This course introduces the learner to the field of criminology by reviewing the historical underpinnings of the modern-day study of crime and criminals, examining the theoretical causes of crime and criminality, and evaluating society's responses to crime. Learners are introduced to the sociological, biological, and psychological schools of criminological thought. Topics include crime statistics and social and legal mechanisms used to address criminal activity and the individual criminal.

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1. Articulate a definition of crime and explain the historical precedents of modern criminology.
2. Identify and compare the characteristics of various crime typologies: e.g., violent crime, such as rape, murder, and arson; and property crime.
3. Explain the measurement of various types of crime and trace its extent historically.
4. Assess the social and financial costs of crime.
5. Identify and explain various theoretical causes of crime and/or criminality, including sociological, psychological, and biological perspectives.
6. Apply individual theories within each criminological perspective to case studies in order to offer possible explanations for criminal behavior.
7. Identify and explain responses to crime and criminal activity within American society.

This course will take an in-depth view of how the components of the criminal justice system address juvenile delinquency. How and why a juvenile is entered into the criminal justice system will be examined and alternatives to entry will be explored. These alternatives include diversionary programs and second-chance protocols. Social and economic disparities will be discussed regarding how those factors figure into the propensity of crimes being committed by juveniles. Additionally, youthful offender procedures that result in juveniles being charged, tried, and, in some cases, incarcerated in the adult system will be explored. Lastly, the course will explore the basic competencies of professionals who interact with juveniles in the criminal justice system and in the agencies that contribute to the rehabilitation and reintegration of juveniles after a finding of delinquency.

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1. Describe the history of how juvenile delinquency has been handled in the criminal justice system over time.
2. Explain how socializing agents, such as family, peers, schools, sports, organizations, and law enforcement, affect the juvenile’s decision-making capacity.
3. Examine the origins, approaches, and theories of juvenile delinquency.
4. Compare and contrast the levels of juvenile delinquency based on different sociological factors.
5. Research contemporary issues of criminal justice reform from a juvenile justice perspective and the implications to the various actors and agencies in the criminal justice systems that specialize in juvenile justice at the national and state levels.

This course presents an overview of the criminal and juvenile justice systems and the variety of agencies charged with the detection, prosecution, and subsequent application of penalties. The course begins with an examination of the extent and nature of crime in the U.S. It then reviews the subsystems associated with the criminal and juvenile justice fields, including the police, criminal and juvenile courts, and corrections and treatment processes. The review of each subsystem includes a discussion of its historical development as well as issues currently confronting the profession. Students also explore and evaluate differing philosophies underlying corrections. The course concludes with an examination of the future of the criminal and juvenile justice systems from political and sociological perspectives.

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1. Discuss the complexity of the criminal and juvenile justice system as a whole, as well as its subsystems: the police, criminal and juvenile courts, corrections, and treatment programs.
2. Trace the historical development of each subsystem to present-day "state-of-the-art” approaches.
3. Define the four primary purposes of the justice system and apply these ideas in the analysis of the system’s effectiveness.
4. Be able to read and interpret empirical data in the study of crime and delinquency; as a science, criminology must employ the scientific method in its analysis of crime.
5. Differentiate between informal and formal methods of social control recognizing current political and social attitudes toward crime and delinquency.
6. Create a “flow chart” of the criminal and juvenile justice systems in order to demonstrate knowledge of the relationships among the subsystems.
7. Describe the evolution of police departments in the U.S. and the political, economic and social factors affecting their development and organization.
8. Identify the primary factors influencing police officers in the fulfillment of their duties.
9. Describe and differentiate the role of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and juries in both the criminal and juvenile justice systems. 1
10. Explain the various sentencing options available to criminal and juvenile court judges and factors taken into consideration in the application of each. 1
11. Trace the evolution of prisons and juvenile correctional facilities in the U.S, various treatment modalities, and current issues confronting corrections today. 1
12. Describe the development of the victims’ rights movement in the U.S., citing specific examples legislation designed to enhance victims’ rights. 1
13. Discuss the impact of politics on the criminal justice system as well as suggested reforms designed to reduce the crime rate. 1
14. Summarize the economic and social conditions underlying crime and delinquency and the implications each of these have for reducing the crime rate.

This course focuses on situational crime prevention by both law enforcement personnel and the general public. Theoretical and practical aspects of techniques of situational prevention are examined. Students formulate their own theories on crime prevention and control, and evaluate methods for the reduction of crime and corresponding financial and social costs.

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1. Demonstrate knowledge of the theories of crime preventions and control.
2. Understand the issues of philosophy, politics, and policy as they relate to crime prevention and control.
3. Demonstrate the ability to apply the theories to situational crime prevention.

