Course Detail

CJ 230 Principles of Investigation

CJ 230 IS Sec 2, University of Mississippi
[See UM Catalog for Description]

3 credit hours

Instructor Information:

Instructor name:
Dr. Jeffery M. Johnson

Dr. Jeffery Johnson has taught with UM-IS since 2012 and has been a member of the UM faculty since 2005. He is a certified as an Expert Gang Specialist by the National Gang Crime Research Center and is a former police officer with the Kansas Highway Patrol-Capitol Police.

Dr. Johnson coordinates the criminal justice offerings at the DeSoto Center in Southaven. Dr. Johnson received both his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and his Masters of Criminal Justice from Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas. Dr. Johnson received a Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security from Texas A&M and his Doctorate of Professional Studies from Delta State University.

Contact Information:

If you have questions concerning the content of the course, you may contact the instructor directly using the email link in the "Communications" tab. NOTE: Whenever sending email, please be sure to indicate your Course title and number in the subject line.

Course Description

This 15-lesson independent study course covers criminal investigation procedures, including theory of investigation, case preparation, specific techniques for selected offenses, questioning of suspects and witnesses, and problems in criminal investigations.

Textbook Information:

Textbook information will be provided upon enrollment in your iStudy course.

Course Objectives:

Learning objectives: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to identify, define, describe, or discuss:

1. The criminal investigative process
2. Documenting the crime scene
3. Writing effective reports
4. Crime scene searches
5. Forensics and physical evidence
6. Obtaining information and intelligence
7. Identifying and arresting suspects
8. Assault, domestic violence, stalking and elder abuse
9. Robbery investigations
10. Burglary investigations
11. Larceny/Theft, Fraud, and White-Collar Crime
12. Preparing for and presenting cases in court

Course Outline:

This course consists of 15 instructional modules (or lessons).

You MUST complete the syllabus quiz as soon as you have access to your Blackboard course. This is mandatory to verify your attendance. *NOTE: you must pass the Syllabus and Orientation Quiz for the course materials to appear on the Lessons page.

Grading:

The grading format is as follows:
90 - 100% = A
80 - 89% = B
70 - 79% = C
60 - 69% = D
Below 59% = F
The + / - Grading Scale is NOT used in this course.

GRADING INFORMATION:
The grading format is as follows:
Each lesson submitted will be read and given a numerical grade. If you make below a 60 on 5 lessons you will fail the course. Also, if you receive a grade below 60 on a lesson, you will be expected to re-do that lesson and resubmit it to the instructor. As for your Mid-Course test and Final exam, you will be graded using a letter scale of A, B, C, D, F. The final grade will be calculated as follows:

FAILURE TO TAKE THE FINAL EXAM WILL RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE COURSE.

You must submit the lessons required to take the course exam(s). Lessons required but not submitted will receive a grade of zero. For the final exam, all coursework must be submitted and graded.