Dr. Lynne L. Snowden                 Spring, 2000
         Office Hours: 10-11 TTH, 10-12 W     Office # 208B S&B
         Phone # - 962-3838

" The sociological imagination... consists of the
capacity to shift from one perspective to another, and
in the process to build up an adequate view of a total
society and of its components." - C. Wright Mills

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Welcome to the CJ Practicum and Lab! The purpose of the Practicum is to deepen your knowledge and enhance your understanding of North Carolina's criminal justice system. The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, & Criminal Justice also hopes that you will use this experience to apply what you have learned and that this application will enrich your future scholarly and career endeavors. The Practicum Lab has several goals:

(1) to provide you with an opportunity to discuss topics related to your agency assignment;

(2) to integrate your acquired theoretical knowledge with "real-world" activities; and

(3) to prepare you for your upcoming job search.

Together we will approach the field of criminal justice via the Practicum. I have worked for many years with social service and criminal justice agencies and believe strongly that an internship is the only way to decide which area of the `system' will best suit your career goals. Your placement should yield a number of important benefits:

(1) You will be able to evaluate your desire and ability to pursue a permanent job in the criminal justice field.

(2) You will make many professional contacts.

(3) You will gain a better understanding of how the separate agencies within the criminal justice system interact and affect each other.

(4) You will have an opportunity to view an organization in action and get a feeling for how both formal and informal business structures develop.

(5) You will acquire experience interacting with people on a formal level, both clients and staff.

(6) You will learn how to write and update a resume.

Finally, a caution - if you are having a problem with your placement (for example, you don't like it or are having a personality clash with your supervisor) please see or call me immediately. I want this experience to be one that you will remember in a positive light, so in order to gain the above benefits, your placement must be satisfactory and comfortable to both you and your field supervisor.

Suggested Textbooks for Review and the Lab:

J. Scott Harr & K. Hess. Seeking Employment in Criminal

Justice and Related Fields. West Publishing Company.

Other Assorted Books Presented in Class

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The good news first - there will be no exams for this course. Your lab grade will be based upon your class attendance, participation, and the completion of all required assignments. These lab assignments will be ungraded, but mandatory, exercises. Your practicum grade is a composite of your field notes, a monthly report on your field experiences, a final report which summarizes all written work, your employer evaluation, and my field assessment.

READING ASSIGNMENTS AND LAB DATES

January 5             Welcome

January 12            The Internship Experience

January 19            On The Job Theory and Research

January 26            Getting To Know Your Supervisor
                               Begin Preparing Resume

February 2            First Monthly Summary Due
                               Individual Meeting with Dr. Snowden

February 9            Resumes & Cover Letters

February 16          Federal & State Employment

February 23          Guest Speaker

March 1                Second Monthly Summary Due
                              Meeting with Dr. Snowden

March 8                Spring Break

March 15              Going to Grad School

March 22              Criminal Justice Trip

March 29              Interviews

April 5                  Final Hourly Report Due
                               Meeting with Dr. Snowden

April 12                Stress Management Plan

April 19                TBA

April 26                All Uncompleted Work Due Including Updated Resume
                              Wrap-up & Class Party

PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS

Due Each Month:

Monthly Review Form Summarizing Highlights of Field Notes

Field Notes & Hours Initialed

Final Grade Consists of:

Monthly Reports (3)

Placement official's evaluation

Professor's site evaluation

Final Report (1):

Summary of patterns developed through Field Notes

Student's assessment of the experience

Statement of theories and goals which were met during the project

Lab Exercises Include:

Resume/Cover Letter Stress Management Program

Organization Chart List of Employers (5)

Graduate School Essay