Dec 17, 2024  
DRAFT 2025-2026 College Catalog DRAFT 
    
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DRAFT 2025-2026 College Catalog DRAFT [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

AJS 270 - Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice

3 Credits, 3 Contact Hours
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods


This course examines current issues in criminal justice. Includes protected classes; civil unrest; public opinion; reform; and distribution of crime and crime opportunity. Also includes public security concerns, prevention, community engagement, or other current criminal justice issues. Also includes emphasis on analyzing and resolving issues by using facts, history, and existing law; Socratic questioning; innovations and consideration of conflicting views.

Button linking to AZ Transfer course equivalency guide  

Course Learning Outcomes
  1. Research and debate various views on current criminal justice issues.
  2. Present solutions to current criminal justice issues by writing policy and/or problem-solving papers; demonstrating mastery of English grammar, spelling, syntax and composition. Competency 1.1.
  3. Apply criminal law, rules and procedure to fact patterns. Competency 2.1.
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of due process, victims’ rights, and case flow through the criminal justice system. Competency 2.2.
  5. Interpret policy and procedures, admission of evidence and the causation of crime. Competency 4.1.
  6. Articulate the effect that crime has on society and the impact of criminal justice professional’s actions. Competency 4.2.
Outline:
  1. Introduction to contemporary issues
    1. Key issues in criminal justice today
    2. Political orientations toward criminal justice issues
    3. Media bias considerations
  2. Debate on instructor-selected issues
    1. Debate rules
    2. Debate exercises
  3. Research of contemporary criminal justice issues
    1. Library instruction on research and databases
    2. Research exercises
  4. Debate on researched issues
    1. Small group debates
    2. Critique
  5. The problem solving model
  6. The problem-solving project
    1. Analyze the audience
    2. Limit the problem
    3. Analyze the whole problem
    4. Gather data
    5. Evaluate the information with evidence based analysis
    6. Organize the information into facts, assumptions and criteria
    7. List the possible solutions
    8. Test the possible solutions
    9. Select and recommend the final solution
  7. Presentation and defense of the results
    1. Written presentation
    2. Oral presentation to selected audience