This Is a Criminal Justice Required Course in the Associate of Applied Science Degree Program

/ SYLLABUS FOR CJSA 2300
Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement
Europe Distance Learning
Semester Hours Credit: 3
Lecture Hours: 48
Course Dates:05 Feb 2018- 01 Apr 2018
Weekly CTC Blackboard discussions and assignments
Instructor: Stephen McCarty
Instructor’s Location: Remote
Skype Name: mccartysp
Weekly Skype Office Hours: (Day/time): Anytime via email or phone by Appointment
Instructor Email:
Phone: +1 512-507-5007

INTRODUCTION

This course will involve the exploration of police authority. Topics include responsibilities and constitutional constraints, law of arrest, search and seizure, and police liability.

This is a criminal justice required course in the Associate of Applied Science degree program.

This course is occupationally related and serves in preparation for careers in law enforcement, criminal justice, and corrections.

Prerequisite(s): (None)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement, the student will be able to:

Define police authority.

Explain the responsibilities and constitutional restraints as enumerated in the Texas Constitution, the United States Constitution, and Bill of Rights.

Outline the law of arrest and search and seizure developed through court decisions.

Describe the criminal and civil liabilities that result from improper acts and/or the failure to act.

Define and differentiate between private and public law-contrasting Constitutional law, statutory law, and common law.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The instructional materials identified for this course are viewable through

Student Textbook:

Del Carment, Rolando V. (2014). Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement. (9th ed.) Cengage.

ISBN: 9781285486215

Texas Criminal and Traffic Law Manual 2015-2016. Lexis Nexis.

ISBN: 9781632830722

References:

Black’s Law Dictionary
U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and latest Amendments, and Texas Constitution
U.S. Codes (select Civil and Criminal Codes)

IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

A.Your first responsibility is scholarship. The grade you receive for this course will not be the grade of the instructor, but rather the grade you and you alone make.

B.You should attend online class regularly on Central Texas College (CTC) Blackboard. Online attendance involves logging into your Blackboard class and participating in discussions, submitting assignments, etc. Be prepared to also take any unannounced quizzes relating to text assignments and lecture material presented from the beginning of the course. Please refer to ‘Class Attendance and Course Progress’ under the Academic Policies section in our current CTC Course Catalog.

C.You are encouraged to give your best effort throughout the course. From the beginning, you should plan for a steady, organized, and continuous effort, which in the long run will prove more effective for your final grade than a last minute crash-cram policy. Your course grade is not determined solely by exam grade. Such factors as class participation, initiative, attendance, and individual research papers or projects will be considered in grade computation.

D.From time to time, special library and/or outside assignments will be made to members of the class individually and/or in groups. You are expected to read all assignments and fulfill your responsibilities to any group assignment.

E.You are expected to read all assigned material and bring your textbook/reading materials to class. Keep informed on all assignments, especially after an absence.

F.Good class notes are indispensable for earning a good grade, since both the material assigned and that discussed in class will be the basis for examination material.

G.Scholastic Honesty: All students are required and expected to maintain the highest standards of scholastic honesty in the preparation of all coursework and during examinations. The following are considered examples of scholastic dishonesty:

Plagiarism: The taking of passages from the writing of others without giving proper credit to the sources.

Collusion: Using another’s work as one’s own, or working together with another person in the preparation of work, unless such joint preparation is specifically approved in advance by the instructor.

Cheating: Giving or receiving information on examinations.

Students guilty of scholastic dishonesty will be administratively dropped from the course with a grade of “F” and be subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspension and expulsion.

H.Special Work: A term paper or other project, per requirements of the instructor, will be required. The subject must be appropriate for the course material. Check with the instructor when you have made a selection. The value is indicated in the semester grade computation and has considerable weight on your final average.

V. COURSE FORMAT

This course has been developed on Blackboard. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that they have access to CTC Blackboard and that they are familiar with the contents and assignments. It is also the student’s responsibility to log into CTC Blackboard at least once a week to ‘attend’ the online class portion and to participate in the online Blackboard discussions and assignments. Failure to do so will violate the attendance policy and will have a negative impact on the course grade.

The course will meet for eight weeks. Instructional strategies will include weekly CTC Blackboard assignments and discussion boards to accomplish the lecture hours per week. Weekly interactions may include various communication tools to include Skype, Blackboard Collaborate, or Voice Podcaster/Voice Email, and conventional use of emails and Blackboard Message Board. Students may be assigned to participate in Groups, Journals, Blogs, or Wikis. Students will also have an access to required Discussion Board threads; course Announcements; critiques and feedback on Assignments and drafts of papers. Specific weekly interaction will be communicated via Announcements on Blackboard and arranged with the course instructors.

There will be a minimum of two major examinations and a written paper or project as follows:

1.Mid-term exam on (Mar 1 2018)

2.Final exam must be completed by (Mar 30 2018)

3. Term Paper due on (Mar 30 2018)

B.A student must take all examinations as scheduled by the instructor. Students who know in advance that they will be unavailable for an examination, due to valid reasons, must arrange to take an early examination. Unexpected absences from class, due to illness or extenuating circumstances will require the student to communicate with the instructor about individual make-up work.

