Criminology and Criminal Justice

CRCJ 8010  NATURE OF CRIME (3 credits)

This course provides an overview of the major dimensions of crime in the U.S. Content areas included are the epidemiology of crime, the costs of crime and typologies of crime and criminals.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO Graduate College.

CRCJ 8020  SEMINAR IN ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide students with a critical understanding of responses to crime. Particular emphasis is placed on theory and research bearing upon the effectiveness of the policies and strategies of the principal institutions of the criminal justice system - the police, courts and corrections. Additionally, philosophical and practical matters pertaining to "justice" and "fairness" in the administration of the criminal law are explored.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO Graduate College.

CRCJ 8030  CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH THEORY AND METHODOLOGY (3 credits)

Research theory and methodology in the social sciences as applicable to criminal justice; preparation of research designs, conceptual models; sampling procedures; and development of individual research papers.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO Graduate College.

CRCJ 8040  SEMINAR IN POLICE AND SOCIETY (3 credits)

This course is designed to explore the role of the police in American society. Attention is given to the origins of policing, the nature of police organizations and police work, and patterns of relations between the police and the public. The values of a democratic society as they affect the law enforcement role are discussed.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to the graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or admission to the UNO graduate program and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 8050  SEMINAR IN CORRECTIONS (3 credits)

This course is designed to give an analytical perspective to the history, development, implementation and future of critical issues in the field of corrections. Primary focus will be directed toward an exploration of the various theoretical approaches to corrections and the research intended to support or refute these perspectives.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or admission to UNO graduate program and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 8060  SEMINAR IN THE CRIMINAL COURT SYSTEM (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide a social science perspective on the role of the courts in the criminal justice system. The ideals of the system will be compared with actual functioning, and court reform programs and proposals will be critically examined.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 8070  SEMINAR IN CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE (3 credits)

This course is designed to examine substantive criminal law as the basis of social control in our country. Contemporary issues such as the insanity defense, decriminalization of so-called victimless crimes, sexual assault and abortion, and current proposals to assist victims of crimes will be among the topics explored. In addition, current criminal procedure problems relating to right to counsel, search and seizure and interrogation will be examined.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or admission to UNO graduate program and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 8080  SEMINAR IN JUVENILE JUSTICE (3 credits)

An inquiry in the social ramifications of the entire juvenile delinquency process including labeling, detention, incarceration and tolerance. Pre- and post-adjudicatory issues are dealt with as well as a realistic perspective given to delinquency prevention strategies.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO graduate program.

CRCJ 8090  SEMINAR IN THEORETICAL CRIMINOLOGY (3 credits)

A study of the etiology of crime as a social phenomenon and an objective analysis of the historical influences and thought which molded its development into an accepted contemporary science.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in criminology and criminal justice; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 8100  CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT (3 credits)

This course will deal with issues in the organization and administration of modern justice agencies. The students will be exposed to theories, concepts, and issues relating to the administration and organization of justice agencies.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to the graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or admission to UNO graduate program and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 8110  VICTIMOLOGY (3 credits)

The Victimology seminar provides an overview of key research areas on prevalence, predictors, and consequences of various forms of victimization. By the end of the course, students will develop a critical understanding and appreciation of the development and current state of theories of victimology, measurement of different types of victimization, and quantitative and qualitative results that have been used to inform research in the field. Furthermore, students will learn how to critically analyze and interpret primary research regarding victimization.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO graduate program.

CRCJ 8120  RACE, CRIME AND INJUSTICE (3 credits)

This course examines inequities in the context of the cumulative effects of biases in the criminal justice system. Students learn how macro-structural conditions, community violence, depletion of male role models as the result of incarceration, and adversarial contacts with police can negatively impact young children residing in some lower socio-economic communities of color as well as increase their likelihood of early contact with the juvenile justice system.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to UNO graduate program and permission of the instructor.

CRCJ 8130  SEMINAR IN WOMEN AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 credits)

This course focuses on the experiences of women in the criminal justice system. It will cover the history of criminological theory on women, application of mainstream criminological theory to women, and women as offenders, victims, and professionals in the criminal justice system.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 8136  SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR (3 credits)

This course is designed to investigate the etiology of many forms of norm-violating conduct. Emphasis will be placed on rule-breaking behavior as defined in the criminal statutes. (Cross-listed with CRCJ 4130).

