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Course Title: Seminar of Issues in Law Enforcement
Campus Course Code: CRIJ 4313
UTTC Course Code: CCJO 4362
Campus: UT Brownsville
Program: CCJO
Course Description

This course has been designed to provide you, the student, with an overview of some of the central issues in the field of law enforcement and criminal justice facing society today. These issues must be dealt with not only by law enforcement personnel, but also by legislators and citizens. This course will touch upon a number of topics inclusive of, but not limited to: the history of law enforcement and past roles played by the police; the current role/job of the police and associated ethical considerations; social inequality and the criminal justice system; the effectiveness of law enforcement; education and the police; community and problem-oriented policing and; the changing nature of law enforcement in our society.

A special emphasis will be placed on debates regarding controversial issues in law enforcement. As many of the issues necessarily involve ethical and moral questions, there will be instances where there are no "right" answers. Each student must decide for him/herself what the "right" thing to think, say, and/or do is.

Objectives and Activities

This course has been designed to help each student do the following:

  1. Develop an awareness of a few of the central issues in the field of criminal justice (law enforcement in particular).
  2. Develop an awareness of the role that ethics, morals, and value judgements play in the fields of law enforcement and criminal justice.
  3. Develop an awareness of the complex nature of law enforcement and how it is affected by numerous social, economic, cultural, and political institutions.
  4. Increase his/her analytic skills and abilities to think critically.
  5. Develop the ability to delve beyond simplistic a

Materials

To see a complete list of materials needed for this course, as well as any important notes and instructions provided by the instructor, visit the UTTC Book Lists.
Credits:3
Level:Undergraduate
Faculty

Ben  Brown
ben.brown@utb.edu