I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Juvenile Justice

2. Course Prefix & Number:
CRJU 1404

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

4. Course Description:

This course will cover the study of juvenile delinquency, the theories of causation, and the methods of corrections. It will examine the MN juvenile court and correctional systems. This course will emphasize topic areas which include constitutional protections for juveniles, laws and procedures regarding child abuse, sexual abuse, child neglect, juvenile records, and the juvenile court process. In addition, it will examine structural racism and how it impacts youth of color.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Reading College Level CLC or Reading College Level

Score:

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:

Hibbing Community College, LAW 1538 Juvenile Justice- 3 credits

2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:

Bemidji State University February 2023    
St. Cloud State University May 2020

 

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):

Conservation Officer Preparation AAS
Criminal Justice Certificate
Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway AS
MN Peace Officer AAS
Peace Officer/Public Safety Transfer Pathway AS

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
Goal 9 – Ethical and Civic Responsibility

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Describe and discuss chapter material during lectures in class.

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

• Summarize definitions and concepts specific to juvenile justice;
• Explain the history and philosophy of an independent juvenile justice system;
• Identify procedural differences between juvenile and adult interaction;
• Explain laws and case law specific to juveniles;
• Examine theories specific to juvenile delinquency;
• Explain structural racism and how it impacts children/youth of color MnTC Goal 9;
• Identify institutional dynamics of the juvenile justice system and how it challenges/contributes to racial oppression and unequal power/treatment of different populations MnTC Goal 9; and
• Describe best practices to promote civic engagement of youth in society MnTC Goal 9.

V. Topical Outline

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

1. Lecture Sessions

An overview of the Juvenile Justice System

• Juvenile justice:  Definitions, measurements and process
• Juvenile justice terminology versus adult terminology
• The history and philosophy behind the juvenile justice system

Theories of delinquency and juvenile offending

1.         Our Nation’s Youths

• Youth in society:  Developmental Risk and Protective Factors
• Three Levels of Maltreatment
• Juvenile Victims:  The seriousness of the problem
• Indicators of Neglect
• Child abuse and neglect laws
• Indicators of physical abuse
• Indicators of emotional abuse
• The causes of abuse
• Domestic and family violence
• Child abuse and the link to delinquency
• Child Sexual Harassment and abuse
• Child sexual abuse and the internet
• Indicators of sexual abuse
• The consequences of being sexually abused
• Cultural values and sexual abuse
• The issue of credibility
• Examine the challenges youth face who have experienced racial oppression as it intersects with gender, class, sexuality, identity and disabilities.
• Children and youths as victims of crimes and violence
• Missing and exploited children
• Missing Benign Explanation
• Missing involuntary, lost or injured
• Runaway/thrown away
• Nonfamily abduction
• Stereotypical kidnapping
• Family abduction
• A Child Abduction response team
• Amber alert
• Youth Suicide
• Juvenile Offenders
• Youth Gangs

2.         The Contemporary Juvenile Justice System

• The Police and Juveniles
• Pretrial Services and Diversion
• The Juvenile Court

Juvenile Corrections

1.         The Juvenile Justice System

• Preventing delinquency and Recidivism
• Status Offenders and offenses
• Running away
• Truancy
• Curfew violations
• Early substance use
• Other problem behaviors
• Juvenile delinquents and delinquency
• Property offenses committed by juveniles
• Violent crime committed by juveniles
• Profile of delinquency
• Age trends
• Female delinquents
• People of color
• Co-offending
• Serious, Chronic, and Violent offenders
• Serious Child delinquents
• Chronic juvenile offenders and recidivism
• Violent juvenile offenders
• Predictors of youth violence
• Myths and youth violence

Juvenile Justice The crossroads:  The accelerating call for reform