Main Content
Syllabus
CRIMJ 465 - Ethics in Criminal Justice (3): Ethical behavior in the criminal justice system. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100 or permission of program.
Overview
Ethics is an aspect of philosophy related to the study of questions of right and wrong and the manner in which people live. Ethics entails formulating moral judgments about what is right or wrong, good or bad. Perhaps nowhere is ethical behavior more important than for representatives of the criminal justice system. Each day police officers make decisions whether or not to make an arrest. Prosecuting attorneys decide whether or not to prosecute a person who has been charged with a crime and a judge assures the fairness of trial. This course is designed to be an in-depth survey of ethics as it pertains to the criminal justice system in America. Particular emphasis is placed on ethics in policing because of the important role it plays, as police officers are “The Gatekeepers” of the criminal justice system.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of CRIMJ 465, students will be able to:
- Identify the key arguments substantiating the value of studying ethics in criminal justice
- Define the terminology of ethics - such as, morals, ethics, values, ethical codes, ethical standards and dilemmas
- Assess and analyze an ethical dilemma
- Recognize the types of ethical dilemmas that confront criminal justice practitioners
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
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
| 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.
Student Responsibilities
Student responsibilities in this course are working through lessons and assigned readings, completing activities and assignment, and participating in discussions. Students are expected to complete all activities and assignments by the due date listed in the course syllabus. All writing assignments must conform to APA Style. Please read the instructions for each assignment carefully as deductions will be made when the instructions are not followed.
CommunicationIt is a Penn State policy that e-mail is an acceptable form of communication and notification. Penn State makes e-mail accounts available to all students. It is the student's responsibility to access their Penn State account. This information may be obtained in the computer center. All email communications will contain a proper salutation. In short, do not send an email with the salutation of "Hey". Also, do not attempt to communicate with text messaging abbreviations. Finally, take the time to spell check the message before it is sent. Each time a person communicates with another by email, and impression is sent. Be certain it is the best impression.
Course Assignments
Course Orientation Activities
Course orientation activities includes several assignments designed to orient you with course policies, expectations and procedures.
APA Tutorial
Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style is an online tutorial which takes students from beginning to end of APA. Completion of this tutorial is a course requirement.
You MUST complete the tutorial no later than the end of Lesson 02. When you complete the tutorial, answer assignment prompt and submit it to the "APA Tutorial" Drop Box as an attachment. This will be used as proof that you completed the tutorial. This assignment is due at the end of Lesson 2. Late submissions will not receive credit for this assignment. However, this assignment must be completed before any writing assignment will be scored.
NOTE: Students who have previously taken this test need only submit the appropriate form. It is not required that the student retake for credit.
Plagiarism Test
Prior to beginning the writing assignments, it is mandatory that students proceed to this web site take and successfully pass the Penn State Academic Integriy Training. Once complete, please save a copy of the certificate of completion for your records, and submit a copy of the certificate to the appropriate drop box within Canvas.
- Students MUST pass this test no later than the end of Lesson 2. Upon passing the test, the student will receive a certificate indicating successful completion of the test. Please copy that certificate and place it in the Plagiarism Test drop box. The test may be taken as many times as necessary, but students must pass the test. Late submissions will not receive credit for this assignment. However, this assignment must be completed before any writing assignment will be scored.
- The purpose of this assignment is to inform students who may be unsure of what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism will be dealt with harshly in this course and it is important that you understand what it is and how to avoid it.
NOTE: Students who have previously taken this test need only submit the appropriate form. It is not required that the student retake for credit.
Other Activties Include:
- Class Introduction Discussion
- Document Practice
Exams
There are three exams. Each exam is timed. The first two exams are case study exams. The third exam is a mix of multiple choice, true and false, and fill in the blank.
Writing Assignments
Written assignments must utilize APA Style. Absolutely NO "QUOTED MATERIAL" will be used in any writing assignment for this course. There is an automatic 20-point reduction for this infraction.
Writing Assignment 1 | Annotated Bibliography
- Each student will be assigned a topic regarding ethics in criminal justice. Writing Assignment #1 (annotated bibliography) is the foundation for Writing Assignment #2 (the topic paper). Students must locate five (and only five) peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. These articles will be the same articles that will be used for Writing Assignment #2.
