Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedures I ADJ 211 Online http://de.nr.edu INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Name: Allison Gray Email: agray@nr.edu Phone: 540-250-0216 Office hours: Posted in Blackboard COURSE DESCRIPTION Credits: 3 Submissions: 18 Online Activities: Required Description: Surveys the general principles of American criminal law, the elements of criminal offenses, and the basic steps of the prosecution procedure. COURSE MATERIALS Textbook: Essentials of Criminal Law, 11 th Edition, Chamelin, Neil C. & Andrew Thomas, Pearson Education, Inc: 2013. (Required) Not required--but students should consider purchasing for current and future class use: Black s Law Dictionary. Note: NRCC assumes no liability for virus, loss of data, or damage to software or computer when a student downloads software for classes. Additional resource materials for some NRCC classes can be found on the NRCC Web-based learning site at www.nr.edu/learninglinks. The Student s Guide to Distance Education is available at http://www.nr.edu/de/pdf/stuguide.pdf. IMPORTANT! The recommended browser to use with the current version of Blackboard is Mozilla Firefox. Other browsers are inconsistent in their performance with Blackboard. When taking tests or quizzes, USE a wired connection.
I. COURSE INFORMATION Prepared By: Kristi Wilson Approved By: Peter Anderson A. INTRODUCTION Let me welcome you to this course. I hope you will find this course both enjoyable and instructive. This is a Distance Education course designed specifically for those students whose learning styles are best served by providing instructional opportunities beyond the traditional classroom setting. ADJ 211 Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedure I is a course that surveys the general principles of American criminal law, the element of criminal offenses, and the basic steps of the prosecution procedure. The study of criminal law is one of the most essential requirements for any student entering the criminal justice field. Students will be exposed to the English Common Law, the basis of our modern criminal statutes, and modern criminal law in Virginia and other jurisdictions. Throughout the study of criminal law, students will be learning not only theory and practice, but also a new vocabulary. A thorough grasp of the legal terminology used to describe abstract concepts will be invaluable in gaining an understanding of how criminal processes operate in a free and democratic society. B. COURSE OBJECTIVES A student earning a C grade or higher after completing this course should be able to: A. Demonstrate through written examination, with a score of 70% or greater, knowledge of the major concepts of criminal law. B. Identify the English Common Law origins of American Criminal Law. C. Recall from memory the differences between Common Law and Civil Law in the United States. D. Communicate both orally or in writing, the corpus delecti requirements of an act to determine if a crime is chargeable. E. Identify methods of establishing a criminal act; a culpable mental state; and the commonly used defenses to a crime. F. Demonstrate through written examination, with a score of 70% or greater, the elements of a variety of crimes common to Virginia and other states. G. Using critical analysis skills, apply statutory law requirements to real world scenarios to make decisions about whether criminal prosecution is warranted and which statutes have been allegedly violated. New River Community College (F13) Page 2
C. COURSE CONTENT Part # Chapters Subjects Covered Part #1 1-5 1. Historical Background of Criminal Law. 2. Fundamentals of Criminal Law. 3. Jurisdiction. 4. The Criminal Act. 5. The Mental Elements. Part #2 6-9 6. Matters Affecting Criminal Responsibility: Affirmative Offenses. 7. Assault and Related Crimes. 8. Homicide. Part #3 10-12 9. Sex Offenses and Offenses to the Family Relationship. 10. Theft. 11. Robbery. 12. Burglary and Related Offenses. Part #4 13-15 13. Arson. 14. Forgery and Related Offenses. 15. False Imprisonment, Abduction, and Kidnapping. Part #5 16-19 16. Crimes Involving Narcotic Drugs and Alcohol Beverages. 17. Extortion, Blackmail, and Bribery. 18. Offenses by and Against Juveniles. 19. Traffic Offenses. Part #6 20-22 20. Crimes Affecting the Judicial Process 21. Crimes Against Public Order 22. Organized, White-Collar and Commercial Crimes. D. GRADING/EVALUATION 1. The final grade for the course will be determined as follows: Introductory Assignment Tests (6 @ 25 points each) Discussion Forums (6 @ 25 points each) Projects (6 at 100 points each) Course Requirement 150 points 150 points 600 points 900 points available 2. Grading Scale: Points Percentage 810-900 = A 90-100% = A 720-809 = B 80-89% = B 630-719 = C 70-79% = C 540-629 = D 60-69% = D 539 and below = F 59% = F New River Community College (F13) Page 3
3. Class Participation Code of Conduct Students taking web-based courses are in a completely different environment than students taking on-campus classes or even more traditional Independent Distance Learning courses. The unique opportunities provided by web-based courses also present the student with many challenges. It must be clearly understood that students are expected to be aware of and comply with New River Community College and Virginia Community College System policies regarding academic honesty and the penalties for violating these policies. Please review the NRCC Student Handbook (blue pages) and familiarize yourself with the expectations of NRCC and the instructor regarding your participation in this class. Be sure to pay particular attention to the Code of Conduct; Student Conduct/Misconduct; Academic Honesty and the Information Technology Student/Patron Ethics sections. More information can be obtained from the VCCS home page (www.vccs.edu). The NRCC Student Handbook is also online: www.nr.edu/students/handbook.php Instructor/Student and Student/Student Relationships Although we will not be meeting face-to-face on a regular basis, it is still important that students understand that the instructor will still attempt to provide the best educational opportunity possible for each student enrolled in the class. In order for this to occur, every member of the class must understand they have rights, privileges, and obligations in the same manner as any other college class. Below are listed some (certainly not all) issues that students should be mindful of during the course of the semester: Students enrolled in the class have the right to participate in class activities and unless some serious problem exists, all students will be expected to participate in class activities. Students and instructor alike possess unique viewpoints and opinions about topics covered in the class. Each student has the right to their own opinion and will have the privilege of expressing their opinion without fear of censure. The instructor invites mature, thoughtful critique of opinions and viewpoints expressed by anyone (the instructor included), but will not allow personal attacks, or contentious argument directed at any class member. Course Requirements Information It is the individual student s responsibility to complete the work, as required. Hardware/software problems will not relieve the student of completing the work by the due dates unless there is a general system failure of the server at New River Community College that will not allow the instructor to receive the completed work at the assigned date and time. The instructor reserves the right to teach the class under the generally accepted practices of academic freedom reserved for all classes, both traditional and nontraditional. Students are specifically advised that all concerns related to the delivery of the course, such as, content, assignments, due dates, course requirements and conduct matters will be resolved by the student and instructor. The only exception to this rule is if the student is following the procedure set out in the Grade Appeal and Student New River Community College (F13) Page 4
