Course Syllabus

Endicott College

Beverly, Massachusetts

School of Arts and Sciences

Course Syllabus

 

Course Number:                      CJ215

Course Title:                            Corrections

Credits:                                   3

Class Type:                             Lecture

Semester and Year:                 Spring 2021   

Faculty:                                   Ashlie T. Perry, Ph.D.

Office Location:                      Academic Center, Room 263

Telephone:                               978-232-2179

Email:                                      aperry@endicott.edu 

Office Hours:                          T/TR 11-1pm & by appointment

 

Catalog Description:  

A study of the history and development of the adult correctional system as part of the larger adult criminal justice system. Includes a review and analysis of theories of punishment, a study of institutionalization, alternatives to incarceration, and the roles of convicted offenders and the criminal justice personnel who work with them.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this class, the student should be able to demonstrate knowledge concerning:

1. Understand the variety of ways society punishes people who break criminal laws
2. Identify the theoretical underpinnings of correctional systems and understand how correctional practices are shaped by these theories
3. Explain the benefits, drawbacks and competing considerations involved in different correctional methods
4. Think critically about our correctional practices and develop informed ideas about how our justice system should respond to people who break the law

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Lecture, class discussion, independent research, student presentations.

 

Required Readings:   

Hanser, R. D. (2019). A Brief Introduction to Corrections. SAGE Publications.

Other required text will be provided.

 

Evaluation Methods:     The following grading scale will be used to determine the course grade.

 

A=	484-500 pts	A - =	467-483 pts	B+=	466-450 pts
B=	449-433 pts	B - =	432-416 pts	C+=	415-400 pts
C=	399-383 pts	C - =	382-366pts	D+=	365-350 pts
D=	349-325pts	D - =	300-324 pts	F=	299 <	WX= Withdraw Failed

 

Grade Calculation:

Class Participation                                                      10 points

Weekly Assignments  (Postings, Simulations, etc.)   180 points

2 Exams                                                                     200 points (2 exams/100pts each)

Group Simulation/Presentation                                      50 points

Short Paper                                                                 60 points                    

                                                                                    500 points

 

ADA Policy

If you as a student qualify as a person with a disability as defined in Chapter 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), you are strongly encouraged to register with the Center for Teaching and Learning. The Center for Teaching and Learning is located in the Diane M. Halle Library room 201 and online at http://www.endicott.edu/academics/academic-resources-support.

 

As a student registered with the Center for Teaching and Learning, it is your responsibility to present your accommodation letter to your instructor at the beginning of each semester.

 

Academic Integrity Statement

Students are required to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy of Endicott College.

 

Wearing Mask in the classroom IS required

Face coverings are required in all indoor spaces and all enclosed or partially enclosed outdoor spaces. Endicott College requires all students to wear face masks or cloth face coverings in classrooms, laboratories and other similar spaces where in-person instruction occurs. Endicott requires the wearing of masks in physical classrooms to help mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.  The Endicott community views the adoption of these practices as a mark of good citizenship and respectful care of fellow classmates, faculty, and staff.

The complete details about Endicott’s mask requirement can be found at https://www.endicott.edu/news-events/returning-to-campus. 

Compliance with the face-covering and social distancing protocol is expected. If you do not comply with a classroom rule, you may be requested to leave class, and even campus.  Section III of the Endicott College’s Code of Student Conduct covers “Prohibited Conduct.” 

Health related absences

Please evaluate your own health status regularly and refrain from attending class and other on-campus events if you are ill.  Endicott students who miss class due to illness will be given opportunities to access course materials online. You are encouraged to seek appropriate medical attention for treatment of illness.  In the event of contagious illness, please do not come to class or to campus to turn in work. Instead notify me by email about your absence as soon as practical, so that accommodations can be made.  Please note that documentation (a Doctor’s note) for medical excuses is not required.  Endicott College Health Center - as part their commitment to maintain patient confidentiality, to encourage more appropriate use of healthcare resources, and to support meaningful dialogue between instructors and students - does not provide such documentation.

Course Expectations

For each credit hour, students are expected to spend a minimum of two hours on work outside of class each week.  For this three credit course, that is a minimum of six hours each week.

