Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice

CRJ 2830 Interviewing Skills (also crosslisted as SAB 2830)

Instructor: Dr. Fran FullerSemester: Spring, 2008
Class Location: Rm 233 Sampson (New Classroom Bldg, North of Dial)Time: Monday Evenings 6:30-9:30pm, Class Attendance Required

Office Hours: MW 9:00-10:30am; T,Th, Fri 9:30-10:00 am, SAMP Rm 208, & by Appointment Call 733-5317
Section: 001 

Office Hours: MW 9:00-10:30am; T,Th, Fri 9:30-10:00 am, SAMP Rm 208, & by Appointment Call 733-5317 ">

Description
Course Description from the UNCP Catalog
CRJ/SAB 2830. Interviewing Skills
This course teaches practical skills and the theories behind them for interviewing and recording of interviews in legally and emotionally sensitive areas, such as knowledge about criminal conduct and victimization, child, domestic and substance abuse. Systems theory is applied to the selection of techniques to be used in different interviewing circumstances, recognizing such critical status distinctions as victim, witness, or suspect. The course employs lecture, discussion, readings, interviewing assignments, simulations, role-playing, audio-visual taping, and documentation exercises. As announced. Credit, 3 semester hours.

Goals
Each student will become familiar with the techniques of sympathetic interviewing in a variety of professional settings. Each student will be able to distinguish the similarities and differences common to professional practice in therapeutic as well as criminal investigation interview situations, and be able to demonstrate qualities common to sympathetic interviewing. Each student will demonstrate proficient techniques via video-taped interviews in simulated interview situations.

Objectives
With the successful completion of this course, students will:

1 -- Be able to list the commonalities and the differences between theraputic vs criminal investigation interview situations in terms of the sympathy the interviewer is able to convey to the interviewee AND know how to dress for success in any one of several principle interview roles.
2 -- Know how to participate as a professional member of a video production team.
3 -- Demonstrate proficiency on video-tape as the interviewer in a simulated interview, clearly distinguishable as either criminal investigation or therapeutic.
4 -- Demonstrate (through traditional testing procedures) knowledge of couseling techniques and theories specific to face-to-face contacts with a criminal population.

Course Materials
Textbook(s)
Sun, Key. 2008. Correctional Counseling: A Cognitive Growth Perspective. Boston: Jones & Bartlett. ISBN 0-7637-4114-0. 206 pages including index. Suggested retail price: $49.95.
Other
Paul, Richard and Linda Elder. The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts & Tools. Dillon Beach, CA: The Foundation for Critical Thinking. REQUIRED.

Course Resource Links
Assignments
Schedule
APA format citation style from the WEB
UNCP Writing Center Webpage
Need an UNCP email account?
UNCP Criminal Justice HomePage
UNCP Sampson-Livermore Library
The Foundation for Critical Thinking
UNCP support services for students with disabilities
Haga/Fuller Class Slide Shows

Grading Policy
General. Assignment due dates are announced in advance. There are no points-off penalties for late work while semester classes are in session. Grade F (zero) is earned by any assignment turned in later than the end of the Last Day of Class, unless arrangements are made for an incomplete.

Grade equivalents show on the scale below. The percentages given for each grade component are called "weights."

ADDITONALLY, PLEASE NOTE: The University supports a variety of accommodations to the needs of students with disabilities. The policy reads, in part: In post-secondary settings, it is the student's responsibility to request accommodations, if desired. It is important to remember that not every student with a disability needs accommodation. It is equally important to remember that even though two individuals may have the same disability, they may not need the same accommodation. Disability Support Services, UNC Pembroke. Please contact Dr. Fuller with questions and concerns about this and any other aspects of evaluation and grading.

Grades will be posted on Blackboard as they are earned. Students are responsible for contacting the instructor if they believe a mistake has been made in the grading or the reporting of the grade. Final grades are posted to BraveWeb for the official record.

