All courses, arranged by program, are listed in the catalog. If you cannot locate a specific course, try the Advanced Search. Current class schedules, with posted days and times, can be found on the NOW/Student Dashboard or by logging in to SiS.
This course presents a brief history of the Criminal Justice System and an analysis of its structure and function. This course required of all CJ majors and is a prerequisite for all other courses in criminal justice. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
This course will encompass the study and relationship between those entities and institutions necessary for the protection of the United States. Course instructional material will examine the components of Federal, State and Local Police Agencies, as well as the role of Private Security and Emergency Responders needed to facilitate the implementation of the Homeland Security Act. Particular attention will be focused on Policy, Plans and Procedures at governmental and community levels.
This course provides an examination of the historical development of police work with special emphasis on the conflicting role expectations facing police officer.
This course provides an overview of the American correction system including the history of corrections, probation, incarceration, community corrections, the prison experience and release.
This course is designed to inform students about the legacy of bias, discrimination, and inequality in the United States, and how this is particularly reflected in our criminal justice system. Drawing on a number of disciplines the course will explore theories of bias and discrimination both individually and collectively, what common stereotypes and misconceptions exist, and how they impact contemporary criminal justice practices. Evidence-based solutions to the reduction of these systemic issues will be discussed.
This course is designed to introduce students to the latest innovations in the applications of new technological advances in the criminal justice system. Topic areas include an examination of the new technology of crime commission, and the corresponding new technology of crime control strategies. Our focus will be on the application of both "hard" technology (e.g. equipment, hardware, devices, etc.) and "soft" technology (e.g. computer software programs, information systems, classification devices, and other problem-solving applications) in each of the following areas: crime prevention, police, courts, institutional corrections, community corrections and the private sector.
This course will center on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their potential use by terrorists to obtain their goals. We will explore the origins, development and weaponization of Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and Radiological Systems and Devices. The course content is designed particularly for the First Responder to such incidents of WMD. The class will focus on the preparation and execution of plans and policies to counter this threat.
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the various ways in which a corporation and local municipality can plan for a disaster before it occurs. Topics covered include risk identification and assessment of multi-hazards whether natural and man-made, violence in the workplace, development of crisis and disaster incident management programs, and business/agency continuation planning.
The definition and nature of crime, criminal statistics, and theories of crime causation are included. Required of all CJ majors.
This course provides an overview about how the media portrays crime and its impact on the general public, crime, and victims and offenders.
Examines the rules that govern the everyday operation of the criminal justice system from investigation to sentencing and appeal. Topics include: Investigation, arrest, search and seizure, interrogation, pretrial detention and hearings, plea bargaining, trial procedures, sentencing, and appeals.
The historical origins and development of criminal law from the early common law to contemporary decisions and statutes. Constitutional and statutory factors as they pertain to criminal responsibility, capacity, crimes against persons and property, defenses to criminal charges and sentences. Sections of the Massachusetts Criminal Code and other statutes will be covered where applicable.
A course examining American constitutional doctrine as it has developed historically through the process of constitutional adjudication.
The basic principles of physical security with emphasis on tailoring these principles to the protection of specific operations and facilities. Proper planning, appropriate design, and use of modern techniques and devices to enhance security while reducing costs are discussed.
This laboratory course will cover basic procedures in arrest, search and seizure, and the gathering and evaluation of evidence as to admissibility, weight, and competence.
This course is a continuation of Criminalistics I. It is intended to familiarize the student with various types of physical evidence that can be found at the more violent crime scenes. Methods of identification, preservation, collection and analysis of physical evidence relating to specific criminal activities shall be stressed. Topics shall include Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, DNA Typing, Crime Scene Reconstruction, Point of Origin Determination and evidence associated with Death Investigations, Sexual Assaults, Bombings, Arsons, Motor Vehicle Homicides, Robberies and Burglaries.
This course acquaints the Criminal Justice student with the concept of terrorism at both the international and domestic levels. Topics include the history of terrorism, terrorism today and terrorism in the future. Counter measures taken to respond to terrorist threats are also examined.
An examination of causative factors in the development of youthful offenders and the development and philosophy behind treatment and rehabilitative practices.
There is currently no description available for this course.
This is a short study abroad course, usually 3 weeks in duration. Topic and location vary.
Addresses the basic interdisciplinary principles of security management including planning, budgeting, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. This course will also cover marketing security services to management, risk management, civil and criminal liability, and labor relations. Each aspect of the course is designed to prepare security managers to face the new challenges as broader and more cost-effective protection is required with fewer resources. The course will also bring about greater awareness and understanding of the various options available in security and loss control. It will identify a number of risk areas and outline various deterrent and preventative methods.
