Eastern Kentucky University

Criminal Justice Graduate Student Guide

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Table of Contents

Overview

Welcome Letter

Criminal Justice Graduate Student Association

How to Register

Registration and Advising Dates

Registration Instructions

EKU Student Email

Registration Processes and Helpful Hints

Registration Errors

First Day of AttendanceUse It or Lose It

Faculty/Staff Information

Forms

Scholarship Options

Graduate Assistantships

Changing Your Program

Curriculum Checklist

Independent Study Proposal (CRJ 897)

Thesis Committee Approval/Change Form

Report of Oral Examination/Oral Thesis Defense/Written Examination

Comprehensive Exam Comprehensive Exam Packet and Study Guide

Thesis

Deadlines, Guidelines, and Binding

Thesis Made Easy Handbook

Guide to Preparation of Thesis and Specialist Projects

Graduate Assistantship Handbook

Miscellaneous

University Calendar

Tuition Information

Inclement Weather Class/Event Cancellation Information

EKU Student Affairs

Alpha Phi Sigma Welcome Letter

Payroll Calendar

Justice and Safety Library

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Overview

Overview

Welcome Letter

Web Course/Online Course Policy

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To Our Students:

Welcome to the Criminal Justice Graduate Program! This book contains important information you may need while in the pro-

gram. Additional information is available at www.eku.edu or by contacting the CRJ Graduate Department at (859) 622-1980.

The following are important things to consider while completing the program:

Eastern Kentucky University

Criminal Justice Graduate Program

Contact Persons:

Dr. Peter Kraska Tina Clark

Graduate Program Director Stratton Room 467-A

Stratton Room 466 tina.clark@eku.edu

peter.kraska@eku.edu (859) 622-1980

Email:

The Criminal Justice Graduate Program sends regular emails to students accounts regarding important dates, events,

and information. It is your responsibility to check your EKU account regularly. Please make sure your address is on the CRJ

Grad mailing list by contacting Tina Clark at the above address.

Online/Web Course Policy:

It is the departments policy that first semester students and probationary or provisional admission students are not

allowed to take online courses. If you enroll in such a course you will be dropped from enrollment before the semester starts.

Exceptions are available at the discretion of the program coordinator.

Degree Works:

EKU has implemented a new degree progress tracking system called Degree Works. You can access it from the EKU

homepage. You will have an academic plan saved within your record. Monitor this regularly and notify the graduate

department of any deviations from your original plan.

Application for Graduation:

Must be completed online at www.gradschool@eku.edu.

There is a $55.00 fee for graduation. Applications received after this date will be assessed a late application charge.

Thesis:

If you plan to write a thesis you must identify three (3) committee members on the Thesis Committee Approval Form,

prior to applying for admission to candidacy. Theses are usually due in completed form to the Graduate School one month pri-

or to the end of the semester. Keep this in mind when planning your workload.

Comprehensive Exams: If you are going to take comps, you must have applied for graduation and completed, or be in the process of

completing, your core courses. You must submit in writing your intention of taking the exam. The comp exam is usually given

one month prior to the end of the semester. The exam date and time will be announced through email to your EKU address.

You can also check with the graduate department at (859) 622-1980.

We hope you find this book helpful. If you need assistance, please ask.

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Criminal Justice Graduate Student Association

The Criminal Justice Graduate Student Association (CJGSA) is an organization that:

1. Provides a forum where matters of concern to graduate and professional students

may be discussed, where opinions on actions and proposals of the University

Administration and campus departments may be expressed, and where proposals of

the Administration, departments and graduate groups may be initiated

2. Conducts programs and services of special interest to graduate students.

Activities within the CJGSA:

1. Brown Bags- discussions/lectures hosted by outside speakers, faculty, or

graduate students

2. Movie Nights a movie pertaining to something criminal justice/academically

related is shown. A movie night is usually followed by discussion (which can take

place at another time in a brown bag)

3. Workshops/Seminars usually multi-hour long events arranged once or twice a

year. Topics vary

Membership requirements:

1. No minimum GPA requirements

2. $5 member dues required per academic year

3. Open to all students, faculty, and staff that support the goals of the organization

(only Criminal Justice graduate students may vote and hold office)

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How To Register

The Where, What, When, and How of Registering at EKU

Office of The Register:

CPO 58

521 Lancaster Ave.

Richmond, KY 40475

(859) 6223876 Telephone

(859) 622-6207 Fax

Register@eku.edu

www.eku.edu/compass/

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Important Graduate Student Dates

Aug. 15 Official Advising for Fall 2012 resumes

Aug. 20 Classes begin. Late fee registration begins. All students not currently enrolled (having 0.0 credit hours), who register for classes as of today will be assessed a $50 late regis-tration fee.

Aug. 26 End of Add/Drop period: Last day to drop a full semester course without a "W" ap-pearing on the university transcript, last day to register for or add additional full-semester courses. Last day for full tuition refund.

Aug. 26 Last day to convert "Pass/Fail" or "Audit" classes to a normal grade and credit option. Completed forms must be returned to: Registrar's Office (SSB 239), or Corbin, Danville, or Manchester centers.

Sept. 1 Last day Graduate School will accept graduation applications for December 2011 grad-uation.

Sept. 3 Holiday, Labor Day. University is closed and classes are not in session.

Sept. 7 Last day to convert a class from credit with normal grade to Pass/Fail or Audit. Completed forms must be returned to: Registrars Office (SSB 239), or Corbin, Danville, or Manchester centers.

Sept. 16 Last day to go online (EKU Direct) and withdraw without incurring a withdraw fee ($50 per credit houre.g. $150 for a 3 credit hour course) up through the 4th week of a full-term.

Oct. 14 Midnight (Sunday) - Faculty deadline for online (Banner Faculty Web) submission of mid-term grades (undergraduate only).

Oct. 26 Last day to withdraw from the University. Last day to withdraw from a course with in-structors written signature and incur a $50 per credit hour fee (e.g. $150 for a 3 credit hour course). Students are allowed to withdraw up to the Friday of the 10th week of a

Below is a list of important dates and deadlines from the Colonels Compass and can be found at http://colonelscompass.eku.edu/calendar-fall-2012 .

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Nov. 5-6 Fall Break. University is closed and classes are not in session.

Nov. 20 Thanksgiving Holiday begins for students at 9p.m. Night classes will meet.

Nov. 26 Classes resume.

Dec. 8 Classes end.

Dec. 10 Final exams begin.

Dec. 10 Masters thesis deadline for December 2011 graduates.

Dec. 15 Final exams end.

Dec. 15 Graduation Commencement Ceremony: diplomas mailed to graduates 6-8 weeks fol-lowing commencement. See Graduation Information web page for details: www.registrar.eku.edu.

Dec. 17 Final grades deadline: 1p.m.Faculty to submit online via Banner Faculty Web.

Dec. 18 Final Grade Reports for students available online.

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Registering for Classes

In order to register for classes, please go to www.eku.edu and click on EKU Direct. Then click on Login to EKUDirect and follow these instructions: LOGIN 1. Click in the blank box next to User ID and enter your EKU ID number. If this is your first time

logging in, see For First Time Users below. 2. Tab to PIN box and type in your PIN (Not the number your advisor gave you). 3. Click Login. 4. If you forget the PIN you selected, bring a photo ID to the EKU Registration Center located in SSB

(Student Services Building) 239. 5. You will be asked to re-enter your pin for verification. Click on Login again. FOR FIRST TIME USERS: Your User ID is your EKU ID. Your initial PIN is your birth date in the form of mmddyy. For example, a birth date of February 13, 1949 would be entered as 020349. Your PIN is a 6-digit number, which will function like a password. The next screen will read: Your PIN has expired. Please change it now. In the first box, Re-enter Old PIN, type your birth date. In the second box, New PIN, select a 6-digit number that is different from your birth date and social security number, but easy for you to remember. This new PIN is the one you will use to access your information. Type your new PIN in the middle AND bottom boxes. The third box is for verification. All three boxes are required. Then click on the Login button. Read the Terms of Usage, and then click on Continue to accept the terms. If you click Dont Agree you will be logged out. REGISTER FOR CLASSES: Login. If you need to know how to login, please see item one. 1. Click on the Student Services & Financial Aid menu. 2. Click on Registration. 3. Click Add/Drop Classes. 4. Select the correct term and click Submit Term. 5. If you are prompted to enter your Alternate PIN you can call Tina Clark at (859) 622-1980 for this

information. Enter the 6-digit number. Click Submit PIN. If you get an error that reads, Please contact the registration administrator for your time ticket, then check the registration schedule to see when you are able to register. If, according to the schedule, you are able to register, but you still see this message, go back to the registration menu and click Check Your Registration Status and review your earned hours. If your earned hours are in the range, con-

Cont. on Following Page...

http://www.eku.edu

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6. Enter the CRNs (the 5-digit numbers from the class schedule) you would like to register for. When you have entered all of them, click Submit Changes at the bottom of the page.

