Instructor: Bobby Moore, Ph.D.
Phone: (662) 846-4073
Email: bemoore@deltastate.edu
Office Hours:
MWF: 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
TTh: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Other Times by Appointment

Class Time: 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Wednesday Night

Website: http://ntweb.deltastate.edu/vp_academic/Bmoore

Required Text: No required textbook.

Recommended Text: Publication manual of the American Psychological Association

COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
This course is a graduate level seminar designed to provide an opportunity for students to incorporate the various researching skills acquired in graduate school into a series of research papers concerning current issues in the field of criminal justice. Students will learn to prepare and present a series of independent research reports on topics that are currently affecting the fields of law enforcement, criminal courts, correctional systems, and juvenile justice systems.

CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE
This course is a graduate level course, and as such, it is expected that the student will attend class. However, understanding that there are situations that will require an individual to miss class, each student will be allotted 1 absence. Following the 1 absence, the student’s grade will be lowered one letter grade. Attendance is vital to successful completion of the course, as class meetings will consist of presentations and discussions. Any student missing 2 or more class meetings will receive an "F" for the course.

TARDINESS
An individual entering the classroom after class has begun is not only disrupting for the instructor, it is also disrupting for other students. If you arrive to class late and the door is already closed, then do not interrupt the class by coming in. Arriving late will still count as one of your allotted absences. If you have an extenuating circumstance then please let the instructor know, in order that special arrangements be made.

GRADING
There will be 4 research reports completed for this course. One research project will come from each of the 4 primary areas of criminal justice: law enforcement, corrections, the courts, and the juvenile justice system. Each report will require the student to conduct an independent research project that discusses a current issue facing the area under current study. For example, under the law enforcement section, one student may be selected to conduct research on the issue of delaying Miranda warnings for criminal suspects. This student will be asked to search for materials (articles, books, court cases, etc.) that support the delaying of Miranda warning for criminal suspects. Another student will be assigned the same topic and will be required to search for materials that criticize the practice of delaying Miranda warnings for criminal suspect.

The instructor will select the topic to be examined, as well as the student who will research the issue. The student will then have 3 weeks to prepare a thorough argument that supports their assigned position. At the conclusion of the 3 week period, the student will present the finding to the entire class in a roundtable format. Each presentation should consist of a ten minute discussion of the results of the research with time left over for discussion among other class members.

The student’s grade will be a composite score obtained by combining an overall grade for the paper and a grade for the quality of the presentation. Examples of problems that will impact a student’s grade are as follows: (1) not following the APA format (no abstract is required for these papers), (2) papers are smaller than 4 full pages (Times New Roman) or 6 full pages (any other font), (3) margins are not 1" on top, bottom, and side, (4) papers are late, (5) papers contain less than 5 references, (6) presentation is read to the class, (7) presenter is not able to answer basic questions about their research, and (8) presentation does not meet the time limits. Anyone caught plagiarizing their research papers will receive a grade of "F" on the report and face disciplinary action from the Graduate Committee in Social Sciences.

GRADING SCALE:

A = 90% - 100%

B = 80% - 89%

C = 70% - 79%

D = 60% - 69%

F = Under 60%

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS

January 14th: Introduction to course and instructor. Discussion of course requirements. Assignment of project number 1 – Law Enforcement Possible Topics:

Departmental policy regarding the allowing of gratuities for on-duty officers (gratuity includes free coffee or discount on meals)
The issue of educational requirements for law enforcement officers.
The use of community policing and whether the approach is successful at deterring crime.
Allowing off-duty law enforcement officers to moonlight as security officers.
The delaying of Miranda warnings to suspects under criminal investigation.
The use of deadly force by law enforcement agencies in the wake of technological development.

January 21st: Introduction to Legal Research and Questions on APA format.

January 28th: Research class

February 4^th: Research class

February 11th: Presentation of Research projects. Assignment of project number 2 – Corrections Possible Topics:

The execution of the mentally incapacitated and whether such an act is a violation of the 8^th Amendment of the Constitution.
The issue of sexual assault in correctional facilities – is there a serious problem or is this a myth perpetrated by the media.
Educational programs in prisons and an inmate’s access to education.
The presence of weight lifting programs in correctional facilities.
The prison overcrowding situation and the role narcotics convictions play in the problem – is there a better solution?

February 18th: Presentation

February 25th: Research class

March 3rd: Research class

March 10th: Presentation of research projects. Assignment of project number 3 – the Courts.

The use of plea bargaining in criminal trials.
The constitutionality of the PATRIOT Act’s expansion of law enforcement powers.
The public defender program – does it discriminate by its very nature.
Does the exclusionary rule promote or prohibit justice.
Use of eyewitness testimony- should it be acceptable at trial.

March 17th: Spring Break

March 24th: Presentation

March 31st: Class research

April 7th: Class research

April 14th: Presentation of results. Assignment of project 4- the juvenile justice system.  Possible topics include:

Should juveniles convicted of violent crimes be tried as adults?
Should the minimum age for the death penalty be lowered?
Should jury trials be allowed in juvenile court hearings?
Should juvenile court hearings be open to the public?
Should a 13 or 14 year old be sentenced to a state prison?

April 21st: Class research

April 28th: Presentation of results.

May 5th: Presentation of results. Turn in all papers.