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The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
CRIMJ 113 Introduction to Law (3): Introduction to law in society with a focus on criminal law, judicial code, laws of sentencing and corrections, and criminal procedure.
Overview
This course introduces students to the foundations of law and the American Legal System. Comprehending the organization of the legal system requires the development of legal thinking, the understanding of procedural and substantive concepts as they apply to the functioning of law, and the ability to find, use, and understand the sources of law. This course will teach students that law is shaped from the interactions of tradition, custom, religion, economics, codification, precedent, philosophy, policy, and politics. With such complexities, one might ask, “Does it function well?” Yes, but it is a balance between ethics, professionalism, societal needs, and global interactions.
Law Is Social Control. Who is given the privilege to control society is the nectar for historians, researchers, jurists . . . and now you.
I have selected a book that is appropriate for criminal justice, political science, sociology, and other majors within the social sciences. It provides vocabulary, systemic models, and evolutionary examples of law, legal writing, and analysis.
While this course will aid those on their way to law school, it is also intended for those who will engage in lifelong learning and scholarly pursuits since little can be done by a person today that is not within the realm of law and its practitioners.
This course is required in the Criminal Justice Curriculum and will emphasize issues imperative to criminal justice. However, students will still be responsible for reading all of the material and assimilating the terminology.
Objectives
When you successfully complete this course you will be able to:
- Define law
- Identify the objectives of law (such as tradition, custom, religion, economics, codification, precedent, philosophy, policy, and politics) using legal reasoning
- Articulate the origins of law in the United States
- Trace the institutional sources of American Law
- Explain constitutional policy making within Supreme Court Cases
- Define and use legal terminology appropriately
- Explain the differences between civil procedure and criminal procedure
- Read, comprehend, and brief Supreme Court Cases
- Describe the interactions of law and tradition, custom, religion, economics, codification, precedent, philosophy, policy, and politics
Materials
The following materials are required and must be purchased from MBS Direct:
- Hames, J. B. & Ekern, Y. (2005). Introduction to Law, 3rd Ed. ISBN 0131183818
For pricing and ordering information, please see the MBS Direct Web site, located at http://direct.mbsbooks.com/psude.htm. MBS Direct can also be contacted at 1-800-325-3252.
Materials will be available at MBS Direct approximately three weeks before the course begins. When ordering your course materials, please pay close attention to the version number (01WC). It is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).
Additional materials:
- Gifis, S. H. (2008). Dictionary of Legal Terms, 4th Ed. ISBN 0-7641-3921-5 (You can choose to use any edition of this book. Actually, this textbook can be replaced by any abbreviated legal dictionary).
- Additional Course Support: www.prenhall.com/legal_studies
For pricing and ordering information, please see the Barnes & Noble College website.
Materials will be available at Barnes & Noble College approximately three weeks before the course begins. It is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).
You may purchase course materials from Barnes & Noble College (the bookstore used by Penn State's World Campus). For pricing and ordering information, please see the Barnes & Noble College website. Materials will be available at Barnes & Noble College approximately three weeks before the course begins. Alternatively, you may obtain these texts from other favorite bookstores. Be sure you purchase the edition/publication date listed.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 can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Technology and Software page.
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!
Course Requirements and Grading
Chapters are grouped so that skills and analysis may develop gradually. You may move forward at your own pace but must meet the assignment requirements as listed. Lessons will become available a week before they are to be started.
Assignments for this course fall into four categories: quizzes, weekly discussion forums, case brief, and exams.
- Case Brief - 10%
- Quizzes - 15 %
- Mid-Term Exam - 20%
- Final Exam - 20%
- Weekly Discussion Forum Participation - 35%
I. Case Briefs
A case will be assigned for briefing. This is to test your comprehension and your legal reasoning skills. The format and activity are covered in the textbook. A Grading Guide can be found in the "Lesson 5: Legal Analysis and Study" folder under the Lessons tab in ANGEL. This document outlines where to find the case to be briefed, and how the Case Brief will be graded.
II: Quizzes
There will be eight online non proctored quizzes throughout the semester based on chapter readings. You will have a limited amount of time to complete each quiz (ten minutes to complete ten questions) and will be given only one attempt at completing them. Each quiz is worth 10 points, comprising of 15% of your overall grade. There will be no make-ups allowed for quizzes.
III: Weekly Discussion Forums
Each week, you will need to participate in the weekly discussion forum. You will need to post a reply to each discussion question, and also reply to at least two postings by other students. Discussion Forums will only be open the week they are required as listed in the course schedule (below). Each discussion forum is worth 20 possible points. A Grading Guide for the discussion forums can be found in the "Getting Started" folder under the Lessons tab in ANGEL. This document outlines how the discussion forums will be graded.
IV. Exams
There will be two online, non-proctored exams throughout the semester - a midterm exam and final exam. You will have a limited amount of time to complete the exams (25 minutes to complete 50 questions) and will be given only one attempt at completing them. The total possible points for each exam will be 100. Make-up exams will require students to take an exam online by making a specific appointment with the instructor. Make-up exams may be structured according to the instructor's prerogative.
Course Grading Scale
100%-90% = A,
89%-80% = B,
79%-70% = C,
69%-60% = D,
everything below=F
**All criminal justice students must earn a C or better for the core courses.
Please refer to the University Registrar's information about University grading policies. 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.
Course Schedule
| Lesson 0: Getting Started | |
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| Lesson 1: The Prequel to the Study of Law | |
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| Lesson 2: Introduction to Law | |
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| Lesson 3: The American Legal System | |
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| Lesson 4: Legal Research and Writing | |
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| Lesson 5: Legal Analysis and Study | |
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| Lesson 6: Civil, Criminal, and Family Law | |
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| Mid-Term Exam |
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| Lesson 7: Show Me the Money! | |
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| Lesson 8: Contract, Real Property, Intellectual Property, and Employment Law | |
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| Lesson 9: Do We Have to Go to Court? | |
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| Lesson 10: Alternative Dispute Resolution | |
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| Lesson 11: Criminal Practice: Criminal Law and Juvenile Law | |
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| Lesson 12: Criminal Procedure Before Trial | |
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| Final Exam |
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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.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success. Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.Academic Integrity
Academic integrity — scholarship free of fraud and deception — is an important educational objective of Penn State. Academic dishonesty can lead to a failing grade or referral to the Office of Student Conduct.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
- cheating
- plagiarism
- fabrication of information or citations
- facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others
- unauthorized prior possession of examinations
- submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor and securing written approval
- tampering with the academic work of other students
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedure requires an instructor to notify a student of suspected dishonesty before filing a charge and recommended sanction with the college. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If a disciplinary sanction also is recommended, the case will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures 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.
Additionally, 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, and a civil community.
For More Information on Academic Integrity at Penn State
Please see the Academic Integrity Chart for specific college contact information or visit one of the following URLs:
- Penn State Senate Policy on Academic Integrity
- iStudy for Success! — learn about plagiarism, copyright, and academic integrity through an educational module
- Turnitin a web-based plagiarism detection and prevention system
Policies
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.