Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP - Archives

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: February 12, 2009
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ 490 Special Topics: Careers in Criminal Justice
(aka The Criminal Justice Profession)

You will be held accountable for the readings and discussion questions listed here. There will be no "testing." That means that you will not have to live in anxious anticipation of what we will ask and how much you will have to know. Instead, we will provide weekly discussion questions, lectures, essays, and concepts we feel that you should know as a result of having taken this course. You will assure us of that learning and receive your grade for the questions and concepts about which you choose to write and talk with us. In addition you will find detailed explanations and examples on our grading policies in the first week's reading.

* * * * *

Week 5: Week of February 15, 2009

On Monday, sign up for your midterm meeting. Sign up sheet to be circulated in class.

This week, you should have the initial drafts submitted for each piece to be included in your midterm career portfolio, (i.e., resume, biographical essay).

Topic: The Economy, Outlooks, and Prospects

Preparatory Readings

• Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go -- [Thank you, Jeni for suggesting this Seuss book for this class. Unfortunately, there is no video or DVD on this book yet!]
• J. Scott Harrs & Karen Hess. Careers in Criminal Justice and Other Related Fields, [bundled with free access to the Cengage Learning's Career in Criminal Justice website]. Section 1 (Chapters 1-6).
• Susan Takata and Jeanne Curran. Theory, Policy, Practice of a Career. [online] --- Chapters ---.
  
• Mark Jones. Criminal Justice Pioneers in U.S. History. entire book .
• Spencer Johnson. Who Moved My Cheese? --- entire book.
  
  
• Randy Pausch. The Last Lecture. (optional)
• Richard Bolles. What Color is Your Parachute 2009? (optional)

Lecture related links:



• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
• Those Infamous Grades and Letters of Recommendation
  
  

Concepts to be covered:



• anomie (Durkheim)
• Merton's anomie (cultural goals and institutionalized means)
• trends
• "three waves" (Toffler)
• The Occupational Outlook Handbook
• salaries & fringe benefits
• generalist v. specialist
• internships
• Maslow's hierarchy of human needs
• self actualization



Discussion Questions:

Note: You need to complete the readings in order to answer these questions.

1. Bring in a current event that presents an optimistic outlook on the economy.

2. On page 1 of Careers in Criminal Justice and Related Fields , the authors include the following quote: "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Why did the authors include this quote?

3. Imagine you have a crystal ball -- what changes do you see in the world of work five years from now? Ten years from now? Fifty years from now? (from H&H, p. 14, Q.1)

4. Can you think of unique skills that could make a job candidate more attractive to a hiring agency? (from H&H, p. 68, Q.7)

5. Provide an inventory or list of the materials that you plan to submit for your midterm career portfolio. How much progress have you made? If not, why not?



Suggestions for your Career Portfolio:




Note: Start thinking about ideas for your creative measures. Must relate to "the criminal justice profession." Must be approved before starting your creative measure. Cannot be something that you are doing or have done for another course. Research cannot be 100% online (i.e., google, askjeeves). Must conduct library research using scholarly works, (not the popular press -- Time Magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated). You will need to submit a bibliography with each project. No term papers! Allow time to dialogue and present your creative measure in class. Email me your ideas ASAP!



• How much education do you really need (now and later)? Why.
• What jobs do you think will become more necessary in the future? less necessary? (H&H, p. 14, Q.5)
• What else can you do with a J.D. beyond the practice of law?
• Go to the latest edition of The Occupational Outlook Handbook, and look up your career goal. What does it say about your future career? Based on the OOH, what didn't you know about your career goal? Why.
• Read a biography or autobiography about a prominent CRMJ professional.



Recommended Readings:



• Arlie Hochschild. Second Shift.
  
• Richard Bolles. What Color is Your Parachute?
• Malcolm Gladwell. Outliers: The Story of Success.
• Dennis W. Bakke. Joy at Work.
• Megan Hustad. How to be Useful.
  

• Jurgen Habermas. Between Facts and Norms.
  
• Martha Minow. Making All the Difference: Exclusion, Inclusion and American Law. Check out this link Martha Minow on the Dear Habermas site.
  
  
  

Course Syllabus for CRMJ 490 "Special Topics: Careers in Criminal Justice" (aka The Criminal Justice Profession)

takata@uwp.edu