Dec 26, 2024  
2021-2022 Course Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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CJS 2120 - Public Safety in a Multicultural Society

Credits: 1
Hours/Week: Lecture 1 Lab None
Course Description: Multicultural knowledge is vital for all first responders, especially in the areas of diversity, bias, cultural competency, and respect for the lived experiences of all people. This course provides opportunities for intentional self-reflection about implicit and explicit biases, including how to continuously improve, as well as how to manage one¿s biases while performing public safety tasks. The course also addresses the negative effects related to a lack of cultural competency.
MnTC Goals
None

Prerequisite(s): CJS 2081  and ENGL 1020  with a grade of C or higher or ENGL 1021  with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: None

Major Content
  1. Assessment of individual cultural competence
  2. Scenario-based problem-solving
  3. Community-based collaboration
  4. Racially-based profiling
  5. Hate crimes
  6. Challenges created by intolerance and marginalizing

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Apply results of a cultural self-assessment.
  2. Describe barriers to clear communication, e.g. language, stress, bias, lack of common cultural understanding.  (Category 1.1)
  3. Identify ethical issues in a variety of law enforcement related situations and apply ethical reasoning to decision making processes. (Category 1.2)
  4. Use critical thinking, logical reasoning and problem solving strategies to formulate ideas, make proposals and suggest solutions to a variety of law enforcement related problems or concerns (Minn. Stat. 626.8455). (Category 1.3)
  5. Define the term discretion and discuss when and why peace officers use their best judgment in the administration of justice and when discretion is not allowed. (Category 1.4)
  6. Identify techniques for organizing community members, so that they are involved and trained in community policing activities, relating to diverse communities, and relating to individuals with physical or mental limitations (Minn. Stat. 626.8455, Subd. 1, 2-4). (Category 1.5)
  7. Discuss the risks and problems associated with intolerance, insensitivity, partiality, marginalizing and unjust application of the law for both law enforcement and community members. (Category 1.6)
  8. Discuss ways officers can promote positive relationships with community members of varying races, ethnicities, national origins, immigration statuses, genders, ages, economic classes, disabilities and/or sexual orientations. (Minn. Stat. 626.8455) (Category 1.6)
  9. Explain the concept of racially based profiling (Minn. Stat. 626.8471) and other profiling that is based on false assumptions about groups of people and discuss:
    1. the impact of the Whren v. United States decision
    2. the importance of impartial policing,
    3. the difference between the terms pretextual stop and racial profiling and the problems associated with racial profiling by law enforcement, 
    4. how racial profiling impacts law enforcement credibility and community trust,
    5. how to handle the perception of unfair or biased treatment of members of the public by law enforcement, and
    6. the importance of an officer’s ability to articulate valid reasons for vehicle stops. (Category 2.12)
  10. Define and explain the impact of hate crimes including:
    1. the motivations behind hate crimes,
    2. the impact of hate crimes on victims and on communities,
    3. the special needs of hate crime victims, and
    4. crime characteristics which may indicate a crime was motivated by the victim’s race, national origin, sex, age, disability, or sexual orientation (Minn. Stat. 626.8451, Subd. 1). (Category 2.12)

Competency 1 (1-6)
None
Competency 2 (7-10)
None


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