Office: Room # 518

Office Phone: #219 937-5705

E-mail: gary.bell@usdoj.gov

Office Hours: By Appointment

Course Time: Wednesday, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Course Description: Criminal law deals with intensely human and emotional matters. This course will address the most fundamental issues of the relationship of individuals with each other and with the state or federal government. We will examine famous (infamous) cases that deal with various criminal law issues. (ie. Insanity) Current events are always examined. We will ask what human behavior violates our basic values that it should be met with the most serious condemnation of society? How can we secure ourselves against abuse by the state or federal government in enforcing criminal laws? This class will address broad issues, such as when does life begin, when does life end, and what implications arise from the varying definitions. Finally, this class will address the definitions of various crimes, and the potential defenses to those crimes.

Prerequisites: CRJ 100 and a Writing Course.

A writing course is strongly recommended before taking this class. All students will be expected to complete a research paper and other writing assignments. Style, grammar, and the ability to properly cite research materials will weigh heavily in the student’s grade.

Textbooks: Criminal Law, Sixth Edition, (Joel Samaha)

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances.

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.). All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore. These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar.

Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Program (DCP) students should consult the DCP Student Handbook for information on DCP withdrawals.

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a

course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see

Refund Schedule).

Class Policy on Attendance:

A mandatory attendance policy applies in this class. This means that students must attend the entire class session to receive credit. Further, if a student has more than two (2) unexcused absences, the student will automatically receive an “F”. The instructor retains full discretion to determine whether an absence is unexcused.

Class Policy For Assignments:

Assignments are to completed by the stated deadline.

Learning Outcomes/Student Competencies:

· Understand the theoretical underpinning of Criminal Law.

· Recognize the definitions of crimes and defenses to crime.

· Use writing and research skills and apply knowledge gained in writing a research paper.

Assessment:

Quizzes : September 27; October 18; November 8. __25___% of grade

Class participation/attendance/assignments __25___% of grade

Research and writing project __25 __% of grade

Final examination __25___% of grade

Grading Scale:

See Calumet College Handbook.

Writing Project:

Select a significant criminal event, research the facts of the case, write a paper discussing the facts and the issues of the case. The paper must properly cite all research sources.

Topic Selection: October 4

Outline: October 25

Paper deadline: November 29