Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Juvenile Justice (Face-to-Face)

CJ 2330-01

Course: CJ 2330-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Political Sci Criminal Justice
CRN: 31628

Course Description

An introductory-level study of the juvenile justice system including origin, theory and development, court and detentioning, and other alternatives, including diversion, intervention, and restorative justice. (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll

Required Texts

Juvenile Justice: A Social, Historical, and Legal Perspective, Fifth Edition
By Preston Elrod and R. Scott Ryder; Published by Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-284-17289-8

Learning Outcomes

This course explores a range of crime prevention programs and practices within the context of juvenile justice. Students will examine what works, what doesn’t, and which programs show promise. Using evidence-based approaches, students will critically assess current issues and apply that knowledge to future challenges facing juveniles.

Through this learning process, students will develop competencies in two key areas:

Quantitative Literacy
Students will build the ability to understand and create arguments supported by quantitative evidence, and to clearly communicate those arguments through various formats, including written explanations, tables, graphs, and mathematical expressions.

Problem Solving
Students will learn to design, evaluate, and implement strategies to address open-ended questions or achieve specific goals related to juvenile justice.

Course Requirements

In order to achieve course mastery and obtain a passing grade in this course, students are expected to:

1. Complete all required readings during each module prior to class discussions;
2. Complete all homework assignments during each module on or before the due date;
3. Complete all quizzes with a passing score on each module on or before the due date;
4. Complete a Mid-Term Exam and Final Exam with a passing score on or before the due date;
5. Complete a persuasive essay/paper on a topic provided by the instructor on or before the due date; and
6. Attend class regularly, especially on required attendance days when students will receive attendance points for class debate/discussions on those specified days

Course Outline

MODULE 1
A.    Introduce Yourself assignment on Canvas
B.    Syllabus/Course Overview
C.    Read: Juvenile Justice, Chapter 1, An Introduction to the Development and Operation of Juvenile Justice (Pages 1-15); Chapter 2, Measures of Juvenile Crime: What They Tell Us About Delinquency (Pages 17-36)
D.    Review key concepts on pages 14 and 36
E.     Classroom Discussion on class expectations and required readings
F.     Quiz on Chapters 1-2 Key Terms
G.    Homework Assignments: Explained on Canvas under Module 1

MODULE 2
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 3, Delinquency Problems Encountered in Juvenile Justice (Pages 41-59)
B.     Review key concepts on page 58
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 3/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 2

MODULE 3
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 4, The Social Context of Juvenile Crime and Juvenile Justice (Pages 63-88)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 87-88
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 4/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 3

MODULE 4
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 5, The History of Youth Social Control and Juvenile Justice (Pages 97-119)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 118-119
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 5/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 4

MODULE 5
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 6, Public and Police Responses to Youths' Illegal Behavior (Pages 123-145)
B.     Review key concepts on page 144
C.    Quiz on Chapter 6/Key Terms
D.    Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 5

MODULE 6
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 7, Juvenile Diversion (Pages 149-168)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 167-168
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 7/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 6
F.     ****REVIEW FOR MID-TERM EXAM****
G.    *****MID-TERM EXAM*****(Chapters 1-7)

MODULE 7
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 8, Pre-Adjudication Processes in Juvenile Justice (Pages 173-190)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 189-190
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 8/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 7

MODULE 8
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 9, The Transfer of Juveniles to Criminal Court (Pages 193-215)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 213-214
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 9/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 8

MODULE 9
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 10, The Contemporary Juvenile Court (Pages 219-246)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 244-245
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 10 Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 9

MODULE 10 
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 11, Community-Based Corrections for Court-Involved Youths (Pages 249-273)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 271-272
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 11 Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 10

MODULE 11
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 12, Institutional Corrections Programs for Court-Involved Youths (Pages 279-306)
B.     Review key concepts on pages 305-306
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapter 12/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 11

MODULE 12
A.    Read Juvenile Justice, Chapter 13, Present Conditions and Future Directions in Juvenile Justice (Pages 313-339); Chapter 14, Working in Juvenile Justice (Pages 345-366
B.     Review key concepts on page 365
C.    Classroom Discussion on required reading
D.    Quiz on Chapters 13 and 14/Key Terms
E.     Homework Assignment: Explained on Canvas under Module 12
F..    Persuasive Essay Due
G.    ****FINAL EXAMINATION REVIEW****

