Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice is a social studies elective offered to juniors and seniors. This course is a fairly in-depth study of the workings of the New York State Criminal Justice system. It is designed to give students a good working knowledge of their rights and to gain an appreciation for law and our society’s need for law and order. This course promotes good citizenship and allows students to obtain an understanding of the laws of New York State and its judicial process, and may also provide a glimpse into possible career opportunities in the fields of law, law enforcement, corrections, and law-related education.
Week 1: 9/5-9/7
Wed. 9/5 Introduction/Syllabus Day
Fri. 9/7 Introduction to Criminal Law
Wed. 9/5 Introduction/Syllabus Day
- Materials: Syllabus
Fri. 9/7 Introduction to Criminal Law
- Materials: Arsenic Anna
Week 2: 9/9-9/13
Mon. 9/9 Criminal Law- Types of Crime (Major Categories of Crime)
Tues. 9/10 Criminal Law- Types of Crime (Felonies vs. Misdemeanors)
Mon. 9/9 Criminal Law- Types of Crime (Major Categories of Crime)
Tues. 9/10 Criminal Law- Types of Crime (Felonies vs. Misdemeanors)
- Materials/Activity: Criminal Game
- Materials: Exit Ticket- Should New York schools be required by law to observe Patriot Day?
- Materials: "Criminal Acts?" Activity
- Materials: "Is it a Crime?" Activity (page 2 of link)
Week 3: 9/16-9/20
Mon. 9/16 Stealing/Forensic Files Case
Wed. 9/18 Juvenile Crimes
Mon. 9/16 Stealing/Forensic Files Case
- Materials: Forensic Files Case
- Forensic Files Questions (answered in notebook): What crime(s) is/are being committed? What do the police do immediately after the crime is discovered? Why are the police suspicious of the former roommate? What was the mens rea of the crime? What were the killers probable motives?
Wed. 9/18 Juvenile Crimes
- Materials: Juvenile Crimes Guided Notes
Week 4: 9/23-9/27
Mon. 9/23 Jail Field Trip
Tues. 9/24 Juvenile Crimes (cont.)
Wed. 9/25 Juvenile Crimes (cont.)
Thurs. 9/26 Unit 1 Test Review
Mon. 9/23 Jail Field Trip
Tues. 9/24 Juvenile Crimes (cont.)
Wed. 9/25 Juvenile Crimes (cont.)
Thurs. 9/26 Unit 1 Test Review
- Materials: Test Review Sheet
Week 5: 9/30-10/4
Mon. 9/30 No School
Tues. 10/1 No School
Wed. 10/2 Victimology: Who are the Victims?
Mon. 9/30 No School
Tues. 10/1 No School
Wed. 10/2 Victimology: Who are the Victims?
- Materials: Victimology Worksheets (Victims' Stories + Constitutional Amendment)
- Materials: Constitutional Amendment (see above link)
- Materials: Forensic Files Worksheet; Forensic Files Case Episode
Week 6: 10/7-10/11
Mon. 10/7 Introduction: Law Enforcement
Thurs. 10/10 Law Enforcement (cont.)
Mon. 10/7 Introduction: Law Enforcement
- Materials: The Arrest Process Worksheet
- Materials: Arrest Process Mini Quiz
Thurs. 10/10 Law Enforcement (cont.)
- Materials: Search & Seizure Worksheet + Video
- Materials: Research and Project Outline
Week 7: 10/14-10/18
Mon. 10/14 No School
Tues. 10/15 Law Enforcement
Fri. 10/18 Research Project Presentations (Graded as a test)
Mon. 10/14 No School
Tues. 10/15 Law Enforcement
- Visit from Suffolk County Police
- Homework: Continue Research Project
- Class time for work on project
Fri. 10/18 Research Project Presentations (Graded as a test)
Week 8: 10/21-10/25
Mon. 10/21 Research Project Presentations cont.
Tues. 10/22 Arrest Review
Mon. 10/21 Research Project Presentations cont.
