COURSE SYLLABUS INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS CJ 200 Spring 2011 - 11:00-11:50 daily

Instructor: Jane Sherwood Office: BI-26 Office Hours: 8:00-9:00 am Mon-Thurs, 6:00-6:30 pm Mon & Wed, and as arranged Phone: (253) 833-9111, ext. 4387 Email: [email protected] Course Description This 5-credit course examines the historic, legal and political basis of individual rights and the Constitution of the United States. A variety of laws, including federal and state laws will be analyzed for individual rights protections. The focus will be on the Bill of Rights and its impact on law enforcement, courts and case law. Current events will be given special attention. This course includes studying the roles of specific actors in the criminal justice field, including the victim, offender, police, prosecutor, defense attorneys, courts and corrections. Required Texts Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Legal Issues, M. Ethan Katsh, 14th edition Constitutional Rights: Myths and Realities, Christopher E. Smith These books are available in the school bookstore. Other books and material will be provided by the instructor. Course Specific Learning Outcomes/Objectives The objectives of the course are: 1. Familiarize students with concepts and practices with individual rights in the criminal justice system. 2. Provide students with an understanding of the structure, functions, and decision processes of the major institutions of society that deal with the management and control of crime as defined by criminal law and results in criminal offenders. 3. Acquaint students with the major issues and trends in the criminal justice system and constitutional rights. 4. Students will learn responsibility for their own learning and actions through group-guided interaction and learning. Campus-wide Learning Outcomes Students will also demonstrate the following campus-wide abilities: Responsibility 1. Students are expected to assume responsibility for all choices made during the students educational pursuits and specifically, choices made throughout this course.

2. Student demonstrates knowledge of and willingness to accept stated and/or agreed upon expectations. 3. Student meets obligations necessary to complete individual and group tasks and assignments. 4. Student demonstrates an ability to understand and respond respectfully to perspectives offered by other students and the instructor. 5. Student demonstrates common courtesies and shows respect for the ideas, needs, difficulties, and rights of others, and 6. Student shares knowledge and opinions with others in general class discussion. This is demonstrated by regular attendance, being prepared for lectures and discussions, behavior toward peers and instructor, submitting high quality work on time, active and meaningful participation in class and group discussions, and group accountability. Critical Thinking 1. Apply relevant criteria and standards when evaluating information, claims and arguments. 2. Use appropriate reasoning to evaluate problems, make decisions, and formulate solutions. 3. Give reasons for conclusions, assumptions, beliefs and hypotheses, and 4. Exhibit traits evidencing the disposition to reflect, assess, and improve thinking or products of thinking. This is demonstrated through explanation and discussion in class and with groups, on projects, assignments, quizzes, and presentations. Methods of Instruction Lecture, discussion, and small work groups will be the dominant methods of instruction. There may also be guest lecturers, videos, and movies. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned material or topic. Student participation is an important part of the method of instruction.

Grading Students will be graded on the following: Category Assignments Quizzes Papers/Presentation Percent of Grade 60% 20% 20%

The percentage grade will be converted to a decimal grade according to the table below. A grade of Incomplete is not an option. Check your student handbook for more information about grading.

Grading System:
Table for converting a percentage grade to a decimal grade: 98-100 = 4.0 87 = 3.3 79 = 2.6 65 = 1.2 96-97 = 3.9 86 = 3.2 78 = 2.5 64 = 1.1 94-95 = 3.8 85 = 3.1 77 = 2.4 63 = 1.0 92-93 = 3.7 84 = 3.0 76 = 2.3 62-0 = 0.0 90-91 = 3.6 83 = 2.9 75 = 2.2 89 88 = 3.4 = 3.5 82 = 2.8 80-81 = 2.7 73 = 2.0 74 = 2.1 66 = 1.3 72 = 1.9 71 = 1.8 70 = 1.7 69 = 1.6 68 = 1.5 67 = 1.4

The Business Division grading standards do not allow for a grade below 1.0. Criminal Justice is in the Business Division. Therefore, any score below a 1.0 will be graded as a 0.0.

Assignments: Assignments are due at the start of class on the due date. It is very important that you do the assignments and turn them all in on time. Students who are absent on the day an assignment is given are responsible for getting the assignment from the instructor or another student, and will not be given extra time to complete the assignment; it is due on the due date. Students who are absent on the day the assignment is due are still responsible for getting it turned in on time; it is due on the due date. No late assignments will be accepted. (See Extra Credit option.) There will also be in-class assignments, both group and individual. Students will not be able to make up any inclass assignments that occurred on the day of their absence, and will receive a score of 0 on the missed assignment. Quizzes: There will be quizzes throughout the quarter. They may have questions about material covered in class or in the reading. Students may be able to make up a missed quiz if they make arrangements with the teacher prior to their absence whenever possible, or immediately upon their return. It is the students responsibility to discuss making up the missed quiz with the instructor as soon as reasonably possible. The teacher will decide, based on the circumstances, whether or not to accept a late quiz or to allow a quiz to be made up. If a quiz can be made up and/or is late, points may be deducted because of lateness. Once a quiz has been handed back to the class, it cannot be made up. Papers/Presentation: Each student will participate in a group presentation of a legal issue during the quarter, and each student will write two researched opinion papers. Additional instructions will be handed out early in the quarter.
Extra Credit: There will be six (6) opportunities to earn extra credit cards by putting extra effort into the class. The cards may be used to turn in an assignment one class day late for full credit. OR the cards may be saved and handed in at the end of the quarter. Each card turned in will be worth five (5) extra points in the assignment category of your grade; you could earn a total of 30 points. They may not be used on group assignments,

