UT Dallas Syllabus for taught by Otto Polk (peo091000)

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Criminology Program Course Syllabus CRIM 2317 Section 0I1 Crim Prosecution & Court Process Spring Semester 2011 Online section (23401) Room: N/A elearning Syllabus revision date: 11/5/10 I. Course Navigation: Before you begin work, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with this web-based course. The course is totally online in an asynchronous format. You do not have to come to campus and you do not have to be online at the same time as your professor or classmates. You can complete your course by navigating around the eLearning CRIM 2317 homepage and reading the materials specified on it and through the material in the organizers on that page. We will utilize the assessment, discussion, mail, announcement, who’s online, and my grade tools which are all available to you on the menu on the homepage. All requirements for course completion are listed in Sections VI & VIII of this syllabus along with the due dates for the completion of the various requirements. Only the due dates specified in the course syllabus are official due dates and they must be followed. A summary calendar is provided for all graded events at the end of Section VIII of the syllabus. All graded assignments and assessments may be submitted early. None can be submitted after the due date without penalty. If you have any questions whatsoever about how to access any of the course materials or assignments please email me at the course eLearning email site. You must check your course email and the eLearning course site at least three times per week for emails and announcements. Remember this is your classroom so please feel comfortable asking me any questions which you would ordinarily ask in class. II. Professor Contact Information: Dr. O. Elmer Polk, Green Hall, Office #3.406. [email protected], telephone 972-883-2983. Students are strongly encouraged to use email as the primary method of communication. Your professor checks email several times per day and you can normally expect a response within 8 hours or sooner. Office Hours: Students may feel free to contact the professor at any time by email. Hours posted for Spring Semester 2011 are Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:45 am – 9:45 am for those who wish to visit in person. Graduate Teaching Assistant: None. Pre\Co-requisite: None. Technical Support: If you experience difficulties with your UTD account you may send an email to [email protected] or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911. III. Course Description: This course examines the decision-making, politics, and processes of bringing criminal defendants to trial and the constitutional system of criminal due process under which criminal law is practiced. IV. Learning Outcomes: A. Describe the different functions of law, including social control, dispute resolution, and social change. B. Understand the different types of law, including common law, civil law, as well as criminal law and administrative law. C. Understand the different ways to classify American courts by jurisdiction, by its dual nature, and by type of court. D. Describe the different types of jurisdiction such as subject matter, geographic, and hierarchical. E. Understand that the criminal court as an adversarial system seeking to determine the guilt or innocence of defendants charged with crime. F. Understand the legal ethics and responsibilities of defense counsels who represent criminal defendants. G. Describe the different types of judges and the diversity of their powers. H. Understand the development and operations of juries. I. Discuss plea bargaining by type and purpose. J. Discuss the goals and types of sentences imposed in criminal courts and juvenile courts. V. Required Text and course materials: Siegel, Larry J., Frank Schmalleger & John Worrall. Courts and Criminal Justice in America ((2011). Prentice Hall Publishing. ISBN#: 0-13-174576-X ISBN 13#: 978-0-13-174576-6. Students will also be required to access additional references for the required discussion question answers.