7. If you would like to look up available classes, click Class Search at the bottom of the page. 8. If you have errors click help at the top to the right for assistance. 9. To drop a course, (if the class is not listed you are not registered for the course), click the down

arrow to the left of where the class is listed and choose drop course then click Submit Chang-es at the bottom of the page. If it is past the last day to drop the course, you will no longer have the option to drop the course. The option will be wd-withdraw and you will receive a W on your transcript for withdrawing from the course.

Call (859) 622-2320 if you have any questions or problems with online registration. WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED PLEASE LOGOUT!

To keep your information secure, please click exit in the upper right and then close your browser. If you only exit someone may be able to hit the back button on the browser and view your information.

Registering for Classes Cont.

EKU Student Email Students are automatically assigned an EKU student email identification upon admission to the University.

However, each student must activate their account in order to send and receive email. You can activate

your account by going to the EKU homepage, www.eku.edu. Choose the Email link under the My EKU head-

ing on the lower left of the page. Click on Activate your student email account now and read the Code of

Ethics.

Check or uncheck the appropriate boxes at the bottom of the screen, enter your EKU ID number and

birthdate (MMDDYY format), and click submit.

For complete information and instructions, go to www.studentdocs.eku.edu/email/.

To access your EKU student email, click on the Email link under My EKU from the homepage or visit https://

stuowa.eku.edu/stu.asp directly. Enter your username and password. Your username is your First Name, an

underscore (_), the first 17 characters of your Last Name, and could include up to 3 numbers to make it

unique. You will be given the username and password when you complete the Code of Ethics form.

Your default EKU email password is the lower-case letters eku followed by your date of birth in MMDDYY

format (ex: eku010180). If you experience problems with your EKU student email account, please call the

ITDS Help Desk at 859-622-3000.

You must set up your EKU student email account in order to access Blackboard. Please use your EKU student

email account for all correspondence with your instructors and in Blackboard.

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CRJ 890 Topical Seminar in Criminal Justice. (1-3)

May be retaken to a maximum of nine hours on different topics.

CRJ 897 Independent Study in Criminal Justice. (1-6)

Individual investigations in the field of criminal justice. Investigations may be conducted in the field and under the supervision

of the research advisor and other staff member. Student must have the independent study proposal form approved by faculty

supervisor and the Criminal Justice Graduate Program Coordinator in the College of Justice and Safety prior to enrollment.

May be retaken up to a maximum of nine hours.

Registration Process and Helpful Hints

Adding and Dropping Courses:

Official verification that a student is Registered Dropped or Withdrawn from a class is found only on the ADD/DROP

page of the EKU Student Web (EKUDIRECT/Student Services/Registration/ADD/DROP) listed under STATUS. Beginning

Fall 2010, EKU will have a new drop fee policy. All students wishing to withdraw from a course after the first four weeks of

classes will be required to obtain a form from their instructor and will be charged a fee of $50 per credit hour.

Cancelled Courses:

Courses may be cancelled before the semester begins and students will then be administratively dropped from the course. This

enrollment change will be reflected on the Add/Drop page by credit hours becoming "0.0", and there will be a message in the

"Status" column. Course cancellations are the sole decision of the academic department offering the course and any and all

questions about the course cancellation should be directed to the department chair. Students enrolled in classes that are

cancelled will be contacted by the department office staff or mailed a letter by the Office of the Registrar. Students should

recheck their registration (Add/Drop page online) often to verify that they have not been dropped from any classes! Do not

assume that once you register nothing will change! Read further for a description of "Pre-Requisite Drop".

Continued on Following Page...

Dropped Courses vs. Withdrawn Courses Courses "dropped" during the Add/Drop period will not appear on your academic record (transcript). If you drop a course after

that date, you are considered to have "withdrawn" from the course and it will appear on your academic record with a notation of

"W". The "W" will NOT be calculated into your grade point average (GPA). The midpoint date for full and partial semester

classes also appears on the "Full & Partial Semester Term Dates" table of the Colonel's Compass. The midpoint of a

partial-semester class should also appear on the course syllabus, if the date on the course syllabus does not agree with the date

found in the Colonel's Compass the student should bring this discrepancy to the teacher's attention. Students are held to the

dates published in the Colonel's Compass.

Enrollment Verification:

The National Student Clearinghouse (NSCL) is the official agent for all Enrollment Verifications such as those needed for

health insurance and loan deferments. ALL Enrollment Verifications are obtained free of charge from the National Student

Clearinghouse.

How to generate your free EKU Enrollment Verification.

Log on to your Student Web account (www.eku.edu, click on EKUDirect)

Click on Student Services & Financial Aid.

Scroll down until you see National Student Clearinghouse.

Click on National Student Clearinghouse.

Fill in required information and click Login.

Click on Obtain an Enrollment Certificate.

Wait patiently. The certificate will appear.

Print your official enrollment certificate.

Mail or deliver it to whoever requires verification of your enrollment at EKU!

Note: Your computer must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to produce your verification. Use Internet Explorer as your browser,

Exceptions to using National Student Clearinghouse:

Good Student Discounts for this you need to print an official EKU Grade Report from the Student Web( EKUDIRECT/

Student Records/Printable Official Grade Report). Submit this Grade Report as proof that you qualify for the Good Student

Discount.

Statements of Good Standing (needed when taking courses at another institution; students obtain these from the EKU

Registrar's Office, SSB 239. You may download the request form from the Registrar's web page, www.registrar.eku.edu.

http://www.eku.edu/compass/processes.php#pre-reqdrop#pre-reqdrophttp://www.eku.edu/compass/processes/deadlines/http://www.eku.edu/http://www.registrar.eku.edu

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Registration Process and Helpful Hints Continued..

Withdrawing From a Class or From the University

For directions on how to withdraw go to the Registrar's web page at www.registrar.eku.edu, scroll the buttons on the right side.

Beginning Fall 2010, EKU will have a new drop fee policy. All students wishing to withdraw from a course after the first four

weeks of classes will be required to obtain a form from their instructor and will be charged a fee of $50 per credit hour.

Student Load

Fall and Spring TermsA full-time graduate student during Fall or Spring terms enrolls in 9 or more credit hours. A maximum

academic load of 15 hours is considered permissible for exceptional graduate students, with dean's permission.

Summer TermA full-time graduate Summer student is enrolled in 6-12 credit hours. Half-time status is at least 3 credit hours.

Students are encouraged to not take more than one short term course at a time.

Registration Errors

Please refer to the menu links on the Colonel's Compass homepage. That registration errors link will take you to a page

designed to help students with error messages they may receive from the online registration system.

Late Registration Fee

A non-refundable $50 late registration fee is in effect beginning the first day of classes. This fee is applied only if the student

begins with 0.0 credit hours on the first day of classes and then enrolls for the first time during that day or after.

Repeating Courses:

Students may repeat a course in an attempt to better their grade. The grade earned in the last taking will replace (in the

GPA calculation) the grade earned earlier. Any student attempting to enroll in a course for the third time will receive the

"Repeat Limit" registration error. Registration will be prevented regardless of whether the student has completed the course

previously or simply withdrawn. A student may enroll in the same course for a third or subsequent time only under unusual

circumstances and with their college dean's permission in the form of a Repeat Limit Override entered into the EKU

computerized registration system. This override is requested only through the office of the dean of the student's major. An

override is just permission to register. Once the override is entered, the student must then still go online and register for the

course. The Registrar's Office monitors student course registrations and will administratively cancel the registration before or

during the term, or remove credit after completion of the term, of any student improperly repeating a class.

