Criminology Program

Course Syllabus
CRIM 2316 Section 0I1 Corrections
Spring Semester 2011 Online section
Room: N/A elearning Syllabus revision date: 09/26/10

I. Course Navigation: Before you begin work, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with this web-based course.
The course is totally online in an asynchronous format. You do not have to come to campus and you do not have to be
online at the same time as your professor or classmates. You can complete your course by navigating around the
eLearning CRIM 2316 homepage and reading the materials specified on it and through the material in the organizers on
that page. We will utilize the assessment, discussion, mail, announcement, who’s online, and my grade tools which are all
available to you on the menu on the homepage. All requirements for course completion are listed in Section VIII of this
syllabus along with the due dates for the completion of the various requirements. A summary calendar is provided for all
graded events at the end of Section VIII of the syllabus. If you have any questions whatsoever about how to access any of
the course materials or assignments please email me at elmer.polk@utdallas.edu. You must check your email in the
eLearning course site at least three times per week for emails and announcements. Remember this is your classroom so
please feel comfortable asking me any questions which you would ordinarily ask in class.

II. Professor Contact Information: Dr. O. Elmer Polk, Green Hall, Office #3.406. elmer.polk@utdallas.edu, telephone
972-883-2983. Students are strongly encouraged to use email as the primary method of communication. Your professor
checks email several times per day and you can normally expect a response within 8 hours or sooner.
Office Hours: Students may feel free to contact the professor at any time by email. Appointments may be arranged at
times available to both student and professor for those requiring an in person visit. Posted office hours for the Spring
semester will be TR 8:45 am – 9:45 am.
Graduate Teaching Assistant: Your TA for this class is Ivan Birch. Please feel welcome to contact him at
igb100020@utdallas.edu or in person at the TA Office in GR 2.512.
Technical Support: If you experience difficulties with your UTD account you may send an email to assist@utdallas.edu
or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.

III. Course Description: This course introduces students to the history and background of American corrections and the
fundamental theories of punishment and treatment. Emphasis will be placed on the policies, practices, and issues within
the correctional system. The incarceration of criminal populations in jails and prisons, and the expansion of community
based corrections will also be discussed.

IV. Learning Outcomes:

A. Provide an overview of the development of the use of institutions and community reintegration programs as
correctional processes and the philosophies of punishment utilized in their justification.
B. Provide an overview of practices, traditions and instruments used prior to the development of the use of
institutions, probation, and parole.
C. Increase students' ability to critically read corrections literature and differentiate scholarly literature from
practitioner and mass media sources.
D. Introduce students to possible abuses of correctional facilities and processes.
E. Introduce students to contemporary legal requirements in using institutions as a control mechanism and explore
corresponding constitutional rights and their limitations as reflected by their knowledge of leading legal court
opinions and decisions.
F. Differentiate varying types of correctional processes and functions, staffing and organizational variables, and
career opportunities.

V. Required Text and course materials: Corrections in America: An Introduction, 12th edition (2010) by Allen, Harry E.,
Edward J. Latessa & Bruce S. Ponder. Pearson/Prentice Hall Publishing. ISBN# 978-0-13-503439-2. Additionally,
students are required to read appropriate, current criminal justice journal articles and internet materials as assigned.
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VI. Grades will be posted based on the following scale: A+=98-100, A=94-97, A-=90-93: B+=87-89, B=84-86, B-=80-83,
C+77-79, C=74-76, C-=70-73, D+=67-69, D=64-66, D-=60-63, F=0-59. Grades are based on the following events (due
dates are in the course calendar and assignment schedule in Section VIII of this syllabus). Please note that there is no
extra credit work available in this class and each student should strive to do his or her best work on each and every
grading event. The mathematical rule of rounding will apply to the computation of the final grade in the course
based on the grades received in the following events.

Note: Exams are accessible to all students one week prior to the due date in the syllabus. Each exam must be
completed by the due date specified in Section VIII of this syllabus to avoid significant late penalties.

