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CRJS 501 Criminal Justice Theory

CRJS 501 Criminal Justice Theory. Session #1: Course Introduction Criminal Justice Theory and Criminal Justice as an Academic Discipline. Question…. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term “ CRIMINAL JUSTICE ”?. Question….

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CRJS 501 Criminal Justice Theory

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  1. CRJS 501Criminal Justice Theory Session #1: Course Introduction Criminal Justice Theory and Criminal Justice as an Academic Discipline JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  2. Question… What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term “CRIMINAL JUSTICE”? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  3. Question… As a criminal justice graduate student (and as a citizen and/or criminal justice professional) in thinking about contemporary criminal justice issues, what is your PASSION? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  4. Course Goals • FOUNDATION FOR EXAMINING ISSUES in criminal justice. • THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK to critically analyze contemporary CJ policies and practices. • OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP IDEAS around contemporary issues in CJ. JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  5. What I’d Like You to Learn From this Course… • The THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES that provide the foundation of the discipline of criminal justice. • An UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORY OF THE EVOLUTION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE as an academic discipline. • How to CRITICALLY EXAMINE CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in criminal justice with attention to existing theories and a fresh perspective. • How to WRITE/PRESENT AN APA FORMAT LITERATURE REVIEW PAPER. JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  6. Criminal Justice as an Academic Discipline… • What is “criminal justice”? • What does criminal justice involve as an academic discipline? • Is criminal justice really (and does it need to be) an independent discipline? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  7. CJ Flow Chart created by the 1967 President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/flowchart.htm. JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  8. Comments on CJ Education Readings? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  9. Academic Criminal Justice has seen (since the LEAA funding in 1968) “phenomenal growth, unequal in any other science or profession in the history of humankind” (Adler, 1995, p. 21) JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  10. Criminal Justice Theory… • What is a theory? • Why do we need a theory or theories of criminal justice? • What are some examples of the application of theory to criminal justice policy and practice? • How does theory guide research? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  11. Comments on CJ Theory Readings? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  12. How is it that we have entire academic degree programs dedicated to the study of criminal justice, and yet most programs’ curricula do not address explicitly its theoretical forces and underpinnings? Our students, especially those in graduate programs aspiring to work in academe, must have a solid grasp of both the “why of crime” and the “why of criminal justice and crime control.” (Kraska, P.B. (2006). Criminal Justice Theory: Toward a Legitimacy and an infrastructure. Justice Quarterly, 23 (2), 167-185. p. 181) JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  13. “…as a former Alaskan fishing guide who has been chased by grizzly bears, I can say on good authority that—believe it or not—theorizing can actually be exciting” (Kraska, p. 3) JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  14. Police use of force and policies on less than lethal force Racial Profiling Offender Profiling Specialized courts The use of Actuarial Tools to Predict Dangerousness Three Strikes Legislation Prison Rape Elimination Act Intensive Supervision Probation and Parole Challenges to felony voting laws Patriot Act and Surveillance Restorative and Community Justice Initiatives Sex offender registration Civil commitment of sexual predators Mandatory DNA sampling of convicted felons Recent State and US Supreme Court Decisions to halt executions deeming lethal injection as cruel and unusual punishment. Shaming Laws Other?? Thinking about Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice. Some Examples to Get Started… JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  15. What is Your Theoretical Orientation? Some questions to think about… • Why is there a disproportionate number of Black Americans incarcerated in the United States? • Why were habitual offender laws been revived with a vengeance in the late 20th century? • Why is the recidivism rate so high for offenders coming out of jails and prisons? • Why is lethal injection suddenly under constitutional attack? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  16. Theoretical Orientations JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  17. Types of Peer Reviewed Journal Articles • EMPIRICAL – Report original research. • REVIEW– Critical evaluation of published work. • THEORETICAL – Review, integration, synthesis of existing research literature to advance theory. • METHODOLOGICAL – New methodological approach presented. • CASE STUDY – Description of case material while working with an individual or organization to illustrate a problem or to highlight issues in research or theory. JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  18. Coming up with a Literature Review Topic • Criminal justice as an academic discipline is concerned with “the scholarly examination of criminal justice as a social phenomenon.” Along these lines…What questions are of particular interest to you? What is your passion? What questions get you wondering, concerned, riled up? JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  19. Writing a Literature Review/Theoretical Paper(See McShane & Williams (2007), Ch 7) • Paper should review existing research in a particular area involving contemporary issues with attention to theoretical perspectives or particular theoretical focus. • Sections of Paper • Title Page • Abstract • Introduction • Body of Paper -- Method (will be very brief in a review paper), Analysis (helpful to include subheadings) • Discussion JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

  20. Term Paper Proposals • Due Next Class session. Include: • TOPIC– A contemporary CJ issue, policy, or practice. • EXPLANATION -- Why you are interested in the topic? What direction will you go with your paper (e.g., how you will approach/organize, theoretical perspective you will offer). • ABSTRACT – 150 word description of the purpose of your paper, sources you will use (e.g., published literature), and conclusions. JB Helfgott, PhD/Dept of Criminal Justice/Seattle University

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