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Criminal Justice 691

CRJU 691: Public Policy and Criminal Justice

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Credit Hours: (3)

Intensive study of policy formulation process for American criminal justice agencies. Attention to each of the major components of the American criminal justice system: police, courts and corrections.

Detailed Description of Content of Course

The purpose of this course is to examine and analyze the processes utilized in the development of public policy in the United States. The following areas of concentration will be looked at:

1. The Policy Process
2. The Nature of Public Problems
3. Agenda Setting
4. Policy Formulation and the Institutions of Governance
5. Policy Implementation
6. Public Policy Evolution in the Criminal Justice System
            a. Law Enforcement
            b. Courts
            c. Corrections

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Instruction will consist of a lecture/discussion format. Students may be required to maintain a journal that is intended to facilitate the learning process. In class exploratory writing assignments, research papers and oral reports may also be utilized from time to time.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

The student will be able to:

1. Articulate and differentiate between the various models of public policy development.
2. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the major issues surrounding problem identification, agenda setting and policy evaluation.
3. Identify and articulate the various problems and obstacles that must be considered during the process of policy implementation.
4. Identify and articulate in a comprehensive manner the various policy issues that face the criminal justice system and analyze the development of those issues from a policy formulation perspective.

Assessment Measures

Knowledge and understanding of the material covered in this course as well as the ability to apply it to real life situations, may be measured using an array of assessment tools that can include tests, formal research papers and proposals, informal writing assignments, formal oral presentations, and class discussion. Instructors of this course can choose among these assessment tools and may develop others if they deem it appropriate.

Other Course Information

None

Review and Approval

Date Action Approved By
March 1999

April 1, 2008