1. Examination I (100 points). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook and internet sites
2. Examination 2 (100 points). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook and internet sites
3. Examination 3 (100 points). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook and internet sites.
4. Examination 4 (100 points). 2 hours, online, open-book; questions from textbook and internet sites
5. Discussion 1 grade (100 points) Answers to five of the discussion questions must be posted on the discussion board
in essay format of 250 words or more per answer with 2 external references before taking Exam 2
6. Discussion grade 2 (100 points) Answers to five of the discussion questions must be posted on the discussion board
in essay format of 250 words or more per answer with two external references before taking Exam 4
7. Responses to five of your classmates’ postings either agreeing or disagreeing and stating why. (100 points)
8. Syllabus Quiz (no credit points) This quiz is required before any student takes any of the exams or posts any
discussion questions. Please email your professor at elmer.polk@utdallas.edu if you have any questions whatsoever
after taking the quiz. Please be aware you can retake the syllabus quiz if you are unhappy with initial results.
9. Required Library Research Paper (100 points) Details below. Due date in Section VIII.

Your grades will be posted to the eLearning gradebook in percentage scores with a running average in the Total column.

Incomplete Grade Policy: As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed
at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved
within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and
to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically
to a grade of F.

Examinations: There are four open-book examinations that will consist of 50-75 objective items each with a maximum
score of 100 points on each exam. Questions are taken from your textbook and the internet sites identified in the course
outline section of this syllabus. Your score will be posted in percentage scores in your gradebook with a maximum score
of 100% on each. Please be aware that the exams are rigorous. You will be given a maximum of two hours to complete
each exam. Please read and study the text and internet sites in detail before beginning the exams. The professor will
manually curve the class scores depending upon the highest grade made on each exam. The manual adjustments will be
entered into your gradebook within one week of the due date for each exam. Exams will be accessible to each student
one week prior to the exam due date in the syllabus. The exams must be completed within that week unless the student
arranges make-up plans with the professor beforehand. Late exams will be reduced in grade by 10 points per day.

Discussion Board Questions: Ten of the twenty discussion items on the discussion board must be answered with each
item worth 20 points for a cumulative score of 100 on each forum. Five of the discussion questions must be posted from
Forum 1 before you take Examination 2 and five more must be posted from Forum 2 before taking Examination 4.
Discussion Board items may be posted early if the student wishes. Due dates for the postings are detailed in the Course
Calendar and Assignment Schedule in Section XIII of the course Syllabus. Questions not posted by the due dates will be
reduced in grade 10 points per calendar day. Any questions not received by the last day of regular class will receive a
score of zero. Discussion question answers must be the student’s own original work and must be 250 words or
longer and each answer must be followed by the bibliographic information on two sources of information in
addition to the textbook or internet site. In other words, please treat each discussion question as a mini-paper with
three references including your textbook and two additional sources. Answers that are simply blocked and moved from
any other site that are not the original work of the student posting the answer will receive a grade of zero unless properly
cited and the student will be referred for disciplinary action by the university.

Responses: Students are also required to briefly and respectfully comment in five responses to other students’
discussion questions. There is no length requirement for the responses to other student answers. Your responses should
be based on the substantive content of their posting and must address the content of their answer. DO NOT criticize the
other student or make negative references about the student. Each response is worth up to 20 points for a possible 100
points on this grading event. Grades are posted as you submit your responses – usually within 48 hours.
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Attention to proper writing and correct spelling when posting the discussion questions and responses is expected and is a
part of the grade received for the assignment. Use proper grammar and spelling and do not use any type of abbreviations
not found in a commonly accepted, standardized English dictionary. All comments posted by students must be in
formal language with no intolerant, rude, abusive, or obscene language. Violations of this policy will be referred for
disciplinary action with the recommendation that the student be expelled from the class!

Introductions: Students should go to the discussion board and post a brief introduction about themselves during the first
week of class. Please do not post addresses or other personal contact information on the discussion board. Give a brief
summary about yourself including what year you are in, your major, and any future career goals if you have formulated
them.

Required paper: The topic paper will be graded on a100 point scale with a zero score if no paper is submitted. The
paper, like the discussion questions, can be submitted early if the student wishes and papers not submitted by the due
date will receive a penalty of 10 points per day for each calendar day that it is late. Early submission is encouraged.
Attention to proper writing composition and correct spelling is expected and is a part of the grade received for the
assignment. Your topic may be selected from anything you read in the course from the textbook, chapter outlines,
PowerPoints, or the internet sites. If you need help picking a topic or would like to get your topic approved before
proceeding, simply email me and I can provide a list of topics or the approval of your topic. A short list of possible topics is
also available on your course homepage. The paper should address the history and emergence of the topic selected as
well as the current state of the topic and future trends or implications. The paper must be between six and eight pages
and must have a properly formatted bibliography containing at least six references, which may include books (including
your textbook), scholarly journal articles, newspaper articles (no more than 2), government reports, or scholarly internet
articles that have a known author and date of publication. Students who are uncertain about whether a journal article is
scholarly or not should ask the professor via email at the course email site or elmer.polk@utdallas.edu. The paper must
be printed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins at top, bottom, and both sides. Font size must be 11 or 12 and the
paper should not contain any pictures, charts, diagrams, tables, etc. The paper may be emailed to
elmer.polk@utdallas.edu.

