MCCCD Program Description

Introduction to Criminal Justice

Course: AJS101

First Term: 2025 Fall

Lecture 3.0 Credit(s) 3.0 Period(s) 3.0 Load
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: An introduction to crime and society`s responses to it. Examines the nature and causes of crime, the criminal law, constitutional safeguards, and the organization and operation of the criminal justice system including the police, courts, jails, prisons, probation and parole departments, and community corrections agencies. Covers the history of the criminal justice system, terminology and career opportunities.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the parts of the criminal justice system, the principal duties of each, and explain how they collectively function as a system. (I) 2. Explain the major steps in the criminal justice process and the role of constitutional protections in each step. (II) 3. Describe the role of research in the criminal justice system, how social scientists collect and analyze information about the nature and frequency of crime, as well as the characteristics of its perpetrators and victims, and how they use this information to postulate theories of causation and strategies to prevent and control crime. (III) 4. Define criminal behavior and identify the major categories of crime. (IV) 5. Identify the common criminal defenses. (V) 6. Describe the history, mission, organization and operation of the police and examine major legal, social and political challenges facing them. (VI) 7. Describe the history, mission, organization and operation of the courts at the federal, state and local levels of government. (VII) 8. Explain the different types of sentences and compare and contrast the major philosophies of sentencing. (VIII) 9. Describe the history, mission, organization and operation of probation, parole and community corrections agencies and examine legal, social and political challenges facing them. (IX) 10. Describe the history, mission, organization and operation of prisons and jails and examine major legal, social and political challenges facing them. (X) 11. Describe career opportunities in the criminal justice system, including position duties and qualifications. (I-X) 12. Describe the role of media/social media as it relates to the criminal justice system. (XI) 13. Explain the use of technology and the challenges the criminal justice system faces with technology. (XII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. The criminal justice system A. Parts B. Duties C. Interactions II. The criminal justice process A. Investigation, arrest and booking B. Adjudication C. Sentencing D. Correctional activities E. Constitutional protections III. Research in criminal justice A. Data collection B. Analysis C. Theory and policy applications IV. Criminal behavior A. Legal definitions B. Categories 1. Property versus personal 2. Crimes against women 3. Organized crime 4. Hate crimes 5. Drug crimes 6. Domestic violence 7. Crimes against children V. Criminal defenses A. Alibi B. Justification C. Self-defense D. Excuse E. Procedural VI. The police A. History B. Mission C. Organization D. Operations E. Challenges 1. Use of force 2. Corruption 3. Racial profiling 4. Multiculturalism 5. Discretionary decision making 6. Other VII. The courts A. History B. Mission C. Organization D. Operations VIII. Punishments A. Types of sentences 1. Indeterminate 2. Structured 3. Alternative sanctions B. Philosophies of punishment 1. Retribution (just desserts) 2. Incapacitation 3. Deterrence 4. Rehabilitation 5. Restoration IX. Community corrections A. History B. Mission C. Organization D. Operations X. Jails and Prisons A. History B. Mission C. Organization D. Operations E. Challenges XI. Media and social media A. Role B. Traditional C. Other XII. Technology challenges and uses A. Crime and technology B. Policing C. The courts D. Corrections

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: June 25, 2024

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.