"Easy days!": A little life perspective from the quarterdeck at Basic Underwater Demolition Training/SEAL facility at Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado.

General Expectations

Welcome to CJ 300!

This course is taught entirely online on the Canvas platform. Please notify me by email (mcillwain@sdsu.edu) immediately if you notice a problem with any of the weekly assignments on Canvas (i.e., assignment did not post, the due date was entered incorrectly, point totals don’t add up, links don’t work, etc.). I do my best to troubleshoot content before releasing it but there can always be hiccoughs as assignments, due dates, and lectures change from semester to semester. Please know that I will fix what I can as soon as I receive notice.

I seek to foster a classroom environment where ideas may clash, but mutual respect always reigns supreme. I expect you to be diplomatic, tactful, friendly, and professional to your fellow classmates while being challenged by--and tolerant of--material you may not have encountered before or looked at through different lenses, even as we discuss what can be perceived as controversial issues. I expect you to avoid cliches and talking points, to hive substantive, evidenced-based, independent thought If there is ever a time where you feel uncomfortable in class or that your voice, thoughts or opinions are not heard being heard by me or your classmates, please contact me immediately so that we may work together towards a remedy that will make the course experience a positive one for you.

This is a class where there is a lot expected of you and this may prove difficult for those transitioning to upper-division major work. Please contact me immediately if you find yourself struggling. Do not dig a hole for yourself by hiding from your responsibilities in this class. That never works out well for students and I want to work with you to ensure you not only pass, but do well, in the class.

I encourage you to make appointments to meet/talk with me if you need assistance during the course. You will find me highly accessible and willing to work with you to help you learn the material, complete the assignments, and succeed in this course. Do not rely on other students for instructions or advice. More often than not, that is how misinformation, misunderstandings, and then failure occurs. Contact me directly.

Please know that you are responsible for being aware of any revisions made to this syllabus during the course of the semester. I will announce if there is a change in directions for assignments, readings, class schedule, etc. on Canvas, by email, and (sometimes) during my weekly recorded/streamed comments. Please make sure your contact info (especially email) is always kept up to date on the SDSU Web Portal so that you receive all communication from me, ITS, Global Campus (GC), and the University. Once again, you are responsible for any possible revisions.

Course Description

CJ 300: Crime, Law & Justice introduces students to numerous individual and community narratives that have interacted with each other over the course of US history to shape the way we view the interdependent subjects of crime, law, and justice in all their constantly evolving complexity. The aim is to give students a fundamental understanding of how crime comes to be defined to include certain behaviors and exclude others; how the law works to control and regulate the behavior of both citizens and justice system professionals; why some people violate the law and others do not; the mechanisms employed to control crime and deal with criminal offenders and victims of crime; why different individuals and communities view crime, law, and justice so differently; and the research techniques we use to discover what works and what does not work and how one era’s best practices can be viewed as failures at best from future perspectives.

In order to do this, we will take an historical, evolutionary approach to the study of crime, law, and justice in the United States. Specifically, we will come to appreciate:

How different stakeholders developed different narratives.
The dialectic between individual and community perspectives.
The impact of regional and cultural factors on these perspectives.
The distinct and evolving powers given federal, state, local, and tribal authorities (federalism).
The practical interplay between formal and informal power structures.

As criminal justice majors progress through their course of study, they will be able to specialize in courses that expand their understanding of each of these critical areas. Non-majors will be able to use the knowledge and skills obtained in this course to make better sense out of the myriad headlines about crime and criminal justice that saturate the media and to make more informed choices as citizens and non-citizens.

Course Learning Objectives

The class is designed (1) to develop the critical thinking skills and the imagination of aspiring criminal justice majors who seek a solid understanding of the fundamentals of crime, law, and justice and (2) to stimulate the curiosity and interest of non-majors who seek to develop an informed appreciation of the complex realities of crime, law, and justice.

No matter what your academic major, world view, or life experiences, it is my hope that the course will, at various times, enthuse, frustrate, annoy, enrage, gratify, depress, and inspire each of you. Experiencing these things means you are experiencing intellectual growth and actually recognizing that crime, law, and justice are complicated things with very real implications for individuals and communities.

Ultimately, the goal of education is to help one to understand complex situations and relationships and to apply one’s understanding to solve problems both within, and beyond, the issue of crime, law, or justice at hand. Thinking critically, finding one’s own substantiated answers being open to the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, engaging with secondary and primary source material, meeting your responsibilities professionally, and communicating effectively are natural outcomes of the educational process which, in turn, prepare students for careers in the public, private, and NGO sectors of the criminal justice system.

