Criminal Justice With Emphasis on Homeland Security

This course is an in-depth examination of one of the three cornerstones of traditional policing— criminal investigation. Topics include physical evidence, information sources, interviews and interrogations, eyewitness identifications, crime scene reconstruction, homicide investigations, burglaries, robberies, sex crime investigations, specialized investigations, and managing criminal investigations.

This course presents practical information to move the domain of the abstract into the real world of criminal investigation. The latest technologies available to crime laboratory personnel are revealed. Basic concepts of Internet use and the exploration of Web sites are related to the field. The procedures for the accurate collection of crime scene evidence are reviewed. The nature of physical evidence is defined.

This course covers the administration of justice framed in those issues in the context of police, courts, and corrections. Approaches courts use to manage their dockets and trials are reviewed. Challenges of the corrections segment of the system are analyzed. The impact of technology to bridge the segments of the system is explored. The challenges of the current and future criminal justice system are described and forecast.

This course defines and reviews the history of terrorism and the most recent terrorist attacks from around the world and against the people of the U.S. The aspects of counterterrorism approaches developed in various countries are explored. The future challenges presented by terrorism are identified and examined. Procedures, equipment, and planning for adequate airport and aircraft security in the twenty-first century are analyzed. The new TSA regulations, corresponding clarifications, and historical perspectives are covered. The course analyzes the current status of aviation law pertaining to terrorism, air rage, search and seizure, and impending changes. Background information on terrorist groups and efforts to combat them are supplemented by references to corresponding terrorist police and military units and weapons.

This is an introductory course in homeland security emphasizing the demands and needs of government and international agencies related to safety issues, terrorism, and laws related to homeland security. The course prepares individuals to pursue a career in homeland security and related agencies.

This course provides an introductory examination of criminal victimization in the United States via an overview of current theory, research, and trends within the context of specific victimization types. We will examine specific crimes types, the impact of crime on victims and society, the role of victims within the criminal justice system, specific remedies, and victim rights and services. We will engage in many of these topics within a context of current events and local models of crime victim services.

This course introduces the sociology of drugs and examines social definitions of licit and illicit drugs, conditions of their use, and socialization into drug use. Students consider deviant drug use and the effects of social control on definitions and use of drugs. The course applies the relevant sociological theories of deviance and social control.

This course is an introduction to statistics and the use of a professional statistical software package. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, binomial and normal distributions, sampling, confidence intervals, and tests of hypotheses.

This course provides a survey of the field of intelligence. This course explores the history, function, principles, and methods of collecting intelligence. Emphasis is placed on the collection, analysis, interpretation, and use of intelligence. Central to the course is the use of intelligence in the United States regarding terrorism, organized crime and espionage (including economic espionage) investigations. Lastly, the course recognizes and explores the evolving intersection between intelligence, national security, and the criminal justice system.