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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
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Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: February 26, 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 7: Week of March 1, 2009

Tuesday, March 3rd - Midterm meetings end.

Friday, March 6th - Midterm Career Performance Portfolios are due. Required elements: 1) course objectives, 2) resume in progress, 3) final biography, 4) self-assessment. Also, include 3-5 optional pieces. Late portfolios will not be accepted.

Topic: The Gatekeeping Isms

Preparatory Readings

• Susan Takata and Jeanne Curran. Theory, Policy, Practice of a Career. [online] --- Chapter 7 .
  
• 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 2 (Chapter 7-11) .
  
  

• Mark Jones. Criminal Justice Pioneers in U.S. History. entire book .
• Spencer Johnson. Who Moved My Cheese? --- entire book

• 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!] .
  
  
• 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:



• gatekeeping ism
• marginal man
• fitness and stress
• test anxiety
• resume
• cover letter
• "rejection shock"



Discussion Questions:

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

1. How do you plan to cope with career related stress and burnout? Why.

2. Why is physical fitness crucial for professionals, particulary those in criminal justice? What are you doing now to maintain optimal mental and physical fitness?

3. Do you believe your past is an accurate assessment of your employment potential? (from H&H, p. 181).

4. Imagine you have been assigned the task of reducing an extremely large number of resumes to a more workable number. Regardless of the position, what are five reasons you can think of to get rid of applications right away? (from H&H, p. 203)

5. What benefits come from not getting a job? (H&H, p. 215)



Self-Assessment Questions for Career Performance Portfolio:




1. Explain in depth, how your career performance portfolio specifically connects to the readings, class discussions, and major concepts discussed in class. Demonstrate how your portfolio relates to "theory, policy, practice". What have you learned at midterm?
2. Assess how the 6Cs apply to your career performance portfolio, with special attention on competence and creativity. What is your career performance portfolio self-assessment (provide a letter grade) ___ ? Explain why this particular grade.

Suggestions for your Career Portfolio:

Note: Start thinking about ideas for your career portfolio. Should relate to "the criminal justice profession." 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). No term papers! Allow time to dialogue (i.e. revise and resubmit)!



• new Map out your career related network. Analyze the connections as well as the disconnects in your network.
• Write one to two pages discussing role models and mentors who have helped you along the way.
• Map out or illustrate your career path to date.
• 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