The specific learning outcomes for the course are that students will be able to:

Explain the complex, evolving relationships between crime, law, and justice over time and space.
Classify law as a social instrument whose content is determined by human judgment in different ways over time and space.
Explain how the criminal law is but one instrument among a plethora of social control mechanisms.
Differentiate between the operation of both substantive and procedural criminal laws and how they are intended to control the conduct of both citizens and criminal justice agents.
Explain how “crime” and “criminal” are constructed social and behavioral phenomenon.
Explain how “justice” and “criminal justice” are constructed social and behavioral phenomenon.
Explain how human behavior in a given place and time is a product of multiple variables interpreted in multiple ways by multiple stakeholders.
Explain the evolution of the structure and operation of criminal justice organizations in the context of federalism.
Identify the historical tensions and opportunities existing both within the complex interrelationships binding criminal justice organizations and between the communities and individuals these organizations protect and serve.
Explain why concepts or crime, law, and justice change over time and how these changes impact criminal justice organizations and the communities and individuals they serve.

Expectations

Students are expected to complete all assignments on time, and participate fully in class activities and discussions.

The instructor will respond to student emails or texts/calls within 24-48 hours and will do all he can to provide grades for assignments within one week of the due date.

Extreme Ownership:

It is my expectation for you to practice what retired Navy SEAL officer Jocko Willink defines as "extreme ownership." He challenges you to:

"...[T]ake ownership of everything in your world, the good and the bad. Take ownership of your mistakes. Take ownership of your shortfalls. Take ownership of your problems. Then take ownership of solutions that will get those problems solved. Take ownership of your mission. Take ownership of your job, of your team, of your future, and take ownership of your life! And lead. Lead. Lead yourself and your team and the people in your life. Lead them all to victory."

What I mean by this is that high school is over. It is time to set your own path and to do so with an eye toward meeting your responsibilities to yourself and to others. Have fun, play, TikTok and IG your sweet dance moves and "best life" images to your hundred thousand followers, but own everything in your world including your work and participation in this class.

Netiquette

Netiquette is online etiquette and is applicable to all course communications. It is important that all students be aware of proper behavior and show respect to one another.

Netiquette guidelines are common sense and ask all to use appropriate language for an educational environment:

Use complete sentences
Use proper spelling and grammar
Avoid slang and uncommon abbreviations
Avoid obscene or threatening language

The University values diversity and encourages discourse. Simply be respectful of differences while engaging in discussions. Consult SDSU’s netiquette guidelines for more information.

Course Structure

This course is offered in an online format. Course information and content is housed in the SDSU Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). Zoom will also be used for certain class tasks. Student guides on how to use these tools are located in the "Student Online Resources" section of the "Getting Started" module on the course Canvas site. The instructor does not provide tech support. Contact the appropriate tech support specialists as needed.

The course is sixteen weeks long. Two weeks correspond to a module (two weeks be module). Each module is based on two Roth chapters comprising a period of time in the history of crime, law & justice in the United States (the last week has just one chapter). Supplementary material (scholarly articles, videos, etc.) is provided for each chapter within each module. Additionally, chapters from the Butterfield book are assigned to M3-M7.

All Roth, Butterfield, and supplementary readings/videos are mandatory. They are not optional (supplementary does not mean optional; it means the material is supplementary and meant to illuminate a particular Roth chapter). All of the mandatory material is covered by assignments and/or exams.

You will receive two question options for the Roth Reflection Assignment and for the Supplementary Materials Assignment for each Module. You will choose which of the two Roth Reflection Assignment questions and which of the two Supplementary Materials Assignment you answer for each Module's assignment. (NOTE: You are still required to complete all of the assigned material assigned that week, not just the material related to the questions you choose to answer. All of the assigned material is fair game for the exams.)

Some assignments are partially reduced during M4 (mid-term week) and M8 (finals week). Directions for each assignment are located on their respective course pages. There are no make-up exams and assignment extensions (unless covered by university and course policies) and there are no extra credit assignments.

Exams are due the Sundays (11:59 pm) of M4 and M8. Roth Reflection Assignments and Supplementary Materials Assignments are due on Sundays at 11:59 unless specified.

To-do tasks (i.e., readings, videos, etc.) and assignment due dates are listed on your Canvas calendar and are meant to keep you on pace to complete course responsibilities on time and without them piling up on each other.

