Course Number & Name: CJI 204 Evidence
Credit Hours: 3.0 Contact Hours: 3.0 Lecture: 3.0 Lab: N/A Other: N/A
Course Description: This course surveys the basic rules of evidence important to law enforcement personnel and criminal justice students. It includes a study of the applicable amendments to the Constitution, landmark Supreme Court decisions, the Federal Rules of Evidence, hearsay, and recent changes in the rules of evidence at the federal and state levels. Students are required to complete a field assignment involving in-court observations.
<!–Course Goals: Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to do the following:
- define the difference between evidence in criminal court cases and civil court cases especially as it relates to burden of proof issues;
- evaluate what constitutes appropriate and admissible evidence in criminal investigation;
- categorize the various types of evidence usually found at the scene of a crime and describe generally accepted methods of collection;
- describe the types of criminal evidence (e.g., direct, circumstantial, etc.) currently allowed in both federal and state courts;
- explain the federal rules of evidence as they apply to criminal cases and explain how to find state rules of evidence;
- identify and explain basic concepts and terms of criminal evidence;
- demonstrate critical thinking skills within the context of evaluating the complexity of evidence issues; and
- communicate effectively with accurate ‘criminal justice’ terminology in written and/or oral form.