as for examination sessions.
• Students are expected to attend all classes.

• 3 unit exams (100 pts each)
  Each unit exam will be a non-cumulative objective exam (multiple choice, short answer, true/false, matching) and will be based on all materials from readings which were assigned--and from class activities which occurred--from the date of the previous exam up to the date of the new unit exam. Exam questions are created as follows--2/3 from text, 1/3 from lecture/class material. There will be some overlap in material from these sources.
• 1 comprehensive exam (100 pts)
  The comprehensive will be a cumulative objective exam (multiple choice, short answer, true/false, matching) based on all materials–readings and class activities–covered during the entire semester.

WORKOUTS & other ACTIVITIES (10 pts per workout) 50 total points possible.

• "Workouts" are required mini-projects which are linked to this page.
• They must be completed by yourself, not in teams or groups. Evidence of collaboration will result in a failing grade for ALL persons involved in the collaboration.
• Workouts are an excellent way to improve your class grade; but failure to complete ANY of the workouts will have a disastrous effect on your grade! So do them all; do them well; and do them by yourself!
• The workouts will be worth a total of 50 points, which will be added to the best three exam scores.
• Below are the instructions:

COMPUTATION OF COURSE GRADE: FINAL GRADES ARE FINAL.
Your course grade is based on your total exam and workout scores. The curve for all work will be as follows:

GRADE	exam curve	total possible points = 350
A	83.3 % and above	To calculate your grade at any time during the semester, divide your total cumulative points by the total points possible up to that point. The %'s on the left apply to your cumulative score through the semester. THIS SCALE IS FINAL!
A-	80-83.33
B+	76.67 - 79.99
B	73.34 - 76.66
B-	70 - 73.33
C+	66.67 - 69.99
C	60.00 - 66.66
D+	56.67 - 59.99
D	53.34 - 56.66
D-	50 - 53.33
F	below 50 %

