Graduate Studies Reports Access
Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - CJE6029
Tracking Number - 2900
Edit function not enabled for this course.
Current Status:
Approved by SCNS - 2013-10-11
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: to GC 5/6/13; replace Sel Topics. Approved. Cleared Syst Concurrence 7/31/13. to SCNS 8/5/13. Approved eff 9/1/13
Detail Information
- Date & Time Submitted: 2012-07-10
- Department: Criminology
- College: BC
- Budget Account Number: 122100-01036-000000-0000000
- Contact Person: Max Bromley
- Phone: 8139747281
- Email: mbromley@usf.edu
- Prefix: CJE
- Number: 6029
- Full Title: Advanced Seminar in Law Enforcement
- Credit Hours: 3
- Section Type: C -
Class Lecture (Primarily)
- Is the course title variable?: N
- Is a permit required for registration?: Y
- Are the credit hours variable?: N
- Is this course repeatable?:
- If repeatable, how many times?: 0
- Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Advanced Seminar in L.E.
- Course Online?: C -
Face-to-face (0% online)
- Percentage Online: 100
- Grading Option:
R - Regular
- Prerequisites: none
- Corequisites: none
- Course Description: Students integrate theory and empirical data to critically analyze issues in law enforcement practice and policy.
- Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for program/concentration/certificate change
- What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? Replace selected topics course with permanent course numbers needed for completion of the MACJA program requirements. This course will act to enhance the professional, analytical, and problem solving skills of criminal justice practicioners currently employed in the field.
- Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? Yes, 3 or more times
- What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Earned doctorate/terminal degree in Criminology or a related discipline.
- Objectives: his course will examine key issues facing law enforcement. The objectives of this course are to:
1) engage students in a discussion of key issues currently facing law enforcement or that appear to be “on the horizon,” including use of force, racially biased policing, violence against police, eyewitness identification;
2) promote student understanding of how the various components of the criminal justice system can partner to address an issue of common concern (prisoner re-entry);
3) expose students to the academic and practitioner literature and other resources that pertain to the key issues;
4) further develop students’ knowledge of research techniques so that they can (a) conduct research within their own organizations, and (b) be informed and analytical “consumers” of research conducted by others; and
- Learning Outcomes: 1) Describe and discuss key issues currently facing law enforcement
2) Develop a criminal justice intervention in partnership with other components of the criminal justice system
3) Design and/or critically evaluate a research project that tests a policing-related hypothesis or evaluates a policing intervention/program.
4) Demonstrate quality analytical, oral and written communication skills.
- Major Topics: Deadly force, racially biased policing, eyewitness identification, use of force models, violence against police, crime measurement, prisoner reentry, and policy implications.
- Textbooks: There will not be a course textbook, there will be a course packet containing various course readings
- Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Re-Entry Policy Council (n.d.). Report of the re-entry policy council: Charting the safe and successful return of prisoners to the community. New York, NY: Council of State Governments. www.reentrypolicy.org.
Bedard, Roy (July 2005). “The Trouble with Training: Why the State of Florida eliminated the force matrix.” Unpublished article at ” http://www.roybedard.com/2010/08/the-trouble-with-trainingouble-with-training-why-the-state-of-florida-eliminated-the-force-matrix/
Bostain, John (2006). Use of force: Are continuums necessary?” Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Journal, Fall 2006, pp. 33-17.
Bryan v. McPherson. 2009 US App. LEXIS 28413.
Re-Entry Policy Council, Chapters A, B, and C of Part II.
Correll, J., Park, B., Judd, C.M., & Wittenbrink, B. (2002). The police officer’s dilemma: Using ethnicity to disambiguate potentially threatening individuals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(6), 1314-1329.
Fiske, S.T. (2010). Are we born racist? In J. Marsh, R. Mendoza-Denton, & J.A. Smith (Eds.), Are we born racist? New insights from neuroscience and positive psychology (7-16). Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Unkelbach, C., Forgas, J.P., & Denson, T.F. (2008). The turban effect: The influence of Muslim headgear and induced affect on aggressive responses in the shooter bias paradigm. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44(5), 1409-1413.
Correll, J., Park, B., Judd, C.M., Wittenbrink, B., Sadler, M.S., & Keesee, T. (2007). Across the thin blue line: Police officers and racial bias in the decision to shoot. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1006-1023.
Peruche, B.M., & Plant, E. A. (2006). The correlates of law enforcement officers’ automatic and controlled race-based responses to criminal suspects. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 28(2), 193-199.
Re-Entry Council Report, Chapter D in Part I
Schuster, Beth (2007). Police lineups: Making eyewitness identification more reliable. NIJ Journal, Issue 258: pp. 2-10j.
Wells, G.L., Small, M., Penrod, S., Malpass, R.S., Mulero, S.M., Brimacombe, E.A.E. (1998). Eyewitness identification procedures: Recommendations for lineups and photospreads. Law and Human Behavior, Vol. 22, No. 6, pp. 603-647.
Luna, A.M., Brito, C.S., and Sanberg, E.A. (2007). Police Planning for an Influenza Pandemic: Case Studies and Recommendations from the Field. Washington, DC: Police Executive Research Forum.
