Distance Learning Course Interaction Plan
Course Number and Title: CRJ 112/Criminal Law and Procedure
Instructor: Prof. Mónica H. Pérez, J.D.
Telephone Number (if any): 413-552-2413
Email Address: mperez@hcc.mass.edu for general questions
Class e-mail only after enrollment.
Office Hours (if any): Summer/T: 9A-10A
Fall/Spring/TBA
Online Hours: By appointment. E-mail to set up a time.
Communication Policy: See HCC Communication Policy on E-Institute Entry Page. Students are expected to communicate in a professional and courteous manner. See Syllabus for details.
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__X__ Asynchronous Course ____Synchronous Course
Asynchronous: This kind of distance education is characterized by an emphasis on "learning on demand" or "as needed communication" between students and faculty from multiple locations at times convenient to participants.
Synchronous: This form of distance education entails the use of live, two-way communication among and/or between students and faculty in a scheduled or "fixed" point(s) of time(s), much like classroom-based instruction.
Course Description: This course studies the history and development of criminal lawas a form of social control, the evolution of criminal law from civil law, and the relationship between common and statutory criminal law. The criminal process from investigation through indictment, arrest, arraignment, trial, and sentencing will be reviewed. Through analytic case studies, emphasis will be given to substantive aspects of criminal law and current Constitutional constraints established by the United States Supreme Court on law enforcement procedures occurring during arrests, searches and seizures, interrogations, electronic surveillance, and other investigative practices.
Prerequisite(s): CRJ 100
Required Textbook & Materials:
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and the Constitution, Stephanie A. Jirard
Pearson/Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NY (2009)
Course Objectives:
Students completing this course will
ü study and explore the nature and history of criminal law and procedure as
well as the legal and social dimensions of crime.
ü learn the elements of specific crimes.
ü develop and understanding of the defenses available to crimes.
ü engage in a review of the court system and its processes including an
overview of the connections of the various criminal justice systems with the courts.
ü develop an understanding of the balance between Constitutional rights and the need for public order/mandates of public safety agencies.
ü learn the procedural requirements from arrest to incarceration.
Methods of Instruction: Online – Distance Learning
Students are required to engage in the following interaction(s) for successful completion of this course:
ü Independent reading of materials that provide the foundation for the course.
ü Completion of critical thinking assignments that require the production of written reports.
ü Complete quizzes, exams, and case briefing/analysis.
ü Completion of a semester project that requires presentation in Power Point format.
ü Active, consistent, and productive discussion on the course Bulletin Board.
ü Completion of a comprehensive final examination.
This course may include, but not be restricted to, the following interactions:
1. in person meetings: TBA upon student request.
2. telephone interactions: TBA upon student request.
3. electronic interactions: Required and preferred; use course e-mail as necessary. See Syllabus for specific response times.
Evaluation of Student’s Progress:
Points are earned for completing each assignment. Assignments include but are not limited to introductory exercises, exams, research, discussion/participation, and a comprehensive final exam. Consult assignment sheet for details. Students may print an Evaluation Record (see icon on home page) to keep track of scores on the various assignments.
Ø GRADING: Students can expect to receive scores within 5-7 days for summer classes and 7-10 days during fall and spring semesters.. If a delay in grading is expected, the instructor will notify students accordingly.
Ø DISCUSSION: Discussion in this course is student-centered. The instructor provides topics to jump-start discussion; however, students should actively contribute discussion topics as well. The instructor monitors discussion by reading all posts as well as providing clarification as deemed necessary to ensure accuracy of information. In addition, compliance with the online Communication Policy as noted on the e-Institute Entry Page (General Information) is monitored.
Ø RUBRIC: A rubric is a scoring grid used to determine the score for each assignment. A detailed rubric is provided for students on the course home page. Please review the rubric carefully before beginning writing assignments. Grades will be reported to you in the context of the broad categories of Organization and Format, Content and Clarity, and Evaluations/Synthesis/Analysis. If you don’t read the rubric, you won’t know what criteria are included in each category.
