*THE ACTUAL SYLLABUS USED IN
THIS CLASS WILL BE PUBLISHED PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SEMESTER AND WILL BE
POSTED IN THE “COURSE DOCUMENTS” FOLDER LOCATED AT THE
“BLACKBOARD PORTAL” FOR THIS CLASS. ONLY STUDENTS WHO HAVE
REGISTERED FOR THIS CLASS WILL PERMITTED TO ACCESS TO THE “BLACKBOARD
PORTAL.”
THIS DRAFT IS OFFERED FOR STUDENTS THINKING
ABOUT TAKING AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CLASS AND THE DIFFERENT
KINDS OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS THAT
WILL BE REQUIRED.
Professor: Dennis
R. Longmire, Ph.D.
Office : C-103
Criminal Justice Center
Phone (Voice Mail) : (936)
294-1651
Fax: (936)
294- 1653
Postal Address: College of
Criminal Justice
Sam
Houston State University
E-Mail: mailto:longmire@shsu.edu
Web Page: http://www.shsu.edu./~icc_drl
Class Page: http://www.shsu.edu/~icc_drl/CJ465.html
Office Hours: Thursdays -12:00
p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesdays
- 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
M.S.
Sundays - 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Or
by appointment
This course is designed to
provide criminal justice students with an overview of major ethical theories
and to place these theories into a criminal justice context. Early in the
semester we will discuss the history of and current developments in the general
areas of ethics and moral reasoning. This material will serve as a foundation
to examine several contemporary ethical problems including, but not limited to,
issues related to crime and the administration of justice. Throughout the
semester we will be examining the general questions: "What should we be
doing to see that 'justice' prevails?" and "What constitutes
‘good’ criminal justice practice?" These questions will be
raised in reference to each of the different components of the criminal justice
system (police, courts, and corrections).
This particular section of
this class is being presented in a fully on-line format.
What this means is that 100%
of the material for the class is being made available in a "fully text
based" format that can be accessed through the internet. What it does not
mean is that the class can be completed by each student in a fully asynchronous
time-frame (as would be the case in a "correspondence course"
format). Students enrolled in this
section will be required to complete a specific sequence of learning modules
within a particular time frame in order to complete the class. The timing of
these assignments is designed to correspond with the delivery of the same
material in a conventional semester format.
The "text" for the
class will include assigned reading materials drawing from "conventional"
sources including a text book and an additional required book both of which may
be purchased through the various bookstores located in Huntsville or through
one of the many on-line book vendors. It is each student's responsibility to
purchase these materials in a timely manner and to read the assignments as
specified in the Class Schedule.
Additional "text
based" material will be presented through on-line discussion sessions
delivered in both Asynchronous and Synchronous formats as well as through
“Learning Modules” that will include "lecture-like"
material and individual work-projects designed by your professor to both
supplement and compliment the text book material.
Synchronous Discussion
sessions will require students to coordinate several sessions where they will
have uninterrupted access to their computer work-stations for at least a two
hour period during which they will interact with the professor and other class
members in a "real-time" discussion of assigned material.
The following text is
required for all students attending this class. The dates for specific reading
assignments are delineated in the "Class Schedule" below. ALL
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO READ THE ASSIGNED MATERIAL PRIOR TO THE DATES
SPECIFIED IN THE "CLASS SCHEDULE."
Braswell, Michael C., Belinda
R. McCarthy, and Bernard J. McCarthy, eds. (2002), Justice, Crime and Ethics, 4th Edition. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing Co.
Don Reid (2001), Have a
Seat, Please (with John Gurwell).
Huntsville, Texas: Texas Review Press.
Asynchronous On-Line Discussion List (CJEthics-L ):
Students are required to subscribe to an on-line discussion group entitled
CJEthics-L that has been set up for this class. Instructions for how to register
for this discussion list are available at the class web-page.
At five times throughout the
semester, your professor will post a specific assignment to the CJEthics-L
discussion list that must be completed within a specified period of time.
These assignments are
designed to familiarize you with on-line material related to ethics and the
administration of justice and will require that you complete a series of
computer based tasks each of which is worth up to 20 class points (a total of
100 class points) toward your final semester grade.
Synchronous On-Line
Discussion Groups: I will assign all students enrolled in the
“on-line” version of this class to a discussion group that will be
managed through the University's Blackboard portal for this section. Each group
will consist of no more than five class members who will be required to
coordinate time periods when everyone in the group is available to participate
in discussions of the material at the same time. EACH OF THESE DISCUSSION
SESSIONS IS EXPECTED TO LAST APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS and will be responsive to
particular questions or issues raised by your professor.
