Study criminal justice on campus and online

Introduction to Administration of Justice

Start with a whirlwind tour of criminal justice

Explore career options to provide context for your studies, then break down landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases, and write police reports, criminal complaints, and trial notebooks. Throughout, study the philosophy and history of American justice, with a sweeping overview of police, courts, and corrections.


ADJU 101 Course Textbook

Moller, Scott. Introduction to Criminal Justice. Great River Learning, 2020. ISBN: 9781644962916


Syllabus | Slides: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Criminal Law I

Examine the philosophical foundations of criminal law

Examine the underlying philosophy, scope and source of  laws involving crimes against persons, property, morals, and public welfare. Study classifications and general elements of crimes, definitions of common and statutory law, acceptable evidence, types of intent, the capacity to commit crimes, legal defenses, criminal culpability for principals and parties to a crime, laws of arrest, and constitutional aspects of U.S. law. See legal concepts in action, as you brief landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases.


ADJU 102 Course Textbook

Lippman, Matthew. Essential Criminal Law. SAGE Publications, 2013 (first) edition or newer. ISBN 9781544355986; may vary by edition


Syllabus | Slides: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Criminal Law II

Explore the California Penal Code

Embark upon an introductory overview of California criminal law, including dangerous weapons control laws, homicide, and miscellaneous offenses. Other topics include false imprisonment; kidnapping; sex crimes; public safety and morals; burglary; robbery and extortion; theft and embezzlement; controlled substance and alcohol abuse; forgery; arson; and Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) laws. 


ADJU 160 Course Textbook

Hunt, Derald D. and Rutledge, Devallis. California Criminal Law Concepts. Pearson, 2019 edition or newer. ISBN 978-0135717455; may vary by edition


Syllabus  | Slides: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Juvenile Procedures

Enter a unique realm in criminal justice

Juvenile justice is unique. Unlike adult criminal justice, which emphasizes the protection of society, together with deterrence of crime, and punishment and rehabilitation of offenders, the primary aim of juvenile justice is the best interest of the offender. In this course, we explore this uniquely adversarial yet protective justice system.


ADJU 161 Course Textbook

Hess, Karen M., Orthmann, Christine H.,  and Wright, John P. Juvenile Justice. 9781133049623 - Cengage. Cengage Learning


Syllabus | Slides: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Criminal Investigation

Visit the crime scene

Discover techniques, procedures, and ethical issues in criminal investigations. Topics include the organization of the investigative process; crime scene searches; interviewing and interrogating; surveillance; sources of information; utility of evidence; scientific analysis of evidence; and the role of the investigator in case development and trial processes. Learn to collect and preserve physical evidence, gather information, and identify, collect, and preserve fingerprints. 


ADJU 162 Course Textbook

Swanson, C., Chamelin, N., Territo, L., & Taylor, R.  Criminal Investigation; 12th edition. New York, NY:  McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 2019. ISBN: 9780078026577


Syllabus | Slides: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Criminal Procedure

Learn the rules of engagement in criminal litigation

Examine the world of criminal procedure, shifting focus to legal restraints upon police and prosecutors. In criminal litigation, a solid knowledge of the rules of criminal procedure is necessary. This course goes over the basic rules that every litigant must follow in criminal court.


ADJU 201 16-week Course Textbook

Lippman, M. Criminal Procedure (5th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. 2022. ISBN: 9781071845677


ADJU 201 Accelerated Course Textbook

Scheb, John M. Criminal Procedure. 7th Edition. Cengage, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-30-535909-3


Syllabus | Slides 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Rules of Evidence

Explore the rules that control what the jury sees and hears

Study the origin, development, philosophy, categories, and legal basis for admission of evidence. We study judicial decisions and statutory rules of evidence that govern the admissibility of testimony, writings, and material objects at a criminal trial. Students also learn how constitutional and procedural considerations affect searches and seizures; admissions; confessions; and methods of identification. 


ADJU 210 Course Textbook

Ingram, Jefferson. Criminal Evidence. Fourteenth Edition. Routledge, 2021. ISBN 9780367551933 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003092360 (ebook)


Syllabus | Slides 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14