I will host optional Zoom discussion sections to review for both exams (the Butterfield book is discussed as part of the final exam). These Zoom sessions are scheduled in M4 (mid-term) and M8 (final). Do not stress if you miss the session. I will record it and have it transcribed for you to access after the fact (though it may take some time to upload due to technological constraints and CC will have to be autogenerated due to real-time constraints). It will last for about an hour, though I will block off 90 minutes in case we go over due to the number of questions. Once again, these are optional and for your benefit.

Modules will be generally released each Sunday about 12:00 pm so people who complete the previous module early can get 12 hour jump on things if they so choose. Modules close on their respective Sunday nights at 11:59 pm.

Course Assessments and Scoring

Some people believe that we should all be evaluated on the actual outcomes of our work, i.e., you get the grade that you earn based on the knowledge that you demonstrate you know. Others believe that we should be evaluated on the effort that we put into the work, (i.e., you get graded based on how hard you tried). The challenge for many college students is that college is a time when students must transition from the “effort-based” philosophy of K-12 education to the “outcome-based” philosophy of the real world.

I believe in outcome-based assessment, not effort-based assessment. Why? Because I know that, in the end, operating in an effort-based philosophy does a serious disservice to college students who must graduate to operate in the outcome-based world. What does this mean for you? It means that you will receive in this class the grade that you earn, based on the grading criteria outlined for each assignment. I believe in raising the bar to achieve a student’s potential. I don’t hand out trophies for showing up. Consequently, complete your assignments on time and to a high standard of quality. Be prepared to contribute to class discussions substantively. Meet your responsibilities professionally and you will do well. Fail to do so and you will not.

What this means in practical terms is that if you do not meet your requirements—and/or fail to provide appropriate answers—for an assignment, you will earn an F which is zero points. There is no extra credit in this course and you may not make-up an assignment (unless covered by University and course policy). So please avoid a F by following directions, answering thoughtfully and with reference to appropriate assigned material, and do not “blow-off” or “mail-in” these assignments at the last minute.

Your final grade will be based on the following:

Roth Reflections (Weekly): 200 points (25 points x 8) = 20% of final grade

Supplementary Reflections (Weekly): 200 points (25 points x 8) = 20% of final grade

M 1-4: Mid-Term-Lincoln and Crime, Law, and Justice (Module Four): 300 points = 30% of final grade

M 5-8 Final-In My Father's House (Module 8): 300 points = 30% of final grade

TOTAL: 1000 points

Final grade determination: A (100%-93%); A- (92%-90%); B+ (89%-88%); B (87%-83%); B- (82%-80%); C+ (79%-78%); C (77%-73%); C- (72%-70%); D+ (69%-68%); D (67%-63%); D- (62%-60%); F (59%-0)%; I (Incomplete); UW (Unauthorized Withdrawal = F).

Your TA and I endeavor to assess and grade your work within one-to-two weeks after being submitted, but please allow me some grace if work and home make such a turnaround problematic.

I want to see all of you do well and I will do my utmost to help you do so. Please communicate any questions or concerns proactively so that I can help ensure a positive outcome for you.

Please remember that plagiarism and academic dishonesty issues will be addressed severely per class and university policies.

Assignment Details

Specific instructions for weekly assignments and exams, as well as rubrics, are provided under the weekly module links on Canvas. Make sure to follow directions. Stick to the scheduled pace of the class to avoid falling behind. Everything is regimented to help you succeed, but you will fall behind quickly if you do not stick the pace. Keep in mind all assignments must be professional, proofread, and properly sourced (APA).

Students should also ensure that they have a high-speed internet connection (preferably wired).

Late Assignment Policy

An extension is ONLY available IF it is necessitated by (1) religious observance, (2) debilitating illness, or (3) compelling circumstances beyond the student’s control. Students requesting extensions are responsible for demonstrating to me that their need for one was on account of one of these three causes. Such demonstration shall take the form of a letter signed by a person in a position to make an authoritative determination as to the validity of the need for the extension claimed by the student. Letters related to any requested extensions must be presented to me in advance of a due date. Letters related to any unplanned/unforeseen need for an extension (a true emergency) must be presented to me within five days of the original due date, regardless of any holidays/weekends during that period.

Remember: Taking care of assignments when you are capable of doing so will give you breathing room to avoid an extension request if a need is to arise. This is particularly important the weeks exams and the Butterfield paper are due. Just stay on top of your workload and you should have no problems completing these assignments on time.