Syllabus Quiz: All students are required to complete the syllabus quiz within the first week of class.

Netiquette: Please express all posted comments in formal English without street jargon or employment related jargon,
acronyms, or abbreviations that will not be understood by all students. Avoid being critical of your fellow classmates and
focus your responses to the content of what they posted. Do not make emotional outbursts on the discussion page and
always remember that anything you post will be retained exactly as you post it for a long time and can be referred to
exactly as you post it in the future. Some yes and no rules to follow in the course:

 Yes, you can email your professor as often as you like at elmer.polk@utdallas.edu
 Yes, you can critique postings in your responses in any way you like as long as it is not offensive and not
critical of another student personally.
 Yes, you can ask the professor any question you have
 Yes, every email is appreciated and answered
 No, you should not use a lot of acronyms and jargon in your postings
 No, you should not try to use humor as it sometimes comes across online with unintended consequences.
 Remember that even if you are posting your comments in the privacy of your home, they will be viewed online
exactly as comments would be viewed in a live classroom and comment accordingly and with proper respect for
fellow students.

VII. Students wishing information on the following topics and policies should visit the website following the list. Student
Conduct & Discipline, Student Grievance Procedures, Incomplete Grade Policy, Disability Services, Religious Holy Days,
Academic Integrity, Copyright Notice, Email Use, Withdrawal from Class, and Off-Campus Instruction and Course
Activities: http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies.

VIII. COURSE CALENDAR AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

Please note that all chapter reading assignments made in this assignment schedule refer to readings in the required
textbook entitled, Corrections in America: An Introduction, 12th edition (2010). Additional readings are required in the
individual session outlines and the internet sites identified in them and in the following assignment schedule.
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As per the UTD Academic Calendar, spring semester classes begin on Monday January 10, 2011 and end on Monday,
May 2, 2011 with a Final Exam due by Thursday, May 5, 2011 by midnight. Each week in the following schedule is
composed of a seven day period with week one beginning on January 10.

First Week of Class (Jan. 10-16): Read chapters 1 & 2 in the text as well as the entire class syllabus available on the
course website. Welcome to the class! These readings will introduce you to the course, the professor, and the
expectations of you in the course. The topic this week is the history and development of human behaviors and the
corresponding development of social sanctions, precursors of prisons, and prisons.

JANUARY 14, 2011 FRIDAY: SYLLABUS QUIZ: ALL STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THE POSTED QUIZ BY
MIDNIGHT.

JANUARY 14, 2011 FRIDAY or earlier: Introductions: ALL STUDENTS SHOULD GO TO THE DISCUSSION BOARD
UNDER Introductions and post a brief introduction of themselves. Please do not post any personal addresses or contact
information. Just tell us a little bit about yourself such as what year you are in, your major, your interests, and future
career plans if you have formulated any at this time.

Week 2 (JAN. 17-23): Read chapter 3 in the text. Topic: Why we punish offenders and the five ideologies of punishment.
Discussion of retribution & just deserts, deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation & the medical model, and restoration.

Week 3 (JAN. 24-30): Read chapter 4 in the text. Topic: Sentencing categories. Indeterminate, determinate, mandatory,
presumptive. Influence of the three branches of government. The presentence investigation. Felonies and misdemeanors.

Week 4 (JAN. 31-FEB. 6): Read chapter 5 in the text. Topic: Appellate court review and probation.

Suggested Internet Site: LexisNexis Academic. Go to The UT Dallas Library page and click on databases and find the
LexisNexis Academic database. Log in and then click on Legal Research at menu on left and then click on Law Reviews.
Practice pulling up law review articles by typing in the subject you are planning to do your class paper on such as: death
penalty, prisons, corporal punishment, etc. Review at least two articles.

Required Internet Site #1: Go to the FBI’S Uniform Crime Report at http://www.fbi.gov and click on the reports and
publications link at the left of page. Then click on Crime in the U.S. link at bottom of page. What are the primary four
crimes of violence reported? What are the primary four property crimes? Which property crime happens the most often?