Police Executive Research Forum (2007). Violent Crime in America: A Tale of Two Cities. Washington, DC: Author.
- Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Attendance (49 points; 19% of course grade)
Pop Quizzes (20 points; 8% of course grade)
Oral Book Reviews (25 points; 10% of course grade)
In-class group exercises (36 points; 14% of course grade)
Recidivism Paper (30 points; 12% of course grade).
Prisoner Re-entry Group Projects (48 points; 18% of course grades)
Unconscious Bias Paper (40 points; 16% of course grade
Crime Homework Assignment (8 points; 3% of course grade)
Course Grades
The following course grade scale―based on percentage of total possible points earned―will be modified ONLY if it favors the students. Percentages below denote the lower cutoff points of the grade categories.
A 93% C 73%
A 90% C- 70%
B+ 87% D+ 67%
B 83% D 63%
B 80% D- 60%
C+ 77% F
- Assignments, Exams and Tests: Attendance Policy and Other Course Requirements
Attendance (49 points; 19% of course grade)
Attendance will be recognized with 7 points per day or proportion thereof. This is a “no fault” policy, which means there are no reasons for absences that will modify this allocation. Considering the nature of the course and students in it, I assume that all absences will be for a good cause (e.g., work-related obligations, own/family member illness). The no fault policy merely reflects the fact that students who are in attendance on any one day will acquire knowledge and contribute meaningfully to a discussion that an absent person cannot. This policy goes hand-in-hand with the fact that there are no exams.
Attendance make-ups: Students may “earn back” points lost by missing a class session by submitting a written review of one of the books on our book review list or another book pre-approved by the instructor. (The book cannot be the one for which you are providing an oral book review.) To earn up to 28 points*, students will read the book and submit a well-written, organized, analytical 5- to 8-page double-spaced review. (*Students will not earn more points for their papers than were available to be earned by students who were in attendance on that particular day, based on attendance points, in-class group exercises and/or quizzes.)
The content for this written book review should be guided by the content instructions for the oral book reviews. Consistent with those instructions, these written reviews should include the student’s own analysis, evaluation and/or application of the material. Both paper content and form (quality of writing) will be evaluated. These book reviews must be submitted on or before the last day of class.
Pop Quizzes (20 points; 8% of course grade)
To reinforce reading of assigned material, students can earn up to 5 points on each of four pop quizzes over the assigned reading for the week. The assigned reading for each class session will be shared during the prior class and posted on Blackboard. Each 5-point quiz will only cover the reading material assigned for that day. The quiz will assess general (not detailed) knowledge of the reading. There are no quiz make-ups.
Oral Book Reviews (25 points; 10% of course grade)
Students will read one of the books on a list provided to them and give an “oral book report.” See Appendix A.
In-class group exercises (36 points; 14% of course grade):
Students will complete 12 in-class group exercises to earn up to 3 points each.
Recidivism Paper (30 points; 12% of course grade).
Students will write a paper on the causes of recidivism that will provide the backdrop for the group re-entry projects. See Appendix B.
Prisoner Re-entry Group Projects (48 points; 18% of course grades)
The class will be divided into teams that will design prisoner re-entry projects for designated populations. During class sessions #2 to #5, the groups will meet to develop certain aspects of their projects. Products of these weekly in-class assignments will be worth up to 4 points each. (See Appendix C.) The teams will present their projects to the class during the last class meeting and the content/form of those presentations will be worth up to 32 points. (See Appendix E.)
Unconscious Bias Paper (40 points; 16% of course grade).
Students will submit a paper on unconscious racial bias. See Appendix D.
Crime Homework Assignment (8 points; 3% of course grade)
Students will complete a homework assignment requiring them to acquire crime statistics and measure trends. See Appendix F.
- Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)
Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)
In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.
- Policy on Make-up Work: Attendance make-ups: Students may “earn back” points lost by missing a class session by submitting a written review of one of the books on our book review list or another book pre-approved by the instructor. (The book cannot be the one for which you are providing an oral book review.) To earn up to 28 points*, students will read the book and submit a well-written, organized, analytical 5- to 8-page double-spaced review. (*Students will not earn more points for their papers than were available to be earned by students who were in attendance on that particular day, based on attendance points, in-class group exercises and/or quizzes.)
The content for this written book review should be guided by the content instructions for the oral book reviews. Consistent with those instructions, these written reviews should include the student’s own analysis, evaluation and/or application of the material. Both paper content and form (quality of writing) will be evaluated. These book reviews must be submitted on or before the last day of class.
Any form of cheating on examinations or plagiarism on assigned papers constitutes unacceptable deceit and dishonesty. Disruption of the classroom or teaching environment is also unacceptable. The University of South Florida has very specific policies and procedures regarding academic dishonesty or disruption of academic process. If you have any questions, please refer to the University’s Undergraduate Academic Dishonesty policy at
• Procedures for Alleged Academic Dishonesty or Disruption:
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0809/adap.htm
• Student Academic Grievance Procedures -- http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0809/arcsagp.htm
- Program This Course Supports: MA in Criminal Justice Administration;Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Administration
- Course Concurrence Information: Public Administration
- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.