Registration Process:

Students register (add, drop, or withdraw from classes) using the online registration system, the EKU Student Web

account (click on EKUDirect on the EKU homepage). EKU staff is available to assist students with this system at the following

locations: main campus in the Registrar's Office SSB 239, or the Corbin, Danville, or Manchester Centers. Registration

questions should be directed to 859-622-2320. Once registered, you may make a change to your schedule at any time while

such transactions are permitted (note dates on calendar). The online system will not allow changes once the deadline has

passed. You may add full semester classes to your schedule through the first week of class. After that date, you may only add

classes that have not yet begun. See Full & Partial Semester Term Dates, in the Colonel's Compass for Add/Drop dates for

partial semester classes.

Status:

Verify your 'Status' on the ADD/DROP page of the online registration system. Check this often as the Registrar's

Office may administratively drop or withdraw a student before or during a term for reasons such as course cancellation

(decision of academic department offering the course), the student's failure to fulfill a course prerequisite, or in rare cases a

violation of university policy (see university catalog).

Graduate Students

Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for complete details of all policies governing graduate students. You may also wish to go

to the Graduate School web page, www.gradschool.eku.edu.

Voter Registration Form:

Instructions for printing and completing the voter registration card can be found on the internet at www.sos.state.ky.us.

http://www.registrar.eku.eduhttp://www.eku.edu/compass/processes/registration_errors.phphttp://www.eku.edu/compass/registration_errors.phphttp://www.eku.edu/compass/calendar/http://www.eku.edu/compass/deadlines/http://www.undergradstudies.eku.edu/catalog/http://www.gradschool.eku.edu

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What to Do When You Get Registration Errors?

An override for a section does NOT automatically register you into that section. An override only gives you permission to

register. After you have been given an override you must go online and add the class. It is possible that you may need more than

one override. You will need a specific and separate override for each registration error.

Request an override BY NAME: Read any Registration Error Message carefully, look under STATUS. This will tell you

which specific override you require.

ERROR MESSAGE

(See "STATUS")

DEFINITION SOLUTION

Closed Section Section is full - no seats available Choose a different section. OR It is possible to

ask the department chair for a Capacity

Override. However, the chair may say "no".

Class Restriction Course is restricted to specific students based

on the number of earned hours as of the last

semester completed at EKU. See CARES

report for the number of hours you have

completed.

Select a different course. OR You may request

a Class Restriction Override through the dean's

office of the college offering the class.

Closed Section X This section is cross-listed with another section

and both sections meet in the same room. That

room is now FULL.

Choose a different section. OR It is possible to

ask the department chair for a Capacity

Override. However, the chair may say "no".

Section Not Available For Web Add/Drop The section has been cancelled. The department

is no longer offering this specific section.

Choose a different section.

Course Status Dates Not Within Range For

Part Of Term

That registration activity is no longer available

at this time. It is too late to add this course to

your schedule.

It is possible to add a course late but this

requires a completed Late Add Form including

instructor, department chair, and dean's

signature.

CORQ_Subject Course Number Req

(ex:CORQ_ELE 446G REQ)

One or more separate courses may be required

to be taken at the same time. These courses are

called co-requisites. (See course description in

catalog.)

Register for all classes by submitting the CRN's

for all sections simultaneously. OR You may

request a Co-Req Override from the

Department Chair.

Level Restriction Course is restricted to a specific level

(Graduate or Undergraduate)

Undergraduate students wishing to enroll in

graduate courses need special permission from

the Graduate School Office. Permission is

granted in the form of a Level Restriction

Override.

Link Error A1 Required

(or A2, or B1 or B2 etc...)

This course requires the simultaneous

registration in a lecture and laboratory section.

You have tried to register in a lecture or lab

section without the corresponding lab or lecture

section.

Register for both the lecture and one of the

linked labs. The labs are listed directly

underneath the lecture classes and have 0 credit

hours. Submit the CRN for the lecture and

linked lab at the same time.

Major Restriction Class is restricted to specific majors. Special permission and a Major Restriction

Override must be obtained from the department

chair.

Maximum Hours Exceeded Registration exceeds the maximum number of

hours permitted for that student for that term

Permission to take more than the allotted hours

must be obtained from the dean of the student's

major.

Program Restriction This section is restricted to specific programs. Change your major to that program. OR

Contact department and request a Program

Restriction Override.

PRE-REQ and/or Test Error Class requires a pre-requisite or a specific test.

(See course description in catalog).

Pre-requisite and/or a specific test must be

completed before you are allowed to register.

OR You may request a Pre-Requisite Override

from the department chair.

Repeat Limit Exceeds 1 Student has enrolled in the course at least twice

before. This message will occur regardless of

whether the student has ever completed the

course.

Student must obtain a Repeat Limit Override

from the dean's office for the student's major.

Time Conflict With (CRN XXXXX) The section is conflicting with another section

already on the student's schedule.

Select a section that meets at a different time.

OR Student may request a Time Conflicts

Override from the department chair.

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The Process:

Students who know they will be absent should contact their instructor or the academic department office PRIOR TO THE 1st

CLASS MEETING to explain their absence and request that the instructor NOT drop them from the class.

Classes meeting multiple times per week (MWF, TR, MW, etc.): If a student does not attend the 1st class meeting of the term, as

scheduled by the University, the instructor may request that the Registrar disenroll the student.

Classes meeting one time per week: If a student does not attend the 1st class meeting of the term, as scheduled by the University,

the instructor may request that the Registrar disenroll the student.

Online classes: Instructors of online classes who wish to employ the faculty drop option of "Use It or Lose It" should:

-Detail on their syllabus student activities designed to serve as confirmation of participation.

-Devise these as requirements whereby the online student proactively demonstrates connection, communication, and/or

some other tangible participation (e.g. emailing from their EKU email account, submitting a document in Blackboard,

responding to a survey).

-Schedule the above participation requirements to begin as early as possible in the first week of the semester.

-Use the absence of such mandatory (as per the syllabus) initial class participation as justification that the online student is

"not attending"; and lacking appropriate communication with the instructor that student may then be disenrolled during the

1st week of the term.

The additional 1st week data will enhance the ability of the Registrar and the Advising Office to identify phantom first-time

students. This faculty provided data will be combined with other objective indicators held in Banner, as well as information from

University Housing and Student Accounting, to help confirm identity of students who are registered but not attending the

university. This new process will also assist departments with efficiency of course offerings, and prevent inflated "D", "F", "W"

rates because of such students.

Proposed Procedure:

Faculty accesses dedicated roster through EKUDirect to indicate drop.

Allows absent student's seat to be accessible to other students waiting for availability in that class.

The Registrar will promptly drop the student from the class, per the instructor's directive, providing the information is relayed

DURING THE 1ST WEEK OF CLASS.

The Registrar's Office will email each student immediately after the drop has been performed, via the student's EKU email

account; alerting the student that enrollment in one of his/her courses has been removed.

May the dropped student get back into the class? -A dropped student may re-enroll himself/herself online, (provided seats are still available).

-Or student may petition to register through the Late Enrollment process.

-However the Late Enrollment process is dependent upon availability, and requires the written permission of the

instructor, department chair, and dean of the college.

-Depending upon the week of the term, the Late Enrollment process may also require approval at the Provost level.

Can the faculty-drop option be used with shorter, partial-semester classes? -The add/drop period for short-term classes is abbreviated and varies with the number of weeks of the class. Often these

classes begin after the onset of the full semester.

-Thus, while the faculty-drop option may be requested, timing, communication with students, and coordination with the

Office of the Registrar is essential.

-The consequences of absence on the 1st day of class should be detailed on the syllabus and communicated to enrolled

students before the partial-semester class is scheduled to begin.

