Main Content
Syllabus
CRIMJ 441: The Juvenile Justice System (3 credits): Historical and contemporary view of the juvenile justice system. Focus on analyzing components of the system, their interactions, processing, and handling of youths.
Overview
What will be covered in this course?
This course is about how the United States justice system came to view people under the age of 18 as needing separate treatment when it comes to processing them through the system. A review of the major issues associated with the juvenile justice system will be covered including:
- the antecedents to the development of the juvenile justice system in 1899;
- the history of more general attitudes toward children in early U.S. society and beyond;
- constitutional rights of juveniles when they come in contact with the system;
- theoretical explanations for delinquency;
- types of juvenile delinquency;
- how juveniles are processed through the system, e.g. police, prosecution, the courts, probation and incarceration;
- status offenses and offenders;
- types of delinquency;
- dealing with special populations such as the mentally ill, the juvenile sex offender, etc.
- the influence of the media and popular culture in shaping societal perception of delinquent youth.
This course utilizes a textbook that compiles the peer-reviewed literature associated with each of these issues.
How will this course be delivered?
The course will be delivered entirely online and as such it will incorporate suitable technological and pedagogical applications in order to advance students' online learning experience:
- the typical lecture enhanced with PowerPoint slides and videos or video streams;
- readiness assessment tests (quizzes to ensure students are doing their reading);
- a series of thought-provoking exercises for each of the 12 lessons;
- five individually conducted wrap-up activities utilizing the Bongo platform;
- seven wrap-up activities to be conducted with their group peers that will produce a major paper and related PowerPoint and team presentation using Bongo for the course (as part of an experience in collaborative learning)
- three online examinations.
Students will be pacing through the course together. This is important because the topics in this course build upon one another. Students will be required to interact with their classmates and with the instructor on a regular basis throughout the week and as they work through each lesson. Thus, students will be expected to stick to a prescribed pace of study.
The RATS (Reading Assessment Tests) for each lesson will be available during the week of that lesson only. Meaning, you will have the week of Lesson 1 to complete the RAT for Lesson 1.
The group project for this course involves a process that begins early in the semester and is completed in segments (see below). This is a major paper on which groups will work with their peers. The instructor will task each group with identifying a juvenile justice topic and will, at the beginning of the course, supply a template to be followed for this project. Information regarding how to access and utilize online library resources is also noted in syllabus for those persons who require aditional guidance.
By the end of Week One, students should be randomly assigned to groups with approximately four to seven students in each group. Discussion Forums and Drop Boxes are developed for each group and associated with the various exercises associated with this project (explained in more detail in the assignments below).
Course Objectives
Students should be able to think critically about the complex nature of the U.S. juvenile justice system. They will be exposed to a collection of scholarly works written by criminal justice scholars recognized in their fields as experts on the subject matter. As such, students should be able to synthesize the assigned readings and demonstrate a command of the major concepts and/or arguments covered in those readings. Students should be able to respond in a clear and well thought out fashion to the beginning thought-provoking exercises and the five wrap-up activity exercises, all of which they conduct entirely on their own (as opposed to with their group peers). They should demonstrate a solid working knowledge of the major point being made by the instructor and be able to articulate, with some clarity, their responses to the point by way of posting to the course discussion forums.
Students should be able to understand such issues as:
- the reasons that led to the separate system for juveniles;
- the critical issues associated with processing juveniles through the system;
- the extent and nature of juvenile delinquency in the U.S.; and,
- the policy implications of approaches to managing the juvenile delinquent.
Another objective of this course is to enhance the student's writing ability and the ability to work together as a team with their student peers. Students should, in all writing assignments, demonstrate a command of good writing skills and exhibit a grasp of the overall mechanics of writing (e.g. complete sentences that are grammatically correct). When working on the various group projects, students should exhibit superb people skills, including showing respect for their peers by being polite at all times, actively shouldering his/her share of the responsibility for the assignment, and producing all work in a timely fashion.