C.Students who miss an exam without communicating the reason or circumstance with the instructor will be given a zero for the missed examination.

D.Examinations will consist of both objective (true/false, multiple choice, fill in-the-blank, and matching) and subjective (short answer and essay) questions. Students must be able to communicate both orally and in written form, thus some questions requiring the composition and writing of an essay answer will be required.

E.Exams will be administeredvia BioSig application.See Blackboard class for registration information.

VI. SEMESTER GRADE COMPUTATIONS

The final grade in this course will be based on the following:

Participation100 points

Assignments & Quizzes200 points

Discussion Boards (mandatory)200 points

Term Paper/Term Presentation200 points

Mid-term Exam100 points

Final Exam200 points

Total possible points: 1000 points

POINTS GRADES

900-1000 A=4 pts/sem hr

800-899 B=3 pts/sem hr

700-799 C=2 pts/sem hr

600-699 D=1 pt/sem hr

0-599 F=0 pts/sem hr

A term paper is expected from all students. Students may vary in their competency levels on these abilities, so the instructor may need to revisit the term paper concept during the course. Topics for term paper will be discussed at the start of the semester.

VII. NOTES AND ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM COURSE INSTRUCTOR

Tuition refunds are made only in the case of class cancellation or official and timely withdrawal from CTC or from a course. Please refer to the current course catalog for more details.
GoArmyEdstudents should contact their education counselor before withdrawing and are required to withdraw through the GoArmyEd portal.

Please note: a military withdrawal does not override CTC’s grading policy.

For self-pay students, refunds are computed from the date the Application for

Withdrawal or Refund is filed with the CTC Site Coordinator or designated student Services Officer. Special conditions apply to students who receive federal, state, and/or institutional financial aid.

Tuition and fees paid directly to the Institution by the Veterans Administration, Title IV (Financial Aid Programs, a sponsor, donor, or scholarship shall be refunded to the source rather than directly to the students.

Course Withdrawals, Student Responsibilities: It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course. The instructor cannot initiate a withdrawal based upon a student’s request. Rather, students must initiate the withdrawal with the designated Education Center Representative, through the CTC Site Coordinator or designated counselor.
Faculty/Administrative Initiated Withdrawals

Faculty are authorized to withdraw students who are not making satisfactory course progress as outlined in the section of the Catalog entitled "Satisfactory Progress Standards”.

A student may be administratively withdrawn by a designated member of the administrative staff of the College under the following conditions:

The student has been placed on Academic Suspension or Disciplinary Suspension;
The student has an outstanding financial obligation owed to the college;
The student registered for a course without the required prerequisite or departmental permission;
Students who do not participate or complete graded activities during the first week will be administratively withdrawn.

The college is under no obligation to refund tuition and fees, or other costs associated with a student who is administratively withdrawn.

Incomplete / Course in Progress Grade Policy: An “IP” or “Incomplete” grade may be assigned by an instructor if a student has made satisfactory progress in a course with the exception of a major quiz, final exam, or other project. The “IP” grade may also be assigned based on circumstances beyond a student’s control, such as personal illness, death in the immediate family, or military orders. Notice of absences, with supporting documentation, may be required by the instructor. The instructor makes the final decision concerning the granting of the incomplete grade. With an “Incomplete” grade, students are required to complete a set amount of work before the instructor will submit an official letter grade.
Cellular phones, beepers, and other electronic devices will be turned off while the student is in the classroom or laboratory unless the student is using the device for class purposes. No texting or social networking is allowed during class.
Instructor Discretion: The instructor reserves the right of final decision in course requirements.
Civility: Individuals are expected to be cognizant of what a constructive educational experience is and respectful of those participating in a learning environment. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.

VIII. COURSE OUTLINE:

Note: The instructor has the right to change the course schedule and will announce any changes in class.

This structured course has been developed on Blackboard with any instructor-required live sessions on Skype, Blackboard Collaborate, Google+, FaceTime, etc. It is not a self-paced course. Please follow your instructor’s schedule of Discussion Board posts, lessons, assignments, and quizzes/exams.

The course will meet for eight weeks Instructional strategies will include weekly CTC Blackboard assignments and discussion boards to accomplish the learning outcomes.

Session/date / Resources / Assignments
Session 1 / Unit 1 and 2
Week 1 (Feb 5-9) / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz
Session 2 / Unit 3 and 4
Week 2 (Feb 12-16) / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz
Session 3 / Unit 5 and 6
Week 3 (Feb19-23) / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz
Session 4 / Unit 7 and 8
Week 4 (Feb 26-Mar 2) / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz and Mid Term to be completed NLT
Mar 1
Session 5 / Unit 9 and 10
Week 5 (Mar 5-9)
T / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz
Session 6 / Unit 11 and 12
Week 6 (Mar 12-17) / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz
Session 7 / Unit 13 and 14
Week 7 (Mar 19-23) / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz
Session 8 / Unit 15 and 16
Week 8 (Mar 26-30) / Discussion Board assignments, unit quiz, Final Exam and Term Paper Due NLT Mar 30

A.Unit One: Course Introduction and Ch. 1: The Court System, Sources of Rights, and Fundamental Principles

1.Unit Objectives: Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

Identify and define the court systems in the United States.
Identify which criminal cases can be tried in both federal and state courts if punished in both jurisdictions.
Define and compare the meaning of jurisdiction and venue.
Define and explain the power of judicial review.
Define rule of law.
Identify and explain the four sources of legal rights.
Identify and compare four approaches to the incorporation controversy.

