CRIJ 2313:
This course is a survey of institutional and non-institutional corrections. Emphasis will be placed on the organization and operation of correctional systems; treatment and rehabilitation; populations served; Constitutional issues; and current and future issues.
In the event of an emergency or announced campus closure due to a natural disaster or pandemic, it may be necessary for Panola College to move to altered operations. During this time, Panola College may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include, but are not limited to: online learning management system (CANVAS), online conferencing, email messaging, and/or an alternate schedule. It is the responsibility of the student to monitor Panola College's website (www.panola.edu) for instructions about continuing courses remotely, CANVAS for each class for course-specific communication, and Panola College email for important general information.
Regular and punctual attendance of classes and laboratories is required of all students. When a student has been ill or absent from class for approved extracurricular activities, he or she should be allowed, as far as possible, to make up for the missed work. If a student has not actively participated by the census date, they will be dropped by the instructor for non-attendance. This policy applies to courses that are in-person, online, hybrid, and hyflex.
Attendance in online courses is determined by submission of an assignment or participation in an activity. According to federal guidelines, simply logging into a distance learning course without participating in an academic assignment does not constitute attendance. Distance learning is defined as when a majority (more than 50%) of instruction occurs when the instructor and students are in separate physical locations. Students must engage in an academic activity prior to the course census date.
When an instructor feels that a student has been absent to such a degree as to invalidate the learning experience, the instructor may recommend to the Vice President of Instruction that the student be withdrawn from the course. Instructors may seek to withdraw students for non-attendance after they have accumulated the following number of absences:
Fall or spring semesters:
3 or more class meeting times per week - 5 absences
2 class meeting times per week - 3 absences
1 class meeting per week - 2 absences
The student is responsible for seeing that he or she has been officially withdrawn from a class. A student who stops attendance in a class without officially withdrawing from that class will be given a failing grade; consequently, the student must follow official withdrawal procedures in the Admissions/Records Office.
Please note: Health Science and Cosmetology courses may require more stringent attendance policies based on their accreditation agencies. Please see the addendum and/or program handbook for further information concerning attendance.
Panola College welcomes pregnant and parenting students as a part of the student body. This institution is committed to providing support and adaptations for a successful educational experience for pregnant and parenting students. Students experiencing a need for accommodations related to pregnancy or parenting will find a Pregnancy and Parenting Accommodations Request form in the Student Handbook or may request the form from the course instructor.
The use of artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, is permitted in this course for chapter discussion assignments (for brainstorming only). No more than 20% of any discussion post may be AI-generated, and all AI-generated content must be clearly cited within the assignment. Failure to cite AI use appropriately is considered academic dishonesty.
AI use is strictly prohibited on the final semester writing assignment and any related components. Submitting AI-generated work without permission or proper citation will result in a grade of zero and may be reported as a violation of the academic integrity policy.
Use of AI is allowed only under specific classroom circumstances and with explicit permission. Proper citation is required at all times.
What I look for when evaluating AI overuse includes: sudden changes in writing style, unrealistic submission speeds (discussions), and inconsistencies between how a student writes in Canvas vs. how they email or message me. For example, if a student’s emails are unpolished or informal but their Canvas discussions are perfectly academic, this will be a red flag for further review.
Improper or excessive AI use will result in a zero on the assignment and may be treated as academic dishonesty.
The purpose of this course is to:
- Provide students with an understanding of the role of corrections of offenders in society.
- To give students a historical and philosophical view of the development of corrections (post- adjudication processing of criminal offenders) focusing on adult offenders.
- Teach students topics including administrative and operational components of corrections, criminals in confinement, post-adjudication procedures, problems, and community corrections.
After studying all materials and resources presented in the course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the organization and operation of correctional systems and alternatives to institutionalization.
- Describe treatment and rehabilitative programs.
- Differentiate between the short-term incarceration and long-term institutional environments.
- Evaluate current and future correctional issues.
- Identify the Constitutional rights applicable to the correctional setting.
A general description of lecture/discussion topics included in this course are listed in the Learning Objectives section of this syllabus.
Students in all sections of this course will learn the following content:
- The Correctional System
- Incarceration
- Probation and Parole
- Rehabilitation and Treatment
- Special Topics in Corrections
- Corrections Law
This course is offered online format.
Teaching approaches are expected to vary with individual instructors who should employ those techniques that work best for them and their students.
Online classes are very different from traditional face-to-face classes in terms of how the material is presented, the nature of the interaction among class members, and the overall learning experience. Canvas is used as the Learning Management System (LMS) for this online course. This course is organized by Modules to assist in facilitating your learning.
Although lecture and reading assignments are the primary forms of delivery, other instructional methods may involve discussion, student presentations and lectures, audio-video instruction, invited speakers, critical thinking activities, writing exercises designed to simulate critical thinking, and group activities.