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VI. Grades will be posted based on the standard grading scales for UTD based on the points accumulated in the following grading events. Due dates are in the course calendar and assignment schedule in Section VIII of this syllabus. Please note that there is absolutely no extra credit work available in this class and each student should strive to do his or her best work on each and every grading event as it is submitted. The mathematical rule of rounding will apply to the computation of the final grade in the course based on the grades received in the following events. Your professor is open to discussion of your grade on individual grading events and the overall course grade up until the last day of regular class. He is open to discussion of your final exam grade and the final course grade until the time of submission of formal grades for the Spring semester to the registrar’s office. Please ask if you have any questions whatsoever about your grades. Grade scale: A+=98-100, A=94-97, A-=90-93: B+=87-89, B=84-86, B-=80-83, C+77-79, C=74-76, C-=70-73, D+=67-69, D=64-66, D-=60-63, F=0-59. 1. Required Syllabus Quiz – please complete this quiz during the first week of class before doing any other work in the course. You may repeat the quiz up to three times if you like. You are responsible for knowing the information in the syllabus and failure to read it will not modify the course requirements or grading in the course in any way. 2. Introduction postings (due by the end of the first week). 4. Discussion grade Forum 1 (100 points) Answers to five of the discussion essay questions on the discussion board must be posted in essay format of 250-400 words per answer. Each question answer must be followed by bibliographic information on the text PLUS TWO additional sources used in the answer. Deductions will be made for writing less than the minimum number of words. You must do a word count for each posting and post the word count at the end of your essay. Repeating the questions and the words in the bibliographic entries do not count in the official word count. Do not post answers as file attachments. 5. Discussion grade Forum 2 (100 points) Answers to five of the discussion essay questions on the discussion board must be posted in essay format of 250-400 words per answer. Each question answer must be followed by bibliographic information on the text PLUS TWO additional sources used in the answer. You must do a word count for each posting and post the word count at the end of your essay. Do not post answers as file attachments. 6. Responses to five of your classmates’ postings either agreeing or disagreeing and stating why. (100 points) (Details Below) 7. Examination I (100 points). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook, chapter outlines and internet sites. All three exams will open and be accessible to students for one week starting one week before the due date noted in Section VIII of this syllabus. The due dates are not flexible and ONLY the due dates specified in Section VIII are valid. Please read Section VIII closely. 8. Examination 2 (100 points). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook, chapter outlines and internet sites. All three exams will open and be accessible to students for one week starting one week before the due date noted in Section VIII of this syllabus. The due dates are not flexible and ONLY the due dates specified in Section VIII are valid. Please read Section VIII closely. 9. Examination 3 (100 points) (final exam). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook, chapter outlines and internet sites. All three exams will open and be accessible to students for one week starting one week before the due date noted in Section VIII of this syllabus. The due dates are not flexible and ONLY the due dates specified in Section VIII are valid. Please read Section VIII closely. Total possible points = 600 points Incomplete Grade Policy: As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F. Syllabus Quiz: All students are required to complete the syllabus quiz within the first week of class. Please complete it before beginning any other work in the course and please take it until you receive a score of 100 on the quiz. Email me with any questions. Introductions: All students should go to the discussion board and post a brief introduction about themselves during the first week of class. Please do not post addresses or other personal contact information on the discussion board. Give a brief summary about yourself including where you are in the program, your major, and any future career goals if you have formulated them.

