CJ301 Criminal Investigation & Evidence

The art and science of criminal investigation, including arrest techniques and the detection and documentation of crime, crime scene procedures, collection and preservation of evidence, interviews and interrogations, techniques of surveillance, and presentation of evidence in court. Covers ethics, the basic concepts of criminal law and the rules of evidence, principles of criminal responsibility, elements of major crimes, burden of proof and presumptions. Includes the implications of the Amendments to the U.S. Constitution on such matters as police practices, the investigator’s role in court, illegal search and seizure, and right to counsel. Also covers the politics of race relations by examining key court decisions. Prerequisite: CJ201 must be completed with a grade of C or higher.