Turnitin

Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. You may submit your papers in such a way that no identifying information about you is included. Another option is that you may request, in writing, that your papers not be submitted to www.turnitin.com. However, if you choose this option you will be required to provide documentation to substantiate that the papers are your original work and do not include any plagiarized material.

As explained earlier, Turnitin also provides proofreading functions. Proofreading, along with a plagiarism assessment, will occur automatically when you submit your paper. This will be made available to you as soon as it processes. Turn your assignments in early enough to benefit from this function. You are welcome to make corrections and resubmit up to the deadline.

Success in an Online Course

To succeed in the online environment, students should have the following:

A computer with a stable Internet connection.
Basic computer skills – email, Internet, and basic word processing.
Microsoft Office 2010, or newer (must include Word and PowerPoint) or equivalent.
An email address that will not change from the beginning until the end of the term.
A "technology back-up" plan to complete assignments in case computer or Internet fails.
Sufficient time - Online courses require as much time as face-to-face courses.
Self-motivation to work with minimal supervision.

Students are also required to:

Make use of online course materials available via Canvas. Access to these materials is available after registration in the course.
Participate in asynchronous online discussions.
Complete readings and assignments by the dates indicated on the schedule.
Check email on a daily basis.

Enrollment Information

Prerequisites: Admission to the criminal justice major. Non-major third or fourth year students may take the course with instructor’s approval. The instructor will drop you from the course if you do not meet these prerequisites.

Drops/Refunds/Withdrawal Procedures: Consult the GC website for full information, guidelines and procedures to drop a course.

Noncredit Courses: Students must earn 60% or higher on course assessments to complete this course. GC’s grade system conforms to the SDSU guidelines for measuring student achievement in noncredit classes. At the end of this course, students will receive a letter of completion. Students should provide this letter to their HR department for possible tuition reimbursement. For those organizations that require a grade or its equivalent to reimburse employees based on performance, the scoring scale of Excellent, Above Average, Average, Marginal, Unsatisfactory or Incomplete, is equivalent to a traditional grade scale. This scoring system is mandated by SDSU to differentiate noncredit courses from traditional for full credit courses

Student Support

Writing Support

With the exception of our Interaction discussion board, all assignments are to be uploaded as .docx, .doc, or .pdf documents (Canvas does not read Apple Pages documents so Pages users need to "save as" in the above formats). You should run your paper through your word processing software's (Word, Pages) spelling and grammar check functions before uploading.

Once a document is uploaded on Canvas, additional grammar and spelling corrections will be provided to you via the Turnitin function (Turnitin also checks for plagiarism). Please submit papers early enough to make these corrections as merited.

For those in need of additional help, the staff at the SDSU Writing Center is available online.

Additionally, some students find it helpful to use technology tools to support the writing process. The following resources are provided as needed.

Use a free Chrome browser plug-in such as Grammarly or--as mentioned above--MS or Apple Pages tools to proofread and provide edits in real time in your own copy of MS Office.
Review APA formatting:
- APA Manual
- Purdue University's OWL
- org Quick Answers-Formatting
- PC: Set up and use APA Formatting video or LibrarianEnumerations Blog
- Mac: Set up and use APA Formattingvideo
- Citation Machine tool for creating citations

Technical Support for Canvas

Technical assistance is available anytime during the course via the SDSU World Campus IT website at:

University Policies

Academic Honesty

The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will not be tolerated. Become familiar with the policy and what constitutes plagiarism (http://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/srr/cheating-plagiarism.html). Any cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this class and a disciplinary review by the University. These actions may lead to probation, suspension, or expulsion.

Examples of Academic Dishonesty include but are not limited to:

copying, in part or in whole, from another's test or other examination;
obtaining copies of a test, an examination, or other course material
without the permission of the instructor;
collaborating with another or others in work to be presented without the permission of the instructor;
falsifying records, laboratory work, or other course data;
submitting work previously presented in another course, if contrary to the rules of the course;
altering or interfering with grading procedures;
assisting another student in any of the above;
using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work);
copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own;
using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit;
replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases.

The California State University system requires instructors to report all instances of academic misconduct to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities. Academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary review by the University and may lead to probation, suspension, or expulsion. Instructors may also, at their discretion, penalize student grades on any assignment or assessment discovered to have been produced in an academically dishonest manner.