assignments done in class, quizzes, presentations, or research papers. They may only be used on individual homework assignments, and they may only be used by the person who earned the card.

Exceptions: Any exception to any grading policy must be made on a case-by-case basis, and will be up to the instructors discretion. If an exception is made once, do not assume it will be made again. If you have an emergency situation or illness, discuss it with the instructor. Do not just assume that absences or late papers will be excused or accepted. I reserve the right to raise any students grade based on consistently exceptional work, excellent attendance, or quality participation in class discussions. Classroom Policies Participation: Participation in class is very important to your success in this course. Therefore, you will be expected to attend class, to come to class ready to participate, and to participate. You must do the assigned reading prior to coming to class so that you are ready to participate in class discussions and in group work and discussions. Each student must make a conscious effort to ask questions and voice opinions, and must participate in group activities and presentations. If you miss class, leave early, arrive late, or sleep in class, you are not participating and will be counted absent. If you miss more than three (3) classes, your grade will be lowered, depending on how many classes you miss over the first three. If you miss eight (8) or more classes, you may be given a failing grade for the class. Any exception to this policy is up to the instructor and will be made on a case by case basis, depending on the circumstances. Student Responsibilities: You are expected to attend class. You are responsible for all material presented during class sessions, including course-related announcements, reading assignments, written assignments, group assignments, and handouts. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to get the notes and assignments and find out what you missed. Email Communication: GRCC has provided email accounts for all students, with addresses that end with @mail.greenriver.edu. Activate your account if you have not already done so. I will send messages to these accounts during the quarter, and you will be responsible for any information sent to yours. You must therefore either read that account regularly, or set up automatic forwarding to an account that you do read regularly. The website where you can set up and start using your GRCC email is: http://www.greenriver.edu/studentemail. Conduct: Respect is essential in this class. On a college campus, everyone deserves the opportunity to study and learn in a safe environment and to be treated with courtesy and respect. Therefore, any conduct that prevents the instructor from teaching, and/or

prevents students from learning is prohibited. Do not sleep in class or leave class to text or talk on the phone. Do not text message in class, or use a cell phone, iPod, or Zune in class. Do not use your laptop for non-class related activities during class. If you do not behave in a way that is appropriate for maintaining a learning environment, I will ask you to leave the class and lower your grade. Cheating/Plagiarism: Consequences for cheating or plagiarism range from failing an assignment, to failing the course, to being reported to the Dean for further consequences. Plagiarism is presenting someone elses work as your own. Even if it is just a phrase, it must be acknowledged. Anytime you use someone elses work or ideas, you must credit that source. Cheating and plagiarism (including failure to use citations) are serious offenses; be sure you understand what they are and dont do it. For the GRCC policy on academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, see the student handbook. Controversial Subject Matter Criminal justice areas of study may include very controversial and sometimes sensitive subject matter. In order to facilitate class discussion and debate, the instructor may discuss current criminal justice issues, invite criminal justice professionals to share their experiences, and utilize role play or humor in order to get students involved in active discussion and learning. Students may voluntarily leave the classroom if they are offended or become nauseated during the lecture, slides, overhead displays, movies, or videos. Some of the possible subjects may be, but are not limited to: homicides, traffic accidents, forensics, capital punishment, terrorism, and crime scenes. Nondiscrimination Campus Policy Green River Community College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The college does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, age, marital status, religion, disability, or on any other unlawful basis in its programs and activities. Green River community College and its faculty are committed to providing a work and learning environment which is free from discrimination. Inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy can be made to the Vice President of Human Resources. Disabilities Statement If you believe you qualify for course adaptations or special accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act, it is your responsibility to contact the Disabled Students Services Coordinator in the LSC and provide the appropriate documentation. If you have already documented a disability or other condition that would qualify you for special accommodations, or if you have emergency medical information or special needs I should know about, please notify me during the first week of class. You can schedule an office appointment with me during my office hour or another mutually determined time and location. If you use an alternative medium for communicating let me know well in advance of the meeting (at least one week) so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged. An Invitation: Please come and talk to me if you have any questions or

concerns about the course, the syllabus, your grade, assignments, or anything else related to the class. Course revisions: This syllabus and the course schedule are subject to change and may be modified if necessary. CJ200JS3/11