There will be at least six different group discussion
sessions assigned throughout the semester and they will be conducted using the
Blackboard’s “Virtual
Classroom” program which allows students to conduct their discussions in
a “real time” chat environment. These sessions are designed to
provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your familiarity with the class
material by discussing particular ethical issues facing criminal justice
professionals in an "informed and articulate" manner. Each group
member will be assigned to serve as a "Discussion Leader" for one
session. Discussion Leaders are expected to make sure the group focuses on the
assigned material and to insure that each member of the group has an
opportunity to participate in the discussions. Discussion Leaders will be
awarded additional points for managing their respective session.
On the dates specified in the
Class schedule, your professor will release the specific discussion questions
each group will be required to discuss.
Once your group sets a time for each synchronous discussion group
session, the Discussion Leader is required to notify your professor when the
particular discussion session will take place. These sessions must be completed
within the particular windows of time specified in the Class Schedule. Your
professor will participate in some but not all of your discussions, however,
your participation in these sessions will be monitored and evaluated by your
professor through the Blackboard’s archives for each session.
Feedback concerning the
quality of each of these discussions will be given to the group as well as to
individual students following each assigned session. Individual participants in
each of the sessions will be awarded up to 20 points for each session for a
total of 120 class points possible. These points will be awarded by your
professor based on the following criteria: 1) Responsiveness (10 points) - Do
your comments accurately and fully focus on each of the issues raised in the
assignment? ; 2) Support (5 points) - Do you rely on the assigned readings
along with additional outside information to help inform your discussions and;
3) Involvement (5 points) - Do you (individually) contribute to the discussion
in a clear and meaningful way?
Discussion Leaders will earn
an additional 20 class points for the successful completion of the session they
are assigned to lead. These points will be awarded based on the following
criteria: 1) Responsiveness (10 points) - Does the group fully discuss the
issues raised in the particular assignment? ; and 2) Participation (10 points)
- Does everyone in the group have an opportunity to contribute to the discussion?
Each student will be awarded up to 20 class points toward their final semester
grade for their participation as Discussion Leader.
Assigned Readings and
Asynchronous Quizzes: Students must complete all required reading
assignments by the dates specified in the Class Schedule. A series of five text
related quizzes will be made available "on-line" through Blackboard's
Assessment Center for this class.
Students are individually
responsible for reading all assigned material and completing the quizzes within
the appropriate "window of time" specified in the Class Schedule.
These quizzes are "timed" so that if you have not completed the
reading assignments prior to attempting them, you will not be able to complete
them. If you take longer to complete the quiz than is allowed, you will
notified that you have taken too much time and the results of the quiz will be
made available for your professor to review. Depending on how much
"over-time" you are, they will be evaluated with appropriate
reductions made to your final score. Each quiz can be attempted only one time
and will be worth 40 possible points for a total of 200 points available toward
your final semester grade.
Ethical Insights Review:
All students are required to read Don Reid's book and write a brief (5-10 pages
long) paper reviewing the book "through the lens of normative ethics"
relied upon during this class.
The primary purpose of this
assignment is to demonstrate your familiarity with the different ethical
perspectives discussed in class by reading and reflecting upon the assigned
book. Ethical Insights Review papers are to be word processed/type-written with
"electronic copies" submitted to your professor by the date specified
in the Class Schedule. Ethical Insights Reviews will be worth a total of 70
possible points toward your final semester grade. Points will be awarded based
upon the following criteria: 1) Does the review use the "language of the
class" appropriately and comprehensively? (30 points); 2) Does the review
demonstrate clear and accurate familiarity with the assigned book? (25 points);
and 3) Is the review logical and clearly presented? (15 points).
Grading: Final
semester grades will be awarded based upon the following scale:
|
459 - 510 = A |
|
458 - 408 = B |
|
407 - 357 = C |
|
356 - 306 = D |
|
Below 206 = F |
ACADEMIC HONESTY, STUDENTS
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND GENERAL CLASS BEHAVIOR
Academic Honesty:
Students are directed to Section 5.3 of The Student Guidelines (available in
the Office of Student Life or on-line at Guidelines) for a description of
possible sanctions in cases involving academic dishonesty. Any student in this
class who is involved in any form of dishonesty (including the presentation of
someone else's work as your own, copying or using copies of on-line quizzes, etc.)
will receive an "F" for this class. Depending upon the severity of
the violation, further action may be taken to have the student dismissed from
the University.
Students with Special
Needs: Any student in this class may request special learning assistance by
submitting a written statement describing your particular need. If it is
necessary, you will be directed to the University's Counseling Center for
additional assistance; however, most needs should be able to be accommodated
directly through your professor. Please feel free to talk to you professor
about any particular need you may have. The University Policy governing special
learning needs is available at the attached link: Services to Student's With
Disabilities.
