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COURSE SYLLABUS
INTRODUCTION TO POLICING (CJC 230/001)
INSTRUCTOR:
DEPARTMENT:
TERM:
CLASS TIME:
CLASS ROOM:
OFFICE:
OFFICE HOUR:
PHONE:
E-mail:

Taiping Ho, Ph.D. and Professor

Criminal Justice and Criminology
Fall Semester, 2015
9:30 - 10:45 AM (Tuesday and Thursday)
AC 302
NQ 280
Thursday:
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Other requests please contact me in advance.
765-285-5983
taipingho@bsu.edu

Special Note #1:

ICHE Compliance

According to ICHE, students need to spend 2-hours out of class in preparatory for each
hour in class. Accordingly, the instructor will require all students to spend at least 6 hours per
week to study and to prepare all course-related materials which will be discussed in this course.
Special Note #2: Providing access and opportunity for students with disabilities
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please contact
me as soon as possible. Ball State's Disability Services office coordinates services for students
with disabilities; documentation of a disability needs to be on file in that office before any
accommodations can be provided. Disability Services can be contacted at 765-285-5293
or dsd@bsu.edu.
Special Note #3: The Date and Time of Final Exam
The final exam date is scheduled on December 18, Friday, 9:45 11:45 AM, 2015
Special Note #4:
For any written assignments, students must submit a hard copy of an
assignment or other course-related documents on the due date. No electronic submission will be
accepted!

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COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course intends to examine the development of the police in America in the past,
present, and future. The course subjects emphasizes on institutional context of police activity,
bureaucratization of the police, professionalization, role of the police, and police/community
change.
Course Rationale:
This course aims to better prepare our students for careers in criminal justice by
providing them with the education and knowledge to deal with a variety of complex policerelated activities, legally and professionally.
Course Objective:
This course provides a unified overview of the broad field of law enforcement and police
systems in America. After the completion of this course, students would be able to:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

Analyze police structures, processes, behaviors, functions, and problems of law

enforcement.
Describe legal rules and regulations in regard to policing in current American
society.
Explore the field of criminal justice and criminology.
Prepare for a career at a variety of law enforcement agencies.

In order to achieve the goals mentioned above, several important requirements for this
course are specified as following:
(1)

EXAMINATION:

There are two (2) written exams are required to be completed in this course. Each
examination will weigh 25% of the final grade. A make-up exam will be given under extreme
circumstances (e.g., a death in the family). Any make-up exam must be approved by the
instructor and a new due date of the exam will be issued once the student has provided an
adequate proof to the instructor in a timely fashion. The course content for each exam will be
announced during the class meeting. Also, the dates of 1st exam will be announced during the
class meeting.
(2)

ASSIGNMENT ONLINE DISCUSSION SUBJECT:

In order to promote active and interactive learning community in this course, each student
is required to review the required materials then post his/her response on each online discussion

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subject in Discussion Board on Blackboard, before or on the due date. It is important to note
that each posting on online discussion subject must contain at least 500 words (or at least one
page, single-spaced, of Word document).
Meanwhile, each student is required to review other students postings then provide
adequate response to, at least, three (3) students postings. The students response must follow
the framework of discussion as specified by the instructor in regard to online discussion subject.
Please note that each student must post his/her feedback on the online discussion subject before
or on the due date. However, each student has three (3) additional days to respond to other
students postings. In other words, the students could post his/her response to other students
postings by the following Monday, if the due date for the online discussion subject is due on
Friday.
It is important to note that students are obligated to make up any course-related
assignment if they were absent from the classes, with an adequate excuse, when such an
assignment was announced or posted on Blackboard!
The due date for each of online discussion subjects:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(3)

September 16, 2015:

October 7, 2015:
November 4, 2015:
December 2, 2015:

Online Discussion Subject #1

Online Discussion Subject #2
Online Discussion Subject #3
Online Discussion Subject #4

ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT POLICE ISSUES AND PRESENTATION:

