Tuesday 6:00pm-8:30pm
This class will examine the fundamentals and procedures of investigation; crime scene applications; the collection, marking, and preservation of evidence; and the techniques and procedures of the follow-up investigation.
Faculty Contact Information
Office Location: 3rd Floor Adjunct Office
Office hours: By appointment only. Feel free to email me at zpowell@kcc.edu with any questions.
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the fundamentals procedures when responding to a crime scene.
- Explain the fundamentals of investigating specific major crimes.
- Explain the role of "basic leads" inthe identification of suspects.
- Explain the legal significance and integrity of evidence in relation to all aspects of criminal investigation.
- Explain ethical awareness in criminal investigation.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Author: LYMAN
ISBN: 9780134548685
Course Goals and Learning Objectives:
Evaluation:
Attendance-30 points
Discussions-50 points
Quizzes-125 points
Presentation/Project-50 points
Final Exam-50 points
Total: 305
Grading
A 100% – 90%
B 89% – 80%
C 79% - 70%
D 69% -- 60%
F 59% – 0%
Advanced arrangements must be made to make up quizzes / exams.
A student may only miss four (4) assignments
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Course Policies:
Attendance (on time) at all scheduled class sessions is expected. Each absence will cause a deduction from your overall class grade.
Permission to make up an exam may be permitted by the instructor when an absence has been unavoidable. All makeup work must be done outside of regular class time and must be completed within one day of the absence unless other arrangements are made prior to the end of the one-day limit. 5 points will be deducted per class day for taking quizzes or exams late.
Business, Technology & Human Services
Dean, Paul Carlson; 815-802-8858; V105; pcarlson@kcc.edu; Division Office – W102; 815-802-8650
Withdrawals:
When it is necessary to withdraw from a course or from the college, a student may do so on or before the withdrawal date stated on the syllabus without receiving a punitive final grade. Change of Schedule forms (used to add or drop a course) are available in Student Services and the student should obtain the required signatures prior to submitting the Change of Schedule form to an adviser in Student Services. Students may submit Change of Schedule forms through the mail, but they must be postmarked no later than the withdrawal date. No withdrawals are allowed by phone. To determine the last date to withdraw with a grade of “W” in this course, log into KCConnect and click on “my registration statement” under Academic Profile.
Refund: 01/23/2026 Midterm: 03/13/2026 Withdraw: 04/06/2026
Code of Conduct
Students need to adhere to the Code of Conduct located in the college catalog.
Email Policy
To ensure a student's privacy under all applicable education laws and to facilitate timely interactions, two College-authorized methods of electronic communication exist: KCC-issued student email accounts (using the domain name of .student.kcc.edu) and the Canvas Learning Management System. Students are expected to regularly check their KCC email accounts and Canvas for important incoming communication from the college or from individual instructors. Students understand that emails they send from personal email accounts (other than those listed above) may not be delivered to the KCC recipient, and students should have no expectation that such messages will be answered.
Non-Attendance/Non-Participation
KCC complies with state law and federal financial aid policy. If you receive an attendance grade of F or are institutionally withdrawn from a course, it will affect your eligibility for financial aid. (1) You must attend at least one class or participate at least once for an online course (logging in without participation is not attending), by the 10th day of 16-week courses or within the first 10% of shorter-term classes. Non-attendance will result in an attendance grade of F. (2) If you have excessive absences and no reasonable chance of passing the course at midterm (or after), your instructor may give you a WX grade and have you institutionally withdrawn from the course.
Copyright:
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC’s copyright policy is available at http://www.kcc.edu/copyright.
Syllabus Disclaimer:
Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.
January 13: Introduction/Syllabus/What is an investigation?
January 20: Chapter 1 Foundations of Criminal Investigation
January 27: Chapter 2 The Crime Scene: Field Notes, Documenting, and Reporting
February 3: Chapter 3 Processing the Crime Scene
February 10: Chapter 4- Identifying Criminal Suspects: Field and Laboratory Processes
February 17: Chapter 5-Legal Issues in Criminal Investigation
February 24: Chapter 6-Interviews and Interrogations
March 3: Presentations/Projects
March 10: Chapter 7-Criminal Intelligence and Surveillance Operations
March 17 Chapter 8-Informant Management and Undercover Operations
March 24: Chapter 9-Death Investigations
March 31: Chapter 10-Robbery
April 7: Chapter 11/12-Assault and Related Offenses/ Missing and Abducted Persons
April 14: Chapter 13-Crimes against Children: Child Abuse and Child Fatalities
April 21: Chapter 14-Theft-Related Offenses
April 28: Chapter 15/16-Arson and Bombings/ Terrorism and National Security Crimes
May 5: Final Review
May 12: Final Exam
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.