Justice & Policy Studies (JPS)
Course Descriptions (Per Subject)
JPS 100. Inquiry into Criminal Justice. 4.
The purpose of this course is to prepare the student for further study about the criminal justice system. This will be accomplished by laying a philosophical foundation for the study that will be useful not only to students intending to major in this field but will be useful to anyone who takes their citizenship responsibilities seriously. This course serves as an opportunity for students to inquire into the role of law in our society. Further, students are encouraged to inquire how justice is defined and applied to people in our society as they assume the roles of independent citizens, subjects of the law and free human beings. Throughout the course the inquiry seeks to an answer to the primary question how should morality and the law be connected? Fulfills business and policies studies requirement (1998). Social/behavioral science requirement (2019).
JPS 103. Community Problem Solving. 4.
Introduces students to processes for building community, critical thinking abilities and community problem-solving skills including identifying the problem, coordinating individuals into groups and assisting the groups to form a feasible plan for solving the problem. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental requirements (1998). Social/behavioral science and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 150. Special Topics. 1-8.
Advanced public policy topics, studied in depth for advanced students. May also be offered at the 250, 350 and 450 levels with examination of current public policy topics, issues and problems at a sophisticated introductory level.
JPS 200. Criminal Procedure. 4.
The study of due process in law; the legal procedures governing a criminal suspects civil rights and protections guaranteed under state and federal constitutions; the rules law enforcement officials, prosecutors, magistrates and judges have to follow in investigating crimes; and the body of law which governs the manner in which such rights and rules are to be enforced and wrongs are to be rectified in criminal cases.
JPS 201. Criminal Law. 4.
Substantive law of crime and defenses. Homicide, assault and battery, burglary, crimes of acquisition (larceny, embezzlement, false premises, robbery), conspiracy, criminal agency and corporate liability, accessories, concept of failure to act and negative acts and legal causation.
JPS 202. Law Enforcement and Police Roles. 4.
Survey of the police as a social institution: structure and process of police systems. Organizational and behavioral approaches to policing, with particular emphasis on the problems of maintaining public order under rapidly changing social circumstances. Fulfills business and policy studies requirement (1998). Social/behavioral science requirement (2019).
JPS 203. Punishment and Corrections. 4.
Survey of the structure of correctional institutions, parole, probation and community- based correctional programs. Students explore various kinds of leadership and ethical challenges they are likely to encounter in a system that is designed to achieve justice and accountability. Fulfills business and policy studies requirement (1998). Social/ behavioral science requirement (2019).
JPS 204. Courts and the Judicial Process. 4.
Surveys federal, state, and local criminal court systems including structure, processes, and legal actors. Examines judicial selection and judicial decision making / policy making at the trial and appellate levels. Examines the impact and implementation of criminal justice-related judicial policy. Explores the relationship between courts and politics. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Social/behavioral science and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 215. Community & Justice Prof. Sem.. 4.
This course assists students in their search for occupational paths to pursue, develop job search strategies, and develop skills to acquire desired jobs. Students learn about opportunities for graduate study in the field of community and justice studies, and search for and prepare applications for jobs and/or graduate programs. Guest speakers, including alumni support students as they build their professional networks and learn about possible career and graduate school paths.
JPS 220. Community Building and Organizing. 4.
This course examines community building and organizing as central to fostering community well-being and pursuing social justice. Students in this course also will learn about the nature of group process as they engage in the experience of building community together.
JPS 221. Fundamentals of Cyber Security (CTIS 221). 4.
The percentage of crimes which utilize computers and networks has been increasing over the past twenty years. This course introduces students to the collection, preservation, presentation and preparation of computer and network-based evidence for the purpose of corporate investigation and criminal law enforcement, activities that define the central roles of computer and network forensic practitioners. Students will be introduced to cybercrime and the tools available to them to be able to appropriately investigate cybercrime. Network intrusions, footprinting, computer numbering, financial crimes, and malware are among the topics to be discussed.