Faculty may assign both in and out of class assignments (for face-to-face courses), essay projects, and exams to assess the student’s knowledge and abilities. Faculty may choose from the following assessment criteria:
- Attendance
- Perceived Class Preparedness
- Class Participation/Discussion
- Exams
- Tests
- Quizzes
- Internet Assignments
- Journal Assignments
- Library Assignments
- Readings
- Research Papers
- Written Assignments
Submitting Coursework: Coursework will be submitted via the assignments in the Panola College Canvas system, unless otherwise instructed.
Chapter Quizzes and assignments, Semester Project, Midterm & Final Exams
The grading scale for this course is as follows:
- COURSE WEIGHTS: This is the breakdown of how your final grade will be calculated for this course.
- Weekly Class Participation/Assignments: 25% Includes weekly quizzes, discussions, lecture-based activities, and other module tasks. Work submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
- Chapter Assignments: 10% Seven-chapter quizzes, all remotely proctored.
- Midterm Exam: 25% Covers Chapters 1-4. This is a remotely proctored, closed-note exam. No early testing or make-up exams are allowed.
- Semester Paper/Project: 15% The Semester Project is a scaffolded assignment completed in structured stages throughout the semester, with each milestone building toward a final recorded presentation. Students will research an approved corrections topic and create a slide-based presentation with speaker notes, a 5 to 7-minute recording, and an APA-formatted references slide. All milestone assignments are graded separately and provide feedback to support development of the final submission.
- Comprehensive Final Exam: 25% Covers the entire semester. This is also remotely proctored and closed-note. If a student displays suspicious activity during the midterm, they will be required to take the final in person at an approved testing center.
EXAMS & QUIZZES: You will have bi-weekly timed chapter quizzes covering each chapter. These quizzes are open-note, using your lecture notes and/or textbook. In addition, there will be a midterm, and a final exam—both of which are remotely proctored and closed-note.
Important:
- You may not take the midterm or final exams early, per Panola College policy.
- Prior to each proctored exam, you must view the Preparing for a Proctored Exam page and mark the Required Testing Acknowledgement as complete. By doing so, you confirm that you have:
- Reviewed the updated Proctored Exam Policy Enforcement
- Watched the example videos of proper and improper environment scans
- Read and understood all expectations for ID verification, room scans, and exam behavior
- Acknowledged that failure to follow these guidelines will result in a 0% with no retake allowed, and may lead to require in-person testing for all online courses
Remote Testing Expectations:
- You must be dressed appropriately, alone, and seated at a desk or table in a quiet, distraction-free environment.
- Any instance of cheating or testing irregularity will result in:
- A temporary grade of 0% on the affected exam pending review.
- The opportunity to complete an in-person retake of the exam at the Carthage Academic Testing Center within one to two days.
- If the in-person retake is not completed, the 0% will remain as the final exam grade.
- Possible loss of online testing privileges for the remainder of the semester.
- Requirement to complete all remaining exams in person at the Carthage Academic Testing Center.
- Documentation of the incident and notification to the appropriate administrative offices, including the Dean.
- If you are unable to meet testing conditions at home, contact your instructor before the exam or arrange to test at a Panola College Testing Center.
Academic Integrity:
- Any form of cheating or suspicious behavior during remote testing will result in an immediate zero with no retake, and the loss of online testing privileges in all courses for the rest of the semester.
- The student will be required to test in person at the Carthage Testing Center and will be reported to the Online Learning department and the Dean for academic irregularities.
- Academic integrity is taken seriously. If you do not have access to a suitable space or setup for remote testing, please contact me before your scheduled exam.
Reading exam questions aloud is strictly prohibited unless you have an approved accommodation on file through Panola College’s Disability Support Services (DSS). Claiming dyslexia or another condition without documented DSS approval is not acceptable. DSS informs instructors of student accommodations at the beginning of the semester or as students complete the process. Reading aloud without documentation is considered cheating.
OER Textbook: Fundamentals of Corrections, by: Jennifer M. Miller & Dr. Adam J. McKee
OER Textbook: Fundamentals of Corrections, by: Jennifer M. Miller & Dr. Adam J. McKee
- Local or national newspaper, or magazine articles/journals relevant to the course material covered.
- Materials available in the M.P. Baker Library, or their electronic resources.
- Courses conducted via video conferencing may be recorded and shared for instructional purposes by the instructor.
- For current texts and materials, use the following link to access bookstore listings: https://www.panolacollegestore.com.
- For testing services, use the following link: https://www.panola.edu/student-services/studentsupport/academic-testing-center.
- The Accommodations & Disability Support (A&DS) Office at Panola College provides and facilitates support services and accommodations for students with disabilities. The A&DS office works under the federal guidelines included in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act. Please contact the Accommodations & Disability Support (A&DS) Office located in the Charles C. Matthews Student Center or go to https://www.panola.edu/disabilitysupport for more information.
- Withdrawing from a course is the student’s responsibility. Students who do not attend class and who do not withdraw will receive the grade earned for the course.
- Student Handbook: https://www.panola.edu/ (located on at the bottom under student)