UCF-COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL
JUSTICE AND LEGAL STUDIES
For:
Instructor: Adjunct Professor Randall
A. Mingo RMINGO@MAIL.UCF.EDU
Evening telephone # (407)-823-6433 No office hours, scheduled appointments
please.
This
undergraduate course serves as an introduction to the careers available in the
discipline of criminal justice and focuses on the components of the criminal
justice process, (law enforcement, courts, and corrections). Students will be provided with an overview
of each organizational structure of the criminal justice agencies with
particular attention given to requirements of employment. Additionally, current issues associated with
employment opportunities will be examined.
Topics will be enhanced by guest lectures from practitioners and
recruiters.
Course Objectives:
By
completion of this course, “Careers in Criminal Justice”, students should be
able to:
·
Recognize
and describe different organizational structures of the criminal justice
system.
·
Understand
the human resources/personnel systems in criminal justice organizations.
·
Develop
an effective job-seeking strategy and understand the effective elements of a
job application, resume, interview and follow-up process.
·
Effectively
research job opportunities and vacancy openings utilizing the Internet,
journals, periodicals, newspapers and practitioner networking.
·
Understand
the requirements necessary to successfully compete for an employment
opportunity/ position in the criminal justice field.
Required Texts:
Delucia,
R.C., and Doyle, T.J. (1998). Career
planning in criminal justice: third edition. Anderson Publishing Company,
Oh.
The
job hunting handbook: job outlook to the year 2006. (1998). Dahlstrom and
Company Publishing, NH.
Recommended Readings: Career
journals/periodicals/newspapers (i.e. The Police Chief, FBI Law Enforcement
Bulletin, Law Enforcement Technology, Corrections Today, Security World,
Chronicle of Higher Education, Campus Law Enforcement Journal).
Grading Policy:
The
following information is how students in this course will earn their final
grade:
Pop
Quiz # 1 10 points A: 90-100%
Pop
Quiz # 2 10 points B: 80-89%
Online
project 20
points C: 70-79%
Reaction
paper # 1, #2 10
points each D: 60-69%
Resume
project 25 points F:
below 60%
(Draft-cover
letter & resume= 10 pts, Final-cover letter & resume= 15 pts)
Interview
panel participation 25 points
(Interview=
20 pts, Thank you letter= 5 pts)
State
Application (hand written) 5 points
Attendance
and participation 10 points
Midterm
exam * 100
points
Final
exam * 100
points
325 points total
Grading Considerations:
There
will be two “pop quizzes”, each quiz carries a grade value of 10 points. No make up Quiz will be given.
There
will be two formal examinations, one midterm and one final examination with
grade values of 100 points each. The
final examination is comprehensive.
Both the midterm and final examination will cover class lectures,
required text materials and speaker presentation material. NO MAKEUP EXAMINATIONS WILL BE GIVEN WITHOUT
THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE INSTRUCTOR OR A DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY.
Resume
Project:
Students will be required to submit a rough draft of their resume and cover
letter, then a final error free version.
The final resume must meet professional standards and can be utilized by
the student for an immediate or future job search. In addition to submitting a final resume for grading, a final
resume copy must be furnished to the interview panel at the time of the students
stress interview. A written thank you letter to the panel is required. The resume project carries a total grade
value of 25 points.
Interview
Panel: Each
student will complete an oral interview with a panel of criminal justice
professionals. The oral interview
process carries a grade value of 20 points.
A
thank you letter carries a value of 5 points.
Attendance/Participation: Each student is required to
attend and participate in class meetings. Students are permitted one absences
from class without penalty. A second
unexcused absence will result in a loss of half of the participation
points. A third unexcused absence will
result in a loss of all participation points.
AN EXCUSED ABSENCE IS ONE THAT YOU HAVE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE
INSTRUCTOR, OR IN WHICH YOU HAVE A DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY APPROVED BY THE
INSTRUCTOR. Please show respect for your fellow classmates, guest lectures, and
the instructor by being on time for class.
MISSING ATTENDANCE CALL COUNTS AS AN ABSENECE. Attendance/Participation
carries a grade value of 10 points.
Reaction
Papers: The
class meeting after designated guest speakers (you will be told which
speakers), each student will turn in a typed, grammatically correct reaction
paper. Content, format and spelling
will also be considered for grading purposes. All papers will be: two full
pages in length, 12-font only, double- spaced only, 1” margins. The reaction paper must include:
·
The
student’s name and the class date of the lecture.
·
The
guest speaker’s name and organization represented.
·
What
topic points did you find the most interesting?
·
What
topic points did you find the least interesting?
·
Are
you interested in the career/profession the speaker reviewed? Why/why not?
·
Did
the speaker change or reinforce your opinion about this career field?
·
Do
you feel that this presenter was a good speaker? Why or why not.
All papers must be neatly typed on a word processor or
computer. Handwritten papers will not
be accepted. Reaction papers carry a
grade value of 10 points each. Late
papers will receive a maximum grade value of 5 points only.
