Introduction to the Criminal Justice System

Curriculum guideline

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Course
CRIM 1100
Discontinued
No
Course code
CRIM 1100
Descriptive
Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
Department
Criminology
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 4 hours/week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities

The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:  lectures, field trips, guest speakers, audio-visual materials, debates, and research papers.

 

Course description
This course examines the Canadian Criminal Justice System from a systems approach. A criminal incident will be followed through the system from detection to apprehension of the offender to the end of any formal or informal disposition. The factors involved in the discretion, decisions, and practices of the system, including statutory and voluntary agencies will be studied. The functions and dysfunctions of the system will be analyzed and current issues and reform initiatives will be reviewed.
Course content
  1. The systems approach to the study of the Canadian Criminal Justice System.
  2. Sources of law and the role of government
  3. Criminal law and criminal justice in Canada
  4. Crime control philosophy and criminal justice policy
  5. Crime rates, crime trends, and perceptions of crime
  6. The Criminal Code of Canada and related Statutes
  7. The various parts of the Canadian Criminal Justice System and the impact these parts have on the cases passing through the system
    • services for victims
    • the police
    •              policing roles, styles, and functions
    •              police powers and legal protection
    • the courts
    •              court role and structure
    •              major actors in the Canadian system
    •              sentencing
    • corrections
    •              probation and community corrections
    •              jails and penitentiaries
    •              conditional release
  8. Current issues and challenges for reform such as:
    • criminal justice for youth
    • mental health
    • Indigenous justice
    • restorative justice
    • diversity
    • fear of crime
    • community-based policing
    • sentencing
    • community court
    • crime prevention
  9. Future Directions
Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of the course the successful student will be able to:

  1. Analyze criminal justice from a systems perspective
  2. Identify sources of criminal law and explain its relevance to criminal justice in Canada
  3. Describe crime control philosophy and its influence on criminal justice policy
  4. Analyze and interpret crime and victimization patterns and trends
  5. Explain the role of the public and media in criminal justice
  6. Identify and describe the challenges to operating a criminal justice system for diverse groups
  7. Describe the progression of an offender through the subcomponents of the Canadian criminal justice system
  8. Describe the structure and function of the following components of criminal justice:
    • the police
    • the courts
    • corrections
  9. Identify current criminal justice issues and challenges for reform
  10. Identify possible and probable future trends in criminal justice in Canada
Means of assessment

Evaluation will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College Evaluation policy. The course will include multiple methods of evaluation including at least one written component. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific criteria during the first week of classes.

An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:     

Attendance and participation 10%
Group presentation (with written outline) 10%
Annotated bibliography 15%
Term paper (e.g. argumentative essay, policy development, case analysis, journal, blogs, reflective essay) 20%
Midterm (contains writing component such as short or long essay, critique, case analysis) 20%
Final (contains writing component such as short or long essay, critique, case analysis) 25%
Total 100%

Instructors may use a student's record of attendance and /or level of active participation in the course as part of the students graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.

Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials are to be Purchased by Students. A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester. Example texts may include:

  • Griffiths, C.T. (2024) Canadian Criminal Justice: A Primer (current edition). Toronto: Emond Publications.
  • Roberts, J. and Grossman, M. (2024) Criminal Justice in Canada: A Reader (current edition). Toronto:Emond Publications.

 

 

 

 

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Which prerequisite

2140, 3340, 3355, 3376, 3380,4410, 4490