School
Liberal Arts
Division
Social Sciences
Department
Criminal Justice
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Criminal Justice
Course Number
135
Course Title
Juvenile Justice
Credit Hours
3.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
Completion of CRJ-131, with a grade of C or better.
Catalog Course Description
Covers the legal and philosophical basis of the juvenile justice process along with a review of the juvenile court procedures in Michigan. Discusses problems related to delinquency and its control.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Core Course Topics
- Childhood and Delinquency
- Define the term “juvenile delinquency.”
- Identify major components in the study of delinquency.
- Nature and Extent of Delinquency
- Identify the different methods used to measure delinquency.
- Identify the different correlates of delinquency.
- Individual Views of Delinquency
- Describe the Choice and Trait theories as they relate to a study of juvenile delinquency with emphasis on individual choice.
- Sociological Views of Delinquency
- Describe the Social Structure Theories which seek to explain the onset of delinquency.
- Describe the Social Process Theories which attempt to explain juvenile delinquency and compare to Social Structure Theories.
- Developmental Views of Delinquency
- Describe the Life Course View and how it relates to the development of juvenile delinquency.
- Describe the Latent Trait View and the General Theory of Crime.
- Gender and Delinquency
- Identify the main points of the Gender and delinquency relationship.
- Describe the impact of socialization on the relationship between Gender and delinquency.
- Family and Delinquency
- Identify the main points of the Family and delinquency relationship.
- Identify the main points of the effect of divorce as it effects delinquency.
- Peers and Delinquency
- Describe the main points of the relationship of peers and delinquency.
- Describe the influence of Gang theory.
- Schools and Delinquency
- Describe the role of schools in the development of delinquency patterns.
- Describe the relationship between academic performance and delinquency.
- Drug use and Delinquency
- Identify the most commonly abused drugs by teenagers and youth today.
- Analyze the relationship between drug use and delinquency.
- Police Work with Juveniles
- Describe the main concepts of the interconnection between Police Work and Juveniles.
- Identify the factors which may influence how Police interact with juveniles.
- Juvenile Court Process
- Identify the main components of formal juvenile court processes.
Assessment and Requirements
Assessment of Academic Achievement
The primary method to assess the achievement of the learning objectives for the course will be written exams utilizing multiple choice and written essay.
Texts
- Criminal Law, Samaha, Joel West Pub. 7, ed. and materials.
- Handouts from Instructor supplementing the text: Critical Thinking Formats, Course Syllabus
Outcomes
General Education Categories
- Social Sciences
Institutional Outcomes
- Civil Society and Culture - U.S. and Global
MTA Categories
- Category 4: Social Sciences
Satisfies Wellness Requirement
No
Approval Dates
Effective Term
Fall 2022
Review Semester
Fall 2022