 

Students must review the Academic Calendar published by the Registrar’s Office online at:

http://www.endicott.edu/academics/academic-resources-support/academic-calendar

Class attendance is expected of all students up to and including the last day of finals.  Students must plan accordingly.

http://www.endicott.edu/about/key-offices-departments/registrar/undergraduate-college-registration--forms

Modify the last sentence as needed regarding credit and work expectations.  Additional course expectations may be added to this section.

 

Turnitin

Turnitin® may be used for some or all student papers in this course, as the case may be, at the instructor’s discretion. You may be asked to submit your paper to the instructor in electronic form who will then submit the paper to Turnitin® if deemed necessary. Note that students’ papers that are submitted to Turnitin® become part of the Turnitin® database. This assists in protecting your intellectual property. However, you also have the right to request that your paper(s) not be run through the student papers database of Turnitin®. If you choose to do so, that request must be communicated to me in writing at the beginning of the course.

1) For assignments you are required to submit to Turnitin.com, there will be an acknowledgement via the SUBMIT in Canvas

2) Turnitin.com reports are considered part of the assignment. No required work will be accept able without following the submission process.

3) All written works are held to the University’s Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities

 

Questions and Assistance

First, make sure you cannot answer your own question by reviewing the syllabus or the college’s resources. Otherwise, quick questions regarding course content and assignments can be directed to me by email or in person. If you have questions that require a more lengthy or private discussion, such as grading of an assignment, evaluation of your progress, assistance in understanding course material, etc., please see me during our office hours

 

Email Etiquette Policy

As an exercise in professional communication and self ‐representation, all emails to professors should follow traditional writing standards. Each email should include:

• A salutation: Hi/Hello Professor ____,
• A message or body that is clear, concise, polite, and has complete sentences with standard spelling and grammar including capitalization and punctuation. (No text message as an email)
• A sign ‐ off: Thanks/See you Monday/Have a nice weekend/Best wishes, and your name.

 

Assignments :

Assignments must be typed, [Font 12; Time Roman], stapled including name, course name, title of assignment and date. [No folders please]. Plagiarism can result in failure of the course.

• Absences are not justification for late submittals; Assignments are not due after class, during class, or the next day but at the beginning of the assigned day. Submittals via email will not be accepted unless previously agreed upon.

 

 

Quality of Student Work:      

1. Use of proper grammar, correct spelling, and writing principles are expected in all work.
2. It is expected that students will display professionalism and communicate effectively, both in written and oral form, with the instructor and fellow students. This is part of your “Participation” grade.
3. Cheating (including plagiarism) can result in automatic failure of the course, it is the instructor’s discretion to determine the consequences.

 

Electronic Devices Policy/Screen Free Classroom

Electronics (cell phones, laptops, iPods, tablets, earbuds, etc.) are not permitted in lecture or section. This means that you will need to take notes by hand. Research suggests that having a screen in front of you, laptop, cell phone, etc. is actually a distraction when you’re trying to retain information in the classroom! Why? The chat icon blinking in the bottom of your screen, the friend request that pops up, or the urge to shop will taking notes is an attempt to multi-task. Research shows we are not so good at multi-tasking! A screen-free zone is to help you process, retain and remember information from the lectures. In other words, this is because I want you to learn! You’ll find engaging in discussions will actually be a lot easier.

So, please put all devices away before class begins. Use of interactive technology is allowed in class only when it is required for the assignment, research, etc.. If you must use a computer for note-taking in lecture, you may apply for a waiver/accommodations to this policy by emailing the professor in the first two weeks of class with the appropriate Academic Success documentation. If devices are out at any point during class you will lose participation points. 

Research on the topic

Curzan, A. ”Why I’m asking you not to use laptops.”

Rockmore, Dan. “The Case for Banning Laptops in the Classroom.”

