Main Content
Syllabus
CRIMJ 430 Alternatives to Incarceration (3 credits): Control and treatment of offenders in the community, probation and parole organizations, diversion programs, innovative sentences, supervision techniques.
Instructor: Daniel Howard
Overview
This course provides students with an in-depth analysis of the purposes, public policy consideration, and societal attitudes toward non-incarcerative criminal sanctions. The course begins with an overview of the purposes of utilizing sanctions in a community setting and considers the political, economic, and social ramifications of such practices. Special populations such as drug offenders, sexual offenders, young offenders, violent offenders, and mentally challenged offenders are singled out for particular emphasis. This is accomplished using the texts as well as assigning refereed journal articles and using films and collaborative assignments. Gender issues in terms of contact with and supervision by the justice system are addressed considering children, race, education, and family background. New challenges such as treatment of sex offenders, predatory sexual offender statutes, and mandatory drug treatment are viewed from a research and policy perspective. Administrative and operational issues within community corrections are viewed from management, union, correctional officer, gender, and offender perspectives. Students will leave the course having been exposed to the costs and benefits associated with the treatment and supervision of criminal offenders in a non-institutional setting.
What will be covered in this course
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to those components of the criminal justice system that deal with convicted criminal offenders in community-based settings. The material covered in this course can be roughly divided into three distinct sections. Covered first are topics that provide the foundation for understanding the role of corrections in the justice enterprise. They include a history of non-institutional sanctions in the United States, an analysis of the trends and issues affecting correctional supervision over the past several decades, and an overview of the various non-incarcerative sanctions available to the courts for sentencing offenders (e.g., fines, community service. Next, the issue of offenders serving sentences in the community under justice system supervision is examined. There is an in-depth consideration of probation, the most frequently used correctional disposition, and its various forms. Also addressed in this second section are the various treatment regimens and programming options used in a rehabilitative model. Lastly, the course considers supervision of offenders who have been released from a correctional institution on parole. In addition, this final unit of the course addresses a ‘hot-button’ issue in criminal justice today – the role of the system in easing the transition of former prisoners back into communities. Known collectively as reentry, the discussion illustrates the multi-faceted, multi-agency strategies that have been developed to guide ex-inmates in their adjustment to life in the “outside world,” and the measures being taken to help reduce recidivism among this high risk group.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Be familiar with the history, purposes, and development of community-based sanctions;
- Understand the variables considered by the justice system when deciding to sentence an offender to a community-based or institutional sanction;
- Recognize the important role probation plays in offender punishment and treatment;
- Discuss the challenges faced by ex-inmates when they reenter mainstream society.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.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 Requirements and Help
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
| Help | If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information about completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
| Module 1 - Introduction to Community-Based Sanctions (Lesson 1-4) |
|---|
| Exam 1 | |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
| Module 2 - The Responsibilities of Community Supervision (Lessons 5-8) |
|---|
| Lesson 5: Pre-Sentence Services | |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
| SEMESTER BREAK | |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
| Exam 2 | |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
| Module 3 - Special Offenders and Special Programs (Lesson 9-12) |
|---|
| Lesson 11: Residential Community-Based Sanctions | |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
| Lesson 12: Non-Residential Community-Based Sanctions | |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
| Exam 3 | |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
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.
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.
Grading
Requirement 1: Weekly discussion forums
Each week, students will receive a grade for participation in discussion forum and/or blog postings. Discussion grading is based on the following criteria: significance of ideas, Originality of thought, clarity of expression and organization of ideas, timeliness, and appropriate language (civility, excessive jargon, etc.).
Please note that I will not accept late postings to the discussion forum for credit (with the exception of the circumstances described in the "Late Submission Policy" section). If, at the end of the semester, you participate in fewer than 50% of the discussions you will receive a failing grade for the course.
Requirement 2: Course projects
There are 2 course projects due for this class. The time frame for those projects are as follows:
- Course Project 1 (Lesson 2 to Lesson 5): The detailed information about the project will be presented on the "Applying Your Knowledge: Course Project 1" page in Lesson 2. The submission is due by the end of Lesson 5.
