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DARTON COLLEGE
Instructor Information: Course Information:
Heather F. Perfetti, J.D. CRJU 2230
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice INTRODUCTION TO CORRECTIONS
Phone: 229.317.6805
Fax: 229.317.3008 3 Semester Hours
Office Location: I-138
Email: heather.perfetti@darton.edu Prerequisites: None
GETTING STARTED
1. From the
Minimum System Requirements for Online Learners
2. Go online to
3. If you have never taken a WebCT course, or are not familiar with the features of WebCT view the WebCT quick reference guides [Logging On] [Browser Settings] [Discussion Forum] [E-mail]
PLEASE NOTE:
This course is NOT a self-paced or independent study course.
You will be expected to maintain online access, consult Web CT regularly, and complete assignments each and every week during the semester.
While online courses offer flexibility, they also require self-discipline and motivation in that you must keep up with the weekly assignments, quizzes, and examinations.
If you fall behind, it becomes very difficult to catch up and this affects your ability to pass the course.
Therefore, I strongly urge you to review the syllabus and the weekly assignments to determine if this online course is right for you, your schedule, and your motivation level.
Everything in this course takes place online, including quizzes and examinations.
Required Text: Seiter, Richard (2005). Corrections: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. (ISBN #0-13-142131-X)
Recommended Text: Champion, Dean John (2005). The American Dictionary of Criminal Justice: Key Terms and Major Court Cases (3rd). Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Publishing Company. (ISBN #1-931719-33-0)
Catalog Description: The development of modern correctional thinking; characteristics of the correctional institution and inmate; correctional methods in the institution and the community; the future of corrections; with emphasis on real world settings and practices. Co-requisite: Minimum COMPASS reading score of 78 or enrollment in READ 0099. Prerequisite: None.
Objective: This course is designed to give students an overview of the history, structure, philosophy, and operation of the American correctional process. While this is a distance-learning course, we will create an on-line atmosphere that is conducive to discussion, participation, and interaction among students in this class. In addition, upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
· Identify the origins of punishment and discuss its impact on modern correctional philosophy.
· Compare and contrast the conceptual differences between early prisons and modern prisons.
· Discuss the influences of the Pennsylvania and Auburn prison systems.
· Describe the differences between prisons and jails.
· Identify and discuss the four philosophical justifications for punishment.
· Compare and contrast the concepts of specific and general deterrence.
· Critique the effectiveness of punishment and rehabilitation.
· List the characteristics of typical male, female, and juvenile inmates.
· Analyze data to debate arguments of cultural, ethnic, and racial disparity in the correctional system.
· Identify and discuss problems associated with the special needs category of offenders, such as mental illness, physical disabilities, the elderly, and the terminally ill.
· Define the concept of due process by examining the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments as it relates to correctional issues.
· Define Eighth Amendment issues regarding cruel and unusual punishment.
· Understand Fourth Amendment issues from a correctional context.
· Define, compare, and contrast probation and parole.
· Identify and debate the need for alternative sanctions and community corrections.
· Discuss issues surrounding capital punishment.
· Understand terminology and issues specific to the correctional system and its processes.
· Identify career options in corrections.
Examinations: There will be five timed examinations throughout this course. Questions will come from the textbook material as well as any additional notes, readings, references, or other resources utilized. Questions will be primarily objective in nature (true or false and multiple choice) but there may be some essay, short answer, matching, or fill-in-the-blank. Each examination will be worth 100 points.
Quizzes: There will be ten quizzes over the reading material, worth 10 points each. These quizzes will be primarily objective in nature (true or false and multiple choice) but there may be some essay, short answer, matching, or fill-in-the-blank.
There is a sample examination/quiz available on-line for students to become familiar with the on-line examination and quiz format. You must complete that “mock” quiz during the times noted. Even if you have taken some other on-line course, you must complete the “mock” quiz.
Important note: Examinations and quizzes will be available during certain dates and times. Please see the attached schedule. It is imperative that you familiarize yourself with the examination and quiz dates as you will only be permitted to take the examinations and quizzes during those dates. After these specific dates, the examinations and quizzes will not be available.
Examinations and quizzes will be timed. You are not permitted to utilize the book, notes, or any other material during the examinations or quizzes. If I suspect that you are cheating, you will be required to take quizzes and examinations on campus. See the Cheating Policy referenced.
Also, examinations and quizzes can be taken only once. You will view one question at a time and must answer that question before moving on to the next question. You will not have an opportunity to return to that question, even if you have time remaining.
Attendance: Even though this is an on-line course, attendance is mandatory by Darton College Policy. That policy reads as follows:
It is the policy of this College that students are expected to attend all of their scheduled
classes, laboratories, or clinical sessions when reasonably possible. Some justified and
unavoidable absences are expected. Absences in excess of 10% of the sessions scheduled
may reduce the grade for the course. A student is expected to account for absences,
preferably in advance, to the instructor of the course and, at the discretion of the instructor,
to promptly make up the work missed. Divisions or departments may have class attendance
policies of a more specific nature within this general policy statement. Each instructor shall
provide detailed policies and procedures in writing to each student at the beginning of the course.
Students who miss class while serving as jurors will not be penalized for such absences but
will be required to make up classwork missed as a result of jury service. See the Student
Handbook for details.
You are expected to log on to Web CT as regularly as you can, but you must do so at a minimum of twice a week. You are required to participate in weekly discussions on topics provided. In addition, I will be able to verify your on-line attendance through a tracking system in Web CT. Most importantly, please be cognizant of any changes on the calendar or announcements sent to you by email. Failing to attend class and/or participate in the on-line discussions will result in grade reduction for the course.
Discussion Forum: The “discussion forum” link in Web CT will be used extensively throughout this course. Your participation will be assessed weekly. Failing to participate at all or failing to provide quality academic discussion will result in grade reduction for the course. Please see the “Assignment” tab for information on the discussion forum assignments. I will facilitate discussion by responding to or asking questions of students. Part of the college experience is communicating in an environment that encourages an open exchange of ideas. Obviously, the field of criminal justice presents issues worthy of debate and discussion. You will often not agree with other students, and I will interject ideas into the discussion that may or may not reflect my own personal opinions. Part of my role as the instructor is to encourage you to “think outside of the box.” Everyone is expected to remain respectful to others and their viewpoints throughout the semester. Failing to do so may affect your participation grade.
Writing Assignments: There will be a total of three writing assignments in this course. Two reaction papers, each worth 40 points, and an Internet assignment worth 20 points will be required as part of this course. Each paper must be the work of the student submitting such. Submitting work written by someone else or failing to credit a source through the use of appropriate citations is plagiarism and will be treated as indicated under the cheating policy. Please see the “Assignment” tab on Web CT for further instructions about these assignments. You must follow the directions as indicated or your grade will be reduced significantly. All papers shall be submitted using Microsoft Word, as I am unable to open documents in any other format. APA format will be required. Any assignments submitted late will be reduced one letter grade for every day that the assignment is late. Please submit all assignments on time to avoid being penalized.
Serving Learning Option: Students have an opportunity to participate in this class as service learning students and earn course credit for community service. Participating students remain in the same course as other students and complete the same requirements as other students. Service Learning Students’ final course grades are computed differently, however, so that the community service counts for part of the overall course grade. In addition, service learning students receive a special designation on their academic transcript that informs others who view the transcript that the student volunteered with a community service agency. If you are interested in being a service learning student, please review the material provided on the Service Learning link on Web CT.
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