Lecture/Seminar: 4 hrs. per week / semester
The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following: lectures, simulated interview assignments, written assignments, case analysis, group discussion, role plays, in-class examinations, seminar presentations and audio-visual material.
- Communication Theories and Approaches in Criminal Justice Settings
- Tactical Interpersonal Styles and Objectives
- Professionalism and Leadership
- Rapport and Relationship Building
- Assessment and Problem Definition
- Goal Setting
- Initiating Interventions
- Termination and Follow up
- Problem Solving and Decision Making Models
- Problem Solving Process
- Direct and Indirect Clients
- Responses and Remedies
- Resources
- Assessments
- Evaluation
- Crisis De-escalation and Conflict Resolution Approaches
- Crisis De-escalation
- Conflict Styles and Strategies
- Individual and Group Facilitation
- Working with Diverse Clients
- Resistance, Hostility, and Aggression
- Intellectual and Behavioural Differences
- Youth/Minors
- Addictions
- Mental Health
- Affective Interventions
- Non Verbal and Verbal Affect Cues
- Focusing Techniques
- Cognitive Interventions
- Reframing
- Restructuring
- Behavioural Interventions
- Social Modelling
- Anxiety Reduction
- Stress Management
- Team Work and Leadership
At the conclusion of the course the successful student will be able to:
- Describe various communication styles and approaches within a criminal justice setting.
- Demonstrate various interviewing techniques such as effective inquiring, basic conflict resolution and group facilitation.
- Identify general stages of interviewing and define objectives.
- Define intervention strategies and provide rationale for strategy selection with various client groups.
- Illustrate and apply current problem solving and decision making models and skills.
- Describe conflict resolution approaches.
- Illustrate various crisis de-escalation and intervention strategies.
- Explain basic affective, cognitive, and behavioural interventions.
- Outline appropriate contexts for basic affective, cognitive, and behavioural interventions.
- Describe effective stress management techniques.
- Deliver constructive feedback regarding interpersonal skills and approaches as well as receive feedback from others.
- Participate in team building, leadership and evaluation exercises.
Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy. Evaluation will be based on the course objectives. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester.
An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:
| Case Analysis | 20% |
| Mid-term | 20% |
| Role plays and group exercises | 20% |
| Final exam | 30% |
| Critical Thinking Portfolio | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:
Texts and materials will be chosen from resources such as those in the following list.
Custom course materials including journal articles and case analyses will be required by the instructor.
The Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management and Opportunity-Development Approach to Helping, (2019) (11th Ed.), by G. Egan and R. Reese. Cengage Education Ltd
Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions, (2016), by A.E. Barsky. Oxford University Press.
Tactical Interpersonal Communication Skills for Justice Studies and Emergency Services Training, (2005), by J. Harper, Nelson Education Ltd.
Elements of Crisis Intervention: Crises and How to Respond to Them, (2011), (3rd Ed.) by J.L. Greenstone and S.C. Leviton. Brooks/Cole.
Minimum 45 credits including CRIM 2140
Courses listed here must be completed either prior to or simultaneously with this course:
- No corequisite courses
Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:
- No equivalency courses