CRIM 113: Introduction to Law (GH; US) (3): Introduction to law in society with a focus on criminal law, judicial code, laws of sentencing and corrections, criminal procedure. Prerequisites: None
Overview
This course is designed to be a general survey of the history and nature of American law. We will study the sources, development, types, purposes, and enforcement of American law from colonial to contemporary times. We will also consider the various institutions charged with making, executing, and interpreting the law.
Course Objectives
By the time you complete this course, you should be able to
- Understand the general evolution of American law
- Describe the primary sources of American law
- Describe generally major legal theories
- Understand that the law is dynamic and not static
- Appreciate the interplay of law and society
- Be aware of the law’s sometimes disparate treatment of groups within society
- Describe the major participants and stages in the American justice system
- Describe the significance of due process in American law
Required Course Materials
The following materials are required and may be purchased from MBS Direct:
- Walsh, A., & Hemmens, C. 2008. Law, Justice, and Society: A Sociolegal Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2 GHz or higher |
| Memory | 1 GB of RAM |
| Hard Drive Space | 20 GB free disk space |
| Browser | We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or
Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion,
and for advice on downloading a supported version,
please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers.
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses. |
| Plug-ins | Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe] |
| Additional Software | Microsoft Office (2007 or later) |
| Internet Connection | Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required |
| Printer | Access to graphics-capable printer |
| DVD-ROM | Required |
| Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers | Required |
| Monitor | Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
[printer-friendly versionCourse Schedule
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Essays are due on Fridays by midnight Eastern time. Discussion boards are due by midnight Eastern time on Sundays.
Assignments
Exams
There will be 4 exams based on the readings, lesson commentaries, and discussions. Each exam will likely be a mixture of multiple choice and true/false questions. Each exam is worth 100 points.
All exams are open-book and open-notes; students may not consult classmates or other people during the exams. Exams will be timed; students will be given 90 minutes to complete each exam. They do not need to be proctored.
The coverage and dates for the exams are:
- Exam 1 – Lessons 2-5
- Exam 2 – Lessons 6-8
- Exam 3 – Lessons 9-12
- Exam 4 – Lessons 13-15
Lesson Essay Assignments
There will be thirteen lesson essay assignments (one per lesson except for Lesson 1 and Lesson 15) during the semester. Students may complete a maximum of five of these assignments; no extra credit will be given for completing more than five. I will post the essay assignments on Friday of the lesson week. Students will have until the following Friday to submit their completed essays (via the appropriate drop box). I will mark the essays as either “Approved” or “Rejected”. Each approved essay is worth 15 points. All Rejected assignments are worth 0 points, but students may revise and resubmit a rejected submission once for approval. Revised assignments must be submitted no later than 5 days after the original submissions are graded. I will include specific information about deadlines and assignment requirements (e.g., sources, essay length, etc.) with each assignment.
Discussion Forums
There will be two separate discussion forums for each weekly lesson (except for Lesson 1) for a semester total of 28 discussion forums. Students are expected to participate in 25 of the 28 forums (no extra credit will be given for participating in more than 25 forums). Students will earn 1 point for participating in each forum (up to a maximum of 25 points). In order to earn a participation point, a student must post a relevant, 50-word (minimum) comment to the discussion thread that makes up the particular forum. Students must post their comments by midnight on Sunday of the lesson week in order to earn any credit. Students who fail to contribute at least 50 words will receive no credit for their participation. Information from the discussion forums may be on the exams, and, therefore, students should review them before taking the exams.
Grading
Your grade will be based on the following weighting of assignments:
Assignment |
Points |
| Exams | 400 |
| Lesson Essay Assignments | 75 |
| Discussion Forums | 25 |
| Total | 500 |
Final Grades will be assigned as follows:
Percent |
Grade |
93-100 |
A |
90-92.9 |
A- |
87-89.9 |
B+ |
83-86.9 |
B |
80-82.9 |
B- |
75-79.9 |
C+ |
70-74.9 |
C |
60-69.9 |
D |
below 60 |
F |
The World Campus follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit
Please refer to the University Registrar's information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity (for undergraduate students in undergraduate courses) and policy GCAC-805 Academic Integrity (for graduate students and undergraduate students in graduate courses), an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity or GCAC-805 Academic Integrity as appropriate). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal
integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help
create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the
fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is
requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedures allow a student to accept or contest/appeal the allegation. If a student chooses to contest/appeal the allegation, the case will then be managed by the respective school, college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. Review procedures may vary by college, campus, or school, but all follow the aforementioned policies.
All academic integrity violations are referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response, which may assign an educational intervention and/or apply a Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, or Expulsion.
Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page.
University Policies
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Students with disabilities participating in internship, practicum, student teaching, or other experiential learning opportunities as part of their degree requirements may also be eligible for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access and opportunity. These accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, their University supervisor, and the site supervisor. Student Disability Resources can assist students with identifying potential barriers, facilitating accommodation requests, and coordinating with University supervisors to promote inclusive learning experiences.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.