Pre-Req: CRIM 1110 Industrial Security or CRIM 1150 Intro to Homeland Security; CJ majors.
This course will provide an overview of white collar crime including white collar, corporate, occupational, workplace, and organized crime.
Pre-Reqs: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System, and CRIM 2210 Criminology I, and Criminal Justice (BS) majors or minors.
This course examines prejudice as a motivation for criminal behavior. The criminological theory for hate crime is reviewed, as well as historical perspectives of this crime category.
Pre-Req: CRIM.1010 Criminal Justice System.
This course provides students with an in-depth analysis of the courses, context, and control of a wide range of violent crimes.
Pre-req: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System or CRIM 2210 Criminology 1.
This course provides an overview of the development and character of the many types of offenders who become criminal psychopaths. The course explores the various methods used in classifying and predicting criminal behavior derived form the field of Criminology, Psychology and Forensic Science.
CJ Majors and Minors Only.
This course examines the application of psychological theories, principles, and research to issues of concern to the criminal justice system.
This interdisciplinary course will examine the gendered processes of war, sub-state violence, counter-terrorism/insurgency and conflict resolution. More specifically, we will review relevant conceptual and theoretical frameworks which focus on the relationships between gender, armed conflict and conflict resolution. In addition, we will examine the strategies used by women's and feminist movements to promote specific security related policy. The class will explore cases from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa.
Junior Level or Higher or Permission of Instructor.
This course provides an overview on critical infrastructure and the protection. The course will cover the concept and components of the country's critical assets and threat environment; federal government plans and how public-private partnership protection efforts are leveraged; and strategies and methods of protecting critical infrastructure.
Pre-req: CRIM.1150 Introduction to Homeland Security.
This course is concerned with contemporary efforts to change police agencies, particularly in the United States. Contemporary reform revolves mainly around what we now know as "community policing" and this course will dwell at some length on these initiatives. Other innovations, some of which may complement community policing, and all of which are narrower in scope, are also considered.
Pre-Req: CRIM.1410 Into. to Policing; Criminal Justice (BS) majors.
This course will examine the scientific and technological details of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons; the proliferation of these weapons and international CBRN prevention efforts (like the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Biological Weapons Convention); and the threat of terrorist groups seeking to acquire and use CBRN weapons, and explore ways to improve our response to this complex threat.
Pre-req: 44.248 Terrorism (Domestic & International).
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of how the U.S. intelligence community functions, where it fits in the policy making and law enforcement systems of U.S. democracy, and its role in the protection of national security.
This course provides an in-depth examination of the history, function, structure, and operation of American adult and juvenile correctional institutions.
Pre-req: 44.151 Introduction to Corrections.
A comprehensive review of community-based sanctions and community-based, early-release mechanisms. In addition to traditional probation and parole reviews, "new" intermediate sanctions such as electronic monitoring, intensive supervision, boot camps, day fines, day reporting centers, and community service sentences.
Pre-req: 44.151 Introduction to Corrections; Criminal Justice (BS) majors.
In this course we explore the psychological process of making (or not making) high-stakes decisions in a range o f situations. Most theories of decision making (in police, business, medical and ethical contexts) emphasize selecting the "best" course of action, yet the reality is that, in the real world, there is not always a 'best' option. Most options are high-risk and most carry negative consequences. In such instances decisions involve choosing the least-worst outcome. In this course, and drawing upon the decades of psychological research in areas of decision making (in high-and-low stakes environments), and touching on cognitive, social and neurological research we look at the psychological process of making decisions in range of high-stakes environments.
Pre-req: CRIM.1010 The Criminal Justice System, or PSYC.1010 Introduction to Psychological Science.
This course examines gender and racial implications of criminal laws, criminal justice practices and programs will be examined. The position of women and racial/ethnic minorities will be assessed from the different perspectives of victims, offenders, and criminal justice practitioners.
Hate crimes illustrate bigotry plus criminal acts. This course examines prejudice as a motivation for criminal behavior. The criminological theory for hate crime is reviewed, as well as historical perspectives of this crime category. This is a rich and comprehensive exploration that begins with understanding the psychology of prejudice and ends with reviewing genocide as a mass hate crime.
This course will provide a critical analysis of our Criminal Justice system, focusing specifically on policies and practices that lead to errors and unjust outcomes. Students will also explore the factors that contribute to miscarriages of justice, and the impacts on victims, their families, and society. Socio-political and socio-economic factors that contribute to miscarriages of justice will be specifically adressed.
Pre-Requisite CRIM.1010 The Criminal Justice System
This course will explore a number of fundamental issues relevant to contemporary public police in America. Such issues could include, but are not limited to: the impact of police on crime and disorder; police discretion and its control; legitimacy and public support; police culture; the changing role of police in society.