Tues. 10/22 Arrest Review
- Materials: 4th Amendment Survey
- Materials: Warrant Mini Quiz & "Password" Vocabulary Activity
- Materials: What the Reform Means news article
- Materials: Forensic Files Worksheet; Forensic Files Video
Week 9: 10/28-11/1
Mon. 10/28 Unit 2 Exam Review
Thurs. 10/31 Halloween
Mon. 10/28 Unit 2 Exam Review
- Materials: Review Sheet/ Kahoot
- Homework: Study for exam Wednesday!
- Materials: U2 Test Trivia
- Homework: Study for exam Wednesday!
Thurs. 10/31 Halloween
- Materials: Ed Gein Documentary + 3-2-1 (3 things I learned, 2 things I found interesting, 1 question I have)
- Materials: Text Extra Credit (Ask Ms. Seifert for details)
Week 10: 11/4-11/8
Mon. 11/4 Intro to Unit 3: The Legal System
Wed. 11/6 Dual-Federalism
Fri. 11/8 Arrest to Court/Courtroom Personnel
Mon. 11/4 Intro to Unit 3: The Legal System
- Materials: "Sources of Law in the American Legal System" + worksheet
Wed. 11/6 Dual-Federalism
- Materials: Federalism Worksheets (2 & 6)
Fri. 11/8 Arrest to Court/Courtroom Personnel
- Materials: PowerPoint Slides (print-out copies can be requested from Ms. Seifert
Week 11: 11/11-15
Mon. 11/11 No School- Veterans Day
Tues. 11/12 Courtroom Personnel; Arraignment
Mon. 11/11 No School- Veterans Day
Tues. 11/12 Courtroom Personnel; Arraignment
- Materials: Judge Caprio Clip; Courtroom Personnel Diagrams (see PowerPoint slides); Sample of an Arraignment
- Materials: "Courtroom Pictionary/Charades"- students worked in groups to either silently act out or draw courtroom personnel and get their groups to guess
Week 12: 11/18-11/22
Monday 11/18 Jury Selection
Wednesday 11/20 Objections & Courtroom Etiquette
Monday 11/18 Jury Selection
- Materials: Voir Dire
- Homework: Complete Jury Selection Packet
Wednesday 11/20 Objections & Courtroom Etiquette
- Materials: Courtroom Vocabulary, Objections
- Materials: Objections Activityobjections_activity.pdf
- Materials: Forensic Files Worksheet; Forensic Files Video
Week 13: 11/25-11/29
Mon. 11/25 Fairytale Mock Trial
Wed. 11/27 Fairytale Mock Trial
Thurs. 11/28 Thanksgiving Break
Fri. 11/29 Thanksgiving Break
Mon. 11/25 Fairytale Mock Trial
- Materials: Fairytales + Court Case Outline (See Ms. Seifert for copies)
Wed. 11/27 Fairytale Mock Trial
Thurs. 11/28 Thanksgiving Break
Fri. 11/29 Thanksgiving Break
Week 14: 12/2-12/6
Mon. 12/2 Fairytale Mock Trial Presentations
Tues. 12/3 Fairytale Mock Trial Presentations
Wed. 12/4 (Substitute)
Thurs. 12/5 U3 Test Review
Fri. 12/6 U3 Test
Mon. 12/2 Fairytale Mock Trial Presentations
Tues. 12/3 Fairytale Mock Trial Presentations
Wed. 12/4 (Substitute)
Thurs. 12/5 U3 Test Review
Fri. 12/6 U3 Test
Week 15: 12/9-12/13
Mon. 12/9 Mock Trial Case Introduction
Tues. 12/10 Mock Trial Evidence Introduction
Wed. 12/11 Mock Trial Role Assignments
Thurs. 12/12 Mock Trial Preparation
Fri. 12/13 Mock Trial Preparation
Mon. 12/9 Mock Trial Case Introduction
Tues. 12/10 Mock Trial Evidence Introduction
Wed. 12/11 Mock Trial Role Assignments
Thurs. 12/12 Mock Trial Preparation
Fri. 12/13 Mock Trial Preparation
Week 16: 12/16-12/20
Mon. 12/16 Last Day Mock Trial Preparation
Tues. 12/17 Mock Trial Day 1
Wed. 12/18 Mock Trial Day 2
Mon. 12/16 Last Day Mock Trial Preparation
Tues. 12/17 Mock Trial Day 1
Wed. 12/18 Mock Trial Day 2