MODULE 13
*****FINAL EXAMINATION*****(Chapters 8-14)

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All assignments, projects and homework, are due on or before the matter’s due date.  Late submissions will not be accepted, without prior approval from the instructor.  In the event of an emergency or exceptional circumstance, an allowance may be made at the instructor’s discretion if requested by the student to the instructor as soon as possible after the emergency. It is preferred that students ask for extensions ahead of any due date, if an extension is necessary/requested. The instructor reserves the right to grant or deny extensions based upon each request made by a student. If an extension is granted, the instructor will determine the extended due date for the late assignment, and the student must meet that deadline to be eligible for credit on the late assignment. 

The instructor is always willing and receptive to discussing a student’s progress in the course at any time in the semester, provided that the student does not wait until the final weeks of the semester to address a failing grade. Any options to address remedial measures for a student are greatly reduced if/when a student waits until the final weeks of the semester to engage in the course and hand in coursework. If a student misses an assignment, or performs poorly on an assignment, and wishes to remedy the issue, the student must contact the instructor immediately, as opposed to waiting until the eleventh hour of the semester.



Attendance Policy

Attendance is crucial to understanding the material and being involved in the regular discussions of this class. It is important for students to arrive in class on time, as late arrival disrupts the class discussion. If a student misses a class when attendance points are given, the student forfeits those points, and those attendance points cannot be made-up. If, however, a student's absence was approved by the instructor beforehand, the student is deemed "excused" for that particular day, and will still receive those attendance points as though they were present on that particular day.


Course Fees

Pursuant to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, course fees are $4.00 per credit hour.

Course Fee Refund Statement: For tuition-bearing courses with course fees below $500, a student will receive a full refund of course fees if they drop the course before the "Last Day to Drop Without a W Deadline." For tuition-bearing courses with course fees that are $500 and above, a student will receive a refund commensurate with the amount of course fees that were expended to support the student's education during the time when the student was enrolled if they drop the course before the "Last Day to Drop Without a W Deadline." The $500 threshold applies to the sum of course fees per CRN.

CLASS RULES AND POLICIES

Prohibited: Use of cellphones, headphones, or earbuds during class (except for emergencies or in-class exercises).

Academic Misconduct: A broad term that is used to describe a violation of academic integrity, including but not limited to Cheating, Complicity, Fabrication, Falsification, and Plagiarism collectively. Academic Misconduct is behavior that has the effect of causing readers, evaluators, or consumers of a work, data, or information to incorrectly believe the Student is the authentic source of the work, data, or information.

Plagiarism: The intentional or unintentional appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words, without giving appropriate credit. Plagiarism includes the unattributed verbatim or nearly verbatim copying of sentences and paragraphs from another's work, which materially misleads the reader regarding the contributions of the author. It does not include the limited use of identical or nearly-identical phrases which describe a commonly-used methodology. Plagiarism is a type of Academic Misconduct.

APA Citation Requirements for Cited Information:

  • All submitted work must adhere to APA citation guidelines, including proper in-text citations and a reference list for all cited information.
  • No AI-Generated Content: Submissions containing AI-generated content will not be accepted.
  • Plagiarism Check: All assignments will be checked using plagiarism detection tools (e.g., CopyLeaks). Submissions with a similarity score higher than 50% will be reviewed. If flagged for potential plagiarism, students may be required to revise and resubmit their work.
  • Ensure that your work is original, properly cited, and aligns with academic integrity standards. Failure to do so may result in penalties in accordance with university policies.
 
Sometimes we will talk about uncomfortable or controversial topics where students have different opinions. I aim to make my class environment a safe space in which students feel comfortable discussing their ideas, experiences, and opinions. I encourage respectful debate and disagreement, and you should always feel free to challenge what I say. I expect you to be considerate of the viewpoints and privacy of others. 

Students who show disrespect to their peers or the instructor will be asked to leave the classroom.

Persuasive Essay/Paper

Students are required to write a four (4) page, double spaced, persuasive/opinion essay on a topic relevant to juvenile justice. Students are required to elaborate on the topic they choose and acknowledge the pros and cons of the position that they choose to take, and how their topic can either be improved upon or bring progress towards the current juvenile justice landscape.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.