Criminal Justice Courses

Course Offerings and Descriptions

View the Comprehensive Catalog at lamar.edu/catalog

Criminal Justice (CRIJ)

Course Number: 1301
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Intro to Criminal Justice

Course Description:
History and philosophy of criminal justice and ethical considerations; crime defined; its nature and impact; overview of criminal justice system; law enforcement; court system; prosecution and defense; trial process; corrections.

Course Number: 1306
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Court Systems and Practice

Course Description:
The judiciary in the criminal justice system; structure of the American court system; prosecution, right to counsel; pre-trial release; grand juries; adjudication process; types and rules of evidence; sentencing.

Course Number: 1310
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Fundamentals of Criminal Law

Course Description:
Study of criminal law, its philosophical and historical development and concepts, classifications and elements of crime, penalties using Texas statutes as illustrations, and criminal responsibility. Offered: Spring

Course Number: 2301
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Comm Resources in Corrections

Course Description:
An introductory study of the role of the community in corrections; community programs for adults and juveniles; administration of community programs; legal issues; future trends in community treatment. Offered: Fall

Course Number: 2313
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Correction Systems & Practices

Course Description:
Corrections in the criminal justice system; organization of correctional systems; correctional role; institutional operations; alternatives to institutionalization; treatment and rehabilitation; current and future issues.

Course Number: 2314
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Investigation

Course Description:
Investigative theory; collection and preservation of evidence; sources of information; interview and interrogation; uses of forensic sciences; case and trial preparation.

Course Number: 2328
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Police Systems & Practices

Course Description:
The police profession; organization of law enforcement systems; the police role; police discretion; ethics; police-community interaction; current and future issues.

Course Number: 3300
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Advanced Criminal Law

Course Description:
In-depth examination of principles of substantive criminal law with emphasis on Texas penal statutes and case law.

Course Number: 3304
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Interpersonal Effectiveness

Course Description:
Skills and attitudes needed by the criminal justice professional to successfully interact with clients and colleagues. Personal planning; time management; communication skills; win-win problem solving techniques.

Course Number: 3309
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Class Race and Gender

Course Description:
Role of social class, race and gender in the etiology and control of crime. Injustices within the criminal justice system and broader society. Cultural sensitivity.

Course Number: 3310
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Procedures & Evidence

Course Description:
In-depth examination of laws of criminal procedure with emphasis upon Texas procedural laws; rules of evidence; recent state and federal case law in fields of criminal procedure and evidence.

Course Number: 3311
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Crime and Criminals

Course Description:
American crime problems in historical perspective; social and public policy factors affecting crime, impact and crime trends; liberal and conservative views of the crime problem and policy implications; crime prevention.

Course Number: 3315
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Behavior

Course Description:
An examination of the typologies of criminal behavior. Psychological issues related to criminality and deviance will be presented. Topics include offender motivation, psychopathy, serial murder, sex offenders and career criminals.

Course Number: 3320
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Correctional Counseling

Course Description:
Basic counseling techniques for dealing with troubled individuals. Communication skills; crisis intervention.

Course Number: 3350
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Juvenile Justice System

Course Description:
A study of the juvenile justice process to include specialized juvenile law, role of the juvenile courts, role of police agencies, role of correctional agencies, and theories concerning delinquency.

Course Number: 3380
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Correctional Law

Course Description:
Legal aspects of correction; rights of the convicted. Laws governing correctional officers and facilities. Legal liabilities in correctional activities.

Course Number: 4300
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Legal Research/Brief Writing

Course Description:
Preparation of appellate brief on assigned point of law; presentation of appellate oral argument.

Course Number: 4301
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Directed Studies in CJ

Course Description:
Individual study with an instructor in an area of mutual interest. May be repeated for credit when the designated topics are varied.

Course Number: 4302
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Deviance in Global Perspectives

Course Description:
This course is an in-depth overview of the social structure and organizational factors leading to the definitions and social constraints toward deviant behavior. Deviant behavior is dependent on the cultural context. In this course, our focus is mostly on the U.S. context. In this course, you are asked to examine the nature and dynamics of a deviant behavior inside and outside the U.S. context. The behavior may be considered deviant in the U.S. but is not considered deviant elsewhere. The behavior may be considered deviant outside the U.S. but is not considered deviant here. The behavior may be considered deviant both inside and outside the U.S.