- Course Project 2 (Lesson 7 to Lesson 11): The detailed information about the project will be presented on the "Applying Your Knowledge: Course Project 2" page in Lesson 7. The submission is due by the end of Lesson 11.
Requirement 3: Exams
There will be three exams throughout the semester that will be of an objective (multiple-choice, matching, etc.) format. The total possible points for each exam will be 100. All exams will be non-cumulative, focusing exclusively on the topics covered in the previous class sessions. Exams will be completed online through CANVAS.
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.
Grading Scale
| Grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 94% to 100% |
| A- | 90% to 93.9% |
| B+ | 87% to 89.9% |
| B | 84% to 86.9% |
| B- | 80% to 83.9% |
| C+ | 77% to 79.9% |
| C | 70% to 76.9% |
| D | 60% to 69.9% |
| F | 0% to 59.9% |
|
Grading Items
|
Points | |
| Weekly discussion forums | 12 @ 25 points |
300
|
| Course Projects | 2 @ 100 points |
200
|
| Exams | 3 @ 100 points |
300
|
| Total |
800
|
|
Late Submissions
Below is my late submission / flexibility policy. My goal in providing this information is to be as transparent as possible in my policies, and to keep everyone’s attention- mine and yours- focused on class content rather than class administration as much as possible over the semester.
There are a number of class policies that are intended to provide flexibility and/or help students protect against unforeseen personal issues that interfere with schoolwork. These include the submission windows, “safety draft” policies, “drop the lowest” policies, etc.
If something arises in your personal life that interferes with your schoolwork beyond what is already allowed for, I require the involvement of one of the administrative student services offices- Student Disability Services, the Title IX officer, Student Care and Advocacy, the Veterans and Military Affairs Coordinator, etc- before I will consider any accommodation or request for exemption to any class policy. This includes medical, family, social, and personal matters. I am NOT allowed to consider any medical documents so please do not send them to me.
I will not make any arrangement with a student directly (meaning, between the student and me, with no administrative involvement) for issues that arise in a students’ personal life- personal, medical, family, social, etc.
There are many reasons for this, but the bottom line is that I will not operate a system of support in which students have to disclose personal information to access help. If a particular type of support is to be made available, it should be available without being dependent upon the student compromising their privacy to people who don’t have the qualifications to handle or address those disclosures. Student support offices have those protections, so please work through them to address personal issues that interfere with your schoolwork.
If you would like more explanation of the many reasons I believe this approach is not appropriate, please reach out and open the conversation. If you have concerns about the appropriateness of this approach, you can contact my School Director or other administrator for clarification as you would with any class management practice about which you were concerned. If they believe my policy is not within University guidelines, ask them to communicate with me directly and I will adjust accordingly.
If you email a request for accommodation to me directly and the request includes personal information, my response will depend on my read of the situation. In most cases I will probably remind you that I don’t operate that way and ask you to communicate with the appropriate student support office. I may pass the information along to others in the university. Please forgive me if my response does not match your original email; I just don’t know how to “craft” a response to personal disclosures and it takes forever. I will do my best to be courteous, but I have a total of about 3 hours per week per class to manage all the class administration duties and I flat-out cannot devote that time to trying to craft sensitive or therapeutic emails to students.
Also, if I am not sure how to respond, or whether it is safe to respond- in particular, if I forward the request to the police and request a wellness check- you may not get a response from me.
If I feel that a student is becoming abusive (accusing me of not caring about students, impugning my character, etc), manipulative (trying to guilt-trip me into accepting, trying to use indignation or some kind of “failure of basic human decency” assertion as manipulative leverage), retaliatory (making inflated accusations to the administration, trying to swamp me with emails and demands, etc) or otherwise acts unprofessionally I will drop your grade and/or file a student misconduct report.
