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CRMJ 2010 Syllabus

Course Syllabus

CRMJ 2010 - Introduction to Law Enforcement

3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This course is an overview of the American police, including the philosophy and historical evolution behind the police force.  The emphasis is on policing procedures; crime prevention and control; functions of law enforcement; problems and needs facing the police; and contemporary issues.

Course Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

  1. Analyze historical legal facts and interpretations.
  2. Analyze and compare political, geographic, economic, social, cultural, religious, and intellectual institutions, structures, and processes across a range of historical periods and cultures and their effect on the American legal system.
  3. Recognize and articulate the diversity of human experience across a range of historical periods and the complexities of a global culture and society in relation to the American legal system.
  4. Draw on legal perspectives to evaluate contemporary (legal) problems/issues.
  5. Analyze the contributions of past cultures/societies to the contemporary legal environment.
  6. Preparation for more advanced study in criminal justice.
Prerequisites & Co-requisites:

ENGL 1010 is required for the formal research paper.

Course Topics:
  1. Origins and Evolution of American Policing
  2. Policing in the American Context
  3. Police and the Criminal Justice System
  4. Law Enforcement Agencies and Their Organization
  5. Becoming a Cop
  6. Police Subculture
  7. Career Concerns
  8. Patrol, Peacekeeping, and Investigations
  9. Intelligence, Information, and Special Problems
  10. Community Policing and Community Involvement
  11. Policing and the Law
  12. Civil Liability and Accountability
  13. Police Discretion and Behavior 
  14. Deviance, Ethics, and Professionalism
  15. The Use of Force
  16. The Future of Policing
Specific Course Requirements:

You must be knowledgeable in the use of the Internet and related browsers, Microsoft Word for word processing, Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing reading assignments, the online course dropbox for research paper assignments and feedback, the quiz function for taking tests, the discussion tool for participating in required discussions, and Real Player or Media Player for viewing/listening to any assigned videos/audios. It is your responsibility to ensure your service provider is capable of allowing adequate connections and connection time in order to complete and submit tests and assignments and to participate in discussion boards.

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

Supplementary Materials:

The instructor may assign or you may research supplementary reference and learning materials.

Hardware and Software Requirements:

Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.

Minimum software requirements can be found here.

Common applications you might need:

Web Resources:

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)

The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook

Student Resources:
  • Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
  • Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
  • Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.

Instructor Information

Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.

Participation, Assessments, & Grading

Testing Procedures:

None

Grading Procedures:

Your progress in this course will evaluated as follows:

  • Five (5) discussion sessions worth 20 possible points each or 100 possible points total
  • One (1) research paper worth a possible 100 points
  • Four (4) Unit Exams worth 100 possible points each or 400 possible points total
Grading Scale:

Point Range and Assigned Grade
537-600 Points A
477-536 Points B
417-476 Points C
387-416 Points D
under 386 Points F

Assignments and Projects:

Class Discussions

Students will be required to participate in five (5) discussion board sessions. The discussion sessions will coincide with the issues and topics covered in each unit and will be available throughout the coverage time associated with that unit.

Each discussion is worth 20 points for a total of 100 points. It is important to note that a failure to participate in class discussions will substantially impact a student’s final grade. Although grades on discussions are based primarily on the QUALITY of a post, in order for students to receive a passing grade, each student must meet the following three (3) requirements:

  1. Post and/or respond a minimum of three (3) times per discussion period;
  2. Post on at least three (3) separate days during each discussion period; AND
  3. Read ALL other posts.

Students should keep in mind that there is a tracking mechanism available to the instructor, so all of the aforementioned requirements can and will be tracked to ensure the student meets the requirements. A student’s failure to participate in the discussion board during the time that discussion is open will result in a grade of ‘0’ for that discussion. Much like exams, discussions cannot be made-up if missed. The grading of discussions will be based upon the discussion grading rubric which can be found below, attached to each discussion, and on the course content page.