FEBRUARY 4, 2011 FRIDAY  EXAMINATION 1 ON CHAPTERS 1-4, AND THE ACCOMPANYING CHAPTER
OUTLINES, INTERNET SITES AND POWERPOINTS. REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST HAVE TAKEN THE SYLLABUS
BEFORE TAKING THIS EXAMINATION.

Week 5: (FEB. 7-13): Read chapter 6 in the text. Topic: Diversion and intermediate sanctions.

Week 6 (FEB. 14-20): Read chapters 7& 8 in text. Topic: Custody, management, and treatment.

Week 7 (FEB. 21-27): Read chapters 9 in the text. Topic: jails and detention facilities

FEBRUARY 25, 2011 FRIDAY  MUST POST FIVE DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS PLUS TWO RESPONSES
TO YOUR CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS BY MIDNIGHT.

FEBRUARY 25, 2011 FRIDAY EXAMINATION 2 ON CHAPTERS 5-9 AND ACCOMPANYING CHAPTER OUTLINES
AND POWERPOINTS

Week 8 (FEB. 28-MARCH 6): Read chapters 10 & 11 in the text. Topics: State and local prison systems & The Federal
System. Organization of correctional institutions. Are they cruel and unusual punishment?

Required Internet Site #2: Go to http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/cid/cid_prison_jail_mgt.htm and scroll down and note the
number of regions in the state of Texas and the number of prisons in each. What is the difference between a state jail and
a prison?

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Required Internet Site #3: Federal Bureau of Prisons. Go to http://www.bop.gov and click on the South Central Service
Region of the U.S. From the list, how many federal institutions are in the Ft. Worth, Bryan, Bastrop area?

Week 9 (MARCH 7-13): Read chapter 12. Topic: Private sector prisons

Week 10 (MARCH 14-20): Spring Break

Week 11 (MARCH 21-27): Read chapters 13 & 14. Topics: Parole and re-entry & the death penalty.

MARCH 25, 2011 FRIDAY EXAMINATION 3 ON CHAPTERS 10-14 AND ACCOMPANYING CHAPTER OUTLINES,
INTERNET SITES, AND POWERPOINTS.

Week 12 (MARCH 28-APRIL 3): Read chapter 15 in the text. Topic: the inmate and ex-offender rights.

Week 13 (APRIL4-10): Read chapter 16 in the text. Topic: Male offenders.

APRIL 8, 2011 FRIDAY. LIBRARY RESEARCH PAPER IS DUE BEFORE MIDNIGHT. LATE PAPERS WILL BE
REDUCED IN GRADE 10 POINTS FOR EACH DAY IT IS LATE.

Week 14 (APRIL 11-17): Read and chapter 17 in the text. Topic: Female prisoners and issues.

Week 15 (APRIL 18-24): Read chapter 18 in the text. Topic: Juvenile offenders.

Required site #4: Each student must go to http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/research/cost_per_day.html then review the differences
in cost between TYC institutions and parole. What is the cost per day in institutions? on parole?

April 22, 2011 FRIDAY  MUST SUBMIT FIVE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS PLUS THREE
RESPONSES TO YOUR CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS BY MIDNIGHT. (THIS WILL GIVE YOU A TOTAL OF TEN
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND FIVE RESPONSES IN THE COURSE).

Week 16 (APRIL 25-30): Read chapter 19 in the text. Topic: special category offenders. Review chapters 14-19 in the
text to prepare for final examination.

May 5, 2011. Thursday by midnight (please note exam will open one week previous to this date and you are
encouraged to take the exam early. Midnight on the 5th is the absolute deadline – no extensions. Persons not
taking the final exam will receive a grade of zero).  EXAMINATION 4 (final exam) ON CHAPTERS 15-19 AND
RELATED CHAPTER OULTINES, INTERNET SITES, AND POWERPOINTS.

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 Course Calendar at a Glance

Calendar due dates for all events contributing to students’ course grade

Date Exams and Quiz Discussion Board Dates

JAN. 14, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT SYLLABUS QUIZ: ALL STUDENTS ALL STUDENTS SHOULD POST A
MUST COMPLETE THE POSTED BREF INTRODUCTION ON THE
QUIZ BY MIDNIGHT DISCUSION BOARD.

FEB. 4, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT EXAMINATION 1 ON CHAPTERS 1-4.

FEB. 25, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT MUST SUBMIT THE FIRST FIVE
DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS
PLUS TWO RESPONSES TO YOUR
CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS .LATE
ANSWERS ARE REDUCED IN GRADE
BY 10% PER DAY.

