I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Constitutional Law and the Justice System

2. Course Prefix & Number:
CRJU 2150

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course gives students an appreciation and understanding of the United States Constitution and its importance within our democracy. The historical basis and development of constitutional concepts will be examined. Specific attention will be paid to constitutional limitations upon governmental authority over private citizens. In addition to stressing amendments with the Bill of Rights, the course will look at the 14th Amendment. We will address the Minnesota POST Board learning objectives relating to constitutional law.

5. Placement Tests Required:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Name of Institution	Course Number and Title	Credits
Metropolitan State University	CJS 210	3

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Name of Program(s)	Program Type
Criminal Justice	AAS     Diploma   Certificate

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Quiz, note taking

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Knowledge of Constitutional Law for law enforcement
• Knowledge of the Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
• Knowledge of general principles of the U.S. Constitution

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1.         An Historical Overview

• Where It All Began
• Development of the United States of America
• The Revolution Begins
• The Declaration of Independence
• The Constitution Takes Shape
• The Constitution of the United States

2.         An Overview of the U.S. Legal System

• Theories About and the Purpose of the Legal System
• The Law Defined
• Development of the Law
• The Continuing Need for Law
• American Law Lives

3.         The Supreme Court of the United States: The Final Word

• Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
• Judicial Review
• The Supreme Court Justices
• The Current  Supreme Court

4.         Researching  the Law

• The Importance of Knowing How to Research the Law
• Popular, Scholarly and Professional Sources
• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Reading Legal Citations
• Computerized Legal Research

5.         Equal Protection under the Law: Balancing Individual, State and Federal Rights

• The Thirteenth Amendment
• The Fourteenth Amendment
• Discrimination versus Prejudice
• The Roots of Racial Discrimination
• The Struggle for Equality

6.         The First Amendment: Basic Freedoms

• Freedom of Religion
• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of the Press
• The Right of Peaceful Assembly

7.         The Second Amendment: The Gun Control Controversy

• Historical Background
• Case Law and the Second Amendment
• States and the Second Amendment
• Federal Regulation and the Second Amendment

8.         The Fourth Amendment: An Overview of Constitutional Searches and Seizures

• The Importance of the Fourth Amendment to Law Enforcement
• The Clauses of the Fourth Amendment
• Search and Arrest Warrants
• The Law of Stop and Frisks

9.         Conducting Constitutional Seizures

• What Gives Police and the Right
• Investigatory Stops
• An  Arrest or Not
• Arrests

10.       Conducting Constitutional Searches

• Tenets of Fourth Amendment Search Analysis
• The Scope of Searches
• Searches with a Warrant
• Searches Without a Warrant

11.       The Fifth Amendment: Due Process and Obtaining Information Legally

• Governments Need to Know
• The Right Against Self Incrimination
• Due Process of Law
• Miranda

12.       The Sixth Amendment: Right to Counsel and a Fair Trial

• Speedy and Public Trial
• Where the Trial is Held
• An Impartial Jury
• Compulsory Process
• Right to Counsel

13.       The Eighth Amendment: Bail, Fines, and Punishment

• A Brief History of Punishment
• Bail
• Fines
• Cruel and Unusual Punishment

14.       The Remaining Amendments and a Return to the Constitution

• The Remaining Amendments of the Bill of Rights
• Amendments Beyond the Bill of Rights