---

READING ASSIGNMENTS, WORKOUTS, & EXAM SCHEDULE
text		Cole, G. & Smith, C., The American System of Criminal Justice, 11th ed., West/Wadsworth, 2001, ISBN 0-534-61540-6, available at Aztec Shops or on-line from the publisher at http://www.wadsworth.com. You MUST read the text, as it provides a broad survey of many topics that we will not have time to cover in class, but which WILL be included on exams.
CPS clicker		You MUST bring a CPS eInstruction "clicker" to EVERY class (Obtain at SDSU bookstore). To register your clicker and make it operational, see: http://its.sdsu.edu/blackboard/student/resources/clickers.html .
website		http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~psutton (for supplemental materials, workouts, and handouts). Consult SDSU Blackboard and Sutton's website for relevant announcements & grades.
workouts		Workouts are due every Tuesday at the beginning of each class. See instructions above. critical!!! Workouts are due in class, at the moment class begins--not 1 or 2 minutes later. Early or Late workouts are NOT accepted.
handouts		Handouts are provided for your information and edification. They include study questions and issues for consideration. You are not required to complete the questions or to hand in the handouts. But you are responsible for the information contained in the handout (for examination purposes).
DATE		TOPIC	Rdgs
Thur	1/18	Introduction to the class: requirements & focus	preface
Tues	1/23	Backgrounds, biases, and perspectives HANDOUT: Civil Disobedience	Ch 1
Thur	1/25	Backgrounds, biases, and perspectives--con'd
Tues	1/30	From facts to philosophy: the mountain of learning	*
Thur	2/1	Criminal Justice: what it is; why and how we study it	Ch 2
Tues	2/6	Five perspectives for studying criminal justice: the system perspective
WED	2/7	ADD/DROP DEADLINE FOR UNIVERSITY
Thur	2/8	The "legal" perspective: how it is supposed to work	Ch 3
Tues	2/13	The community perspective: beyond the "state"	*
Thur	2/15	The empirical perspective: observation & measurement	Ch 4
Tues	2/20	The policy perspective: bringing theory to the "real world"
Thur	2/22	UNIT EXAM #1: introduction, law, and policy	postponed
Tues	2/27	Police: the "gatekeepers" of the criminal justice system	Ch 5
Thur	3/1	The Law as a vehicle of order maintenance: the case for "vagrancy" HANDOUT: Kolender v. Lawson	Ch 6;
Tues	3/6	When and how police may act HANDOUT: standards of police intervention	Ch 7; *
Thur	3/8	NEW DATE FOR EXAM #1 Exam will cover readings up to 2/22 and lectures through "policy perspective" discussion. Doing Time films will be covered in Exam#3
Thur	3/8	Standards of arrest, search & seizure HANDOUT: 4th Amendment law	Ch 8
Tues	3/13	Official Misconduct (V)	Ch 9; *
Thur	3/15	Court organization: adversarial vs. negotiated systems of justice	Ch 10
Tues	3/20	Role of prosecution, defense, and judiciary (V)	Ch 11
Thur	3/22	UNIT EXAM #2: police and the courts	Postponed
Mon-Fri	3/27	PRISONTOUR #2: SPRING VACATION	Mar 26 - 30, 2006
Tues	4/3	History of punishment (V) . modern marvels HANDOUT: Corrections in 2000	Ch 12
Thur	4/5	NEW DATE FOR EXAM #2 Exam will cover readings from 2/27 through 3/20 and lectures from first day after actual test 1 until actual day of test 2.
Thur	4/5	Evolutionary flowchart: corporal punishment to community corrections	Ch 13
Tues	4/10	Sentencing Schemes: indeterminacy, determinacy, & beyond	Ch 14; *
Thur	4/12	Prison design, inmate classification, & programs	Ch 15
Tues	4/17	Prison society: politics of the "yard," gangs, and surviving prison
Thurs	4/19	Preview/ Review
Tues	4/24	The Realities of Prison: Doing Time HANDOUT: Reflections on Doing Time	Ch 16; WO #6 (optional)
Thur	4/26	Doing Time: Ten Years Later HANDOUT: Reflections on the Wall: Ten Years Later
Tue	5/1	UNIT EXAM #3: sentencing and corrections Exam will cover readings from 4/3 through 4/26 and lectures from first day after actual test 2 until actual day of test 3. Doing Time films will be covered in Exam#3
Thur	5/3	COMPREHENSIVE EXAM: ’make-up’ or replacement exam for missed exam OR to replace lowest of previous 3 exams. Exam will cover all lectures and assigned readings throughout course.
Mon-Fri		PRISONTOUR #2: SPRING VACATION	Mar 26 - 30
Mon-Fri		PRISONTOUR #3: SUMMER VACATION	May 21 - 25
Mon-Fri		PRISONTOUR #4: SUMMER VACATION	Jun 4 - 8
NOTE: This syllabus is subject to change. You are responsible for complying with all changes.

---

FYI: CALIFORNIA PRISONTOUR! (click for more details)

Make plans for the most important professional/academic experience of your life! Experience the real world of criminal justice like few others can! Walk the line in maximum security! Walk the yard! Tour the cellblocks! Walk and talk face-to-face with inmates serving life terms for murder! Talk with guards, wardens, administrators! See inmate-made weapons, drug & gang paraphernalia. Experience the underbelly of prison life! Join this incredible 5-day, 1,500-mile excursion through 8 California prisons (eg, San Quentin, Folsom, Soledad, & CCWF--largest women’s prison in the world & home of California women's death row!) Carries 3 units "PRACTICUM" credit for all CJA majors! (like internship) Space limited; deposit required; see link above for more details; to sign up, contact Dr. Sutton.

DON'T MISS IT! * 5-day trip--winter, spring, summer. * Cost $950--tuition, travel, room, most meals *Meets practicum requirement for CJ majors