A study of the development, organization and function of contemporary law enforcement agencies. Also covers police-community relations, police decision making, and concepts in police practice and administration. Students will complete a research paper following field trips to municipal and state police headquarters. A study of the techniques and theories of criminal investigations, including interviewing witnesses, suspects and victims, collecting and preserving evidence, and preparing cases for trial. Emphasis is placed on techniques of report writing with practical writing assignments for all types of incident reporting.
Coverage includes investigation on the Internet.
This course is a study of the social and psychological consequences of victimization. The emphasis is placed on analyzing the victim's traits that make them susceptible to particular types of crimes, the affects of victimization to include immediate and long-term patterns, and the legislative rights of victims. This course will be an interdisciplinary study that includes sociology, psychology, criminology, public policy and the law. A research study is part of the course requirements. This course will examine the various information systems and computer analysis used by police, courts, and corrections agencies.