Pre-Reqs: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System, CRIM 1410 Police Process.
An advanced course of study and examination of a variety of current issues and topics in criminal justice. Students without a sufficient background in criminal justice courses should not attempt this course. Subject matter to be announced in advance. Visit the current semester schedule on the Continuing Studies website for more details.
Pre-Req: 44.221 Criminology I , CJ majors only.
This course examines the realities and myths surrounding the involvement of individuals with mental illness in the criminal justice system. Material from criminal justice and psychology will be examined, with emphasis on service models that foster collaboration between mental health professionals, law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.
This course will explore the psychological dimensions of criminal thinking and behavior. The course will cover the psychological origins and types of crime, the multidimensional influences on criminal behavior, developmental criminal pathways, diagnoses, assessment and treatment approaches and a description of the continuum of psychopathic behavior.
This course addresses psychopathology in forensic settings, providing students with an integrative approach to understanding the multiple causes of psychological problems and disorders of adult and juvenile offenders as well as crime victims including biological, social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral influences.
Junior or Senior standing.
An introduction to research methods for the criminal justice professional including terminology, standard methodologies, and elementary statistics. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Information Literacy (IL).
Academic Plan Criminal Justice (BS) and Junior/Senior Standing only.
This course is an extension of concepts learned in 44.390 (Introduction to Criminal Justice Research Methods). Statistics will be utilized as a mathematical language for interpreting the interrelation of social forces impacting criminality and deviance. The course will focus on how various statistics are calculated, but more importantly, the meaning of these figures for criminal justice scholars and practitioners will be discussed.
This course examines the use of new technologies to analyze crime patterns and develop crime prevention strategies. Students study theories that explain the geographic distribution of crime and learn how to use Geographic Information Systems to study crime in ways that draw upon theory as well as how to apply GIS techniques in the law enforcement and corrections fields.
Pre-Req: CRIM 3900 CJ Research Methods or PSYC 2690 Research I: Basics; CJ (BS) Junior/Senior standing only
The student is introduced to computer software packages (i.e. SPSS) used to analyze large quantitative data sets common in criminal justice/criminology. This course is seen as the capstone to the research methods/technology component of the major, and is intended for upper level students, especially those preparing for graduate study.
Pre-req: CRIM.3950 Statistics in Criminal Justice.
Covers the problems posed by substance use/abuse and examines the role and impact of the legal, criminal justice, and public health systems, as well as current treatment/intervention approaches.
Pre-req: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System or CRIM 2210 Criminology I, Junior/Senior standing only.
This course will study the organization of and the processes employed by American Courts in an intensive participation format. Traditional text lessons on the U.S. Court system will be supplemented by simulations and mock trial problems. Using this two track approach, students will learn about the courts and simultaneously develop the analytical, critical reasoning and public speaking skills used in the Judicial system.
This course examines the patterns of victimization, the characteristics and lifestyles of crime victims, and the impact of their victimizations. The treatment of victims by the criminal justice system will be examined along with possible reforms in these approaches.
This course examines the causes and consequences of domestic violence and the latest research regarding the responses of the criminal justice system.
Level is Junior or Senior Standing Only.
This course introduces students to empirical findings and theoretical perspectives concerned with the maltreatment of Children and youth. One of the major course goals is to balance the view of children and youth in the criminal justice system by focusing of their victimization instead of exclusively on their offending behavior.
This course is designed to provide criminal justice majors with a capstone experience emphasizing integration of knowledge acquired in previous courses on the causes of criminal behavior and responses to it, particularly the institutions, policies and practices of the criminal justice system. Students engage in the development and production of a senior level research paper grounded in relevant criminology and criminal justice literature.
Pre-req: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System, CRIM 2210 Criminology l, CRIM 3900 CJ Research Methods and Senior-level standing.
Specific practice in the definition, design, and execution of a research project, and an analysis of the impact of contemporary criminal justice research on policy development.
Level Junior Standing.
This course is designed as an independent study of a subject with Chair's permission.
Level Senior Standing.
An examination of the causes and consequences of computer crime as well as the criminal justice system's response to the problem.
Pre-Req: Criminal Justice majors only.
This is an intense internship program for Criminal Justice majors which requires approval by the Department Chair.
Assigned fieldwork under the supervision and with the permission of the instructor assigned to the course. The purpose is to broaden the educational experience of pre-service students in law enforcement, probation, and correctional agencies within this area. This course is designed to provide a correlation of theoretical knowledge with practical experience in an area of particular interest to the student.
This course is a semester long internship with the Center for Terrorism & Security Studies (CTSS) where students will work on one or more of the center's research projects. After an initial period of training in data collection and coding, CTSS interns will then work under the supervision of Center faculty and staff.
Curricula Practical Training