The course examines the various relationships of police, courts, advocates, and other agencies such as the media with the crime victim. Specific categories of crime victims are studied, including drunk driving victims, sexual assault victims, domestic violence and stalking victims, hate crime victims, and child and elderly victims.

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1. Demonstrate knowledge of statutes protecting crime victims.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of a victim advocate role and duties.
3. Evaluate the different systems responses to victims.
4. Evaluate and critically examine community support programs to which certain victims may be referred.
5. Be aware of how victims can be compensated.
6. Understand a victim's reactions and behavior after a criminal act.

This course presents an extensive examination of the organization and operations of correctional, probation and parole agencies as particular segments of the United States criminal justice system. Learners study corrections, probation and parole from a variety of standpoints, including historical and philosophical foundations, the theoretical concerns that the options present, as well as the practical aspects of those services. Other topics include a review of community-based corrections, options for treatment and intermediate sanctions, issues surrounding court orders and pre-sentence reports, and an examination of correctional and probation and parole officers' professional roles, and the legal decisions affecting practice in this field.

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1. Understand the historical and philosophical context for the emergence of prisons as a means of imposing the criminal penalty of incarceration.
2. Describe the historical basis for probation and parole
3. Understand corrections within the context of the various roles and functions of the criminal justice system.
4. Understand the roles of all the correctional professionals in various environments.
5. Differentiate the various types of present-day confinement facilities.
6. Critically evaluate the various forms of treatment available in the corrections system.
7. Understand the growing problem of overcrowding, the rise of communicable diseases, as well as the unique problems associated with female incarceration.
8. Understand programs that develop social controls and evaluate methodologies. Explain how they relate to correctional custody.
9. Describe and apply the process used to determine alternative sentencing. 1
10. Compare and contrast the various historical eras of American prisons.

This course examines the United States Constitution and the New Hampshire Constitution using a substantive approach. Learners participate in a critical analysis of how both the United States Supreme Court and the New Hampshire Supreme Court deal with constitutional issues of major societal importance. The course also focuses on the historical development of constitutional law by studying the many diverse and often controversial matters with which the U.S. and NH Supreme Courts deal. An emphasis is placed on reading and analyzing leading constitutional case law and gaining in-depth knowledge of the relationship between the NH and U.S. Constitutions.

This course introduces students to the discipline of ethical decision making by criminal justice professionals in a system where great authority is given, and even greater responsibility is expected. The concept of discretion will be an ever-present factor in discussions of critical decisions made by law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. In this course, students will be exposed to ethical scenarios, and they will be asked to discuss what the proper course of action was, or should have been. In addition to real-life case studies, students will be asked to work through challenging hypotheticals that test their understanding of ethical dilemmas in the criminal justice field. In sum, the student of this course will have the opportunity to develop a much greater awareness of the ethical tests faced by criminal justice professionals on a daily basis and the expectations of society in that regard.

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1. Discover the many practical aspects of using discretion in the criminal justice system.
2. Investigate and question ethical decision making within actual criminal justice events.
3. Enact ethical decision making within hypothetical scenarios from the perspectives of law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.
4. Examine the occupational pitfalls of unethical actions within the criminal justice system.
5. Evaluate contemporary ethical issues such as cultural competence, implicit bias, and procedural justice from both a national and a state lens.

This final course in the Criminal Justice degree program is designed to offer learners the opportunity to reflect upon and synthesize prior learning and to apply it at a higher level of understanding. Knowledge and skills from other courses in the program and from experience are integrated in focused individual projects. Such projects might include independent research or a work-related or other applied project. Analysis of the individual project in light of theory and research in the field is a key component of this course.

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1. Identify and discuss common themes and issues in various branches of criminal justice.
2. Identify and provide an overview of a project idea, e.g., research, work-related, or applied project with instructor guidance.
3. Conduct a literature search related to their project and compare and contrast key findings relevant to the project.
4. Develop a project proposal that integrates prior learning and experience and submit for instructor approval.
5. Analyze their projects in light of current issues/trends in the field and synthesize findings in reflective written reports and presentations.
6. Evaluate project findings for applicability to their work environment or field.
7. Follow Granite State College policy that “all research activities which involve human participants, regardless of the level of risk foreseen, require review and written approval by the College’s Institutional Review Board prior to the initiation of the activity.”

This capstone course is a field-based internship designed to develop and hone the practical application skills of a Criminal Justice major. The course requires students to integrate the knowledge and skills gained from other courses in the program and to demonstrate the ability to apply their knowledge to new subject matter and practical situations. Students apply for an internship at a self-selected site and negotiate the terms of the internship experience with a site supervisor under the auspices of their Granite State College mentor. The internship requires documented evidence of eighty hours of supervised experience and practice in a field setting where criminal-justice-related knowledge and skills are applied. NOTE: Registration for this course, an internship, is by permission of the Office of Academic Affairs. Early registration deadlines may apply.