First Day of AttendanceUse It or Lose It

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Faculty

Name Contact Information Office Location

Dr. Tom Barker Email: tom.barker@eku.edu

Phone: 622-4993

Stratton 403-A

Dr. Kristie Blevins Email: kristie.blevins@eku.edu

Phone: 622-6869

Stratton 110

Dr. Avi Brisman Email: avi.brisman@eku.edu

Phone:

Stratton 311

Dr. Terry Cox Email: terry.cox@eku.edu

Phone: 859-622-1983

Stratton 408

Dr. Chuck Fields Email: chuck.fields@eku.edu

Phone: 859-622-6555

Stratton 465

Dr. Kishonna Gray Email: kishonna.gray@eku.edu

Phone: 859-622-8880

Stratton 449B

Dr. Robin Haarr Email: robin.haarr@eku.edu

Phone: 859-622-8152

Stratton 412-A

Dr. Scott Hunt Email: scott.hunt@eku.edu

Phone: 859 622 5074

Stratton 407

Dr. Victor Kappeler Email: victor.kappeler@eku.edu

Phone: 622-1980

Stratton 467

Dr. Peter Kraska Email: peter.kraska@eku.edu

Phone: 622-2011

Stratton 466

Dr. Ellen Leichtman Email: ellen.leichtman@eku.edu

Phone: 859-622-8108

Stratton 405

Dr. Betsy Matthews Email: betsy.matthews@eku.edu

Phone: 622-8113

Stratton 102

Dr. Kevin Minor Email: kevin.minor@eku.edu

Phone: 622-2240

Stratton 104

Professor Bill Nixon Email: william.nixon@eku.edu

Phone: 622-6265

Stratton 409

Dr. Derek Paulsen Email: derek.paulsen@eku.edu

Phone: 859-622-2906

Stratton 410

Dr. Gary Potter Email: gary.potter@eku.edu

Phone: 622-2009

Stratton 461

Dr. Irina Soderstrom Email: irina.soderstrom@eku.edu

Phone: 622-1156

Stratton 108

Dr. Judah Schept Email: judah.schept@eku.edu

Phone: 622-7602

Stratton 311

Dr. Kenneth Tunnell Email: ken.tunnel@eku.edu

Phone: 622-1984

Stratton 465

Dr. Tyler Wall Email: tyler.wall@eku.edu

Phone: 622-7603

Stratton 311

Dr. James Wells Email: james.wells@eku.edu

Phone: 622-1158

Stratton 103

mailTo:tom.barker@eku.edumailTo:Terry.Cox@eku.edumailTo:chuck.fields@eku.edumailTo:robin.haarr@eku.edumailTo:scott.hunt@eku.edumailTo:victor.kappeler@eku.edumailTo:peter.kraska@eku.edumailTo:ellen.leichtman@eku.edumailTo:William.Nixon@eku.edumailTo:derek.paulsen@eku.edumailTo:Gary.Potter@eku.edu

16

Forms

Scholarship Options

Graduate Assistantships

Change Your Program

Curriculum Checklist

Independent Study Proposal (CRJ 897)

Thesis Committee Approval/Change Form

Report of Oral Examination/Oral Thesis Defense/Written Examination

Please Stop by Stratton 466-B For Forms and

Processing Instructions

17

Scholarship Options

Dr. Rodney Gross Scholarship

To be eligible, applicants must:

1. Be African-American Kentucky residents

2. Be U.S. citizens

3. Be admitted to Eastern with the intention of pursuing either an undergraduate or graduate degree.

4. Have at least a 2.5 high school grade point average with extracurricular support in athletics,

community and/or student government services; or at least a 3.0 grade point average without

extracurricular support.

5. Not be on social or academic probation

Students must reapply each academic year for continuation of the award and maintain satisfactory

academic progress toward a degree objective. Recipients must participate in the Academic Monitoring

Program. Awards are made on an annual basis.

To obtain an application write to, or visit, the

EKU Scholarship Office, SSB CPO 56,

Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY 40475

or call (859) 622-8032

Applications must be received no later than February 1 to be considered for the subsequent academic year.

A limited number of $500 awards are available to qualified graduate students for the Fall and Spring

semesters. To be eligible, applicants must be:

1. African-American

2. In-state residents

3. Part-time or have non-degree student status

4.

All students who wish to be considered for this scholarship should complete the application at

http://www.gradschool.eku.edu/forms/student/minority_fellow.pdf and mail it to the Graduate School

before the start of the semester in which they are applying. Awards are on a first-come basis for students

meeting the eligibility criteria. Fellowships may not be used in conjunction with the EKU Faculty/Staff

Scholarship.

EKU African American Graduate Fellowship

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarships

Recipient must be graduating senior or graduate enrolling in a U.S. or overseas graduate school in fall;

cumulative minimum 3.5 GPA; U.S. citizenship not required All applications must be submitted through

the Graduate School. Complete information about the program, including application forms and eligibility

criteria are available on the Foundation website at www.jackkentcookefoundation.org.

http://www.gradschool.eku.edu/forms/minority_fellow.pdfhttp://www.jackkentcookefoundation.org

18

Graduate Assistantships

The Criminal Justice Graduate Program provides graduate assistantships to qualified students. Duties may

include teaching, research, or service related. Students should contact the graduate office, Stratton 467-A,

for availability and details on the positions.

Graduate Assistantships:

Criteria:

You must have applied for and been admitted to The Criminal Justice Graduate Program.

You must have a high academic standing of approximately 3.0 (B) overall graduate grade point

average and satisfactory GRE scores. If it is your first semester as a Graduate student, you will not

have a graduate GPA.

You must enroll as a full-time graduate student while on an assistantship (minimum of 9 semester

hours of graduate credit in fall and spring, 6 semester hours of graduate credit in the summer).

Stipends include a 6-credit hour tuition remission. The stipend beginning Fall 2009 is $5,425 per

semester. Graduate Assistant positions can be applied to via EKU's employment website at http://

www.hr.eku.edu/employment/. Contact the graduate office, Stratton 467-A, to obtain detailed

information on our available assistantships. The usual summer stipend is $3600.

Additional information on policies governing graduate assistantships can be found at

http://www.gradschool.eku.edu/awards/ga.php.

Important Information:

Background checks are required of all graduate assistants. Students nominated for graduate assistantships

must submit their information via the Human Resources Online Employment System to authorize

initiation of the background check. You will be notified within 7 to 10 days of the outcome of the

background screening.

https://jobs.eku.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1173302914568

19

Request to Change Your Program

Graduate students who have been admitted to a graduate program may apply to change their program for one of the

following reasons:

Change from one degree or certificate program to another degree or certificate program*

Request admission to another degree or certificate program while maintaining enrollment in the current

program (dual degree)**

Change from non-degree to a degree or certificate program

When changing or adding a program, students must meet the admission requirements of the new program. Enrollment in one

graduate program does not guarantee acceptance into a new program. All deadline dates for application apply for students

seeking a program change. Keep in mind that different programs may have different requirements for standardized test

scores and that official scores for any applicable test must be received prior to the granting of clear admission.

*Students who apply for a program change from one program to another, and have not applied for graduation from the

current program, will be dropped from their current program.

**A maximum of 12 semester hours of coursework may be transferred from non-degree status to a degree or certificate

program.

Steps for Changing Your Program

Complete the Graduate Application for Admission This form is necessary to update and prepare the students registration information for the semester indicated on the

application form. It must be received at least two weeks prior to registration dates. Please note: you cannot register until you

have been accepted into you new program. You must notify the Graduate School Office if your registration plans change

from that indicated on your application. Incomplete applications will not be processed. You do not need to pay the

application fee again if you have previously done so.

Meet all of the Admission Requirements for the new program. Enrollment in one graduate program does not guarantee acceptance into a new program.

All completed applications must be received by the Application Deadlines for the semester in which you wish to

enroll. Late or incomplete applications cannot be processed.

NOTE: Credentials submitted for admission purposes become the property of the Eastern Kentucky University. If the

applicant does not enroll within one year, the admission file is destroyed unless the student contacts the Graduate School.

https://web4s.eku.edu/pls/prod/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon?app_level=GR

20

Curriculum Checklist As you complete graduate courses, check them off on this list

Course Credit

Hours

Grade

Date

Completed

REQUIRED CORE12 HOURS

CRJ 800: Advanced Criminal Justice Studies 3

CRJ 870: Theories of Crime and Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 888: Research Methods in Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 808: Analysis of Criminal Justice Date 3

OR

CRJ 875: Crime and Public Policy 3

ELECTIVES24 HOURS OR

18 HOURS PLUS THESIS

CRJ 801: History of Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 802: Violence Against Women 3

CRJ 810: Advanced Police Administration 3

CRJ 813: Analysis of Police Operation 3

CRJ 814: Policing and Society 3

CRJ 815: Policing Global Insecurity 3

CRJ 840: Punishment and Society 3

CRJ 842: Human Rights and Justice 3

CRJ 843: Advanced Issues in Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 844: Innocence Project Externship 3

Cont. On Following Page...

