TEXT, REFERENCES AND SUPPLIES:

TEXT - REQUIRED: Cromwell, P. F., del Carmen, R. V. & Alarid, L. F. (2005). Community-Based Corrections (6th ed.). Belmont, CA. Thompson-Wadsworth Pub. ISBN: 0-534-62876-1.

REFERENCES (used by instructor):
Texas statutes on probation, parole, sentencing and other areas of law applicable to the course.
Appropriate articles, texts, publications and other available materials which supplement course material and discussion topics.

SUPPLIES:

Students will bring textbooks, notebooks, pens and pencils to class. It is suggested that students purchase several Scantron sheets, both objective-type and essay-type, at the beginning of the semester and have them available during class, in the event an unannounced quiz is given.

COURSE GOALS / OBJECTIVES:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:

Identify aspects of community-based corrections including probation, parole and intermediate sanctions

(Community correction are the most commonly used sanctions; understanding them is essential to successful employment in the criminal justice system)

ACTIVITY: Students will submit one or more assigned papers addressing various aspects of community-based corrections
Discuss the history of probation and parole in American jurisprudence

(Understanding the roots of the administration of justice offers insight into the reasons why things are done in certain ways; teaches mistakes made in the past; provides a vehicle for avoiding errors in the future; and puts procedures into historical perspective)

Discuss the purposes of imposing conditions on probationers and parolees

(Conditions are matters of enforcement and violations may result in revocation; law enforcement and corrections personnel alike must understand conditions to effectively deal with violators and revocations)

Discuss the consequences of convictions

(Everyone, students, employees of the criminal justice system and citizens alike are affected by the consequences of conviction; understanding them is essential to understanding the purposes of convicting and punishing offenders)

STUDENT CONTRIBUTIONS AND CLASS POLICIES:

Each student should anticipate at least one hour out of class preparation for each lecture hour, plus study time preparing for examinations. Attendance is important in this class.

Portable cellular phones, beepers, and similar paging devices may be disruptive to the class, and you are encouraged NOT to bring them into the classroom. If you do bring them to class, please make sure they are turned off. Should they become a nuisance, you may be asked to remove them from the classroom. Food and wearing hats are prohibited in the classroom; appropriate beverages may be brought into class.

Students missing a major examination must make the exam before the next class period unless special arrangements are made. Make-up examinations may be the same as, or different from, the examination given in class. Make-up examinations will cover the same material as the scheduled examination. Failure to make up an examination will result in a grade of zero for the missed exam.

Final exams are not given early or late.
The instructor reserves the right to give quizzes, announced or unannounced, at any time. There is no opportunity to make up quizzes that are missed.

NOTICE: The instructor reserves the right to drop students who stop attending or have an excessive number of absences. As a rule, however, the instructor does not drop students, and it is your responsibility to drop a class if you no longer plan to attend and complete the semester. Check the Midland College catalog for last day to drop.


EVALUATION OF STUDENTS:

This is a guide and is subject to change at the instructor's discretion.

*If quizzes are not given, the grade is adjusted accordingly. Quizzes provide instructors excellent opportunities to check students’ progress, evaluate vocabulary building, and validate teaching styles.


COURSE SCHEDULE:

The class meets for three lecture hours per week.
An outline of the course is included in this syllabus. This is a guide and is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.

SCANS INFORMATION:

The following SCANS* skills are taught and/or reinforced in this course:
Systems: Understanding complex interrelationships. Students will: explain the community-based correctional system portion of the criminal justice system and its relationship to the entire system
Reading: Locates, understands, and interprets written information. Students will: demonstrate ability to find and relate published material to discussion topics; learn and incorporate jargon into language; associate text material with discussion topics.
Writing: Communicates thoughts, ideas, information and messages in writing. Students will: complete an assigned writing assignment related to the course content.
Listening/Speaking: Receives, attends to, interprets, and responds to verbal messages in ways appropriate to the purpose; organizes ideas and communicates appropriate messages. Students will: participate in class discussion, answer questions directed at them, participate in reviews and ask questions as necessary to clarify material.
*SCANS are workplace competencies established by the federal government; documentation of them is required in each program.


INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:

Office Hours: Office hours are posted on the instructor's door and are subject to change from semester to semester.

PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION

Two principles should guide you through your education. First, from your education you should learn "how to think, not what to think." The second is from Dr. Gennaro Vito (1999), and has 10 parts:

1. Work is good. Hard work is even better.
2. Preparation is the key to success.
3. Quality and presentation count.
4. Revision improves all things.
5. Learn to use all the tools available to you.
6. Work must be completed on time.
7. Time is more valuable than money.
8. Do not become an educated fool.
9. Nothing stays the same. Either you get better or your get worse.
10. The classroom is no place for democracy.

COURSE OUTLINE: Fall 2006semester. This class meets from 10:00 to 11:00 am, M W F

This is subject to change at the instructor's discretion.

This course outline is for Cromwell, et al., Community-Based Corrections 6th ed.