 

COURSE OUTLINE:

 

Dates	Unit	Readings	Assignments
Feb 1st-6th	1.  Overview of syllabus      The History of Crime and Corrections	Chap 1	NONE
Feb 7th- 13th	2. Sentencing and the Correctional Process     Probation and Intermediate Sanctions	Chap 2 &4	WA
Feb 14th- 20th	3. Jails Feb 15th – President’s Day (Monday)	Chap 3	Short Paper Proposal Due
Feb 21st- 27th	4. Prison Systems     Parole and Prisoner Reentry Video: TedTalk	Chap 5 & 6	WA
Feb 28th- Mar 6th	5. Prison Organizations	See Canvas	WA
Mar 7th – 13th	6. Crimes Against Persons	See Canvas	Exam I
Mar 14th -20th	7. The Clients of Adult Corr.  Agencies           Prison Life for Inmates	Chap 7 & 11	WA
Mar 21st- 27th	8. The Juvenile Correctional System Video: When kids get life	Chap 8	WA
Mar 28th – Apr 3rd	9. Security, Management, Custody, Riots             and Special Populations	Chap 9, 10 & 13	WA
Apr 4th -10th	10. The Management of Prisons cont’d       The World of Prison Staff	Chap 10 & 12	WA
Apr 11th -17th	11. Treatment and Programs within a Prison Movie: Healing Neen	Chap 14	WA
Apr 18th -24th	12. Women and Jails/Prisons April 17th- Patriot’s Day (Monday)	See Canvas	Short Paper Due
Apr 25th- May 1st	13. Legal Issues and the Death Penalty       Current and Future Issues Vice Report: Fixing the System	Chap 15 & 16	WA
May 2nd -7th	14. Exam II Review and Group Presentations		WA
Final Exam Period: Exam II

* In rare instances class schedule may change. Quizzes are unannounced.

 

 

Course Format:

 

Much of the course consists of readings and discussions of various topics related to the course focus.

 

Preparation (10pts): For this class to succeed, it will be essential for you to prepare for each topic and, in particular, that you complete the assigned reading prior to the lectures. Class will involve an overview of the readings, answering questions about the readings, and discussion of questions about the readings.

 

Weekly Activities or Discussion Postings (WA) (180 points): Each week there will be weekly activities OR an online response. In class activities will be announced in class and require the use of materials for the week to complete.

 

Beginning in Week 2, there will be a discussion topic OR weekly activity each week of class (unless otherwise noted on the course outline). If a Discussion posting is required, you must post at least WO (2) times. All first posts must be done by Wednesday @ 11:59 p.m. or ach week, and the remaining post must be in by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. each week.

• Your original response to each set of discussion questions must be at least 300 words
• Additionally, your other responses to your classmates must be at least 100 words each
• No discussion will take place when the week is over

 

There are specific DB questions that must be completed each week. Your individual responses must be insightful, thorough, and interesting. These responses should demonstrate an understanding of the assigned readings and should be sustained by two or more examples from the textbook and/or appropriate websites.

 

Each response to your classmates would be substantive. Participation is measured on the student’s interaction and contribution with the course and other students as demonstrated through active involvement on the virtual classroom discussion board. A student’s contribution must add value to the course. A discussion board posting is determined to be of substance by containing information that supplements, contradicts, questions, or furthers discussion on a subject area contained in the course. Additionally, it is expected that student participation reflect critical thinking and good grammar.

 

Short Paper (60pts): Papers should be 3 to 4 pages long. The paper will be in APA format and contain an introduction, the body of the research, and a conclusion.  The paper must contain in-text citations from at least five sources. See the specific prompts provided in CANVAS

 

Group Simulations and Oral Presentation (50pts= 20pts for the paper + 30 points for presentation): The group research project will require students to work together to produce a correctional facility based on research and topics covered in class. Although it is a group project, individual grades will be assigned based on; the quality of the project, participation and presentation. Each corresponding presentation, should be 15-20 minutes long. All projects should be based on facts from journals or books. Keep in mind that blogs, personal websites, etc. will not count as legitimate sources.

 

Exams (100 points each –200 points): There are two (2) exams. The exams are not cumulative but will be based on the chapters presented immediately preceding each exam. The format for the exam may consist of some type of multiple choices, fill-ins the blanks, and/or essay questions that pertain to all of the information presented.