- To be certain that everyone has appropriate journal articles for the topic paper, you will be required to submit an annotated bibliography of the articles you intend to use in your topic paper. Annotated bibliographies will be due at the end of Lesson 3.
NOTE: Submissions after the due date will not be reviewed, and a grade of zero (0) will be posted for this assignment.
Writing Assignment 2 | Topic Paper
Writing assignment #2 requires students to compose a literature review on the approved peer-reviewed journal articles submitted in Writing Assignment #1. This review must come from what was read in those articles and only those articles.
Writing Assignment 3 | Ethical Dilemma Movie Analysis
Ethical dilemmas are often portrayed in movies. The Ethical Dilemma Movie Writing Assignments require students to access a movie from the list for each assignment, and then write an analysis of the film identifying each character listed in the syllabus for that movie with one ethical system. Some characters may change ethical systems during the movie. Students must note when this occurs. Students must explain why they have associated a particular character with a/an ethical system(s). Do not lump all characters in one ethical system. Each character is to be analyzed separately and not collectively with one or more other characters at the same time.
NOTE: Late submissions for Writing Assignment 2 and 3 will be assessed a 10-point reduction for each day or portion thereof that the paper is late. Late assignments will be accepted for one week only following the due date of the assignment. Assignments submitted after the one week late grace period will not be accepted, and a zero will be recorded for that assignment.
Each writing assignment requires proper use of APA formatting. (Students will learn more specific information in the Course Introduction.) There are many great resources available to help you learn APA formatting. Here are some links to helpful resources I recommend:
- Penn State University Libraries APA Quick Citation Guide
- Penn State Criminal Justice Research Guide
- David Warlick's Citation Machine
Discussions
Students are expected to participate heavily in discussions with classmates. It is the obligation of the student to participate before the weekend. The majority of students engage when the discussion forum opens and throughout the major part of the weekdays. This means that students who wait until the weekend to use discussion forms will have little if any engagement. Simply posting to the discussion forum will not count for points. Points will be awarded for the level of engagement with other students in discussion of the material. Scoring will not be based on the position taken by the student, but rather how well the student engages with their classmates. Discussion forum postings will be scored weekly and are worth 5 points each. It would be wise to be highly engaged in the discussion forums.
Grading
Assignment Distribution and Weight
| Assignment Category | Grade Weight |
|---|---|
| Orientation Activities | 5% |
| Writing Assignments (3) | 30% |
| Exams (3) | 30% |
| Discussions | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
Note: Successful completion or participation in each element of the above grading criteria will be mandatory for successful completion of this course. Failure to take the tests, or failure to submit the writing assignments will be grounds for a grade of "F" for the course.
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 of Writing Assignments
Grading of the writing assignments will be accomplished by concentrating on two areas equally: Content and Composition. Composition will encompass compliance to the requirements specified for each assignment. Each area is scored equally.
Tutor.com
Tutor.com is a 24/7 tutoring service that provides students with assistance in coursework, test preparation, research, writing, and more for various subjects. The tutors are subject-matter experts, and each student will have personalized one-on-one sessions with them. Students can schedule their own tutoring appointments to engage in interactive sessions that include a whiteboard and chat feature. The service can be utilized on any device that has Internet access. Students are encouraged to use the service throughout the semester.
You can access this service by selecting Tutor.com from your course navigation menu. Here you fill out a questionnaire and begin your tutoring session.
Course Schedule
- Course length: 16 weeks
| Lesson 2: Morality, Ethics, and Human Behavior | |
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| Lesson 4: Justice, Law and the Criminal Justice Professional | |
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| Lesson 6: Corruption and the “Code” | |
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| Lesson 7: Noble-Cause Corruption | |
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| Lesson 8: Ethics and Legal Professionals | |
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| Lesson 10: The Ethics of Punishment and Corrections & Ethics and Institutional Corrections | |
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| Lesson 12: Ethical Choices and the “War on Terror” | |
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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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.- 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.
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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.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of 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.
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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.
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.