Social Sciences

To prepare students for employment in the field of Criminal Justice or related fields.

• Graduates will be prepared to obtain employment within 5 years in Criminal Justice or related fields.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental premises of our Criminal Justice System.

To prepare students to transfer into BS/BA degree programs.

• Graduates are accepted at 4-year school.
• Graduates indicate satisfaction with preparation.

To prepare students for civil service exams.

• Graduates will be able to read, interpret, and comprehend, research reports, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of these reports.
• Graduates will be able to read, interpret, and restate the meaning of legal statutes, associated case law, and legal dispositions.

To prepare students to read, speak, and write effectively.

• Students will devise and confidently deliver clear written reports.
• Students will devise and confidently deliver clear oral reports that will be evaluated by the instructor and their peers.

Prepare students to interact with a diverse population.

• Students will be exposed to diverse points of view.
• Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the diverse cultures and communities that comprise US society.

To prepare students to analyze quantitative information, and think critically.

• Students will be able to read, interpret, and use social science data skillfully.
• Students will be able to read, interpret, and comprehend, research reports, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of these reports.

To prepare students to demonstrate information literacy.

• Students will use traditional and contemporary information technology.
• Students will identify, access, and appropriately use authoritative sources of information.

This course develops the skills necessary to improve success in college. It covers general College procedures, time management and study skills, and specific student responsibilities. Collaborative projects are included. Corequisites: This course must be taken in the student’s first fifteen hours of study.

This course introduces the basic elements of the American criminal justice system, from its legal roots and history to its most current concerns. It analyzes the criminal justice process - from arrest to trial and disposition - emphasizing the function and structure of each component. It provides an understanding of how each component responds to crime and how the key question of individual rights and public safety is addressed. Attention is given to the elements of crime, the role of the police, courts, and corrections, and to the challenges facing this system in an increasingly diverse democratic society.

This course provides comprehensive explanations of delinquent behavior, an overview of the juvenile justice system, and a discussion of programs designed to prevent and address delinquency. It explores issues related to delinquency in an increasingly diverse environment. It addresses social class, racial, and gender differences in delinquency, the significance of the invention of childhood, and the transformation of juvenile court from a social to a legalistic entity.

This course focuses on self-expressive, informative, and argumentative/persuasive writing. Emphasis is placed on the composition of clear, correct, and effective prose required in a variety of professions and occupations. Prerequisites: The required developmental reading (DS050 Developmental Reading, DS051 Essential Reading & Study Skills, or DS080 Study Reading), or SL115 ESL4: Advanced Reading, and/or writing courses (EN099 Introduction to College English or SL116 ESL4: Advanced Composition) or permission of the instructor or designee.

This course gives an understanding of and a feeling for the society in which we live. The concepts and theories discussed relate to humanity, its culture and society, and to those forces that contribute to the smooth operation of this society as well as those forces that contribute to conflict and social problems. Topics include culture, socialization, stratification, population, and patterns of social organization.

This course introduces the discipline of political science through the study of American government. Topics include the concept of the political system, democracy in theory and practice, the historical background and content of the Constitution, Federalism, and the role of the Supreme Court in civil rights. It stresses these aspects of the American political system: public opinion, voting behavior, the electoral system, political parties, and modern campaigning techniques.

A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.

The goal of this course is two-fold: first, to recognize the ethical implications of the daily decisions made by justice system personnel; and, second, to evalute individual ethical frameworks. It addresses key analytical concepts including utilitarianism, deontology, peacemaking, codes of ethics, and tests of moral reasoning to resolve ethical dilemmas commonly found in the administration of justice, including policing, courts, and corrections. It addresses the relationship of criminal justice to social justice, along with issues of cultural competence and diversity, especially as they illustrate the existence of dilemmas in applied ethics. Scenarios are used to raise moral dilemmas in the administration of justice,with resolution of these dilemmas and analysis of the issues.

This course examines the nature and functions of the criminal law. It uses controversial and landmark cases as a framework for an intensive examination of the classification of crimes and the assignment of penalties. It addresses recent court decisions involving the administration of the penal law, jurisdictional questions, and Constitutional protections. It uses the NewYork Penal Code as an exemplar.

This course encourages a deeper understanding of human nature and the human condition through the study of ideas and values expressed in imaginative literature and a full-length book of nonfiction. Emphasis is placed on the use and development of critical thinking and language skills. Library-oriented research is required. Prerequisites: EN101 English 1: Composition.

This course introduces the many and varied facets of psychology. Emphasis is on interactions of individuals in their cultural, social, and economic environments as determined by their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional experiences and training.

A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.

This course addresses the impact of the United States Constitution on the criminal justice system. It emphasizes the fundamental concepts on which the Constitution is based and stresses the Supreme Court decision-making process and schools of interpretation. It analyzes the relationship of the Bill of Rights, especially the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, to the criminal justice system. Prerequisites: PS101 American National Government and either CJ101 Introduction to Criminal Justice or PS102 Introduction to Public Policy.

This course focuses on the social construction of deviance and crime. It addresses major theoretical perspectives that explain crime in America. It investigates societal responses to crime and current issues facing the criminal justice system. It emphasizes public policy implications of the theoretical perspectives. Prerequisites: SO101 Introduction to Sociology and PY101 Introduction to General Psychology.

This course introduces probability and statistics. Topics include graphs, tables, frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, correlation and regression, probability, and inferential statistics. This course is available in two formats: lecture only, or lecture plus laboratory using technology. Prerequisite: An appropriate placement test result or MA045 Basic Math Skills or MA050 Introductory Mathematics.

Elective to be chosen in consultation with academic advisor.

Elective to be chosen in consultation with academic advisor.

A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.

This course examines the nature and importance of communication within the criminal justice system. Students develop report writing skills and an understanding of the impact report writing has on the investigation and prosecution of crime, as well as on the administration of justice. Students refine communication skills within criminal justice contexts.Observational skills, interview techniques, and field note-taking skills are developed. Applications to the Civil Service exam are used where appropriate. Prerequisites: CJ101 Introduction to Criminal Justice and EN101 English 1: Composition.

This course focuses on understanding and applying scientific methodology to an area of inquiry within the social sciences. It covers quantitative and qualitative methods of research including survey research, interviewing, archival analysis, experimentation, and participant observation. Using data-gathering techniques, a number of mini-research projects are conducted. The application of statistical techniques to data analysis is stressed. Computer software applications are used to analyze data from a variety of sources. Research teams are formed to design and implement final research projects. Prerequisites: SO101 Introduction to Sociology and either CJ101 Introduction to Criminal Justice or PS102 Introduction to Public Policy.

Elective to be chosen in consultation with academic advisor.

Elective to be chosen in consultation with academic advisor.

A wide variety of credit courses including but not limited to swimming, fitness center, badminton, tennis, golf, bowling and aerobic dance.