College level work on discussions is expected. Posts should be thoughtful, respectful, based on the material, well written, and should encourage discussion among classmates. Simple posts of “I agree” or I disagree” do not count unless your agreement or disagreement is supported by well thought-out opinions and course material. Discussion boards are not for complaining, preaching, or insulting others. All students are adults and should be able to discuss topics in an adult manner. The discussions are designed to help students learn from each other.

In order to participate in assigned discussions, students will go to DISCUSSIONS, click on the name of the discussion, ADD MESSAGE and then SUBMIT when the posting is completed. Be certain to review the Discussion Grading Rubric for more detailed information on grading of discussions.

Policing Research Paper

Each student will be required to research, write, and turn in a paper on a topic related to law enforcement. The topic may be anything of the student’s choosing as long as the topic relates to something in law enforcement. While not required, it is recommended that the student advise their professor of the topic BEFORE they begin the process of research and writing to ensure that the topic is acceptable.

Specific requirements for the research paper are as follows:

  • Topic must relate to law enforcement
  • Paper must be at least five (5) full written pages
  • Paper must be in Microsoft WORD (.doc or .docx file)
  • Font type must be either Times New Roman or Arial and must be a 12 point font
  • Paper must have three (3) sources including at least one peer-reviewed journal article(Wikipedia is NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOURCE)
  • The paper must be properly cited throughout utilizing the APA style
  • A cover page must be included with the student’s name and title of the paper
  • A reference (works cited) page must also be included
  • More information can be found on the Research Paper Grading Rubric

In order to turn-in the research paper, each student will go to the DROPBOX tool and click on Paper link and attach the paper to the dropbox. The instructor will grade the papers from the dropbox and grades will be posted to the course grade book in eLearn. The paper is worth a total of 100 points and a grading rubric is located in the COURSE CONTENT section of the course.

Papers are to be turned in ON-TIME; IF THE PAPER IS LATE IT WILL NOT BE GRADED, no makeup assignment will be given, and a grade of zero will be recorded for failure to meet the deadline for the paper.

Class Participation:

Instruction in this course will be conducted in an independent manner. You are responsible for any readings, audios/videos, tests, discussions, written assignments, papers, or other materials as assigned by the instructor. Timely submission of required work is essential for success in this course. You, not the instructor, are responsible for ensuring that work is submitted on the assigned dates and that regular communication with the instructor is accomplished. Due to the independent nature of this course, you must be responsible for checking course announcements frequently and for requesting help when you need it. Thus, you are encouraged to contact the instructor as often as needed via email, telephone, or any other manner deemed appropriate by the instructor. Furthermore, you are encouraged to interact with other students, taking into careful consideration the parameters of academic dishonesty, as this is considered a valuable component of the learning process. A "General" discussion board will be provided for you to interact casually or to discuss course issues, i.e., readings, assignments, study tips, questions to the instructor that might benefit others in the class.

Late Policy:
  • EXAMS: You must complete and submit exams by the due dates as established by the instructor. Submission of exams past the due date will not be accepted under any circumstances and a grade of 0 will assessed for the exam.
  • RESEARCH PAPER: You must submit your research paper on the due date as established by the instructor. Late submission of your research paper will result in a ten (10) point penalty for each calendar day it is late.
  • DISCUSSIONS: You must participate in discussions within the time period established by the instructor. Your failure to participate in the discussion board during the designated time period will result in 0 points for that discussion session.

Late Work / Make-Up Assignments

Students are expected to complete all assignments by the due dates established in the course. Late work will not be accepted and there are no make-up assignments. If a due date for an assignment, discussion, and/or an exam is missed the student will receive a grade of zero (0) for that assignment.

Course Ground Rules

The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:

RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Read the document in its entirety here.

1. Standards of Conduct:

  • Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.

2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:

  • In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.

Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
  • to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
  • or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.

Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution.  Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.

Other Course Rules:

Students are expected to:

  • Participate in all aspects of the course
  • Communicate with other students
  • Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
  • Keep abreast of course announcements
  • Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
  • Address technical problems immediately:
  • Observe course netiquette at all times.

Guidelines for Communications

Email:

  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussions:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.


Last Revised on July 12, 2021