You are required to use Turnitin to avoid plagiarism issues. Failure to use Turnitin will lead to a penalty up to zero points per the professor's discretion.

Accessibility

If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Ability Success Center at (619) 594-6473. You can also learn more about the services provided by visiting the Student Ability Success Center website.

To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Ability Success Center as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Ability Success Center. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Student Support Services

A complete list of all academic support services is available on the Academic Success section of the SDSU Student Affairs website.

Classroom Conduct Standards

SDSU students are expected to abide by the terms of the Student Conduct Code in classrooms and other instructional settings. Prohibited conduct includes:

Willful, material and substantial disruption or obstruction of a University-related activity, or any on-campus activity.
Participating in an activity that substantially and materially disrupts the normal operations of the University or infringes on the rights of members of the University community.
Unauthorized recording, dissemination, or publication (including on websites or social media) of lectures or other course materials.
Conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person within or related to the University community, including
1. physical abuse, threats, intimidation, or harassment.
2. sexual misconduct.

Violation of these standards will result in referral to appropriate campus authorities.

Medical-related Absences

Students are instructed to contact their professor/instructor/coach in the event they need to miss class, etc. due to an illness, injury or emergency. All decisions about the impact of an absence, as well as any arrangements for making up work, rest with the instructors. Student Health Services (SHS) does not provide medical excuses for short-term absences due to illness or injury. When a medical-related absence persists beyond five days, SHS will work with students to provide appropriate documentation. When a student is hospitalized or has a serious, ongoing illness or injury, SHS will, at the student's request and with the student’s consent, communicate with the student’s instructors via the VP for Student Affairs and may communicate with the student’s Assistant Dean and/or the Student Ability Success Center.

SDSU Economic Crisis Response Team

If you or a friend are experiencing food or housing insecurity, or any unforeseen financial crisis, visit sdsu.edu/ecrt, email ecrt@sdsu.edu, or walk-in to Well-being & Health Promotion on the 3rd floor of Calpulli Center.

Copyright Policy

SDSU respects the intellectual property of others and we ask our faculty & students to do the same. It is best to assume that any material (e.g., graphic, html coding, text, video, or sound) on the Web is copyrighted unless specific permission is given to copy it under a Creative Commons License. For more information consult the TEACH Act and Copyright Fair Use Guidelines. Whenever possible, you should attribute the original author of any work used.

Netiquette and Communication Guidelines

Consult SDSU’s netiquette guidelines for information on appropriate communication.

Non-Discrimination Policy

SDSU is committed to providing a safe and welcoming campus environment for all students, faculty and staff. The CSU has affirmed its commitment to ‘protecting access, affordability, intellectual freedom, inclusivity, and diversity for all students, including supporting DACA students. Discrimination, harassment, or retaliation against students, faculty, and staff on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, nationality, immigration status and other categories of identity is prohibited. If you have concerns about your status at the university, visit the Student Affairs site for information or contact the Dean of Students or the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in your College.

Religious Observances

According to the University Policy File, students must notify the instructors by email of affected courses of planned absences for religious observances by the end of the second week of classes. A reminder to the instructor must also be provided by email the Sunday before a module in which the religious observance begins.

Standards for Student Conduct

The university is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy living and learning environment for students, faculty, and staff. Each member of the campus community should choose behaviors that contribute toward this end. Refer to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to learn more.

Student Privacy / FERPA / Intellectual Property

SDSU complies with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Grades, personal identification and any other records will not be released to others without your express written permission. Refer to the Office of the Registrar for detailed information on student privacy.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) mandates the protection of student information, including contact information, grades, and graded assignments. Your instructor may use Canvas to communicate with you, and will not post grades or leave graded assignments in public places. Students will be notified at the time of an assignment if copies of student work will be retained beyond the end of the term or used as examples for future students or the wider public. Students maintain intellectual property rights to work products they create as part of this course unless they are formally notified otherwise.

Privacy Policies for Course Materials

Online websites may be used in this course. Please explore the following statements or seek information related to privacy statements for materials.

Canvas Learning Management System
YouTube policy on protecting your privacy when posting
TurnItIn privacy policy

Contractual Nature of the Syllabus

Students who choose to remain enrolled in this course after the regular schedule adjustment period indicate to me by their continued enrollment that they have read and understood the syllabus for this course and that they accept and agree to abide by its procedures and policies.

The Rona:

COVID policies seem to change everyday on multiple different levels. Please consult the SDSU Student Health website detailing University policies to keep up to speed.