2.Learning Activities:

a.Discuss course requirements and activities as contained in the syllabus

b.Classroom lecture/discussion

c.Reading assignment: Chapter 1

d.Homework and other assignments designated by the instructor

B.Unit Two: Ch. 2: Overview of the Criminal Justice Process.

1.Unit Objectives: Upon successful completion of this unit the student will be able to:

Define the procedures used when processing suspects and defendants before, during, and after a trial.
Identify and define the correct procedures and steps taken by the legal system before a case ever goes to trial from filing the complaint to the defendant's plea.
Identify the procedures taken before and during a trial from the selection of jurors to a verdict of guilty or not guilty.
Identify the two main procedures which take place after a trial.
Define what a habeas corpus petition is and when it is available.
Establish what procedures are governed by the Bill of Rights and if they are the same in all jurisdictions.

2.Learning Activities

a.Classroom lecture/discussion

b.Reading assignment: Chapter 2

c.Homework and other assignments designated by the instructor

C.Unit Three: Chapter 3: Probably Cause and Reasonable Suspicion

1.Unit Objectives: Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

Identify and define the most important term to know in day-to-day law enforcement.
Compare and contrast the legal definition and the practical definition of probable cause.
Distinguish whether the definition of probable cause is the same in various areas of law enforcement work.
Determine whether it is better to have a warrant when making arrests or seizures.
Identify the three ways in which to establish probable cause.
Describe the difference between probable cause and reasonable suspicion and what situations they are used in.
Define "totality of the circumstances" when it comes to reasonable suspicion.
Defend why more circumstances taken into account means greater likelihood of establishing probable cause or reasonable suspicion.
Explain why reasonable suspicion has a lower degree of certainty than probable cause.

2.Learning Activities:

a.Classroom lecture/discussion

b.Reading Assignment: Chapter 3

c.Homework and other assignments designated by the instructor

D.Unit Four: Chapter 4: The Exclusionary Rule

1.Unit Objectives: Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

Describe the purpose of the exclusionary rule.
Explain why the exclusionary rule is judge-made and can be eliminated by the courts.
Identify the reasonWeeks v. United States(1914) is so important to the exclusionary rule.
Discuss the importance ofMappv. Ohio(1961).
Compare and contrast illegally seized evidence and fruit of the poisonous tree.
Classify the four general exceptions to the exclusionary rule.
Discuss and identify the eight situations or types of proceedings where the exclusionary rule does not apply.
Compare the arguments for and against the exclusionary rule.
Describe the alternatives to the exclusionary rule.

2.Learning Activities:

a.Classroom lecture/discussion

b.Reading assignment, Chapter 4

c.Homework and other assignments designated by the instructor

E.Unit Five: Chapter 5: Stop and Frisk and Stationhouse Detention

1.Unit Objectives: Upon successful completion of this unit the student will be able to:

Define and compare a stop and frisk and explain if they are the same.
Clarify what is required for stops and frisks to be valid.
Identify the significance ofTerry v. Ohio.
Describe the only valid purpose for a stop.
Describe the only valid purpose of a frisk.
Describe what a stop is and what must be present for it to be valid.
Clarify whether persons stopped by the police can be forced to answer questions and forced to identify themselves and if that is authorized by state law.
Identify whether a frisk should automatically follow a stop and if it is valid.
Clarify whether a frisk that goes beyond a mere pat-down for weapons is legal.
Determine if officers can constitutionally squeeze, slide, or manipulate an object felt during the frisk.
Indicate whetherstationhousedetention should be considered equivalent to an arrest.

2.Learning Activities:

a.Classroom lecture/discussion

b.Reading assignment, Chapter 5

c.Homework and other assignments designated by the instructor.

F.Unit Six: Chapter 6: Arrests and Use of Force

1.Unit Objectives: Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

Describe the different types of seizure under the Fourth Amendment.
Confirm the statement that "the more intrusive the seizure, the greater is the protection given by the courts".
Determine the difference between the standard of a reasonable person under the same circumstances and the perception of a suspect or the police.
List and describe the four elements of an arrest.
Identify the specific requirements for arrests with a warrant and without a warrant.
Identify and compare the common law rules for felony arrests, misdemeanor arrests, and citizen’s arrests.
Identify the rules, which arebased on court cases and state law, for what an officer can and cannot do after an arrest.
Identify the exceptions to the knock and announce warrant.

2.Learning Activities: