Psychology and Criminal Justice

ArgosyUniversity

COURSE SYLLABUS

PSY423

Faculty Information

Faculty Name: Kreszentia Snyder

Campus:

Contact Information:

Office Hours:

Short Faculty Bio:

Course description:This course provides an examination of the history and theories of criminal justice as well as the applications and impact of psychology on criminal justice settings.

Course Pre-requisites: None

Required Textbook:

Schmalleger, F. (2006). Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. 9th Edition. Prentice-Hall. ISBN: 0131719505

Course length: 7.5 Weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Program Outcomes:

Cognitive Abilities
Critical Thinking - Given a psychological issue, employ skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to respond to the issue.
Information Literacy - Given a research question related to psychology, access information from a variety of sources and select appropriate sources to respond to the question.
Research
Understanding Research Methods – Given an article about research findings in the field of psychology from a scholarly journal, identify the research methods used and the findings of the article.
Identifying Research Methods – Identify the appropriate statistical tools and basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
Communication Skills
Oral - Effectively present psychological concepts orally as appropriate to the audience.
Written - Effectively present psychological information, in writing, using software and style appropriate to the audience.
Ethics/Diversity
Ethics - Identify the issues and challenges related to ethics in the field of psychology.
Diversity - Identify the issues and challenges related to diversity in the field of psychology.
Knowledge of the Field
Foundations – Recognize the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, applications, and historical trends in psychology.
Knowledge of Applied Psychology
Apply psychological principles to personal, social, and/or organizational issues.

7. Interpersonal Effectiveness

Students will develop and improve positive relationship skills via effective communication, respect for others, appreciation of diversity and cultural sensitivity, and awareness of their impact on others.

7.1 Apply active listening communication skills in interpersonal and organizational scenarios to establish empathetic, collegial relationships that facilitate consensus building in working toward common goals and are appreciative of diversity and culture.

7.2 Analyze the importance of effective nonverbal communication skills in developing strong interpersonal and organizational relationships that are culturally sensitive and respectful of diversity.

7. 3 Solicit and utilize feedback to develop adaptable strategies of facilitating dynamic interpersonal and organizational relationships.

7. 4 Analyze the impact of technological advances on communication within interpersonal and organizational relationships.

7. 5 Utilize effective communication and relationship skills in order to promote the growth of others and effect change.

Course Objectives:

Employ a skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to respond to a psychological issue.
Select and access information from a variety of appropriate sources to respond to a question related to psychology.
Identify the research design, statistical tools, data analysis, interpretation, and the findings of an article from a scholarly journal in the field of psychology.
Summarize psychological information effectively in writing using software and style appropriate to the audience.
Identify the issues and challenges related to ethics in the field of psychology.
Identify the issues and challenges related to diversity in the field of psychology.
Recognize the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, applications, and historical trends in psychology.
Apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.

Assignment Table

Topics / Readings / Assignments
1 /

Course Overview

History of Criminal Justice and Psychology
Difference between Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology
Career in Criminal Justice

Summary

Week 1 Assignments

/ Reading

Following chapters from the assigned textbook, Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century:
Read Chapters 1, 2, and 4
Visit the following Web Site and read information provided on net etiquette.

Note to the reviewer: The facilitator will assignspecific pages from each chapter to the students.
While reading, make notes of pertinent and important facts. You will be required to reference your readings in discussions and apply them in the week's assignments.
Blooms: 2
Completion time: 3 hours
Grade: NA / Biography
The student is to post a brief paragraph to the Discussion Area outlining reasons for taking the course, career aspirations, and anything else he/she wishes to share. The student should also review and comment on the biographiesof other students by the end of the week.
Introduce yourself to the class and provide the following details:
1. Name
2. Location
3. Profession
4. Your interest and experience in specific aspects of Criminal Justice and Psychology
5.Your expectations from this course.
Blooms: 2
Completion time: 0.5 hours
Grade: 10
DQ1
What aspects of the criminal justice system best represent what “criminal justice” meant to you before you read the chapters and the lectures?
Have your thoughts changed since you completed the readings? Provide reasons and relevant examples to support your answer.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 40
DQ2
Define the consensus and conflict models of criminal justice. Which model do you think best describes the U.S. system of criminal justice? Explain your reasoning. Compare and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the two models.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 40
DQ3
Do the perpetration of hate crimes and the existence of survivalist organizations highlight the dichotomy between individual rights and the need for public order? Why or why not?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 40
DQ 4
What type of law–criminal, civil, administrative, case, or procedural benefits most from the application of psychology? Why? Provide a relevant example of your choice and explain how it supports your position.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 40
DQ 5
What are the merits of the individual rights perspective and the public order point of view? How do you think the goals of both perspectives can be balanced in contemporary society?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 40
Assignment: Job Posting
Select a job described as described in chapters 1, 2, or 4.
Imagine that you have been given the responsibility of recruiting people for this job. You determine that you would like to hire someone with a background in psychology.
Create a job posting for the vacancy. Include the qualifications you would like the individual to possess. In addition, identify the psychological skills that you think are relevant to the job.
You may look at advertisements on the Internet or in the newspaper to help you create such a job posting. Be creative. Make sure the job assignment catches the reader’s eye.
Submit your job posting to the instructor in a Word document. Ensure that you restrict the job posting to about half a page.
Blooms: 5
Grade: 50
Completion Time: 1 hour
Assignment: LawSchool Memo
You are working for a law school as a researcher. Your supervisor has asked you to create a three-page memo to help law students understand how psychology impacts various areas of law.
Visit the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Web site at
Click on Public at the top of the page. Under Specialized Resources, choose one topic that you feel is related to psychology from the following four choices:
a. Domestic Violence
b. Children and the Law
c. Human Rights
d. Mental and Physical Disability Law
Your memo should describe the topic you have chosen and its relation to psychology. You should also discuss particular concepts covered in the reading and lecture material that apply to the topic you have chosen. This should include criminal justice and psychological concepts.
Your memo should teach the students how psychology and criminal justice are related.
Use the attached guidelines to create the memo and submit it to the facilitator.
Note to the reviewer: The students may face a problem with the working of the Web site link mentioned in this assignment. In case, the link does not work, the facilitator can ask the students to work on the next assignment.
Blooms: 5
Grade: 50
Completion Time: 1 hour
Assignment : Contrast Paper
In a Microsoft Word document, write a 500- word essay describing the differences between criminal justice and forensic psychology. You should include how the two lead to different career paths.
Analyze one area of forensic psychology and one area of criminal justice in which you would prefer to work. Compare and contrast these areas. Explain what skills you think you bring to each area. Explain why you would pick one career path over the other.
Ensure that your essay is written in the APA format. Submit your essay to the facilitator.
Note to the reviewer: This is an optional assignment. The facilitator should ask the students to work on this assignment only if they are facing problems completing the previous assignment.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 50
Completion time: 1 hour
2 /

Overview
Mental Health and Disorders
Risk Assessment
Competency and Insanity Evaluations
Summary

Week 2 Assignments

/ Reading

Following chapters from the assigned textbook, Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century:
Read Chapter 3

Note to the reviewer: The facilitator will assignspecific pages from each chapter to the students.
While reading, make notes of pertinent and important facts. You will be required to reference you r readings in discussions and apply them in the week's assignments.
Blooms: 2
Grade: NA
Completion time: 1 hour / DQ 1
Discuss two theoretical perspectives of criminal behavior mentioned in the textbook. Which theory do you think best explains criminal behavior? Why do you think so? Please provide a rationale based on your understanding.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 80
DQ 2
Apply two perspectives of criminal behavior to the Robert Blake murder trial. How do the two perspectives help you understand the offender’s motivation?
Visit the following Web resources to know about the case:
You can also search the Internet to gather more information about the case.
Blooms: 3
Grade: 80
DQ 3
Differentiate between Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, Guilty but Mentally Ill, and Diminished Capacity.
If you had been on the jury for the Andrea Yates trial, would you have voted Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity? Discuss why or why not?
You can read more about the case from the following Web resources:
You can also search the Internet to gather more information about the case.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 80
DQ 4
Which two disorders or syndromes mentioned in the lectures are most likely to be used effectively as a mitigating factor? Describe and justify your choice.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 80
DQ 5
Discuss the Tarasoff ruling and the way it has impacted the evolution of risk assessment?
In what instances do you think psychologists should be required to notify potential victims of harm? In your opinion are there situations that are not mandated by law in which a psychologist should be required to notify potential victims?
Read the lectures, textbooks, and other resources on the Internet to answer the question.
Note to the Reviewer: The SME will be providing information on the Tarasoff case in the lecture.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 80
Assignment: Hinkley Report
Visit the following Web site and read the case about John Hinkley:

Imagine that you have been asked by Hinkley’s defense attorney to testify about Hinkley’s sanity at trial. Do you think the lawyer should have plead Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity?
Create an e-mail to the attorney detailing why you do or do not find Hinkley Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. Please provide specific details and evidence to substantiate your opinion.
Your e-mail should be in Word document and should not be in more than 500 words. Submit the answer to the instructor.
Assignment: Serial Killer
Visit the Web site
Read the biography of any one of the following “most notorious” serial killers:
a) Ted Bundy
b) Jeffrey Dahmer
c) Albert Fish
Create a five to eight slide PowerPoint presentation to help the police department identify people who are inclined towards committing serial murders similar to the biography you selected. Please follow the guidelines below:

Include the type of victim who might be at risk and possible motivation for the crime.
Identify offender demographic information.
Include the background history of the offender, including the environmental and personality traits that you believe might lead to the crimes.
Describe past criminal behavior.
Describe the events that precipitated the crime.
Describe the actual events of the crime.
Describe why the offender might commit similar crimes in the future.
Include what the police should identify in future cases that might suggest a similar crime.

Submit your presentation to the instructor.
Note: Access the following Web links for free tutorials on making PowerPoint presentations:
Blooms: 5
Grade: 120
Completion time: 1 hour
Blooms: 6
Grade: 120
Completion Time: 1 hour
3 /

Overview
Police Selection
Police Training
Police Evaluation
Summary
Week 3 Assignments

/ Reading

Following chapters from the assigned textbook, Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century:
Read Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8

Note to the reviewer: The facilitator will assignspecific pages from each chapter to the students.
While reading, make notes of pertinent and important facts. You will be required to reference your readings in discussions and apply them in the week's assignments.
Blooms: 2
Grade: NA
Completion time: 4 hours / DQ 1
Discuss the various practices for which psychologists are utilized by the police. Are you in favor of such practices?
Select an area such as selection, training, or evaluation that you would be most interested in, and explain why? What qualifications do you possess that make you suitable for this kind of work?
Blooms: 3
Grade: 120
DQ 2
Your facilitator will set up small groups. In your group, describe one psychological test that is used in police selection. Explain why it is used. Do you think this is an appropriate use of this test? Why or why not?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 120
DQ 3
Analyze and discuss the different styles of policing. Why do you think these different styles exist? Which style do you agree with the most?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 120
DQ 4
What is community policing? Describe the elements involved in it. Which element do you think would utilize the consultation of a psychologist most effectively? Why do you think so?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 120
DQ5
Discuss the “exclusionary rule” and the “fruit of the poisoned tree” doctrine. What would the U.S. criminal justice system be like without these rules?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 120
Assignment 3: Interview
Interview a fellow classmate and ask about the views on women police officers. What elements of the police subculture and personality does your classmate think might lead to advantages or disadvantages for women officers, both personally and in their utilization by a police department?
You will be assigned a classmate to interview. You will need to set up a time to interview each other through the Intralearn chat room, IM, or over the phone. You must confirm your method of interviewing. Ensure that you finish interviewing the classmate.
Write a report for the police captain of your local precinct. Based on the information you gathered from your interview, create a two-page investigative report on your interviewee’s responses.
The report should be neatly typed out in Word and submitted to the instructor by.
Blooms: 5
Grade: 180
Completion Time: 2 hours
Assignment: Human Resource Manual
You have been asked to create a procedure manual to be used by the Human Resources department for police selection criteria.
Create a set of a minimum of 10 interview questions. In addition, describe and include one psychological and one situational test in the manual.
You also need to explain why you have chosen these criteria and which criteria you think are the most important.
Use the attached template to create your procedure manual in Microsoft Word. Submit the manual to the instructor.
Blooms: 5
Grade: 180
Completion time: 2 hours
4 /

Overview
Police Interrogation
Lie Detection
Hypnosis
Summary
Week 4 Assignments

/ Reading

Following chapters from the assigned textbook, LawrenceS. Wrightsman:
Read Chapters 5 and 7