Class Behavior: Some
of the substance of this course is likely to be controversial in nature. When
asked to articulate moral or ethical thoughts on various matters, people often
present a dogmatic or ideological position akin to a religious belief system.
Both in "Asynchronous" and "Synchronous" class sessions,
our discussions will sometimes force us to examine ideas that are repugnant to
such belief systems. In the best scenario, we will do so with an open mind
welcoming the opportunity to set one belief system beside another gaining insight
from the comparative perspective. In the worst scenario, we will become
defenders of our beliefs and/or enemies of alternative belief systems.
Students in this class will
be challenged to welcome and embrace diversity of opinion. Personal attacks against
another person's belief system will not be tolerated. They will be identified
as such by the professor (or any other class participant who senses that
discussions have moved to a personal level) and stopped. Students who continue
to engage in personal level challenges will first be counseled by the
professor; but may ultimately be dropped from the class.
There will be no make-up
points available for any of the "Asynchronous" or
"Synchronous" assignments required for this class. Failure to
participate will result in the unrecoverable loss of points.
Ethical Insights Review projects must be submitted by the
date specified in the Class Schedule. Papers submitted after that date will be
graded without prejudice but your final points for the project will be reduced
by 5 points for each calendar day they are late.
Students who miss one of the
regularly scheduled quizzes will be able to take a “make-up” quiz
within dates announced in the Class Schedule. These “make-up”
quizzes will be essay and short answer in nature. Students will only be
able to "make-up" one of the quizzes and will be awarded grades of
"0" for all other incomplete quizzes.
Students must be able to
connect to Sam Houston State University's Blackboard Program and operate the
Virtual Classroom program from their workstation. This requires a special
Plug-In for some users and necessitates a minimum connection speed of 2800 bps.
Students should also have regular access to the inter-net and check their
e-mail accounts regularly. Some assignments will require timely responses and
failure to maintain regular and reliable "connectivity" may result in
the loss of points effecting your the final semester grade.
Some of the class material is presented through PowerPoint
presentations and requires that students have a PowerPoint Viewer available on
their workstation. If you do not have this viewer (or PowerPoint) you can download it at a site located at SHSU's
Blackboard main page.
Any written assignments must
be submitted in an electronic format that is compatible with a MicroSoft Word :
mac 2001 (MacIntosh) platform. Most MicroSoft Word documents are compatible,
however, some word processed documents may need to be saved as "RTF"
or "rich text format" documents prior to being sent as an attachment
to an e-mail letter.
CLASS SCHEDULE
|
Date |
Learning Modules |
Topics and Discussion Sessions |
Required Reading |
|
Week 1 |
Overview Module |
Overview
of Syllabus |
|
|
|
|
Intro.
To CJEthics-L |
|
|
Week 2 |
Module 1 |
Section
1: What is Ethics? |
B et al.
1 - 10 |
|
|
|
Why
Study Ethics? |
|
|
|
|
CJEthics-L
1 |
|
|
Week 3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Module 2 |
Ethics,
Law and Religion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 4 |
|
Synchronous
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CJEthics-L
2 |
|
|
Week 5 |
Module 2 |
Section
2: Classic Normative Ethics |
B et al.
11 - 46 |
|
|
|
Teleological
Ethicists |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 6 |
|
Deontological
Ethicists |
|
|
|
|
Synchronous
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 7 |
Module 3 |
Contemporary
Integrated Ethicists |
|
|
|
|
Non-Classical
Ethicists |
|
|
|
|
|
Quiz 1 |
|
Week 8 |
Module 4 |
Section
3: Normative Analysis of CJ System |
|
|
|
|
CJEthics-L
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 9 |
Module 5 |
Ethical
Analysis of Policing |
B et al.
47 - 122 |
|
|
|
|
Quiz 2 |
|
|
|
Synchronous
3 |
|
|
Week 10 |
Spring Break |
NO
ASSIGNMENTS OR CJETHICS-L DISCUSSIONS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 11 |
Module 6 |
Ethical
Analysis of Courts and the Law |
B et al.
123 - 212 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CJEthics-L
4 |
|
|
Week 12 |
|
|
Quiz 3 |
|
|
|
Synchronous
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 13 |
Module 7 |
Ethical
Analysis of Corrections |
B et al.
249 - 300 |
|
|
|
|
Quiz 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 14 |
|
Synchronous
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 15 |
Module 8 |
Ethics
of Crime Control Policy and the Future |
B et al.
285 - 408 |
|
|
|
CJEthics-L
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 16 |
|
Synchronous
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
Quiz 5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week 17 |
|
Ethical
Insights Review Due for Graduating Srs. 4/28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grades
for Srs. Due 5/1 |
|
|
Week 18 |
|
Ethical
Insights Reviews Due from Non-Srs. 5/7 |
|
|
|
|
Grades
Due 5/10 |
|