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 8180  CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERNSHIP (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide supervised individualized learning experiences in a selected criminal justice agency. The principal objective of the internship is to provide students with the opportunity to apply theoretical and methodological principles acquired in graduate courses to the analysis of problems in local criminal justice agencies.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice, successful completion of 15 hours of graduate work, and permission of instructor. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

CRCJ 8190  INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-3 credits)

Individual projects in research, literature review or creative production which may or may not be an extension of course work. The work will be supervised and evaluated by departmental graduate faculty members.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program at UNO, and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 8210  PROGRAM EVALUATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS (3 credits)

This course is a survey of program evaluation and policy analysis techniques. The focus is on theoretical foundations of the Criminal Justice policy process, program development and implementation, research designs specific to program evaluation and policy research, and methodological techniques commonly used to evaluate criminal justice programs and policies

Prerequisite(s): Admission to doctoral program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or admission to graduate program at UNO and CRCJ 8030; or instructor permission.

CRCJ 8230  TERRORISM (3 credits)

A course devoted to an exploration and analysis of contemporary special problems in the broad spectrum of law enforcement and corrections.

CRCJ 8300  COMMUNITIES AND CRIME (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide an analytical perspective to the meaning of community, theories that explain community-level crime, and police decision-making at the community level. The primary focus will be directed toward an exploration of the various theoretical approaches to explaining community-level crime, with a special emphasis on police action. This course will enable students to become proficient in the topic of community-level theories of crime and determine whether communities perpetuate or prevent criminal behavior.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to a Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate degree program, or UNO SCCJ Graduate Program Coordinator permission. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

CRCJ 8356  COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS (3 credits)

This course is intended for advanced students with a special interest in the correctional process as applied in a community setting. It is designed to focus on innovative community-based strategies for dealing with the offender as well as the traditional processes of probation and parole.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 8400  INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE (3 credits)

This course examines the complex nature and dynamics of intimate partner violence (IPV). The course begins with a general presentation of IPV, such as definitions, characteristics, and the cycle of IPV. Then, theories of IPV are presented and various sources of IPV data and measurement issues are discussed. The majority of the course focuses on the historical development/evolution and current response of the criminal justice system to IPV including law enforcement response, the use of protection orders, domestic violence courts, and batterer intervention treatment programs. Additionally, the course examines "special topics" regarding IPV including teen dating violence, intimate partner homicide, and IPV within criminal careers.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to a UNO graduate degree program, or permission of the UNO School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Graduate Program Coordinator. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

CRCJ 8430  HUMAN TRAFFICKING (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide students with a systematic introduction to the study of human trafficking. Students will learn about the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of human trafficking. Additionally, students will develop a critical understanding and appreciation of the development and current state of theories, measurement, and quantitative and qualitative results that can be used to inform our understanding of the nature of these events, the victims who are harmed, the individuals who facilitate these crimes, and identification and response initiatives.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to a UNO graduate degree program, or UNO SCCJ Graduate Program Coordinator permission. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

CRCJ 8450  SEXUAL VIOLENCE (3 credits)

This course will examine the complicated nature and dynamics of sexual violence (SV). The course will begin with a general presentation of sexual violence, such as definitions and the nature, characteristics, and extent of SV. We will also consider the impact of doing "sexual violence" work on criminal justice and victim service practitioners (e.g., vicarious trauma) and the importance of self-care. Next, various tools to measure SV, sources of SV data, and measurement issues will be discussed. Then, we will move on to the major focus of this class - the historical development and evolution of different legislative, criminal justice system, and victim service system responses to sexual violence. Finally, we will examine some of the responses to sexual violence that have been generated outside of formal systems of care.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to the University of Nebraska at Omaha Graduate School

CRCJ 8516  VIOLENCE (3 credits)

This course is a survey of the nature and extent of violence. The focus is on patterns of violence across social groups, the causes and correlates of violence and violent behavior, and programs/policies geared toward violence prevention and reduction. Also of interest is the relationship between theory and violence research.

Prerequisite(s): Upper-division CRCJ major; CRCJ minor; or CRCJ 1010 and jr/sr standing.