Students who begin the curriculum in the fall are encouraged to take

CRJ 800 and CRJ 870 in their first semester and CRJ 888 in their second semester.

21

Curriculum Checklist Cont.

Course Credit

Hours

Grade

Date

Completed

ELECTIVES Cont.

CRJ 846: Legal Issues in Criminal Justice

Administration

3

CRJ 871: Crime, Victims, and Criminals 3

CRJ 872: The Community Context of Crime 3

CRJ 873: Social Construction of Crime and Crime

Control

3

CRJ 874: Crime, Criminal Justice and Popular

Culture

3

CRJ 876: Organizational Crime 3

CRJ 877: Postmodernism and Justice 3

CRJ 878: Ideology and Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 879: Vice and Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 889: Qualitative Research Methods 3

CRJ 890: Topical Seminar in Criminal Justice (may be retaken up to a maximum of 9 hours on different topics)

3

CRJ 890: Topical Seminar in Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 890: Topical Seminar in Criminal Justice 3

CRJ 897: Independent Study (may be retaken up to a maximum of 9 hours)

3

CRJ 897: Independent Study 3

CRJ 897: Independent Study 3

CRJ 898: Thesis I 3

CRJ 899: Thesis II 3

22

EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Criminal Justice Graduate

Independent Study Proposal

23

EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Criminal Justice Graduate

Thesis Committee

Circle One: APPROVAL CHANGE

Last Name_________________________________________

First Name_________________________________________

EKU I.D.__________________________________________

Date_______________________

If this is a committee approval you must fill in your information as well as the original committee information.

I, the unsigned, I agree to be on the above students thesis committee.

ORIGINAL COMMITTEE:

Chair_________________________________ Signature________________________________ Date_________________

Member_______________________________ Signature _______________________________ Date _________________

Member_______________________________ Signature _______________________________ Date _________________

If this is a committee change, you must fill in your information then obtain the signature of the new committee members. Final-

ly, you must get your original committee members to sign off on the change as well.

I, the unsigned, I agree to be on the above students thesis committee.

NEW COMMITTEE:

Chair_________________________________ Signature________________________________ Date_________________

Member_______________________________ Signature _______________________________ Date _________________

Member_______________________________ Signature _______________________________ Date _________________

24

EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Eastern Kentucky University

The Graduate School

CPO 68, SSB 310

521 Lancaster Ave.

Richmond, Kentucky 40475-3168

(859) 622-1745

REPORT OF ORAL EXAMINATION/ORAL THESIS DEFENSE/WRITTEN EXAMINATION

____________________________________________

(Date)

( ) Report of Oral Examination

( ) Report of Oral Thesis Defense

( ) Report of Written Examination

For

______________________________________________________________________________________

(student name) (social security number)

______________________________________________________________________________________

(type of degree) in (area or option)

TO: Dean of the Graduate School

The committee appointed to supervise the graduate program of the above named person has completed the

comprehensive examination(s) and recommends that:

1. The examination(s) was successfully passed with a rating of: Excellent ( )

Above Average ( )

Average ( )

Below Average ( )

2. The examination(s) was failed. ( )

SIGNED by all committee members:

__________________________________

(Committee Chair)

__________________________________

(Committee Member)

-

(Committee Member)

Comments: (*specify requirements for examination retake)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____

PLEASE NOTE: Committee chairpersons shall certify satisfactory completion of the comprehensives to the Dean

of the Graduate School no later

than ten days in advance of commencement.

A review period of no less than 60 days nor more than one year is required of candidates who fail the comprehen-

sive initially.

Additional courses or thesis work may be required of a failing student. Comprehensive exams may not be retaken

more than once of the masters or

25

The following information is intended to assist students in preparing for the comprehensive examination. See

the graduate school website and/or the Assistant to the Criminal Justice Graduate Coordinator for specific

information regarding deadlines and other procedural requirements. Students are reminded that it is their

responsibility to meet all deadlines and procedural requirements.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

The comprehensive examination in criminal justice is a summative evaluation. Unlike regular coursework and

formative assessments taken during completion of the degree, it is designed to be an integrative, independent

endpoint assessment of the students' cumulative knowledge of graduate coursework in the field of criminal

justice. It is not intended to test all areas of graduate education, but it allows the student to demonstrate

acquired knowledge of important core theory and substantive applications of that theory in practice.

The comprehensive examination is intended to show the independent ability of the student to synthesize and

present adequate and appropriate knowledge without the focus of a course content outline or an instructor's

prompting. Therefore, we do not tutor students regarding specific questions on the examination either prior

to or following the exam. We also administer the comprehensive examination in a controlled setting providing

equity for all students. If you have had a demonstrated disability which inhibited your ability to perform in

classroom examinations on file with the University, you may make arrangements for the appropriate

accommodation when registering for the examination (see below for further information on ADA regulations).

The purpose of the examination is to assess your understanding and readiness to apply the theories and

concepts in the profession of criminal justice - it is NOT part of your developmental curriculum. Therefore,

students will not receive specific feedback about the areas of the exam or questions/responses on the exam.

Students responses to the questions will demonstrate their ability to integrate and apply their knowledge base

developed over the course of the graduate degree program. The student responses are evaluated by a team of

faculty readers who grade the exams on a double-blind setting. ALL exams are read by multiple readers and

any exams with marginal evaluations are read additional times for valid final decisions.

The Comprehensive Examination in Criminal Justice currently consists of two content sections. A students

performance on each section of the comprehensive examination will result in either a PASS or FAIL. Students

may repeat those sections that do not receive a PASS at a subsequent administration of the examination.

Students may only take the comprehensive exam twice.

This guide is the product of collaboration among the Faculty of the Criminal Justice Graduate Program.

MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION INFORMATION

PACKET AND STUDY GUIDE

26

GENERAL INFORMATION

Organization:

The organization of the comprehensive examination is divided into two distinct areas. Students are required to

answer one essay question from each of the two Criminal Justice Comprehensive Examination areas. Each

essay question must contain unique and unduplicated information. Avoid using the same substantive material

to answer two different questions, as duplications in the information used to support two separate answers will

not receive full credit. There will be two options in each area from which to choose.

AREA 1: General Criminal Justice

AREA 2: Theory and Research

Time Period:

The comprehensive examination will be administered within a single day.

The comprehensive examination day will be divided into one three-hour morning and one three-hour

afternoon session, with a one-hour lunch break between sessions.

Students will write on the General Criminal Justice area question in the morning and the Theory and

Research area question in the afternoon.

Additional Information:

Students are NOT allowed to use any aids or materials not specifically approved by the Graduate Studies

Committee (e.g., own paper, laptop computer, dictionary, or reference books).

Students will be provided with all scrap paper needed for the examination. The test will be taken on a

computer.

Students names are not written on the comprehensive examination. In order to guarantee anonymity in

grading, students will use the last four digits of their EKU ID number and students are advised that this is the

only identifying information that may be placed on their comprehensive examination. Faculty graders receive

no student names as tied to particular examinations.

SUGGESTIONS ON WRITING THE EXAMINATION

1. Answer the question. Many poor responses on exams are due to the failure to follow directions. If a

question asks you to list four reasons why do not list only three. If a question calls for compare

and contrast do not just make comparisons.

a. Answer the question asked. This is the largest error made by students.

b. Students may read the question quickly, establish a concept in their heads, and then write

about it. What they write may be correct, but still may not fully answer the question asked.

27

c. Points will be deducted for unwarranted conclusions, unstated hypotheses, and for other

omissions and commissions.

d. Be able to support your answer when it is appropriate. Be able to cite theorists or other

references.