JPS 233. Deviance and Society. 4.
This course focuses on a theoretical examination of deviance and responses to deviance including critical concepts, measurement and operationalization of these concepts, and the utility of theory and research on policy. The historical evolution (emergence, dominance, and decline) of major deviance theories is also examined as well as the main research and policy implications of the state of knowledge in many areas relating to deviance and social control.
JPS 236. Conflict Transformation for Peacebuilding and Justice (PECS 236). 4.
Provides an overview of various models of conflict transformation and expands our understanding of the conceptualizations of conflict, justice and peace. This skill-based course is designed to introduce students to third party-intervention methods. These methods include: interpersonal nonviolent communication, sustainable peacebuilding, negotiation, mediation, community-based conflict transformation, public apology processes and Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRC), indigenous methods of conflict transformation, TRACK II diplomacy and art-based approaches. Fulfills social justice/environmental responsibility requirement (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).
JPS 240. Group Dynamics and Leadership. 4.
Introduction to group dynamics, basic group facilitation skills, and application of knowledge and skills to the creation of just, inclusive and powerful communities. Combines lectures and discussions with experiential exercises in groups, and application of learning in class to groups and organizations in the broader community. Fulfills social justice/environmental requirements (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 245. Social & Envt Just Field Study. 4.
In this course, students will travel throughout one country to learn about pressing social and environmental issues affecting the lives of individuals living in that country. This course is experiential in nature, as students will work with local community partners in the country of study, exposing and engaging students in grassroots efforts to address social and environmental issues in that context. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/ environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).
JPS 250. Special Topics. 1-8.
May also be offered at the 350 and 450 level.
JPS 252. Comm & Peace: Post-Gen Rwanda. 4.
Students will travel throughout Rwanda to learn about pressing social issues affecting the lives of Rwandans. They will examine how Rwanda’s social landscape has been affected by violent conflict and will learn about local community building efforts to address the subsequent consequences of this conflict. Students will visit local groups and communities that are engaging in peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts to address fractured social ties. Fulfills intercultural requirement (1998). Sociocultural engagement requirement (2019).
JPS 260. Research Problems/Independent Study. 1-8.
Opportunities for upper-level students to conduct individualized research into topics and fields of interest in which courses are not offered. May also be offered at 360 and 460 levels.
JPS 262. Restorative Justice. 4.
The course compares and contrasts the retribution-based United States criminal justice system with the theories and practices of restorative and transformative justice in diverse settings, including prisons, schools, and communities. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).
JPS 263. Prisons in US and Norway. 4.
This course is an interdisciplinary comparison of the prison systems in Norway and the United States in the context of their unique histories, political economies, demographics, and cultures. Drawing on the perspectives of restorative justice, criminal justice, and psychology, students in this course will compare the goals, structure, and policies of the two prison systems and consider the differential impact on violence, mental health, rehabilitation, and recidivism. The course includes first-hand visits to prisons in the United States and in Norway. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Social/behavioral science and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 270. Interpersonal Communications (PSY 270). 4.
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the communication process and how this communication process is fundamental to the development of effective relationships. The students will learn techniques for better listening, developing trust and responding to others' needs, as well as the rudiments of conflict resolution.
JPS 290. Internship. 1-8.
Supervised internship with a criminal justice, public service, or community non-profit organization. May also be offered at the 390 level.
JPS 300. Ethics & Profs. in CJ. 4.
This course focuses on ethical decision making and professionally developing the student for a career in criminal justice. Ethics is the study and practice of making judgments about what is right and wrong and there are few areas of life where ethical decision making is more important than in criminal justice. Closely related to ethical decision making is professional conduct and behavior. This class provides the student with opportunities to explore their own interests, values and skills and to begin developing those skills and qualities that will enable them to be highly successful in the criminal justice field.
JPS 301. Criminal Justice Policy and Practice. 4.
