Criminal Justice

This course will provide students with a historical overview and current trends in civil litigation against law enforcement as well as describing the varying types of liability that exist under the law. Students will study the defenses to liability claims made against law enforcement. Liability claims will also be examined from the administrator's point of view including claims of failure to train and failure to supervise. Use of force and section 1983 claims will be examined in detail as the main claims against law enforcement.

This course is intended to introduce and explore the structure and psychology of totalistic cultic organizations. Students will examine the key differences between conventional religious movements, splinter sects and cults to better understand the differences among varied faith-based organizations. Cults will be viewed both from historical and contemporary viewpoints in regard to recruiting practices, thought reform and control, personal and social consequences of cult membership, and the unique challenges that such groups pose for law enforcement. Additionally, students will review the clinical precursors which may predispose an individual to cultic persuasion and indoctrination, as well as the psychological consequences of membership. The course will rely heavily upon a detailed case study format which will scrutinize selected cult leaders/groups and allow students to apply theoretical knowledge to particular historical events and figures.

This course will focus on the forgotten member of the criminal dyad: the victim. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to these developments and to alert them to ongoing victim-related issues. The goals of the course will include: Introducing the student to the development of the field of victimology; Delineating the conceptual boundaries of victimology; Familiarizing the student with basic concepts and literature within various sub-areas of victimology; Exploring policy developments and practical applications that stem from this concern over victims; and Assessing the progress away from a criminal justice system towards achieving a victim justice system.

This course is intended to introduce and explore the phenomenon of repetitive, intrinsically motivated homicide utilizing both clinical and law enforcement perspectives. Primary behavioral and crime scene characteristics of both organized and disorganized types of offenders will be reviewed to explain the incidence of serial homicide as a function of motivational factors ranging from sociopathy to severe psychiatric disturbance. The varied typologies and classification systems for serial murderers will be presented as a means of discussing issues ranging from victim selection to law enforcement investigative responsibilities. The course will rely heavily upon a detailed case study format which will scrutinize the crimes of key selected offenders and allow students to apply theoretical knowledge to particular serial perpetrators.

In this experiential course, the student serves as an intern with a criminal justice professional in a work setting. This placement may be in the public or private sector and is governed by an agreement signed by the student, the professional, and the internship director. The experience may be multidisciplinary, but should have a strong criminal justice element. Students are expected to be sufficiently motivated to seek out their own placement site with some guidance from the internship director. *** This class can be repeated more than one time for additional credits.

This course is designed to synthesize the information and insights from other courses in the Criminal Justice Curriculum. It includes research in crime trends and causes, scholarly research, and an assessment of each student’s knowledge and understanding of the essential elements of the criminal justice system. This Capstone Course will focus on pragmatic application of principles and theories which guide Criminal Justice practice in the United States.

This course builds on the scientific knowledge and analytical skills developed in the prerequisite science courses and laboratory work. The student will apply scientific principles and use current laboratory instrumentation to compare and distinguish between typical forensic evidence items. Students will become familiar with microscope examinations of trace evidence including soil, fibers and hairs, forensic serology and screening, DNA typing, bloodstain pattern analysis and toxicology. Topical discussions and lectures will be supplemented by scheduled field trips and guest speakers from the forensic science community.

This course is the capstone of the bachelor's degree in forensic science. The course will draw on the knowledge acquired throughout the previous seven semesters. The course will guide students through correct processing and sequencing of processing of evidence at the crime scene and in the laboratory. Particular attention will be placed on understanding the pros and cons, false negatives and false positives, cross reactions and potential for cross contamination in analyzing and testing evidence items. Students will learn various techniques for describing scientific principles in layman's terms. The course will finish up with a mock trial at the end of the semester, giving the student the chance to experience direct and cross examination. During the course of the semester the class will sit for the International Association of Identification (IAI) crime scene technician certification. This will give the students the opportunity to acquire international certification and well as earn the degree.

Taught at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, this 18-week course is designed to qualify a student as a Maine law enforcement officer. The Academy program tests a student's ability and willingness to assume the complex and challenging responsibilities of a modern law enforcement officer in keeping the peace, protecting state and federal constitutional rights and enforcing the law.

This course provides an analysis and overview of the theories of organization and the administration of criminal justice agencies, including management styles, techniques of leadership, ethics, and decision-making for those students who do not have a previous background in criminal justice.