Corrections and Criminal Justice

In this class, students explore basic criminal justice issues including: law enforcement, courts, and corrections, as well as how they all work together.  Students examine the criminal justice process, jobs in each part of the field, what is required to obtain these professional positions, and current salaries associated with the various jobs.  Students will also learn some theories of why people commit crimes, how the law is applied, and how the law affects community/society.  Students will explore the real-world application of the Bill of Rights and other Constitutional amendments, and case law. Students will be introduced report writing, basic investigation processes, forensic science technology, and theory.  Students will learn to identify what reasonable suspicion is vs. probable cause, and they will practice  interpeting laws and breaking  them down to each element to see how actions vs law "fit" together in a real-world scenarios. Students are introduced to dispatch operations as well as crime scene processing and documentation through interactive and fun classroom activities that include guest speakers from different local and state law enforcement agencies. 

 

Hands-on learning activites include: 

 

A smaller detailed crime scene with physical and trace evidence

The Missy Hammond Cold case investigation and documentation processes

Field forensics including lifting fingerprints and rolling prints

Blood typing and DNA analysis

Evidence collection and documentation

Crime scene photography introduction

Court procedures

Mock court trial

In-class debates

Crisis intervention

De-escalation techniques

Interview and interrogation

Chris Watts crime investigation review including polygraph explanation and theory