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Law and Social Control Masters of Science in Criminal Justice CJ 565 Breyer State University Instructor: Jackie Sexson, J.D., MBA SYLLABUS COURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to Law and Social Control, a graduate-level course in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice Degree curriculum. This course is an introduction to the structure and function of American courts. Topics will be explored by introducing students to the concept of the courtroom workhouse and the relationships between the judge, the prosecutor, and the defense attorney. We will actively discuss the law, the history and development of the court system, and all stages of court proceedings. The text will examine the various roles of the courts’ participants, trial-by jury and other dispute resolution mechanisms, trial and non-trial processes, and the operation of petit and grand juries. This course is designed specifically for students planning a career as a criminal justice professional. TIME FRAME: This is a four (4) semester hour course. This course is allotted 10 weeks of time. You must complete all of the requirements for the course successfully by the end of the 10-week period. The first day of week one will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day which you notify me that your textbooks have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies. Please be cognizant of the time frame. It is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless you have good justification. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded four (4) semester hours of credit. You may accelerate and finish the course prior to the ten-week mark, but not in less than five weeks. There is no mandate to accelerate; it is simply an option if you are able to devote extra time to this course. TEXTBOOKS: There is one (1) required textbook for this course: Book 1: America’s Courts and the Criminal Justice System, 8th edition. Neubauer, D. Wadsworth 2005: ISBN #0-534-62892-3.
ASSIGNMENTS: By the fifth week of class, you should have read Chapters 1 – 10, and be prepared for the mid-term exam, which you may take during the 5th week or scheduled by the instructor. By the ninth (9th) week, you must have read Chapters 11 – 19 and be prepared to take the final exam. By the tenth (10th) week, you must have completed your paper and taken your final exam. Written assignments will be assigned and will be due as follows: Critical Thinking Activities 1 – 5 are due by the 5th week of the class. Critical Thinking Activities 6 – 10 are due by the 10th week of the class. All written assignments and examinations must be submitted using MS Word. EXAMINATIONS: There are two examinations for this course, a mid-term exam (completed during the 5th week) and a final exam (completed during the 9th week). The mid-term exam covers Chapters 1 - 10 and the final exam covers Chapters 11 – 19. The examinations are “open” book and will be thought-provoking discussion type of questions. A simple one or two sentence answer will not be sufficient to make a good grade on the exams. I expect graduate level writing to be used in completing your examinations. The mid-term examination must be taken by the end of the 5th week in the course. Upon your request, I will e-mail the examinations to you and once you complete each (within one week from the time I send it to you), return it as an e-mail attachment back to me. GRADING: The grading scale for this course is as follows: A = 90 – 100% Midterm Exam (25% of final grade) COMMUNICATION: You are encouraged to communicate with me. I am available as an instructor, coach and mentor to assist you in meeting your goals for this course. Primarily, communication is through email. However, I am available by telephone during my stated office hours below. Our classroom for this course has a “chat” room. With prior notice, I am very willing to meet with you one-on-one in the chat room upon your request. From time to time, depending how many students are enrolled in this course at a particular time, we will have some scheduled group chats. You will receive more detailed information at the time such chat sessions are scheduled. If at any time during this course, you change your email address, please be sure to notify me right away. When communicating via email, ALWAYS put the course number (CJ 835) in the subject line of your email AND “sign” your email with your full name. If you do not follow these instructions, your email may be deleted, believing that it is spam. INSTRUCTOR BIO: In addition to teaching several courses in the criminal justice program for Breyer State University, I also teach at several other institutions online and enjoy the online experience tremendously. I am a practicing attorney and am the managing partner and executive director of a legal and human resources consulting firm, The Sexson Group. I have held management positions in Fortune 500 companies as well as management positions in state government. Early in my legal career, I was a defense counsel, handling drug cases. As for hobbies, I enjoy hiking and snow skiing as well as other outdoor activities. My dogs and I enjoy long walks in parks. COURSE OBJECTIVES: After completing this course, you will be able to: 1). Describe the structure of the American court system. INFORMATION: If you have any questions regarding this program, you may contact the instructor at adm@breyerstate.com.
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