2. Use your time wisely. Spend a few minutes thinking about the main points to be included in the

answer. Plan the answer using an introduction-body-summary format. Do not rewrite the question.

a. Carefully plan and outline each answer, devoting about 15 minutes of the allotted time for

planning and outlining. Then use the remaining time to write out your response to the

question.

b. Read both questions first prior to writing an outline.

3. Writing skills matter.

a. Answers should reflect graduate level writing skills.

b. Many poor responses are not well organized. You may want to label, or identify each

section of the question that you answer.

c. Think out your answer before you begin writing.

d. Write complete sentences. Make sure each one is clear and concise. Do not list information

in outline form or with bullet points. Paragraphs should contain several coherent sentences

and should develop one complete thought.

e. Answers should be factual (supported by known facts on the subject), well stated (organized

and presented in a reasonable manner), and logical (sequencing of items; follow a logical

pattern).

4. Support your statements.

a. At the masters level, you are expected to demonstrate a mastery of criminal justice areas

and issues, and not merely reiterate material from a particular text or course.

b. Your essays are expected to meet high standards in terms of organization, coherency, and

critical thinking skills.

c. Although it is primarily the students responsibility to prepare themselves for the

comprehensive examination, full-time faculty, as usual, will gladly meet with students

regarding their academic careers and concerns regarding the comprehensive examinations.

d. Avoid using the same materials to support both answers. At the Masters level, a student

should have sufficient command of various aspects of the field to be able to cite different

research and materials for each separate answer.

5. Utilize Critical Thinking Skills.

a. Comprehensive examination areas require the students to consider the entire criminal justice

field law enforcement, courts/law, and corrections.

b. Reliance upon course materials and texts alone may not be sufficient.

c. This examination requires the ability to integrate coherently and analytically the knowledge

gained from all coursework, as well as further outside readings and study.

28

6. Develop Your Answers Fully.

a. Students are also expected to define terms clearly, develop concepts and arguments fully,

and evaluate the issues at hand (i.e., pros/cons, strength/weaknesses, and accuracies/

inaccuracies).

b. As indicated, statements should be firmly substantiated with facts.

c. Again, the emphasis in a masters degree comprehensive examination is upon

comprehension and mastery of criminal justice areas.

d. The demonstration of critical thinking skills, including the development of arguments, is

important to success in criminal justice.

TIPS ON WRITING SKILLS

Do NOT assume and AVOID being vague. Do not assume that the reader will know what you

mean. Write with as high of a level of specificity as you are capable.

USE criminological concepts/perspectives/models as appropriate and develop their meaning and

significance beyond mere memorized definitions of terms. It is up to you to demonstrate your

mastery of criminal justice concepts, models, and perspectives, as well as to substantiate

information that is pertinent to the field.

DEVELOP your statements and arguments, as concisely and comprehensively as possible. Where

possible, SUPPORT your statements and arguments with specific facts, evidence, cases, or

statistics. Make your statements as substantive as possible; avoid being vague, cryptic, or too

general. In other words, make every word count.

SCORING THE EXAMINATION

1. Scoring Procedure

a. After the completed comprehensive examinations are gathered, copies of each answer sheet

are made, identifiable by the four digits of the EKU ID number only.

b. Multiple faculty members individually review the answers in their academic area of

expertise and score each answer in accordance with a scoring rubric.

c. Blind scoring is used. The faculty members cannot identify the student.

d. In order to pass a section of the comprehensive exam, a student must receive a passing score

from two readers.

2. Grading

a. Students MUST PASS BOTH AREAS in order to successfully pass the CRJ

Comprehensive Examination. Each section will be graded on a pass/fail basis.

b. Avoid using the same substantive material to answer both questions. Duplication of answers

will result in a failure to pass one of the questions.

c. Two faculty readers will read and grade each area of each students comprehensive

examination. In the event of a fail by one reader and a pass by the other, the Graduate

Program Coordinator becomes the tiebreaker in order to determine the pass or fail for that

particular area.

3. Failures to Pass & Re-writing of the Comprehensive Examination:

a. Students will be required to re-take only the failed area(s). The re-take area question will

not be the same question as the one failed.

b. Re-take examinations can be taken not less than 60 days nor more than one year after the

exam is failed. Students have only seven years from their acceptance into the program

within which to complete their degree, to include the comprehensive examination.

29

4. Notification of Results

a. Approximately four weeks after the date of the examination, each student will receive a

letter from The Graduate School indicating the areas in which the student passed and failed.

b. No individual reader results (scores) will be released to the student.

c. In order to pass the exam as a whole, the student must receive a pass on both sections on the

exam.

d. If the student does not receive a pass on one section, the student will have to retake that

section of the exam only. The student will not have to retake both sections on the exam, just

the one they did not pass.

e. Readers comments on sections not passed may include:

Insufficient interpretation of key problem areas

Comprehensive knowledge not demonstrated

Poorly written responses

Lacking in factual information

Lacking in supporting detail

Did not answer question

Information provided was inadequate/incorrect/incomplete

Poorly organized written response

Lacking depth in response

Unsubstantiated assumptions

Unclear presentation of information

5. American Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodations:

a. Reasonable accommodations will be made available for those students requiring them

(e.g., additional time).

a. Special accommodations are available only to those students who have submitted an

appropriate petition for approval when filing to take the comprehensive examination.

b. Students will be notified of the status of their request as soon as possible before the

scheduled examination date.

c. Per ADA regulations, such a request must be supported by official medical documentation

(see the Assistant to the Graduate Coordinator to contact the Office of Services for

Individuals with Disabilities for further information and paperwork).

PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION

1. Create/join a study group. Peer evaluation and feedback is most helpful in finding your own strengths and

weaknesses and is an excellent source of support.

2. Practice, practice, practice. Get several case studies and vignettes. Practice assessing the question, putting

together your resources, developing a strategic and organized presentation, and discussing legal and ethical

issues.

30

3. Review syllabi, textbooks, and course notes from each of the graduate courses.

4. Practice writing an answer using the example questions below. NOTE: These questions are only a

sample of possible questions.

5. Have other students grade your responses.

a. Remember that the comprehensive questions will require you to have knowledge of

theories of crime, criminal behavior, and substantive information about crime trends.

Emphasize concepts but also include sufficient detail to support your ideas, and think

critically about issues raised.

b. You then need to organize and present a reasonably concise response.

c. The essence for studying for the comps is not how much you can quote (or memorize)

but how your knowledge is integrated with your professional philosophy and applied

experiences. Demonstrating how you would implement these academic concepts in an

applied situation is an important part of the evaluation of your answers.

d. It is crucial that you demonstrate the basic academic knowledge in our field, at the

i. Masters level, that is, that you understand and can describe theories and

substantive research and other statistical data, as well as showing your

competence to use this knowledge within an applied setting.

31

SAMPLE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

AREA ONE: GENERAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE

OVERVIEW

The first set of issues relates to Criminal Justice. When responding to a specific Criminal Justice examination

question students should feel free to use relevant materials from Criminal Justice, criminology, policing,

corrections, law and other social sciences.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

General Instructions:

1. Label your answer either General Criminal Justice Question 1 or General Criminal Justice Question 2 at

the top of each page of your answer.

2. Important! Justify your answer using course-relevant theories and concepts, cases, and examples. Explain

which concepts and theories are relevant and why. Support your answers with statistics, data, research

findings, and other empirical evidence or authority.

Sample Question #1

Explain the process of how crime statistics can be "used" in order to create new criminal justice policies. In

your answer be sure to explain the role of data gathering, the media, fear of crime, politicians and interest

groups in this process. Use an example to explain the entire process including a discussion of the impact of the

new policy on overall CJ policy.

Sample Question #2

Discuss fully the different ways in which prison has become a major industry and the potential problems with

this.

Sample Question #3

Nils Christie has argued that the crime control industry in the United States is beginning to look like the

equivalent of the Russian gulag, Criminologist Stephen Richards has also referred to the term gulag in

describing the American prison system. In fact, they are right. Today prisons are found in every part of the

United States, the prison system is ubiquitous. Those prisons are characterized by systematic abuses of human

rights including extreme brutality and violence. Finally, the American prison system produces forced, cheap

("slave") labor for corporations.