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Examinations: There are three open-book examinations that will consist of 50-75 objective items each with a maximum score of 100 points on each exam. Questions are taken from your textbook, the chapter outlines and PowerPoints, and the internet sites identified in the syllabus. Your points will be posted in your gradebook with a maximum score of 100% on each exam, 100 points total for the discussion questions, and 30 points for the responses. Please be aware that the exams are rigorous. You will be given a maximum of two hours to complete each exam. Please read and study the text, posted chapter outlines, PowerPoints, and required internet sites in detail before beginning the exams. The professor will manually curve the class scores depending upon the highest grade made on each exam. The manual adjustments will be entered into your gradebook within one week of the due date for each grading event. Discussion Board Questions: Ten of the twenty discussion items on the discussion board must be answered with each item worth 20 points for a cumulative score of 100 on each of the two forums. Five discussion questions must be posted from Forum 1 before you take Examination 2; five more must be posted from Forum 2 before taking Examination 3. Discussion Board items may be posted early if the student wishes. Due dates for the postings are detailed in the Course Calendar and Assignment Schedule in Section VIII of the course Syllabus. Questions not posted by the due dates will be reduced in grade 10 points per calendar day. Any questions not received by the last day of regular class will receive a score of zero. Discussion question answers must be the student’s own original work and must be a minimum of 250 words or longer and each answer must be followed by the bibliographic information on two sources of information in addition to the textbook or internet site. Students must place a word count at the bottom of each posting at the end of the answer and before the listing of the references used in that answer. Answers that are simply blocked and moved from any other site that are not the original work of the student posting the answer will receive a grade of zero and the student will be referred for disciplinary action by the university. Discussion Board Responses: Students are required to briefly and respectfully comment on five discussion postings of other students to discussion questions. There is no length requirement for the responses to other student answers. Attention to proper writing and correct spelling when answering and posting the discussion question responses is expected and is a part of the grade received for the assignment. Use proper grammar and spelling and do not use any type of abbreviations not found in a commonly accepted, standardized English dictionary. All comments posted by students must be in formal language with no intolerant, rude, abusive, or obscene language. Violations of this policy will be referred for appropriate disciplinary proceedings. The first two responses are due prior to taking Exam 2 and the final three are due prior to taking Exam 3. Due dates are specified in Section VIII of this syllabus. Netiquette: Please express all posted comments in formal English without street jargon or employment related jargon, acronyms, or abbreviations that will not be understood by all students. Avoid being critical of your fellow classmates and focus your responses to the content of what they posted. Do not make emotional outbursts on the discussion page and always remember that anything you post will be retained exactly as you post it for a long time and can be referred to exactly as you post it in the future. Some yes and no rules to follow in the course:  Yes, you can email your professor as often as you like at [email protected]  Yes, you can critique postings in your responses in any way you like as long as it is not offensive and not critical of another student personally.  Yes, you can ask the professor any question you have  Yes, every email is appreciated and answered  No, you should not use a lot of acronyms and jargon in your postings  No, you should not try to use humor as it sometimes comes across online with unintended consequences.  Remember that even if you are posting your comments in the privacy of your home, they will be viewed online exactly as comments would be heard in a live classroom and comment accordingly and with proper respect for fellow students. VII. Students wishing information on the following topics and policies should visit the website following the list. Student Conduct & Discipline, Student Grievance Procedures, Incomplete Grade Policy, Disability Services, Religious Holy Days, Academic Integrity, Copyright Notice, Email Use, Withdrawal from Class, and Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities: http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies. VIII. COURSE CALENDAR AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE Please note that all chapter reading assignments made in this assignment schedule refer to readings in the required textbook. Additional readings are required in the individual chapter PowerPoints and the internet sites identified in the following assignment schedule. Most test questions are taken directly from the textbook and the other readings are support materials for the information in the text.

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As per the UTD Academic Calendar, spring semester classes begin on Monday January 10, 2011 and end on Monday, May 2, 2011 with a Final Exam due by Thursday, May 5, 2011 by midnight. Each week in the following schedule is composed of a seven day period with week one beginning on January 10. First Week of Class (Jan. 10-16): Read chapter 1 in the text as well as the entire class syllabus available on the course website. Welcome to the class! These readings will introduce you to the course, the professor, and the expectations of you in the course. The topic this week is Legal Foundations. JANUARY 14, 2011 FRIDAY or earlier: SYLLABUS QUIZ: ALL STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THE POSTED QUIZ BY MIDNIGHT. JANUARY 14, 2011 FRIDAY or earlier: Introductions: ALL STUDENTS SHOULD GO TO THE DISCUSSION BOARD UNDER Introductions and post a brief introduction of themselves. Please do not post any personal addresses or contact information. Just tell us a little bit about yourself such as what year you are in, your major, your interests, and future career plans if you have formulated any at this time. Week 2 (JAN. 17-23): Read chapter 2 in the text. Topic: Who Controls the Courts? Week 3 (JAN. 24-30): Read chapter 3 in the text. Topic: Federal Courts. Required Internet Site #1: http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/court.html . Explore the site and be familiar with its content and the structure and purpose of the U.S. court system. Which federal court conducts felony criminal trials? How many of them are there in the United States? Week 4 (JAN. 31-FEB. 6): Read chapter 4 in the text. Topic: State Courts. Required Internet Site #2 : http://www.courts.state.tx.us . Be familiar with the court structure of Texas. What is the name of the highest court in Texas for criminal appeals? Week 5: (FEB. 7-13): Read chapter 5 in the text. Topic: Juvenile Courts. FEBRUARY 14, 2011, MONDAY BY MIDNIGHT. Examination 1 (100 points). Chapter 1-5. 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook, chapter outlines and internet sites. Week 6 (FEB. 14-20): Read chapters 6&7 in text. Topic: Specialized Courts, Judges. Required Internet Site #3: http://www.tjpc.state.tx.us/ Put cursor on statistics at top of page and then scroll down to statistical reports and then click on CY 2008 and open the report. Read over it. What is the amount paid to the highest paid Chief Juvenile Probation Officer in Texas? Read the table on Texas Juvenile Population by Race and Age. Which group in the total column has the highest number of referrals? Is delinquent conduct up or down between 1995 and 2208? Which category of delinquent behavior increased? Week 7 (FEB. 21-27): Read chapters 8&9 in the text. Topic: Prosecutors & Defense Attorneys. Week 8 (FEB. 28-MARCH 6): Read chapter 10 in the text. Topics: Defendants and Victims. Week 9 (MARCH 7-13): Read chapter 11. Topic: Arrest and Beyond. Examination 2 (100 points) (final exam). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook, chapter outlines and internet sites. Week 10 (MARCH 14-20): Spring Break Week 11 (MARCH 21-27): Read chapter 12. Topics: Plea Bargaining and Guilty Pleas MARCH 25, 2011 FRIDAY  MUST POST FIVE FORUM 1 DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS PLUS THREE RESPONSES TO YOUR CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS BY MIDNIGHT. MARCH 25, 2011 FRIDAY Examination 2 (100 points). Chapters 6-12. 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook, chapter outlines and internet sites. Week 12 (MARCH 28-APRIL 3): Read chapter 13 in the text. Topic: the Jury and the Trial. Week 13 (APRIL4-10): Read chapter 14 in the text. Topic: Sentencing, Appeals, and Habeas Corpus