CRCJ 8800  SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 credits)

A course devoted to an exploration and analysis of contemporary special problems in the broad spectrum of criminal justice philosophy. This course looks at philosophical issues related to social control. The purpose of this course is to foster a deeper understanding of the reasons, jutifications, and problems related to societal approaches to the control of its citizens.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or UNO graduate student and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 8850  RISK/NEEDS ASSESSMENT (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and understanding risk and needs assessment used in case management and classification within the criminal justice system and related social services.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in criminology and criminal justice; or, instructor permission.

CRCJ 8950  STATISTICAL APPLICATIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC ADMIN (3 credits)

This is a required course which provides a foundation for the use of statistical methods in criminal justice and public affairs research. It will review fundamentals of research, showing the interplay between the theory, the research, the statistical method, and the interpretation.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO Graduate college.

CRCJ 8970  CAPSTONE PROJECT IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 credits)

The Capstone Project offers each student the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the theory and practice of Criminology and Criminal Justice by applying the knowledge and skills gained in the Master of Science program to a project of the student's choice. This involves completing a project report reflecting the cumulative knowledge gained from these experiences. This class is intended only for students who are completing their Master of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice MS program, and completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours; or permission of Masters Program Coordinator. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

CRCJ 8990  MASTERS THESIS (1-6 credits)

The thesis is required for all students in the MA program. It provides students with an opportunity to integrate theories, concepts, and aspects of the criminology and criminal justice literature with methods and techniques for conducting research, through the completion of an original research project. The thesis project should constitute original research and is conducted under the supervision of a Masters Thesis Committee.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MA program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; and, CRCJ 8010, CRCJ 8020, CRCJ 8030, CRCJ 8950 and 6 other 8000+ CRCJ courses. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

CRCJ 9010  SEMINAR ON LAW & SOCIAL CONTROL (3 credits)

This is a required course which will examine the relationships between the state, the law, and the citizen in a democratic society. It will also examine the relationship between social control, law and social change.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or UNO graduate student and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 9020  SEMINAR ON THEORIES OF CRIME (3 credits)

This is a required course which emphasizes conceptual and theoretical issues in contemporary criminological theory. It also provides students with a working knowledge of theory construction.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice MA or PhD graduate programs; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9030  SEMINAR ON RACE, ETHNICITY, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (3 credits)

This is a required course which introduces students to current empirical research and theory on racial minorities and the criminal justice system. It focuses on racial minorities as victims of crime, as offenders, and as criminal justice professionals.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO graduate program.

CRCJ 9040  COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS (3 credits)

This course provides a cross-national examination of the dynamics of criminality and the social response to crime. It also describes the extent and nature of crime in different countries.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Crimimal Justice; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9050  ACADEMIC WRITING (3 credits)

This course is designed to familiarize students with academic and professional writing with the goal of promoting the development of formal writing and organizational skills. Students will learn how to construct and organize scholarly papers to better prepare them for the comprehensive examination, the doctoral dissertation, the development of scholarly journal articles and monographs, and the development of funded project proposals.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to PhD program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or UNO graduate student and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 9080  ADVANCED STATISTICAL APPLICATIONS (3 credits)

This is a required course which will provide the student with fundamentals of modern statistical techniques used in criminal justice and public affairs research. (Cross-listed with PA 9080).

Prerequisite(s): Admission to PhD program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or UNO graduate student and CRCJ 8950 or PA 8950 and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9090  SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN RESEARCH METHODS (3 credits)

This course will explore specialized topics in research methodology. The course assumes that participants have a firm understanding of the basic principles of research methods and statistics.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to PhD program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or UNO graduate student and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9100  SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN STATISTICAL ANALYSIS (3 credits)

This course will explore advanced techniques of statistical analysis within the field of criminal justice. It assumes that participants have taken courses in basic descriptive and inferential statistics and advanced multivariate analysis of variance and regression.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to the graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice and CRCJ 9080; or admission to UNO graduate program, CRCJ 9080, and permission of the instructor.

CRCJ 9130  ADVANCED RESEARCH ON POLICING (3 credits)

This course will explore critical research issues in American policing. The focus of the course may vary and cover topics such as police discretion, police use of force, labor unions in law enforcement, gender differences in policiing, and police organization management.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to UNO graduate program and permission of the instructor.