By the end of this course, students should be able to :
- Demonstrate a functional understanding of the nature and importance of the many critical issues associated with the U.S. juvenile justice system
- Define and recognize the use of common terms associated with components of the system (e.g. police, courts, legal issues, prosecution, corrections, and treatment/supervision)
- Synthesize the findings from several peer-reviewed journal articles
- Demonstrate an ability to function as a contributing member of the course
- Work together as a team to produce a final paper for the course.
- Articulate their views on selected topics presented in a insightful manner using the course content to support positions adopted
- Demonstrate their ability to utilize technology to achieve course goals and objectives
Course Expectations
CRIMJ 441 Juvenile Justice is an advanced level course. As such, it is assumed that students have taken the prerequisite courses required prior to registering. Students are required to have the basic skills and abilities to independently navigate the course and take complete individual responsibility for their work. While it is recognized that some students may not be familiar with online learning, it is the students responsibility to become sufficiently acclimated with the course platform, technology, and resources available that will aid in their active participation. It is anticipated that students will communicate in a routine and effective way with the professor and their peers daily. It is expected that students check their emails on a daily basis and respond to professor and peer inquiries/comments within 24-48 hours. Also, the Group Project is a significant part of the course, which will require coordination of time with peers who may live in different time zones. If you believe you are unable to find a time in which to coordinate the group assignment with your peers, it is advised that you reconsider enrollment in this course until a later time in which your schedule allows for collaboration.
Students should become familiar with the Canvas Platform and the Bongo application that will be required for the Individual Wrap Up Activities and the Group Power Point Presentation. It is also recommended that students consider using Google Docs as a means in which to meet and discuss information first discussed in the Group Space provided. These tools are explained in detail in the Getting Started Lesson to be completed during Week 1 of the course.
Late Enrollment
Students who enroll in the course after the start date are responsible for all readings and related missed assignments. Extensions for assignments may not be granted based on student’s failure to secure course text thus should be considered prior to enrollment.
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 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.
Technical Specifications
| 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. |
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| 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. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for 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.
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 Schedule
Note that assignments are due based on the eastern time zone (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live.
Module 1: The History of Attitudes Toward Children in the U.S. and the Development of a Separate Justice System for Juveniles
Lesson 1: Antecedents to the New Juvenile Justice Court -- Major Historical Developments
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Lesson 2: The 19th Century Child-Saving Movement - Consideration of a Separate Justice System for Juveniles
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Lesson 3: The Extension of Constitutional Rights to Juveniles
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Lesson 4: Status Offenses vs. Criminal Law Violations
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Exam I
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Module 2: The Extent and Nature of Juvenile Delinquency and Society's Reaction to Delinquency
Lesson 5: Types of Crime Committed by Youth
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Lesson 6: Explanations for Delinquency -- An Overview
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Lesson 7: Special Populations of Juvenile Offenders
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Lesson 8: Policing and Prosecuting the Youthful Offender
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Lesson 9: Community- and Institutional-Based Programming and Juvenile Waiver
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Exam II
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Module 3: Other Critical Issues in Juvenile Justice
Lesson 10: Minorities and Delinquency
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Lesson 11: School-Based Violence
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Lesson 12: Pros and Cons of Disbanding the Juvenile Justice System
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Exam III
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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 see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
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
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% |
| B+ | 87% to 89% |
| B | 84% to 86% |
| B- | 80% to 83% |
| C+ | 77% to 79% |
| C | 70% to 76% |
| D | 60% to 69% |
| F | 0% to 59% |
Students in this course will engage in different interactive learning activities, many of which require group participation. Meaningful contributions with your group members will maximize the points received for these group activities.