Grievance Procedure listed in the Student Handbook and only after not being able to resolve the issue with the instructor first. Students contacting other faculty members, staff or administrative personnel do so with the full knowledge that the information or advice they receive is in no way binding on the instructor. Communication Students will have questions about the course, specific topics under discussion, due dates, test times, and computer/internet concerns. The instructor will make every attempt to answer the questions or concerns as quickly as reasonably possible. In many cases these questions can be answered by looking at the various schedules, assignments, and information the instructor has posted on the web site. If all else fails, or if the student prefers, please feel free to contact the instructor during office hours personally, or by telephone, or email. Please do not expect the instructor to provide lengthy or detailed email responses to information already placed on the web site. E. WITHDRAWAL POLICY Student Initiated Withdrawal Policy A student may drop or withdraw from a class without academic penalty during the first sixty percent (60%) of a session. For purposes of enrollment reporting, the following procedures apply: a. If a student withdraws from a class prior to the termination of the add/drop period for the session, the student will be removed from the class roll and no grade will be awarded. b. After the add/drop period, but prior to completion of sixty percent (60%) of a session, a student who withdraws or is withdrawn from a course will be assigned a grade of "W." A grade of W implies that the student was making satisfactory progress in the class at the time of withdrawal, that the withdrawal was officially made before the deadline published in the college calendar, or that the student was administratively transferred to a different program. c. After that time, if a student withdraws from a class, a grade of "F" will be assigned. Exceptions to this policy may be made under documented mitigating circumstances if the student was passing the course at the last date of attendance. A retroactive grade of W may be awarded only if the student would have been eligible under the previously stated policy to receive a W on the last date of class attendance. The last date of attendance for a distance education course will be the last date that work was submitted. Late withdrawal appeals will be revised and a decision made by the Coordinator of Student Services. No-Show Policy A student must either attend face-to-face courses or demonstrate participation in distance learning courses by the last date to drop for a refund. A student who does not meet this New River Community College (F13) Page 5
deadline will be reported to the Admissions and Records Office and will be withdrawn as a no-show student. No refund will be applicable, and the student will not be allowed to attend/participate in the class or submit assignments. Failure to attend or participate in a course will adversely impact a student s financial aid award. Instructor Initiated Withdrawal Important - Please Read This Information Carefully Students who add this class or register after the first day of this class are responsible for completing the required work according to the due dates posted for assignments, regardless of the date of registration. No extension of due dates will be granted because of late registration. The instructor will keep a record of student performance on required work in each class. The instructor must drop students who have not logged into the course and have not completed the required work during the add/drop period, which occurs during the week following the last day to add a class. In this Internet class, the course work is divided into Sections or Parts. 1. Each Section or Part has a variety of assignments that the student must complete in order to complete the requirements for that Section or Part. 2. The due dates listed in the course apply to completion of all required work for that Section or Part. 3. Submission of only a portion of the work constitutes non-completion of the Section or Part by the required due date. 4. When a student fails to complete the required course work by the listed due dates, which are deadlines for receiving full credit for the required work, the instructor may award a grade of zero (0) for that assignment or drop the student for unsatisfactory performance in the class. Extensions for due dates are granted in two cases: 1. In the event of a serious medical condition with proper documentation from the treating physician 2. In the event of the death of an immediate family member with documentation provided. As a general rule, students may be dropped from the class if they fail to submit all required work for a Section or Part of the required course work by the due date posted for that Part or Section. F. CHEATING/PLAGIARISM POLICY Cheating on tests, quizzes, and/or written assignments (including deliberate plagiarism) or any action that is intended to allow the student to evade the legitimate completion of the requirements for this course cannot and will not be tolerated. New River Community College (F13) Page 6
Any student caught cheating will be dropped from the course with the letter grade of "F". Reinstatement into the course will not be allowed. G. DIVERSITY STATEMENT The NRCC community values the pluralistic nature of our society. We recognize diversity including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, social class, age, gender, sexual orientation and physical or mental capability. We respect the variety of ideas, experiences and practices that such diversity entails. It is our commitment to ensure equal opportunity and to sustain a climate of civility for all who work or study at NRCC or who otherwise participate in the life of the college. New River Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Dr. Mark C. Rowh, Vice President for Workforce Development and External Relations, 217 Edwards Hall, 540-674-3600, ext. 4241. H. DISABILITY STATEMENT If you are a student with a documented disability who will require accommodations in this course, please register with the Center for Disabilities Services located in the Counseling Center in Rooker Hall for assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs. New River Community College (F13) Page 7