Theories from several scholarly disciplines are put into practice in dealing with criminal justice policy questions. Managerial, psychological, sociological and political-ideological theories are reviewed in their application to issues in American criminal justice, such as drug and alcohol control policy, gun control, policing strategies, correctional philosophies and death penalty questions. Prerequisites: Students must have sophomore standing (at least 24 credits) and at least one lower-level JPS course. Fulfills business and policy studies requirement.
JPS 304. Crime, Justice and Community. 4.
Examines crime and synthesizes the body of methodology, theory, and research examining community level effects on crime/crime control. This course also will examine the effect of crime and crime control on the community. Fulfills social/behavioral science requirement and embodied and creative engagement requirements (2019).
JPS 305. Juvenile Justice & Delinquency. 4.
Survey of the problems of delinquency, child abuse and neglect in contemporary society; juvenile courts and other juvenile justice agencies and institutions; prevention and treatment programs; theories of delinquency causation and treatment. Fulfills business and policy studies requirement (1998). Social /behavioral science requirement (2019).
JPS 306. Multicultural Communication. 4.
This interdisciplinary course draws on the theory and practice of cross-cultural communication. Participants will learn to appreciate how not only personality, but also national, ethnic, gender, age and non-dominant versus dominant social affiliation, shapes their values, identity and social interactions.
JPS 310. Policy in Action. 4.
Examines how public policy is formulated, interpreted, and put into practice, and identifies the strategies used by communities to influence policy formulation and implementation. Students will examine public policy as medium of power in order to consider and analyze the implications for democracy and other forms of social organization. Fulfills business and policy studies requirement (1998). Social/behavioral science requirement (2019).
JPS 311. Police & Communities. 4.
Explores the relationship between police and the community, with a focus on the street- level practice of policing and efforts at police reform. Topics include community policing; community-based anti-violence action; restorative community conversations on policing; and efforts to reduce crime in neighborhoods. Students engage with guest speakers with wide-ranging vantage points on these topics including police officers, community organization leaders, elected city officials, policy-makers and administrators. Fulfills social justice/environmental responsibility and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 319. Trust & Violence. 4.
Examines ways that trust binds communities together, and violence or the threat of it prevents or destroys trust. The course draws upon applied theory, organizations effective in sustaining trusting communities and experiential learning in trust-building group processes. Fulfills business and policy studies requirement (1998). Social/behavioral science requirement (2019).
JPS 322. Wrongful Convictions. 4.
Surveys the research, legal, and policy issues associated with wrongful convictions from an interdisciplinary perspective. Critically examines the correlates of wrongful convictions and their aftermath. Topics include eyewitness misidentification, false admissions, forensic science evidence, legal actors, reintegration and compensation of exonerees, and more. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Social/behavioral science and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 323. Diversity at Work. 4.
Explores ways in which individual and group differences influence self-perception and interpersonal communication. Increased understanding and communication skills will enable participants to work more productively with diverse colleagues and social groups. Fulfills diversity in the U.S. requirement (1998). Sociocultural engagement requirement (2019).
JPS 324. Capital Punishment. 4.
Examines contemporary and historical issues surrounding the death penalty in the United States. Critically examines the modern constitutional framework applicable to the administration of capital punishment. Issues examined include deterrence; disparities based on race, gender, SES, and geographic region; actual innocence; conditions of confinement and execution methods; and public opinion and the declining use of the death penalty. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Social/behavioral science and evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).
JPS 325. Family Violence. 4.
Introduces students to five prevalent family problems: wife abuse, husband abuse, child neglect and abuse, elderly abuse and rape/sexual assault. Central to the course are examinations of causal factors, the psychology of victim and offender, societal impact, treatment and intervention strategies and the criminal justice role and processes. Fulfills social justice/environmental responsibility requirement (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).
JPS 326. Trial Advocacy. 4.