FEB. 25, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT EXAMINATION 2 ON CHAPTERS 5-9,

AND RELATED SITES.

MARCH 25, 2011 FRIDAY BY EXAMINATION 3 ON CHAPTERS 10-

MIDNIGHT 14, AND RELATED SITES.

LIBRARY RESEARCH PAPER IS DUE

BEFORE MIDNIGHT. LATE PAPERS
APRIL 8, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT WILL BE REDUCED IN GRADE 10
POINTS FOR EACH DAY IT IS LATE.

April 22, 2011 FRIDAY BY MIDNIGHT MUST SUBMIT FIVE ADDITIONAL

DISCUSSION QUESTION ANSWERS
PLUS THREE RESPONSES TO YOUR
CLASSMATES’ ANSWERS. (THIS
WILL GIVE YOU TEN DISCUSSION
QUESITONS AND FIVE RESPONSES
COMPLETED IN THE COURSE) LATE
ANSWERS ARE REDUCED IN GRADE
BY 10% PER DAY.

MAY 5, 2011. THURSDAY BY (FINAL EXAM) EXAMINATION 4 ON

MIDNIGHT (DUE TO THE ABSOLUTE CHAPS. 15-19 AND RELATED SITES
LACK OF FLEXIBILTY IN THIS DUE
DATE, ALL STUDENTS ARE
ENCORUAGED TO TAKE THE FINAL
AT LEAST ONE OR TWO DAYS
EARLY).

Please note all exam and participation dates carefully and contact your professor if there are urgent and compelling
reasons why you need a date changed. (Remember that early completion of the exams and assignments is permitted
without prior discussion). The final exam date is not flexible regardless of cause if it is late but arrangements can be made
for it to be taken early if required.

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 Selected References

Allen, H.E., Latessa, E.J., & Ponder (2010). Corrections in America, 12th ed., Upper

Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall Publishing.

Champion, D.J. (2001). Corrections in the United States: A Contemporary Perspective, 3rd. ed., Upper

Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Champion, D.J. (2002) Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections, 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.:

Prentice Hall, Inc.

Cromwell, P.E., R.V. del Carmen, & L.F. Alarid. (2002). Community-Based Corrections. Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth – Thomson Learning.

Del Carmen, A. (2000). Corrections. Madison, WI: Coursewise Publishing.

Del Carmen, R.V. (1987). Criminal Procedure for Law Enforcement Personnel. Pacific Grove, CA:

Brooks/Cole Publishers.

DiIulio, J.J., Jr. (1987) Governing Prisons. New York: McMillan Publishing.

Gido, R.L. & T. Alleman. (2002) Turnstile Justice: Issues in American Corrections, 2nd ed., Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Marquart, J.W. & Sorenson, J.R. (1997) Correctional contexts, Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing Co.

Mauer, Marc. (1999). Race to Incarcerate: The Sentencing Project. New York: The New Press.

Mays, G.L. & Winfree, L.T. Jr. (2005). Essentials of Corrections. Thomson/Wadsworth Publishing.

Palmer, J.W. (1997). Constitutional Rights of Prisoners, 5th. ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Anderson Publishing Co.

Reichel, P.L. (1997). Corrections. Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Company.

Schwartz, M.D. & Travis, L.F. (1997). Corrections: An Issues Approach, Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing.

Seiter, R.S. (2005). Corrections: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education,

Inc.

Roth, M. P. (2005). Crime and Punishment: A History of the Criminal Justice System. Thomson/

Wadsworth Publishing.

Rush, G. (1992). Dict. of Criminal Justice, 3rd ed., Dushkin Publishing.

Silverman, Ira J. (2001) Corrections: A Comprehensive View, 2nd ed., Wadsworth Publishing.

List of Authorities

Kent v. United States, 383 U.S. 541 (1966).

In Re Gault, 87 U.S.1 (1967).
In Re Winship, 397 U.S. 358 (1970).
Jackson v. Bishop, 268 F. Supp. 804 (1968).

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Johnson v. Avery, 393 U.S. 483 (1969).
Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S.97 (1976).
Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cr. 137 (1803).

Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S.471 (1972).

Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539 (1974).
Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972).
Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 154 (1976).
Ruffin v. Commonwealth, 62 Va.(21 Gratt.) 790 (1871).
Holt v. Sarver, 300 F.Supp. 825 (1969).
Roper v. Simmons, 125 S. Ct. 1183 (2005)