Course Number: 4310
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Social Justice

Course Description:
Theories of justice; relationship of justice to freedom and democracy; injustices in social class, gender, and race relationships.

Course Number: 4311
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Ethical Issues

Course Description:
An examination of selected ethical issues and problems confronting criminal justice professionals.

Course Number: 4312
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Serial Murder

Course Description:
This course will examine the topic of murder from a criminological perspective. Special attention will be paid to extreme forms of murder, such as, serial murder, cult killings, hate-motivated murders, and mass murders. Throughout this course we shall also examine multiple murders in the past, present, and future. Finally, this class will provide a critical analysis of the manner in which serial murder has been depicted by the popular media.

Course Number: 4313
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Contemp Issues in Crim Justice

Course Description:
Current topics in criminal justice. May be repeated for credit when the topic is varied.

Course Number: 4314
Credit Hours: 3
Title: White-Collar Crime

Course Description:
This course will examine the history and current states of white-collar crime. Theoretical explanations of white-collar crime and its control are discussed.

Course Number: 4315
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Introduction to Forensic Psychology

Course Description:
This course provides an overview of the major topics that relate to the interface of criminal justice, law and psychology. The contribution of psychological research and expert testimony have shaped our court decisions and influenced the manner in which law enforcement and corrections are managed. While this course will focus on psychological links to criminal justice, aspects of civil law and behavior will also be examined. Contemporary issues, controversies and trends within the field will be explored.

Course Number: 4321
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Responses to Crime

Course Description:
A study of contemporary thought on crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system using critical analysis of recently written materials as a source for research, discussion, and student seminar.

Course Number: 4323
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Incarceration

Course Description:
A study of the history, development, and current status of corrections in the federal sector.

Course Number: 4330
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Police Problems

Course Description:
Advanced analysis of major contemporary police problems from various perspectives. Examination of current issues in policing.

Course Number: 4333
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Cybercrime

Course Description:
The global reach of the internet, the marginal cost of online activity and the relative anonymity of users have contributed to a wide escalation in cybercrimes. consequently, information and communication technologies (ICT) are being increasingly employed to investigate threats to global civil society. this course provides an overview of cybercrime.

Course Number: 4335
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Organized Crime

Course Description:
This course is an in-depth overview of the social structure and organizational factors leading to the development of international organized criminal activity. The nature and structure of these crimes are introduced and discussed.

Course Number: 4340
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Justice App

Course Description:
Application of principles learned in the classroom to a non-classroom setting. Requirements for this course may by satisfied through a special project or internship. May be repeated for credit.

Course Number: 4342
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Conflict Management

Course Description:
This course offers students the opportunity to learn the knowledge and skills of proven techniques of managing conflict and to obtain the ability to resolve disputes.

Course Number: 4345
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Violence

Course Description:
This course is an in-dept overview of current and comprehensive perspectives that investigate major topics, theories, and controversies within the field of criminal violence, victimization and social control of violence.

Course Number: 4350
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Justice Admn

Course Description:
Problems and issues in the administration of criminal justice organizations.

Course Number: 4365
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Global Crime Control

Course Description:
This course examines crime from an international perspective and the methods used by countries to control it. Types of transnational crime will be explored. Additionally, this course examines the collaboration and interdependence countries need in order to control crime across borders.

Course Number: 4370
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Conflict Resolution

Course Description:
Elements of conflict, from interpersonal to international. Concepts and skills needed to intervene in conflict situations; mediation techniques. Emphasis on situations confronting criminal justice officials. Offered: Fall (even numbered years)

Course Number: 4378
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Wrongful Convictions

Course Description:
This course will cover the causes of wrongful convictions, including eyewitness misidentifications, false confessions, racism, media bias and faulty forensic science. Case studies will be used to illustrate these causes.

Course Number: 4379
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Victimology

Course Description:
This course is designated to introduce students to the topic of victimology, the scientific study of victims. The course examines the field of victimology, including its scope and development and reviews the problems associated with victimization. the relationship between the victim and the offender, the victim and the criminal justice system and the victim and society will also be examined.

Course Number: 4380
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Justice Research

Course Description:
An examination of the research methodologies used in the evaluation of crime and criminal justice systems. The fundamentals of research design, interpretation, and communication of results will be provided.