Is the American prison system now the American gulag? What changes have occurred in the incarcerations

rates of Americans over the past two decades? What social forces are changing American prisons? Has the

process of imprisonment become an economic necessity rather than a response to crime? Are prisons simply a

mode of cheap production and a source of employment for under-educated and otherwise untalented workers?

What else does Christie mean by the crime control industry?

32

Sample Question #4

Apartheid is a state policy that is designed to produce racial discrimination and segregation. As an official

policy, apartheid is usually associated with the South African government which faced worldwide outrage

and disapproval, with the apartheid government eventually failing under internal dissent and international

economic sanctions.

Is the criminal justice system involved in an official state policy of apartheid in the United States? Is that

policy any less reprehensible than the policies of the South American Government? Is the criminal justice

system's impact on segregation a latent or manifest goal of criminal justice policy?

Sample Question #5

It is almost 8 years since 9-11 and we have seen major shifts across a range of political, social and individual

behavior. Given the history of how the CRJ system tends to react to the "crime of the day," media hype, or

public fear, describe how the events since 9-11 has or will in the future drive CRJ policy and laws (patriot

act, definitions of torture). You may consider the possible impact on the components of the CRJ system

(number of street cops, budget incentives, budget cuts). You may hypothesize about the potential effects on

the behavior of CRJ practitioners (racial profiling, militarization, emphasis on intelligence gathering). You

may talk about shifts in priorities, values, resources, positive and negative consequences. You should be able

to frame your remarks within some historical or theoretical context, i.e., some theoretical explanation for the

social and political response to 911 and provide some example(s) of similar reactions in the past.

Sample Question #6

Given the history of how the CRJ system tends to react to the "crime de jure", media hype or public fear,

describe how the events since 9-11 has or will drive CRJ policy and laws, possible impact on the components

of the CRJ system, potential effects on the behavior of CRJ practitioners. You may talk about shifts in

priorities, values, resources, positive and negative consequences. You should be able to frame your remarks

within some historical or theoretical context.

Sample Question #7

Describe America's imprisonment binge? What do recent trends in imprisonment indicate? How have both

the most recent war on drugs and sentencing reform impacted this binge? How are these issues relevant for

understanding the crime control industry? Your answer must cite the relevant literature.

Sample Question #8

The Criminal Justice System does not function in a vacuum. Its actions, growth and changes take place

within a social, political, and cultural context. Identify and discuss: I) three of the most important trends

facing today's criminal justice system; 2) the types of specific changes that are occurring within the system

as a result of these trends; and 3) the likely future direction(s) the system might be headed in light of these

trends.

Sample Question #9

Identify a major contemporary issue facing our society and the criminal justice system. Discuss the trends

associated with the issue, the differing ideological positions taken by those who have a stake in the issue, and

the scholarly research and literature which addresses the issue.

33

Sample Question #10

Choose a major contemporary criminal justice issue. Detail the nature of the issue, the associated aspects of the

issue, and why it is socially important. In your discussion of the issue make sure that you discuss all aspects of

the issue (pro/con; liberal/radical) and come to a policy conclusion based on existing research and theory.

AREA TWO: THEORY AND RESEARCH

OVERVIEW

The second set of issues relates to social science theory and research methods. When responding to a specific

Theory and Research question, students should place equal emphasis on theory and research and are free to

draw from relevant materials in Criminal Justice, criminology, policing, corrections, law and other social

sciences. In responding to a specific question on these issues students should be mindful that an adequate

response requires demonstration of a detailed understanding of the inter-relationships between social sciences

theory and research methods and techniques. In short, the Graduate Faculty recognizes that students may have

different areas of specialization. Therefore students are allowed to draw from their area of specialization as

long as their response answers the examination question.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

General Instructions:

1. Label your answer either Theory and Research Question 1 or Theory and Research Question 2 at the top

of each page of your answer.

2. Important! Justify your answer using course-relevant theories and concepts, cases, and examples. Explain

which concepts and theories are relevant and why. Support your answers with statistics, data, research

findings, and other empirical evidence or authority.

Sample Question #1

In the context of conducting research on police deviance in small and rural police department describe how

you would go about conducting this research using both a quantitative approach and a qualitative approach. In

framing your answer is sure to include the following:

a. Complete discussion of the strategies and methods you would employ for both styles.

b. Discuss the pros and cons of using each style of research as well as any inherent limitations in

either style.

Sample Question #2

In an attempt to gauge public opinion about the death penalty in Kentucky, EKU has decided to conduct a

survey. Because you are my graduate assistant I am going to have you do all of the work, for which I will take

all of the credit. In conducting this survey discuss the sample size, sampling technique and sampling frame that

you will employ. Make sure to support your decisions completely and discuss all of the limitations in the

decisions you have made.

34

Sample Question #3

Discuss the different techniques most commonly used in conducting qualitative research. In your discussion

be sure to discuss the limitations and benefits of each method as well in what situation the technique is best

suited for research.

Sample Question #4

Describe some of the ethical problems associated with both quantitative and qualitative research.

Sample Question #5

Several states have recently gravitated to increasing punitiveness for persistent offenders by creating "three

strikes" or persistent felony offender statutes. What theoretical orientation is this approach based on? Explain

your answer. How might you examine the effectiveness of such a program? That is, describe a research

design that could be used to examine whether your program has actually decreased violence. What type of

design is it? What results would suggest that your program worked? What issues within the criminal justice

system may help or hinder the effectiveness of such a program? Finally, what are some of the underlying

assumptions about the problem, the program, or the criminal justice system's ability to carry out the program,

that might be problematic or that need to be addressed more fully.

Sample Question #6

Arguably, the most substantial strategic development in policing over the past 20 years has been community

policing. Questions remain, however, about the effectiveness and feasibility of community policing. For this

question, (1) describe in detail a research design for a study that would shed significant light on the

effectiveness and feasibility of community policing, and then (2) critique your own design, discussing

important conceptual and measurement issues and identifying the primary threats to the validity of your

study's findings.

Sample Question #7

High emphasis is placed in our discipline, on explaining fluctuations in the crime rate (traditional

criminological theory). Our program in criminal justice studies places equal emphasis on making theoretical

sense of fluctuations in rates of criminal justice size and activity. Using the literature and research you have

been exposed to in this program, please discuss why rates of criminal justice size and activity have changed

so dramatically over the last thirty years.

Sample Question #8

Select and explain a social problem associated with crime and delinquency. From the social constructionist

perspective, describe how the problem came into being (the process of social construction). Making sure you

address the role of media, criminal justice and political officials, and power in the social construction of this

problem.

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Sample Question #9

Select any micro (i.e. processual) theory and fully describe how it explains law making and law breaking

(including street and white collar crime). Select any macro (i.e. structural) theory and fully describe how it

explains law making and law breaking (include street and white collar crime.) Your answer must cite relevant

literature.

Sample Question #10

All theories of crime imply policies/social changes which might help to ameliorate the problem. Using 1)

contemporary biological theories, 2) Merton's theory of anomie, and 3) the late-modern and/or postmodern

school of thought, detail the implications of each for crime control/criminal justice policy. Explain your

answers fully.

Sample Question #11

Due to several recent drinking related deaths on college campuses, the subject of binge drinking has become a

politically hot topic. As a leading researcher you have been asked to conduct a study to determine the nature

and extent of binge drinking on college campuses nationwide. In conducting your study you are to

conceptualize, operationalize and create indicators for "binge drinking" and other important concepts. In

addition you need to discuss the sample size, sampling frame and sampling technique you will use in your

research. Finally, you will need to discuss how you will ensure the reliability and validity of your results. Fully

support the decisions you make.

