CJ 274 Criminal Behavior (5 credits)
Distribution Area Fulfilled General Transfer Elective
Course Description
This course is an examination of psychology of human behavior as it relates to crime. Focuses on the scientific study, psychological bases, and dynamics of criminal situations and criminal behavior; major theories of criminal and aggressive behavior; cognitive, psychodynamic, behavioral, social learning, descriptive, and developmental theories are discussed and compared with current classification systems. The student will be introduced to psychopathology, the sexually violent offender, and serial murder through the profiles of known offenders.
Course Content
1. Evolution of the study of criminal behavior
2. Basic terms and concepts of criminal behavior
3. Concepts of psychology, psychiatry, neurobiology and sociology in relation to criminal behavior
4. Origins of behavior, to include: developmental, biological, and learning and situational theories
5. Human aggression and violence
6. Modes of Persuasion
7. Essentials of psychopathology, through the lens of known offenders
8 Personality profiles associated with crime (anti-social, psychopathic, psychosis, drugs & alcohol, adolescence, sexually-based)
9. Distinct theories of anti-social behavior
10. Serial killer and sex offender personalities and background characteristics
11. Overview of forensic psychology, to include: objective and subjective personality testing
12. Types of criminal behavior, to include: Homicide, sexual assault, multiple/serial murders, school/workplace Violence. family violence, and hate crimes
13. Victimology
14. Levels of motivation and prognosis of homicidal offenders
Student Outcomes
1. Examine major criminological theories.
2. Analyze the personality profiles associated with crime (anti-social, psychopathic, psychosis, drugs & alcohol, adolescence, sexually-based).
3. Discuss & differentiate major theories of criminal & aggressive behavior.
4. Examine historical & current criminal classification systems.
5. Apply course concepts to psychological & legal case studies.
6. Discuss varying personality profiles, levels of motivations, & prognosis of homicidal offender.
Degree Outcomes
Program Outcomes:
1. Graduates will develop and maintain personal and professional relationships.
2. Graduates will communicate appropriately, based on topic, audience, and situation.
3. Graduates will develop the ability to: discern, synthesize, remember, and summarize useful and logical information from a report, research document, and other written sources.
4. Graduates will demonstrate critical thinking: demonstrate accurate inductive/deductive reasoning, logic, problem-solving, creativity, self-awareness, and self-regulation.
5. Graduates will critically assess one’s own attitudes, values, and assumptions, and consider their impact on individuals and the wider society.
Critical, Creative, and Reflective Thinking: Graduates will evaluate, analyze, synthesize, and generate ideas; construct informed, meaningful, and justifiable conclusions; and process feelings, beliefs, biases, strengths, and weaknesses as they relate to their thinking, decisions, and creations.
Effective Communication: Graduates will be able to exchange messages in a variety of contexts using multiple methods.
Information Competency: Graduates will be able to seek, find, evaluate and use information, and employ information technology to engage in lifelong learning.
Intercultural Engagement: Graduates demonstrate self-efficacy in intercultural engagement to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion through reflections and expressions of cultural humility, empathy, and social and civic engagement and action. Further, graduates examine how identities/positionalities such as races, social classes, genders, sexual orientations, disabilities, and cultures impact perceptions, actions, and the distribution of power and privilege in communities, systems, and institutions.
Global Citizenship: Graduates will be able to critically examine the relationship between self, community, and/or environments, and to evaluate and articulate potential impacts of choices, actions, and contributions for the creation of sustainable and equitable systems.
Lecture Contact Hours 50
Lab Contact Hours 0
Clinical Contact Hours 0
Total Contact Hours 50
Add to Portfolio (opens a new window)
|