Introduces the student to advocacy procedures and skills associated with all aspects of the criminal trial, including jury selection, opening and closing statements, examination of witnesses, and expert testimony. Considers the constitutional, ethical, and tactical issues that arise during trial practice. Examines the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders including prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, magistrates, and police officers. Develops skills through simulated exercises.
JPS 327. Social Justice Southern US. 4.
Students will travel throughout the Southern United States to learn about pressing social justice issues (e.g., racial justice, reproductive justice, LGBTQ justice, immigrant justice, economic justice) and how community-based groups and grassroots organizations are addressing these issues locally. This course is experiential in nature, as students will learn about social justice issues by meeting with local leaders of community organizations and learning about the strategies and tactics used by these groups to address intersecting forms of oppression. Fulfills business and policy studies and diversity in the U.S. requirements (1998). Sociocultural engagement requirement (2019).
JPS 328. Police Brutality & Culture. 4.
It has been clearly established through research that the lives of police officer are affected by the work they do, the pressures placed on them by the communities they serve and expectations of their superiors. This class will explore the factors influencing individual and institutional responses to these influences. Prerequisite: JPS 202.
JPS 329. Social Movements. 4.
Explores social movement strategies of past and current activists and organizers, as well as several current theories of change in use by contemporary activists, including youth resistance theory. Examines key principles of these theories, and students practice applying them by analyzing how current groups and organizations draw on these schools of thought. Fulfills social justice/environmental responsibility requirement (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).
JPS 330. Criminal Investigation. 4.
Explores the post-crime investigation process from theoretical and practical perspectives. Topics include citizen/suspect interviewing, interrogation, evidence collection/handling, evidence admissibility and the investigation of specific major crimes. Course includes practical examinations, small projects/assignments and demonstrations by professionals. Prerequisite: JPS 202.
JPS 331 Leadership. 4
This course examines the process of leadership by learning, evaluating, & developing characteristics, relationship building, styles, & theories. A focus is placed on the development of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to create the vital relationships, self-awareness, and interpersonal attributes to lead groups, teams, and organizations effectively.
JPS 333. Criminological Theory. 4.
Advanced survey of criminological theory, covering sources of data about crime, the socioeconomic characteristics of both offenders and at-risk populations and the nature and theorized causes of criminal offenses.
JPS 335. Reclaiming Democracy. 4.
This course examines theories of democracy in the context of specific issues, both historic and contemporary, in the city of Greensboro. Students identify and analyze pressing contemporary issues, devise strategies to address them, and present their work at a public forum at the end of the semester. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).
JPS 336. Understanding Oppressive Systems. 4.
Students will examine the nature of the human system as it presents itself in small groups, organizations, communities and societies. They will develop a definition of just and humane systems as well as the kind of leadership needed to facilitate them. Fulfills social justice/environmental responsibility and historical perspective requirements (1998). Sociocultural engagement and historical perspective requirements (2019).
JPS 337. Research Methods. 4.
An introduction to the techniques and analytic tools used to conduct research in the areas of criminal justice, public policy, and related social sciences. Completion of JPS 337 with a C- or better grade is required for enrollment in JPS 480 - CJ Capstone Seminar.
JPS 338. Research Methods-CMJS. 4.
An introduction to the techniques and analytic tools used to conduct research in the areas of community and justice studies, public policy, and related social sciences. Completion of JPS 338 with a C- or better grade is required for enrollment in JPS 448 - CMJS Capstone Seminar I.
JPS 350. Special Topics. 1-8.
JPS 360. Independent Study. 1-8.
JPS 361. Philosophy of Law Enforcement. 4.
This course is based on the premise that all police officers are philosophers and need to become better philosophers of law. This course associates the works of famous jurists with the practice of law enforcement. Prerequisite: JPS 202.
JPS 363. Prisons in US and Norway. 4.