Assignments
| Assignment | Description | Points |
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| Thought-Provoking Exercises | 12 Exercises worth 10 points each (Highest 10 scores counted) | 100 |
| Reading Assessment Tests | 12 Exercises worth 10 points each (Highest 10 scores counted) | 100 |
| Group-Based Research Project | Article Identification #3 | 10 |
| Group-Based Research Project | Annotated Bibliography | 30 |
| Group-Based Research Project | Outline | 10 |
| Group-Based Research Project | Final Paper | 40 |
| Group-Based Research Project | Presentation Planning and Execution (50 points for presentation
substance and 20 points for presentation planning/slide development) |
70 |
| Individual Exercises | 4 Exercises worth 10 points each | 40 |
| Exams | 3 exams worth 100 points each | 300 |
| Total | Points | 700 |
- Thought-Provoking Exercises
These exercises will be at the beginning of each lesson to encourage students to explore concepts, ideas, and issues and to engage them in discussions about them. A grading rubric for how participation in these discussions will be evaluated is included under the course Activities (click the Activities link in the left navigation). Two of the lower scores for these exercises will be dropped with ten of the scores factored into the student's final grade for this course. Note that students will not be able to review peer comments until they first post their answer/response to the question presented.
- Reading Assessment Tests (RATs)
These are actually short quizzes that will be given weekly to measure the extent to which students are completing the reading assignments. These quizzes could also be used by the student to assist him/her in preparing for the three examinations that will be given in this course. The RATs will consist of multiple choice and True/False questions. You will be allowed only 10 minutes for each Reading Assessment Test (quiz on the assigned reading for that week) and will be given only one attempt at completing them. Two lowest scores for the quizzes will be dropped for your final grade.
- Wrap-Up Activities
Wrap-Up Activites will consiste of two different kinds of assignments.
Individual Wrap-Up Exercises:
Lessons 1, 6, 9, and 10 – these are critical thinking, individual problem-based exercises to which students will post 2-4 minute video responses in Bongo. Responses should be thoughtful, respectful of others' ideas/opinions, and should demonstrate critical thinking regarding the issue. Please note that all individual Wrap-Up Activities will be responded directly to the professor using Bongo. Students will become familiar with the platform submit their Self Introduction in Bongo during the Getting Started Lesson order to become more familiar with the tool.
Group Paper Project:
For 8 of the 12 wrap-up activities, students will work with their groups to produce:- three identified peer-reviewed articles on the topic for the group paper (each individual group member will produce the title, authors, year, where published; (associated with Lessons 3, 4, and 5 – one identified article each); a drop box for each group has been established;
- an annotated bibliography of the three previously identified articles (a paragraph summarizing each article) (associated with Lesson 7); drop box for each group has been established;
- work with group peers to produce an outline for the paper and place it in the appropriate drop box (associated with Lesson 8);
- produce the final paper – 12-15 pages double spaced, properly cited; (associated with Lesson 11); drop box has been established;
- produce a brief PPT presentation and synced video presentation in Bongo of the major points in the paper – a group effort; (associated with Lesson 12)
- Exams
There will be three exams throughout the semester which will be of both an objective (multiple-choice, matching, etc.) and fill in the blank format. You will have a certain amount of time to complete the exams (45 minutes for each), and will be given only one attempt at completing them. 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. Make-up exams will be given only with prior notification in emergency/medical situations. The student is encouraged to complete scheduled exams when humanly possible; make-up exams will be completely of a different format and they may be considerably more difficult than regular exams.
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Group Work
The evaluation of your group work will be based on the following five criteria:- Actively participates in the activity, e.g. frequently posting and commenting on ideas, keeping in close contact with the group members;
- Exhibits a positive attitude through the process, e.g. provides constructive feedback, helps keep the group focused on the task;
- Willing to be a real group player, e.g. willing to take responsibilities, respects others opinions, helps make decisions;
- Contributes to the final post to the discussion forums, e.g. initiating and sharing ideas/resources;
- Make a significant contribution to the quality of the end products associated with this major group project.
Extra credit is not available in this course.
Finally, incomplete or deferred grades are not automatic; rather, a grade of incomplete will be granted at the instructor's discretion with sufficient documentation by the student of hardship necessitating extra time to complete course requirements. Completion of an incomplete grade shall follow Penn State's timetable outlined in each year's Academic Calendar.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , 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 ). 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, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. 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 that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
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 by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources 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.
Additional Policies
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.
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.
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.