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Week 14 (APRIL 11-17): Read chapter 15 in the text. Topic: Differential Treatment and Wrongful Convictions Week 15 (APRIL 18-24): Read chapter 16 in the text. Topic: Technology, Alternatives, and the Future. Week 16 (APRIL 25-30): Review the text. Prepare for final examination. April 28, 2011 THURSDAY  MUST POST FIVE FORUM 2 DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS PLUS TWO RESPONSEs TO YOUR CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS BY MIDNIGHT. May 5, 2011. Examination 3 (100 points) (final exam). Chapters 13-16. 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook, chapter outlines and internet sites.

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Course Calendar at a Glance Calendar due dates for all events contributing to students’ course grade. All exams are accessible one week early and early completion is strongly suggested to avoid last minute conflicts leading to serious grade reductions.

Date
JANUARY 10, 2011 FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF CLASS

Exams and Quiz
PLEASE EXPLORE THE eLearning COURSE HOMPAGE AND READ THE SYLLABUS CLOSELY. EVERY STUDENT MUST TAKE THE SYLLABUS QUIZ BY MIDNIGHT. IT MAY BE TAKEN TWICE IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR FIRST SCORE. EXAM 1. Chapters 1-5. Online on textbook, PowerPoints, and internet sites (2 hour time limit)

Discussion Board Dates

JANUARY 14, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT

PLEASE POST YOUR INTRODUCTION TO THE DISCUSSION BOARD UNDER THE TOPIC INTRODUCTIONS BY MIDNIGHT.

FEBRUARY 14, 2011, MONDAY BY MIDNIGHT.

MARCH 25, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT

Forum 1 due - MUST SUBMIT FIVE DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS PLUS THREE RESPONSES TO YOUR CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS. LATE ANSWERS ARE REDUCED IN GRADE BY 10% PER DAY. EXAM 2. Chapters 6-12. Online on textbook, PowerPoints, and internet sites (2 hour time limit) Forum 2 due - MUST SUBMIT FIVE DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS PLUS TWO RESPONSES TO YOUR CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS. LATE ANSWERS ARE REDUCED IN GRADE BY 10% PER DAY. EXAM 3 – final. Chapters 13-16. Online on textbook, PowerPoints, and internet sites (2 hour time limit)

MARCH 25, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT

APRIL 28, 2011 THURSDAY BY MIDNIGHT

OPENS APRIL 28. DUE NO LATER THAN MAY 5, 2011, THURSDAY BY MIDNIGHT

Please note all exam and participation dates carefully and contact your professor if there are urgent and compelling reasons why you need a date changed. (Remember that early completion of the exams and assignments is permitted without prior discussion). The final exam due date is not flexible if it is late but arrangements can be made for it to be taken early if required.

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