Tuesday January 07 th 2003: Orientation, syllabus
handout-course overview and emergency contact 3x5-card completion. Lecture: Public speaking with confidence.
Home work: Read chapter 1
pages 1-19.
Tuesday
January 14 th 2003: Lecture: Step #1 in Career Planning “self-assessment”
desired individual qualities in CJ.
Note:
Pg. 14-18 will be completed as an “in class” assignment on “self assessment”. Lecture: “Image vs Reality- facts on careers
in CJ”. Drug Use-zero tolerance in CJ.
. Lecture: “There is more to a job than just money,
understanding employment benefits”.
______________________________________________________________________
Tuesday
January 21st 2003 : Lecture: Step #2 in
Career Planning “Research Career Opportunities”. Preparation and utilization of
computers in the job search. Lecture: By guest speaker
Mr. Eric Walton- computer development and CJ use: Websearches, criminal justice
links to employment opportunities. Chapter 12 of text Careers In Criminal Justice pg. 181-190. Criminal justice
applications on line. Pg. 34-36 of Job Hunting Handbook.
Tuesday January 28 th 2003: Lecture: Exploring
career opportunities in criminal justice at the local, state and federal
government levels. Pg. 4-9 of the Job Hunting Handbook. Lecture:
Getting started on resume and cover letters.
Pg. 11-19 of Job Hunting Handbook.
Also: Chapter 11 of text Careers in Criminal Justice Pg. 157-163
JAIL VISIT: to be announced mandatory.
Tuesday
February 04 th 2003 Lecture: Professional job requirements, searching postings
and vacancy announcements, understanding the required KSA’s. The criminal justice employment Background
Investigation (BI) components and process. Chapter
10 of text Careers in Criminal Justice Pg. 133-153. What is FTO and OJT training?
Polygraph
examination demonstration 2000-2045 hours.
Tuesday February 11 th 2003: Lecture: Step #4 in
Career Planning “Interviewing skills”. Pg.
20-33 of Job Hunting Handbook. Home work Chapter 7 pages 106-114. Lecture:
C.J. Ethics. Critical Issues
influencing CJ.
Note: Hint, good time for a quiz
on class lectures to date!
Tuesday
February 18 th 2003: Lecture: Federal criminal justice opportunities. Chapter 2 pages 20-52. Guest speaker: 1900-2000 hours.
Note: Draft cover letter and resume due. Note: A reaction paper will be due on
this speaker (due February 25th, 2003)
Graded
quiz returned. _______________________________________________________________________
Tuesday March 04 th 2003: Lecture: Private sector security jobs. Chapter 6. Lecture: Careers in Special Purpose positions. Lecture: Careers in Forensic Science, Chapter 5. Email due for “Online Project”- job application to the Lake Claire Police Department. A “mock” criminal justice organization. Handwritten State Application due. Graded reaction paper returned. Lecture: Review of all material covered to date for the midterm. Graded Draft cover letter and resumes returned. Returned graded Lk. Claire project and State Application.
NOTE:
Midterm examination MARCH 11th,
2003 from 1900-2045 hours!
NOTE: Spring Break- No class
Tuesday March 18th, 2003
______________________________________________________________________
Tuesday March 25 th 2003: Lecture: Careers in Law Enforcement,
academies, (police and corrections). Chapter3,4,. Lecture: Careers in the
Court system- “The courtroom
workgroup”. Lecture: Law School, Graduate school and internships. Chapters 8 and 9.
Lecture: Police Corp
Return graded midterm
examinations.
Tuesday April 01st 2003: Lecture: Non-sworn positions in criminal justice. Lecture: Career as a Victim Advocate, Crime Scene Technician, Records Manager.
Guest speaker
1900-2000
Note: Reaction paper due on this speaker (April 08th ,
2003).
Hands on Interviewing. Practice interviews in
class. Note: Interview panel directions- candidate sequence drawing.
Hint, good
time for a quiz on all class lectures to date!
________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday April 08th 2003: Panel Interview by assigned times. Panel Interview location to be given with instructions. Note: Final Resume and cover letter due, extra copy to be given to the interview panel. One final copy to the instructor of the cover letter and resume along with your graded draft copies.
Tuesday April 15th 2003: Panel Interviews review. Lecture: Test taking skills, Assessment Centers. Text, chapter 10, pg. 133-153. Lecture: Value of Continued Education. Complete textbook and workbook chapters.
Note: Review for final examination.
________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday APRIL 22 nd 2003: Final
examination. 1900 hours. Final Grades will be posted on Polaris.
NOTE: This schedule is subject to
change without prior notice with the exceptions of noted midterm and
final examinations. Every effort will
be made to maintain scheduled classes and lectures. Guest Speaker availability will remain flexible to aid in any
scheduling conflicts the guest speakers encounter. It remains the student’s responsibility to attend all scheduled
class meetings and submit all required assignments.
Class
lectures will be expanded to cover additional material if time permits.
*Students are responsible for adherence to the UCF Golden Rules of conduct.
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