Sample Question #12

There has been a good amount of controversy in our field, and in the social sciences as a whole, about the

debate and differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods. Please discuss the basic

contours, concepts, and foundational ideas/assumptions that revolve around this issue (using appropriate

examples of both qualitative and quantitative research conducted in our field), and then discuss the more recent

train of thought that views these two approaches as compatible and mutually enhancing ("mixed methods

approach")

Sample Question #13

A long-standing debate in criminology centers on the measurement of crime. While there is no perfect

indicator of how much crime exists in our society, previous empirical research has shown that there are several

sources of data that can be used to operationalize the concept of crime. Discuss the major sources (or types) of

crime data. Include in your discussion a review of a few studies that have employed one or more of these crime

data sources. Also, provide a thorough evaluation of the strengths and shortcomings of each source of crime

data. To focus your essay, consider the issues associated with defining, measuring, and collecting data on

sexual assault victimization of women. Be sure to explain the various view points of sexual assault definitions

from a theoretical, philosophical, and research perspective where appropriate. Also, provide a historical

development context within which sexual assault definitions, measurement, and data collection have evolved

Sample Question #14

Select one broad social theory (not criminological) or ideological orientation and explain how it informs

criminological theory. Make sure to draw direct linkages between the social theory and a criminological

theory. Address how the social theory frames the criminological discourse and understanding. Finally, link

these observations to how research methods are selected, used and what findings they produce.

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MASTERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE READING LIST

The following list is not intended to be an exhaustive nor a definitive list of all the available literature

in criminal justice. Instead, it is offered as an additional resource for students to draw upon in

preparing for the exams.

CRJ 800

Kraska, P. B. (2004). Theorizing Criminal Justice: Eight Essential Orientations. Waveland Press.

CRJ 808

Kraska, P.B. (2004). Theorizing Criminal Justice: Eight Essential Orientations. Waveland Press.

CRJ870

Williams, F., and McShane, M. (2003). Criminological Theory (4th ed.). Prentice Hall.

Foucault, M. (1995). Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage.

Vold, G. B., Bernard, T. J., and Snipes, J. B. (2002). Theoretical Criminology. Oxford University Press.

Messner, S. E., and Rosenfeld, R. (2000). Crime and the American Dream. Wadsworth.

Lynch, M., and Michalowski, R. (2006). A New Primer in Radical Criminology. Criminal Justice Press.

Ferrell, J., Hayward, K., and Young, J. (2008). Cultural Criminology. Sage.

CRJ875

Kappeler, V., and Potter, G. (2004). The Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice (4th ed.). Waveland

Press.

Lynch, M., and Michalowski, R. (2006). Critical Perspectives on Crime, Power & Identity. Criminal Justice

Press.

Shelden, R. (2008). Controlling the Dangerous Classes. Allyn & Bacon.

CRJ 888

Cook, T.D., and Campbell, D.T. (1979). Quasi-Experimentation. Houghton Mufflin Co.

Kraska, P., and Neuman, W. (2008). Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods. Allyn and Bacon.

Kuhn, T. (1970). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Lofland, J., and Lofland, L. H. (1984). Analyzing Social Settings (2nd ed.). Wadsworth.

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CRJ 889

Berg, Bruce L. (2007). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences (6th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.

COR 808

Diekhoff, G. (1992). Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences: Univariate, Bivariate, Multivariate.

Wm. C. Brown Publishers.

Pallant, J. (2007). SPSS Survivor Manual (3rd ed.). McGraw Hill.

Soderstrom, I. R. (2008). Introductory Criminal Justice Statistics. Waveland Press.

COR 818

Babbie, E. (2007). The Practice of Social Research (11th ed.). Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Hagan, F. E. (2006). Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology (8th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.

Minor, K. I., Wells, J. B., Cobb, K., Lawrence, B., and Cox, T. (2005). Test Validity in Justice and Safety

Training Contexts. A Study of Criterion Referenced Assessment in a Police Academy. Charles C. Thomas.

38

Thesis

Thesis Deadlines

Theses are typically due one month prior to the end of the semester in which you wish to graduate. Carefully check

the Graduate School website http://www.gradschool.eku.edu and with the CRJ Graduate department for all

deadlines that pertain to your specific semester of graduation.

Thesis Guidelines

In submitting your thesis to the Graduate School, you are encouraged to first submit your final thesis as approved by

your committee on inexpensive copy paper. When submitting your thesis, please include contact information, e.g.

e-mail address and home or cell phone numbers. The Graduate School will review your thesis for form and

formatting. They will contact you with any changes that are required. At that time you can print two copies on

50-100% cotton (20-24 weight) for final submission. You must submit two approval pages signed by your

committee on the same quality paper as well as two signed permission to use forms. You may submit additional

approval pages if you so desire which will be signed by the Dean of the Graduate School and returned to you.

Thesis Binding

You must submit two final copies of your thesis to the main library for binding. The Graduate School will keep

both copies. If you would like additional copies for yourself, your thesis committee members, family members, etc.;

contact the main library. They will explain the current binding charges and the process involved.

http://www.gradschool.eku.edu/http://www.gradschool.eku.edu/current/Thesis%20Guidelines.pdf

39

THESIS MADE EASY

Eastern Kentucky University

Created May 9, 2002 By:

Jason English

Deb Glovak

Scott Graves

Sara Miller

Billy Oakley

Matt Sharp

Revised May 4, 2009 By:

Jessica Anderson

Gregg Jones

Samuel Reid

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Getting Started?

So youve decided to write a thesis? Are you crazy, do you know how hard it is? Just

kidding, it isnt as bad as you think. In fact, writing a thesis is something that virtually any

student can do with the right planning and determination. Even so, there are a few tips and

tricks that you might be able to acquire prior to beginning the process. This handbook was

created by students to help guide you through the thesis writing process as painlessly as

possible. Although some of these suggestions might not work in every situation, it will

certainly provide some insight into the process. With the right game plan you will find that the

thesis writing process is well within your limits as a graduate student. Good Luck!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPICS PAGE

IDEA GENERATION..41

CHOSSING YOUR THESIS COMMITTEE..41

TIMELINE OF YOUR THESIS......43

DEFENSE OF YOUR THESIS.......43

BASIC THESIS MECHANICS...43

CHAPTER I- INTRODUCTION46

CHAPTER II- REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.47

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY...............48

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS/FINDINGS...50

CHAPTER V- SUMMARY/CONCLUSION..51

BIBLIOGRAPHY/APPENDICES..52

HELPFUL HINTS/FURTHER READING.....52

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IDEA GENERATION

SOME HELPFUL HINTS IN IDEA GENERATION

What are you interested in? Picking a topic that truly interests you can be a great help in keeping

you on track and focused in a research project of this magnitude.

Do not expect it to just come to you! This is a common mistake. Stay up to date on current issues/

problems in your field. The bottom line is you have to do the leg work.

Communication is also helpful in this stage as well. Professors are often working on a project, or

have data on a previous project that can save you a lot of time if you just ask.

Essays in other classes are also important. If you already have your idea, you can do essays in

your classes that pertain to part of your thesis topic. This will help you when it comes time to

really get going on your thesis.

One common misconception is that you cant start with the data. You can start by analyzing your

data. This can save you valuable time in your literature review.

Always balance your ideas with feasibility of time, your own abilities, data availability, and the

type of analysis you are going to do.

When thinking about a potential idea, ask yourself four questions: What? Why? Who Cares? Why

does it matter? Essentially, you will need to answer these questions.

CHOSING YOUR THESIS COMMITTEE

GETTING YOUR COMMITTEE TOGETHER

Less formal here than it sounds

Talk to different faculty members you think will be good

May start with one faculty member who can point you towards other faculty who have an interest

in your topic

The chair is the most important position on the committee. It may be difficult to get a commitment

for this position

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Being a chair is a lot of work; reading, editing, etc. Must be interested in topic

Easier to get them to be a reader.

No written rules when it comes to a faculty using your work to publish something of their own

(make sure arrangements are pre-made)

If a reader puts in a lot of work, they may want to ask you about co-authorship; the same as you

would the chair.

WORKING WITH YOUR COMMITTEE

Dont expect a lot of feedback from readers

Chair runs the show (keep in mind when selecting chair)

Additional changes will not come till the end

Rule #1: keep the reader informed

Set up your own defense; ask committee if they are free; follow-up with a reminder

TIMELINE OF YOUR THESIS

There is no set timeline for thesis completion. Thesis chair members will make their own for you.

It is imperative that students allow plenty of time to complete the thesis.

You should not wait until the final semester to begin compiling your thesis. There are many factors

and steps to be taken that may delay the final submission. The thesis committee chair will most