Grade Components
 Name 
 Weight 
  Subject
Class Exercises & Assignments
40%
 Classnotes expected (but not graded) Evaluation Criteria (from CRJ/SOC 240 Criminology) ; Friendly Quizzes "M-KAT" format; Formal Discussions.
Interview  video-tape and  supporting documents
30%
 Students stage educational video taped interviews with each other as interviewer, interviewee, and narrator, and supply supporting documents. Individual grades are given.
Final Exam
30%
 "M-KAT" Format. Comprehensive. Monday April 28, 2008, 6:30-9:00am

Final Grades
 A: 92-100 (4.0QP)  B+: 87-89 (3.3QP)  C+: 77-79 (2.3QP)  D+: 67-69 (1.3QP)  F: 0-59 (0QP)  
 A-: 90-91 (3.7QP)  B: 82-86 (3.0QP)  C: 72-76 (2.0QPO  D: 62.66 (1.0QP)      
     B-: 80-81 (2.7QP)  C-: 70-71 (1.7QP)  D-: 60-61 (.7QP)      

Attendance Policy
Class attendance and participation is expected. Four points will be subtracted from your final grade for any day missed. Two points will be subtracted from your final grade for any day you reported late to class or left early. This policy will be relaxed if you suffer an extended illness of your own.

Proof of Studies: Students are expected to spend a minimum of two to three hours outside of class in preparation for each meeting of the class. Students may spend study time reading, taking reading notes, preparing class assignment, on-line with Blackboard or with directed websearches (confirmed with websearch logs), reworking and expanding classnotes, preparing flashcards to study important vocabulary, reviewing class "friendly quizzes," or in communication with each other. Students will document their studies with a personal journal recording the time and date, their activity, and citation notations, plus a counter-signature. In addition to these tradtional activities of scholarship, this class will require a good bit of attention to the details of organizing a video production for presentation in class. Some classtime will be allotted to group organization for this project, but a significant proportion of the video preparation time will occur in addition to the class time. Points for class absences may be restored when selected journal entries and study output are formally presented to the class within three class meetings after the class or classes missed. Tardy arrivals and early departures may be restored with similar presentation of proof of studies.

Procedure to re-gain points lost due to class absences for any reason: In a timely manner present Proof of Studies specific to the days missed. Should be on the topics covered in class and in a format suitable for sharing with classmates who missed your class presence. Formats may include oral reports, essays, vocabulary flashcards, chapter exercises, powerpoint presentations, handouts shared electronically or on paper. Material presented should be substantial enough to demonstrate at least two, if not three hours, of your work so as to be proof of your studies in lieu of class attendance for any reason. Proof of studies will always be presented in class in a 1/2 inch loose leaf binder (small), or plastic zip bag in the case of flashcards, for open class inspection, and will include a daily journal of how you spent your time devoted to your studies for this class.

And before you die laughing at this policy which essentially provides every student a procedure to make up any absence, please remember that most proof of any work offered in Criminal Justice employment is in the form of reports, journal notes and time records. You are learning the investigation methods and professional conduct of professionals who either work in the field of criminal justice or who are associated with populations of criminals, you will do well to learn how to keep up with your time as a professional.

The class will be graded on the basis of the components for grade recorded above. In other words, your proof of studies journal is not part of your grade. It is simply expected as part of your own system of backup documentation.

Student Conduct & Honor Code
Students will read and adhere to The UNCP Student Honor Code. This should be a direct link to The Student Honor Code .

After reading the Honor Code, please email fran.fuller@uncp.edu to let me know whether or not you have (1) read the Honor Code, (2) have any questions about any part of it, and (3) agree or disagree with any portions of it.

Our academic honor code applies, in its entirety, to all aspects of the course. See UNC Pembroke Catalog, p. 47. In the online pdf version, scroll down to page 47. The code concludes with advice to instructors: "Students have the responsibility to know and observe the UNCP Academic Honor Code" (p. 50).

Contact Information
Office Tel: 910-521-6473.
University Mailing Address: Dr. Fran Fuller, UNC-P, Box 1510, Pembroke NC 28372

Name change alert! Dr. Fuller was Dr. Haga until her marriage December 16, 2001 to Fred Fuller. The Fullers reside in Pembroke, North Carolina. Dr. Fuller can be reached at your convenience at 910-733-5317.

Other Information
Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor, as early in the semester (preferably within the first week) as possible. ACCOMODATIONS PROCESS LINK. .

All discussions with Disability Support Services will remain confidential. Please contact Mary Helen Walker, Disability Support Services, UNC Pembroke. DF Lowry Building, 910-521-6695.

Updated December 30, 2007 | fran.fuller@uncp.edu | Copyright © 2007 The University of North Carolina at Pembroke