This course is an interdisciplinary comparison of the prison systems in Norway and the United States in the context of their unique histories, political economies, demographics, and cultures. Drawing on the perspectives of restorative justice, criminal justice, and psychology, students in this course will compare the goals, structure, and policies of the two prison systems and consider the differential impact on violence, mental health, rehabilitation, and recidivism. The course includes first-hand visits to prisons in the United States and in Norway. Fulfills business and policy studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Social/behavioral science and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 365. Race, Society and Criminal Justice. 4.
Engages students in a dynamic examination of the criminal justice system and the impact of race and racism on its development. Fulfills business and policies studies and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Social/behavioral science and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).
JPS 380. Victimology. 4.
Explores theories associated with crime victims as well as the historical antecedents of victimology. The course also examines the impact of various crimes on primary and secondary victims as well as society and the effectiveness of programs, laws and policies. While the course focuses primarily on the United States, victimization on a global scale will be discussed. Prerequisite: JPS 100 or 103 and JPS 233 recommended.
JPS 390. Internship. 1-10.
JPS 448. CMJS Capstone Seminar I. 4.
First semester capstone seminar for senior CMJS majors; students synthesize knowledge and skills from major, and design and implement a project addressing a local issue in collaboration with community partner. Prerequisite: JPS 338. Completion of JPS 448 with a C- or better grade is required for enrollment in JPS 449.
JPS 449. CMJS Capstone Seminar II. 4.
Second semester capstone seminar for senior CMJS majors; students synthesize knowledge and skills from major, and design and implement a project addressing a local issue in collaboration with community partner. Prerequisite: JPS 448.
JPS 450. Special Topics. 1-8.
JPS 460. Independent Study. 1-8.
JPS 470. Senior Thesis. 1-8.
Major research project designed and conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: JPS 339 or other research methods course.
JPS 480. CJ Capstone Seminar. 4.
This course serves as the culmination course for every criminal justice major. The emphasis is on helping students to apply and hone their skills from their major classes to address contemporary criminal justice problems and issues. Each problem will be examined in relation to its theoretical, methodological, policy, and practical dimensions as well as involve the identification and assessment of the existing state of knowledge. Prerequisite: JPS 337.
JPS 490. Departmental Honors. 1-8.
For seniors with a 3.5 grade-point average in the major, or by faculty approval. Students may complete a senior thesis and obtain program honors at graduation. Students interested in pursuing Departmental Honors must consult with the department in the students junior year in order to develop an approved proposal. Once approved to write a thesis, the student must have a thesis adviser (in the department) as well as two other committee members, one of whom should be from outside the department. The student will submit a written thesis to the full committee and make a public presentation.
Accelerated B.S. to M.S. Program
This program allows Guilford students to begin their graduate work as undergraduates. In this model, full time Guilford undergraduate students would need to apply for the graduate program in their junior year and if accepted, would take one graduate course in the fall of their senior year and two graduate courses in the spring of their senior year. The graduate courses taken would replace the two upper level electives in the Criminal Justice major and the one lower level elective in the Criminal Justice major.
Undergraduates who are not Criminal Justice majors may be accepted into the program but the decision to allow graduate courses to count for major requirements is at the discretion of the department that student is majoring in. If a department does not allow graduate courses to count for major requirements, the graduate courses would count as general elective credits toward their undergraduate degree.
Admission into the accelerated program requires:
- A minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0
- A completed graduate program application in the student’s junior year
- Acceptance into the program by the Graduate Program Director
An undergraduate student will not be allowed to take graduate courses until they have completed JPS 300 (Professionalism and Ethics in CJ), JPS 331 (Leadership), and JPS 337 (Research Methods).
Graduate courses taken as an undergraduate student will double count toward both their bachelor’s degree and their master’s degree.
Only full time undergraduate students are eligible to be admitted into the accelerated B.S to M.S. program. JPS courses 510-603 may count toward the undergraduate major if the student is accepted into the accelerated B.S. to M.S. program
For more information, see "Graduate Handbook".