The University has some standing policies about absences and make up work, most of which apply more to residential classes where there are specific dates and times for exams that can conflict with athletic events or other university-sponsored events. If you are in a situation that is covered by those policies, please send me the paperwork and let me know what you are requesting. Be aware that you will need to explain how the issue interferes with the entire submission window, not just the specific due date and time.
If something arises in your professional civic role- if you are a first responder and are called up unexpectedly to support a natural disaster, if you are in the military and are deployed without much notice, if you are selected for jury duty and sequestered, etc- you can let me know the situation while the issue is resolved. That may require some time to figure out, so it may help to simply give me a heads up in these cases. I have no problem being given that type of notification as long as there is no personal appeal or expectation of emotional or empathetic response on my part. That doesn’t mean I will necessarily handle the matter on my own- I may ask for documentation or request administrative involvement. Nonetheless, I recognize that a lot of our criminal justice students are first responders, military personnel, and are involved in civic life in a number of ways; that situations in those arenas can happen fast; and that it is not always obvious how to manage those issues within the University. I will do what I can to support students in those situations.
Similarly, I occasionally receive notification that certain students have been displaced or otherwise affected by natural disasters. I consider these notifications to be sufficient as “accommodation notifications” and can make some allowances for those situations. In those situations, do not contact me directly; please communicate with the World Campus staff and ask them to let me know.
I do not allow late postings to discussion forums under any circumstances even if there is an accommodation request in place. If you have an accommodation request that provides for late postings, we will need to create an alternative assignment (generally, response paper essays) which will be graded on criteria appropriate to that assignment type (ie ,grammar, organization, etc). Think of it this way- if you were in a residential class, it wouldn't make sense for me to give credit to a student for coming in at midnight on Saturday, sitting in the class room, and saying their opinions on a certain topic to a dark and empty room. So if the point of the forum is to engage in a discussion on a topic, late postings really aren't contributing to that discussion. To that end, please note that if you're in a situation described above- deployment, sequestration, hospitalization, etc- we will do a different assignment for the forum points, so make sure to speak to me about that.
I do not give DF (“Deferred”) final grades unless there is a very compelling reason. If that reason is personal, there must be support from a student support office in place (Disability, Title IX, etc). I will not agree to a grade deferral except at the very end of class, if something happens that cannot be resolved before grades are due, and the deferral will need to be resolved within two weeks of the end of the semester. I will not use them for issues that arise earlier in the semester.
PSU uses the Red Folder system for student support, which is in line with best practices for community mental health support systems. The appropriate role for professors to play is to Recognize, Respond, and Refer. Addressing others’ personal issues in a professional context requires actual informed administration of best practices for intervention and it needs to be done by people with proper training. No matter how small or trivial any given personal issue may seem from your perspective, that type of work cannot be safely done by amateurs with no training and no way to get guidance or assistance from experts. If you need help finding help, you can tell me about the issue in general terms and I can try to steer you toward the resources in the University that can help.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional 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.
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 courses) and policy GCAC-805 Academic Integrity (for 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.
Student Success and Support Resources
The Chaiken Center for Student Success at Penn State World Campus guides you to the right resources and support you need–when you need them–along your academic journey. You can connect with peers and support teams to find direction, information, and networking opportunities. On the website, you'll find information and resources on many aspects of being a World Campus student:
- Finances—tuition, scholarships, and financial aid
- Inclusion and Wellness—diversity and inclusion, mental health services, disability accommodations, care and advocacy
- Enrollment and Registration—course planning, adding and dropping courses, and much more
- Course Work and Success—academic advising, tutoring, and other services
- Involvement and Opportunities—career resources, student organizations, internships, service, study abroad, and more
Following are some key resources.
Student Disability Services
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.
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Military Student Information
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Additional Policies
- Privacy Notice:
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.
- Student Responsibilities and Conduct:
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
-
Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Instructors may require students to provide documentation with the class absence form or other written notification for events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
-
For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Values.
- Report Bias:
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
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.