Dr. Justine M. Madoo, Senior Lecturer, was awarded the Teaching Innovation Grant Proposal. This grant will help to redesign the required CCJS 100 course in the Criminology and Criminal Justice department to function effectively online and/or hybrid, if necessary, in the Fall 2020 semester and beyond. The CCJS100, Introduction to Criminal Justice course is a large, required course in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJS). This course is required when students enter the CCJS major and is also a General Education Program course. The long-term goal of this grant is to enhance student engagement and retention, while ensuring course learning outcomes are being met as a uniform classroom utilizing innovative and flexible teaching approaches.

After the completion of CCJS100, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the three subsystems of the American criminal justice system: police, courts, and corrections. In addition, students will also demonstrate an understanding of the major theories used to explain criminal and delinquent behavior. Students will also examine how crime and delinquency are defined and measured in America and the future direction of the American criminal justice system. Finally, students will identify specific issues of crime including offender reentry, technology and crime, and juvenile justice. These course learning outcomes align with the broader program outcomes as this course sets the foundation for the specific areas of criminal justice students will continue to study within the major. This required course serves as the baseline for almost all courses in the major and provides students with working knowledge of the current system of law enforcement, courts, and corrections in America.