CRCJ 9150  SPECIAL TOPICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH (3 credits)

This course will focus on specialized topics in criminology & criminal justice research. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an opportunity to read and critique current research on topics such as the history of the criminal justice system, civilian review of the police, sentencing, or the application of the death penalty.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or UNO graduate student and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9160  SEMINAR IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS (3 credits)

This course will deal with strategies of correctional reform and with models and practices of community-based corrections. Recent innovations in community-based corrections will be examined to demonstrate how they fit into an overall correctional strategy.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO graduate program.

CRCJ 9170  ADVANCED SEMINAR ON CORRECTIONS (3 credits)

This graduate-level seminar provides an overview of critical areas in corrections research and discusses the many complexities facing corrections. Students will gain an understanding of correctional theory, practices, policies, and issues that impact different stages of correctional processing, incarcerated individuals, correctional staff and the organization. Students will develop a broad but critical understanding of the current state of correctional research.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to a UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9180  SEMINAR ON THE CRIMINAL COURT SYSTEM (3 credits)

This course will focus on the structure, organization, and operation of the state and federal court systems in the United States. The purpose of the course is to survey recent research on the dynamics of courthouse justice--charging, plea bargaining, bail decision making, jury decision making, and sentencing.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or admission to UNO graduate program and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 9200  SEMINAR ON VIOLENT CRIME AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR (3 credits)

This course exposes students to the leading theories and research in the area of violent criminal behavior. It addresses major violent crimes including rape, homicide, and child sexual physical abuse.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate program; or admission to UNO graduate program and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9220  ADVANCED CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY AND THEORY CONSTRUCTION (3 credits)

This course is designed to extend students' knowledge of theory and theory construction beyond the basics of the elements and propositions of particular criminological theories. Students will have an opportunity to examine in depth topics such as theory construction, theory integration, theory compatibility and synthesis, and new directions in criminological theory.

Prerequisite(s): CRCJ 8090 or CRCJ 9020 and admission to graduate program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or permission of instructor.

CRCJ 9250  SEMINAR ON VICTIMIZATION ACROSS THE LIFE-COURSE (3 credits)

The Seminar on Victimization across the Life-course provides graduate students a survey of the primary topics regarding the predictors and consequences of victimization at various points in life. This an elective course for graduate students in Criminology and Criminal Justice. By the end of the course, students will understand major theories, research methods, and seminal research studies in the victimology field. Furthermore, students will learn how to critically analyze and interpret primary research regarding victimization.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to UNO graduate program. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

CRCJ 9700  TEACHING CRIMINAL JUSTICE AT THE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY LEVEL (3 credits)

This seminar is a required course for doctoral students in criminal justice. The purpose of the course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to become informed, effective, and stimulating teachers. A variety of pedagogical issues will be covered during the course of the semester; theories of learning and student motivation; constructing a course syllabus; designing effective writing assignments and in-class exercises; leading class discussions; testing and grading; and managing the classroom.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice PhD graduate program; or admission to Criminology and Criminal Justice MA or MS graduate program and instructor permission. Not open to nondegree students.

CRCJ 9800  ADVANCED RESEARCH DESIGN (3 credits)

This is a required course which will expose students to advanced topics in research methods in preparation for writing their doctoral dissertation. It will also apply advanced methodological techniques to problems in the field.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to PhD program in Criminology and Criminal Justice; or UNO graduate student and instructor permission.

CRCJ 9980  DIRECTED READINGS IN CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE (1-6 credits)

This course is designed to provide the advanced graduate student with the opportunity to do extended readings on a specialized criminology or criminal justice topic.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to graduate program in criminology and criminal justice or UNO graduate program, and permission of instructor.

CRCJ 9990  DISSERTATION (1-20 credits)

The dissertation is an original research project conducted and written under the direction of a faculty dissertation committee. The dissertation provides the student with an opportunity to do original research that contributes to advancing the body of knowledge on crime and criminal justice.

Prerequisite(s): Completion of all coursework, completion of the comprehensive examination, and permission of Supervisory Committee Chair. Not open to non-degree graduate students.