CJS/235 - Victimology

Course Description

This course introduces students to the topic of victimology, the scientific study of victims, and an overview of current theory, research, and trends within the context of specific victimization types. Specific crime types, the impact of crime on victims and society, the role of victims within the criminal justice system, specific remedies, and victim rights and services are also examined.

This undergraduate course is 5 weeks.

This course has a prerequisite. Please see details in the Prerequisite section below.

PLEASE NOTE:
Attendance and participation are mandatory in all university courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

Course Objectives

Week 1

• Describe the history of the court and the common law heritage of the American legal system.
• Describe the hierarchical structure of criminal courts.
• Discuss the differences between state and federal court systems.

Week 2

• Identify the duties, role, and ethics of the different participants in the courtroom.
• Describe examples of prosecutorial misconduct.
• Describe examples of defense counsel ineffective representation of counsel.
• Compare the various methods of judicial selection.

Week 3

• Review the elements of a crime and legal defenses.
• Describe the right to bail and types of bail.
• Compare grand jury and preliminary hearings.
• Identify advantages and disadvantages of plea bargaining.

Week 4

• Identify the major sentencing goals or philosophies.
• Identify the primary types of sanctions.
• Describe the legal factors in sentencing.

Week 5

• Describe differential treatment of women and minorities.
• Identify legal issues involved with cybercrime.
• Identify the causes of wrongful conviction.
• Explain the use of technology in the courtroom.

Notes

A prerequisite is required for this course. The purpose of a prerequisite is to ensure students have the knowledge and/or skills needed to be successful in the course. Students are required to provide proof of prerequisite during the enrollment/registration process. To meet to a course prerequisite requirement, a student must have successfully completed the prerequisite course at University of Phoenix, provide proof via transcript of completing a comparable course (at least 75% match) or higher level course with at least a grade of C at another institution or have a University of Phoenix approved Student Appeal on file with the University.

During the checkout process you will be prompted to provide proof of the requirement(s). If you completed the prerequisite at another institution, be prepared to upload an official/unofficial transcript. If you have questions about meeting the prerequisite requirements for this course, please contact an enrollment representative.

This course requires the prerequisite below. Click on the prerequisite course to review the course topics and objectives.

Disclaimers

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While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with an Enrollment Representative.

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.