BS in Criminal Justice

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the criminal justice system (law enforcement, the courts, and corrections) while developing students' critical thinking skills. In addition to class lectures, the course provides multiple venues for learning, to include group activities, guest lectures, a prison tour, and carefully selected films that highlight some of the most contentious issues in criminal justice today.  [ 4 cr. ]

This course provides a foundation for understanding the implications of policing in the United States. The course examines the historical development of policing in the U.S., the role of police in our society, police organizations and decision-making, policing strategies, as well as issues of authority and accountability. Throughout the course, several contemporary issues and controversies facing the police will be discussed including: police discrimination, police use of force practices, and other special topics.   [ 4 cr. ]

This course provides an overview of models of punishment and rehabilitation from the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences, including a review of correctional practices and procedures, institutional treatment, probation, parole, prison conditions, programs for juveniles, and comparative systems. Correction administration topics are covered including personnel, legal, operating practices, overcrowding, and planning.  [ 4 cr. ]

Theory and practice of criminal law, including sanctions, individual liability, limitations on state action, criminal and victim rights, evidence, defense, deterrence, mandatory sentencing, decriminalization, intent, entrapment, vagueness, and capital punishment. Case studies of recent court decisions.   [ 4 cr. ]

Federal, state, and local criminal courts and their relationship to contemporary social and political issues. Historical background of the current criminal court system. Institutional functions of the courts. Role of the courts in reducing crime. Judicial process and criminal procedure, case studies and court decisions.   [ 4 cr. ]

Scientific method, measurement, experimentation, survey research, observational methods, projective techniques, and content analysis used in social science research.   [ 4 cr. ]

Analysis of criminal and delinquent behavior. Evaluation of current theories and research into causes and sociological implications of these behavior patterns. Examination of criminal justice systems, including police, courts, and corrections.  [ 4 cr. ]

Applied Social Science Theory introduces students to major authors and seminal works that continue to inform theory and research in social sciences. The focus is on reading primary source materials to examine not only the major conclusions of these authors, but the arguments they use to justify those conclusions. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy. Students cannot take both METCJ300 and METSO300 for credit.  [ 4 cr. ]

This course will look at American family violence across the life span including child abuse, teen dating violence, wife battering and elder abuse. Physical, emotional and sexual abuse will be examined. We will consider how family violence differs by class and ethnic group and its differential impact on women. Institutional responses to family violence in the legal, medical and social service systems will be included as well as the role played by the women's shelter movement. Ideological supports for family violence in gender expectations, religious teaching and the media will also be studied.  [ 4 cr. ]

Introduction to the sociology of a wide range of legal and illicit drugs. Examines social definitions of drugs and conditions of their use. Considers deviant drug use and effects of social control on definitions and use.  [ 4 cr. ]

Independent study on special projects under faculty guidance.   [ Var cr. ]

Spring 2024 Topic: Violence and Threat Assessment Threat assessment is a systematic strategy for identifying, assessing, and preventing potential violent incidents. Using an interdisciplinary approach combining insights from criminology, law enforcement, psychiatry, and psychology, behavioral threat assessment is designed to provide alternatives to violence before an attack occurs. In this class, students will learn the principles of behavioral threat assessment and explore ongoing developments in the field by reviewing case examples and studies of school shooters, mass murderers, lone actor terrorists, as well as more common offender types such as domestic violence offenders. The course is intended for a wide variety of law enforcement officers, mental health practitioners, school administrators, workplace managers, and public officials who are charged with maintaining community safety.  [ 4 cr. ]

Community re-integration following imprisonment has long been recognized as a significant problem. Longer sentences and rapid changes have created new problems for both returning inmates and those who provide services both inside and outside the criminal justice system. This course will examine rehabilitation philosophy in theory and practice. Lectures and seminars will address such issues as: the special problems in providing rehabilitation and education in the correctional system, the effect of inmate subculture on rehabilitation, and balancing demands for custody and rehabilitation.   [ 4 cr. ]

Analysis of policy issues concerning juvenile justice and youth crime. Scope and nature of youth crime and the young offender. Juvenile justice procedures, programs, and institutional roles. Considers delinquency prevention programs, violent offenders, dispositional alternatives, and crimes against youth.   [ 4 cr. ]

Critical and technical review of theories on intellectual and social development of infants and children. Emphasis is on the role of early experiences and biological factors in the later formation of personality and intellectual motivational behaviors. Discusses the work of Erikson, Piaget, and Freud.   [ 4 cr. ]

Provides a conceptual framework for understanding the development, organization, and change of the normal individual according to such diverse theoretical positions as the psychoanalytic, humanistic, and social learning schools.   [ 4 cr. ]

Manner in which the behavior, feelings, and thoughts of one individual are influenced and determined by the behavior and/or characteristics of others. Attraction, attitudes, aggression, person perception, and groups. Readings cover theories, experimental research, and application.   [ 4 cr. ]

Relationship between individual and society in the postindustrial world. Problems in areas of work, education, cities, inequality, sexism, medicine, and law. Broad coverage of concepts dealing with alienation, institutional malaise, and societal ills.   [ 4 cr. ]

Relations among various racial, national, cultural, and religious groups, emphasizing the development of black-white relations in American society. Also covers the problems of contemporary minority peoples in America and other societies.  [ 4 cr. ]

Applied Social Science Theory introduces students to major authors and seminal works that continue to inform theory and research in social sciences. The focus is on reading primary source materials to examine not only the major conclusions of these authors, but the arguments they use to justify those conclusions. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.

This course may not be taken in conjunction with METSO203 or MET CJ300. Only one of these courses can be counted towards degree requirements.  [ 4 cr. ]

Examination of current theories and research bearing on relationship between personality and social structure; contributions and convergent developments in psychology, anthropology, and sociology.   [ 4 cr. ]

Relationship between technology, environment, and social life. Impact of actual cases of technological development and environmental degradation. Emergence of social problems, and strategies for their solution.   [ 4 cr. ]

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to urban affairs and urban problems, including an overview of prominent theories about the nature and causes of urban problems. We will examine the metropolitan area as a complex system with interdependent institutions and problems and consider present as well as future urban policy options in areas such as housing, transportation, crime, education, environment and economic development.   [ 4 cr. ]