Course Number: 5310
Credit Hours: 3
Title: CJ System & Policy

Course Description:
A critical review and analysis of the role of governmental and nongovernmental organizations in the prevention, control and punishment of crime and delinquency. An emphasis is placed on policy analysis and recommendations for change.

Course Number: 5320
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Theoretical Foundations

Course Description:
A comprehensive overview of various theoretical approaches to the understanding of crime and delinquency, including selected biological, psychological, sociological, legal and/or political theories.

Course Number: 5321
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Constitutional Law

Course Description:
This course provides in-depth, graduate-level analysis of the history, structure, and content of the United State Constitution and focuses on specific constitutional amendments, doctrines, and landmark Supreme Court cases as they relate to criminal justice and criminal justice professionals. Particular emphasis is given to the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments.

Course Number: 5322
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Correctional Systems

Course Description:
This course covers the history and evolving ideology of confinement. Topics included are prison architecture, management and security levels, the development of the modern super prison, prison labor, chain gangs, crowding, women’s and men’s prisons, life in prison, prison culture and inmate social structure, prison riots, violence in prison, geriatric and mentally ill inmates, inmates who are ill particularly those with AIDS.

Course Number: 5323
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Homeland Security

Course Description:
This course seeks to examine the history of terrorism and its manifestations in the contemporary world. It examines issues of nationalistic terrorism, religious terrorism and domestic and special interest group terrorism. The course concludes with an examination of the political and ethical implications of the “global war on terror” and homeland security.

Course Number: 5324
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Serial Murder

Course Description:
Murder, and serial murder in particular, is one of the most frightening types of crimes imaginable. Fortunately, it is an extremely rare occurrence. Nevertheless, criminologist, sociologist, and psychologists have long been interested in the psychology of multiple murderers and how their behaviors affect the social fabric of society. This course focuses on serial murderers, their methods, and their madness.

Course Number: 5330
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Planning & Evaluation

Course Description:
An in-depth examination of information gathering and analysis; planning and evaluation. Emphasis on the analytical tools useful in criminal justice agencies.

Course Number: 5331
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Quantitative Methods in Criminology

Course Description:
Coding and analysis of research data, the application of statistical methods common to criminology, and the presentation of research findings to policy makers.

Course Number: 5340
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Justice Studies

Course Description:
Includes an analysis of contemporary issues in the understanding, prevention, and control of crime and delinquency both domestically and globally. A student may repeat the course for credit as an elective when the area of study varies.

Course Number: 5344
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Cybercrime

Course Description:
This course critically examines the problem of technology-related crime and the ways that deviance is facilitated through technology, the internet and the World Wide Web. Students will understand law enforcement's response in dealing with cybercrime. Students will also understand the complex nature of cybercrime and its significance across a variety of disciplines.

Course Number: 5345
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Criminal Justice Leadership

Course Description:
Application of leadership theory and development of management skills important to criminal justice agencies. Personnel practices, organizational behavior, and decision-making models will be reviewed in context with positive leadership traits.

Course Number: 5346
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Capstone in Criminal Justice

Course Description:
This course is the culminating experience for students who are approaching graduation. Students must integrate knowledge from across the criminal justice curricula as they debate and discuss current issues and controversies in criminal justice with one another and also complete an independent, faculty-directed, semester-long book review essay suitable for publication.

Course Number: 5365
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Global Crime Control

Course Description:
This course evaluates crime at the macro level. It examines the spread of certain crimes across international borders. The nature of transnational crime will be researched and potential solutions will be critiqued. The crime control methods of the United States will be compared with other countries.

Course Number: 5390
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Thesis

Course Description:
This course evaluates crime at the macro level. It examines the spread of certain crimes across international borders. The nature of transnational crime will be researched and potential solutions will be critiqued. The crime control methods of the United States will be compared with other countries.

Course Number: 5391
Credit Hours: 3
Title: Thesis

Course Description:
Prerequisite: Approval of graduate advisor. Must complete both for required six hours.

Course Number: 5601
Credit Hours: 6
Title: Applied Project in Criminology

Course Description:
A major practical project integrating the students course work, previous experience and professional goals. May take the form of a supervised internship, applied research or professional project.