Catalog Course Descriptions

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.

Criminology Courses

Undergraduate

100-Level Courses in CRIM

200-Level Courses in CRIM

300-Level Courses in CRIM

CRIM 302: Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System (3 Credits)

Presents theories of juvenile delinquency and societal reactions to it, gender differences in rates and types, historical overview, development of juvenile justice system, and critical assessment of juvenile justice and its alternative. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 305: Crime and Crime Policy (3 Credits)

Examines the development of crime policy, including the influence of crime trends, politics, public opinion, media, criminological theory, and empirical research. Considers the effectiveness of crime policy. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 306: Criminal Justice Ethics (3 Credits)

Analyzes ethical principles relevant for those working in criminal justice. Required for all criminology majors. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100.

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 307: Social Inequality, Crime, and Justice (3 Credits)

Explores the significance of social inequality (especially race and gender inequality) for several crime and criminal justice issues. Examines variations in criminal offending and victimization, and explores disparities in criminal justice processing. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Specialized Designation: Mason Impact.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 308: Human Rights and Justice (3 Credits)

Studies the norms, laws, and systems for the promotion and protection of human rights. Provides a foundation for understanding historical, legal, political, economic, and ethical aspects of human rights. Examines ideological and cultural perspectives, sources of violations, the United Nations, regional and national mechanisms, special issues (e.g., women, torture, children, minorities), and the role of nongovernmental organizations. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 325: Hate Crime (3 Credits)

Provides an introductory understanding of the definitions of hate crime; extremist groups and individuals; reporting, investigation, and prosecution of hate crimes; and hate crime policy and legislation. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100.

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

400-Level Courses in CRIM

CRIM 401: Policing in America (3 Credits)

Fundamental issues relevant to contemporary public policing in America: role and history of police; impact on crime, disorder, and other social problems; discretion and its control; moral hazards; police legitimacy and public support; police culture and the police organization; and community policing. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 402: Punishment and Corrections (3 Credits)

Covers theories on forms of punishment systems; punishment and corrections as a product of historical, cultural, and political changes; differences by race and gender in punishment and corrections; problems of social control and violence in prisons; alternative rehabilitation; and community prevention strategies. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts.

Specialized Designation: Mason Impact.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 423: Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties (3 Credits)

Studies First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, and religion; the right to privacy; and Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to GOVT 423.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

CRIM 490: Special Topics (1-3 Credits)

Recent developments in the field. Notes: Topics vary. May be used to fulfill requirements for different concentrations in the BS in criminology, law, and society depending on the topic. May be repeated when topic is different. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.

Specialized Designation: Topic Varies

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 100

Schedule Type: Lecture

Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

Topics in CRIM

Graduate

500-Level Courses in CRIM

CRIM 510: Policing (3 Credits)

Examines police organizations, practices, strategies, and reforms; the functions and mandates of the police in democracies; research knowledge about policing and the impacts of policing; and policing in the context of the broader criminal justice system. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 511: Evidence-based Crime and Justice Policy (3 Credits)

Examines the role that science and research play in criminal justice agencies, policies and practicecs. Includes understanding the strengths and limitations of the evidence-based practices framework, reviewing evidence about the effectiveness, fairness, theoretical underpinnings, and efficiency of various policies and practices to deal with crime and justice issues, and understanding how research is translated into policy and practice. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 514: Legal and Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice (3 Credits)

Legal and ethical issues in the making and administration of criminal justice policy in the United States. Covers the legal framework governing each issue, competing values influencing policies and practice, and the history of legal reforms in the criminal justice system. Recurrent underlying themes are legalized discretion, gender and racial equality, due process, and procedural justice. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 521: The Constitution, Criminal Procedure, and Security (3 Credits)

Focuses on understanding legal doctrines that form basis of U.S. constitutional criminal procedural rights and how doctrines develop, why courts rule as they do, and evaluating strengths, weaknesses of rights. For MS Students. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 523: Law and Social Control (3 Credits)

Competing conceptions of law, political systems, and social control. Intellectual traditions behind social control, its definitions, and mechanisms for regulating public and private behavior, by both individuals and organizations in society. For MS Students. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 541: Conduct of Justice Organizations at the Street Level (3 Credits)

How justice organizations behave at lowest levels, where service is delivered and discretion is greatest (suspects, victims, witnesses, police officers, prison guards, parole officers, attorneys, and others who interact with the justice system). For MS students. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 544: Corrections (3 Credits)

Covers the social institutions and processes involved in punishment, control, and behavior change. Reviews the consequences of different policies and organizational approaches. For MS students. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 561: Politics of Crime Policy (3 Credits)

Explores political context of crime policy. Examines influence of public opinion, interest groups, scientific community, and other political forces. In-depth, case-study comparison of several crime policies. For MS students. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 595: Special Topics (3 Credits)

Recent developments in the field or topics not covered by regularly listed courses. The course content varies. For MS sudents. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.

Specialized Designation: Topic Varies

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

700-Level Courses in CRIM

CRIM 700: Values, Ethics, and Criminal Justice Policy (3 Credits)

Overview of important public values and classical and contemporary theories for understanding how these values apply to the criminal justice process. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit. Equivalent to GOVT 726.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 721: The Constitution, Criminal Procedure, and Security (3 Credits)

Focuses on understanding legal doctrines that form basis of U.S. constitutional procedural rights and how doctrines develop, why courts rule as they do, and evaluating strengths, weaknesses of rights. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 720 or GOVT 728, or permission of instructor.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 723: Law and Social Control (3 Credits)

Competing conceptions of law, political systems, and social control. Intellectual traditions behind social control, its definitions, and mechanisms for regulating public and private behavior, by both individuals and organizations in society. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 720 or GOVT 728, or permission of instructor.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 740: Justice Organizations (3 Credits)

Understanding and evaluating criminal justice policies, practices, and structures in an organizational context. Draws on organizational theory and empirical research to explore the challenges and opportunities to shape criminal justice processes and outcomes. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit. Equivalent to PUAD 790.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 744: Corrections (3 Credits)

Covers the social institutions and processes involved in punishment, control, and behavior change. Reviews the consequences of different policies and organizational approaches. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 740.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 760: Evidence-Based Crime Policy (3 Credits)

Explores the theoretical and empirical support for crime and justice interventions and policies, and examines the translational link between research and criminal justice practices. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 761: Politics of Crime Policy (3 Credits)

Explores political context of crime policy. Examines influence of public opinion, interest groups, scientific community, and other political forces. In-depth, case-study comparison of several crime policies. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May not be repeated for credit.

Recommended Prerequisite: CRIM 760/GOVT 792 or permission of instructor.

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

CRIM 795: Special Topics (3 Credits)

Recent developments in field, or topics not covered by regularly listed courses. Notes: Topics vary. May be repeated when topic is different. Offered by Criminology, Law and Society. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.

Specialized Designation: Topic Varies

Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar

Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.