A Group Project

In order to promote active and interactive learning community in this course, each student
is required to participate in a variety of group-based projects/assignments/presentations. No
credit will be given to any student who does not participate in and/or contribute to the
completion of the assigned project. The group will be determined during the class meeting in
first week of the semester. The group-based assignments will be given during the semester and
the due date for each of group projects will be determined during the semester.
The major learning outcomes of this group-based assignment/project/presentation will
achieve the CJC objectives and goals, which include: (1) CJC students should be able to analyze
information; (2) CJC students should be able to think critically, and (3) CJC students should be
able to communicate effectively.
(4)

ATTENDANCE:

Class attendance is required. The instructor will check the students attendance during
this semester. An absence will be excused under extreme circumstances and adequate proof is

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required to be submitted to the instructor in a timely fashion. Most importantly, an absence
wont be waived on the basis of either a phone message or an email. The student must provide
an adequate proof to the instructor in a timely fashion in order to waive his/her class absence.
Also, the student has obligated to keep up with the class progress/content/assignment/etc. if class
absence occurred. Meanwhile, the student who has an outstanding attendance will receive
appropriate extra credit in the end of the class.
Attendance policy for this course:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)
(G)
(5)

The student must attend class on time and he or she is expected to stay in the
classroom until the instructor dismisses the class. Anyone who leaves the
classroom without the instructors permission will be counted as absent.
If you miss one class meeting, you will lose 10% of the attendance points.
If you miss two class meetings, you will lose 25% of the attendance points.
If you miss three class meetings, you will lose 50% of the attendance points.
If you miss four class meetings, you will lose 75% of the attendance points.
If you miss five class meetings or more, you will lose 100% of the attendance
points.
The student will receive extra credit for perfect attendance this semester.

COMPUTER COMPETENCY:

In order to stimulate students knowledge-seeking capabilities in the learning process at

Ball State University, the instructor will introduce Web-related information as a part of teaching
materials. In this course, the instructor will employ actual cases (e.g., The United States
Supreme Courts decisions) to demonstrate legal doctrines in a variety of field situations with
regard to law enforcement. The instructor will assist students in learning of technology-based
skills (e.g., the Internet) and demonstrate the basic skills of searching appropriate Web sites in
the classes.
(6)

MULTICULTURAL AWARENESS:

In order to promote the awareness of multiculturalism, this instructor will discuss

multicultural issues in law enforcement, which include several important subjects:
(a)
legal requirements of recruitment in law enforcement (e.g., The 1964 Civil Rights
Act, The 1972 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and cases);
(b)
disparity in police recruitment regarding candidates race, gender, and so on;
(c)
issues of racial profiles in police-citizen field encounters;
(d)
issues of warrantless searches in minority communities; and
(e)
multiculturalism training in law enforcement.
Specifically, this proposed curriculum will enhance students understanding of race,
ethnicity, and gender intersecting in multifaceted and interlocking ways in the criminal justice
system. Particularly, the CJC students have to equip themselves with the awareness of

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multiculturalism in order to enforce laws in a professional fashion in a diverse society.
(7)

ETHICS AWARENESS:

Ethics and moral responsibilities in law enforcement raise potential concerns for criminal
justice majors with respect to the various roles they are often involved with in the criminal
justice system. Quite often, the conflict and/or dilemma between legitimate requirements and
fundamentally personal ethical standards creates the need for enhancing criminal justice
students understanding of the issues of ethics, moral responsibilities, values, and the
development of leadership as well. It is important to establish intact ethical criteria among
criminal justice students so that they can cope with the complexity of ethical dilemmas in the
criminal justice system.
This instructor intends to demonstrate the importance of ethical education through
discussion of the fundamental nature of ethical/moral conflict, in terms of individual rights (due
process of lawspresumed innocent until proven guilty) versus social utility (law and order
fighting crimes) in law enforcement processes. Several important subjects will be discussed in
this course, such as, (a) police use of force and moral/ethical/legal standards; (b) police
wrongdoing and criminal/civil liability; and (c) police searches and seizures and legal/ethical
standards of good-faith actions.
(8)

REQUIRED TEXT:
Textbook:
Authors:
Publisher:

(9)

Police & Society (5th edition)

Roy Roberg, Kenneth Novak, and Gary Cordner
Oxford University Press, New York

FINAL GRADE:

The final grade (100 points) for this course combines points for examinations,
assignments, group projects/assignments, and class attendance.
The Distribution:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(10)

The First Examination =

The Second Examination =
Online Discussion Subject =
Assignment/Group Project =
Attendance =
Extra Credit =

Grade Scale: (the unit is point)

A = 95.0-100

A- = 90.0-94.9

25%
25%
20%
20%
10% (attendance points)
TBD (To Be Determined)

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B+ =
C+ =
D+ =
F =

86.0-89.9
B = 83.0-85.9
76.0-79.9
C = 73.0-75.9
66.0-69.9
D = 63.0-65.9
59.9 or BELOW

B- = 80.0-82.9
C- = 70.0-72.9
D- = 60.0-62.9

Grading Rubric: Paper/Assignment/Project/Etc.

The grade (A, B, C, D, F) of the assignment/paper/project/etc. will be based on the
following sections:
Section #1:
A:
B:
C:
D:
F:
Section #2:
A:
B:
C:
D:
F:

Introduction
Introduction clearly identifies the purpose(s) of the subject matter(s) in the
paper/assignment with sufficient examples and citations.
Introduction clearly identifies the purpose(s) of the subject matter(s) in the
paper/assignment with a few of examples and citations.
Introduction identifies the purpose(s) of the subject matter(s) in the
paper/assignment with insufficient examples and citations.
Introduction does not identify the purpose(s) of the subject matter(s) in the
paper/assignment with insufficient examples and citations.
Introduction does not clearly identify the purpose(s) of the subject matter(s) in the
paper/assignment and does not provide any example and citation.
Issues are relevant to the subject matter(s)
Issues are relevant to the subject matter(s) have been clearly identified in the
paper/assignment with sufficient examples and citations.
Issues are relevant to the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment have been
identified in the paper/assignment with a few of examples and citations.
Issues are relevant to the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment have been
identified in the paper/assignment with insufficient examples and citations.
Issues are relevant to the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment have not been
identified in the paper/assignment with insufficient examples and citations.
Issues are relevant to the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment have not been
identified in the paper/assignment and does not provide any example and

citation.
Section #3:
A:

Analysis of the subject matter(s)

Analysis of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is very clear with
sufficient examples and citations.

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B:
C:
D:
F.
Section #4:
A:
B:
C:
D:
F.
Section #5:
A:
B:
C:
D:
F:
Section #6:
A:
B:
C:
D:
F:

Analysis of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is clear with a few of

examples and citations.
Analysis of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment has been presented with
insufficient examples and citations.
Analysis of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is not clear with
insufficient examples and citations.
Analysis of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is obviously not clear
and does not provide any example or citation.
Critical thinking of the subject matter(s)
Critical thinking of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is very clear with
sufficient examples and citations.
Critical thinking of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is clear with a
few of examples and citations.
Critical thinking of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment has been
presented with insufficient examples and citations.
Critical thinking of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is not clear with
insufficient examples and citations.
Critical thinking of the subject matter(s) in the paper/assignment is obviously not
clear and does not provide any example or citation.
Grammar/spelling/mechanics in the paper and assignment
The paper/assignment contains no error in grammar/spelling.
The paper/assignment has contained a few of errors in grammar/spelling.
The paper/assignment has contained some errors in grammar/spelling.
The paper/assignment has contained many errors in grammar/spelling.
The paper/assignment has contained many obvious errors in grammar/spelling.
Conclusion
Relevant and satisfactory conclusion in the paper/assignment has been drawn and
supported with sufficient evidence/citations.
Relevant conclusion in the paper/assignment has been drawn and supported with
some evidence/citations.
Relevant conclusion in the paper/assignment has been drawn and supported with a
few of evidence/citations.
Conclusion in the paper/assignment has been drawn with insufficient
evidence/citations.
There is no clear conclusion in the paper/assignment and provided no
evidence/citation.