Administration of Justice
23 courses · San Jose City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Summer 2026 · Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
AJ 010 Introduction to Administration of Justice
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- AJ 110
Students will learn the history and philosophy of administration of justice including law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. Students study the responsibilities of criminal justice agents, legal frameworks, and the role of the justice system in a pluralistic society. Students will also explore the concepts of crime causation, punishments and rehabilitation, and training standards of criminal justice personnel.
AJ 011 Criminal Law
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- AJ 120
Students will study concepts of criminal law including history, philosophy, and legal structure. Students will examine definitions and classifications of crime, case law analysis, the court system, and the U.S. Constitution. Students will also explore crimes against person, property crimes, and the legal system as a social and cultural ideology.
AJ 013 Criminal Procedures
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- AJ 122
Students are introduced to the history, legal terminology, and principles of criminal procedures. Students will examine constitutional provisions, interpretation of statutory and case law, legal aspects of arrest, rules governing search and seizure, and institutional responsibilities of the criminal justice system. Students will examine and analyze due process in criminal proceedings from pre-arrest through trial and appeal.
AJ 014 Contemporary Police Issues
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Students will focus on both the historical and contemporary role of police in American society. Emphasis is placed on police hiring and training procedures, ethical issues, use of police discretion, police corruption, policing strategies, and the role of women and minorities in law enforcement.
AJ 015 Introduction to Criminal Investigation
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
- C-ID
- AJ 140
Students are introduced to fundamental principles and procedures of criminal investigation including crime scene management, documentation methods, rules of evidence, and interviewing and interrogation. Students will also examine modus operandi, sources of information, chain of custody, and investigative techniques related to persons and property crimes.
AJ 016 Street Law
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Students will learn about civil, criminal, constitutional, family, immigration, and consumer law in a multicultural society. This course will cover the evaluation, debate, legal research, and critical analysis of law and legal issues that affect individuals, their families, and communities. This course will examine the historical and contemporary perspectives of various stakeholders, including ethnic minorities and women in the legal system.
AJ 019 Law Enforcement in Multicultural Communities
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- AJ 160
Students examine the complex, dynamic relations between multicultural communities and the justice system in addressing crime and conflict with an emphasis on the challenges and prospects of administering justice. Topics will include the consensus and conflicting values in culture, religion, and law.
AJ 098 Directed Study in Administration of Justice
- Units
- 0.5-9
- Hours
- Lab Hours: 2.07
- Prerequisite
- AJ 010 or AJ 016; with a C or better.
- Transfers to
- CSU
Individual or small groups of students, with previous course work in the discipline, who would benefit from Independent Study under the direction of faculty members in specific or related disciplines, may develop individualized learning contracts designed to enhance their individual instructional programs. The students and the faculty member in consultation with the Division Dean will determine appropriate learning objectives and activities as well as the number of units to be earned. Instructions and the Learning Contract forms are available in the Division Office. Repeatable to a maximum of 9 units across all disciplines.
AJ 110 Drugs and Society
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Students will explore the history and classification of legal and illegal psychoactive drugs including physiological and physical effects. Students will also examine historical and contemporary trends relating to criminalization, decriminalization, addiction, and the relationship between drug use and violence. Students will learn basic symptomology of Central Nervous System stimulants, depressants, and the opioids.
AJ 111 Juvenile Law and Procedures
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- AJ 220
Students will examine the application of specific statutes from the California Welfare and Institutions Code, and the Penal Code, to the juvenile justice system. Students focus on the role of law enforcement, probation services, schools, and parents/guardians in responding to delinquency issues. Also included are discussions relating to gangs, juvenile sex offenders, mentally ill juvenile offenders, and juvenile victimization and exploitation.
AJ 112 Introduction to Evidence
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
- C-ID
- AJ 124
Students will examine the history, legal standards, and social aspects of the rules of evidence including burden of proof, rules governing admissibility, hearsay, relevance, and types of evidence. Students will also explore judicial considerations, documentary evidence, and issues relating to witness examination and competency, and privileges.
AJ 113 Violent Crime in America
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- SOCI 160
Students will examine theories and predictors of violence, the role of victims in the criminal justice system, and approaches to crime measurement. Common crimes including criminal homicide, sex crimes, domestic violence, gang and hate crimes, and elder abuse are also addressed. The legal and social impact of violence on quality-of-life as well as crime prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies are explored.
AJ 115 Introduction to Forensic Science
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- AJ 150
Students will examine principles, concepts, and practices of forensic science including identification, collection, comparison, and analysis of different types of physical evidence. Emphasis on standard analytical techniques to identify and examine evidence such as biological fluids, ballistics, impression marks, fingerprints, hair and fibers, documents, drugs, and explosives are explored.
AJ 116 Introduction to Corrections
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- AJ 200
Students learn about the history, theory, and practice of the correctional process in America with critical analysis of adult and juvenile correctional institutions, probation, parole, and community-based alternatives. Specific issues facing correctional systems such as inmate constitutional rights, effects of institutionalization, cost, overcrowding, ethnicity, gender, and aging are also explored.
AJ 125 Fundamentals of Court Operations-Court Case Types
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students are introduced to the fundamentals of legal processing and the types of cases adjudicated in the California State court system. This includes an overview of state courts (primarily California) and focus on similarities and differences in case types including applicable statutes, caseflow and processing standards, agency participants, court staff functions, management of case files, etc. The emergence of collaborative courts will be reviewed. Attendance at a court session and/or observation of clerk's office procedures will be required.
AJ 127 Introduction to Government and the Judicial Branch
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will learn the foundations of the governmental branches and institutions. Emphasis will be on the relationship of the executive and legislative branches and the inter-relations with the judicial branch at both the federal and state levels, including specifics to the California judiciary.
AJ 128 Public Trust and Confidence in the Judicial Branch
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will review and analyze the importance of court accountability, transparency, and procedural fairness to instill the public's trust and confidence in the courts. Students will discuss purposes and tools of court performance and how court performance directly relates to the public's perception of the court system. Students will identify the relationship among the court, the media, and the community.
AJ 129 Fundamentals of Court Operations- Courtroom Support
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will review and analyze the role and responsibilities of courtroom support personnel: role of jury services, courtroom clerks, court reporters, court security (bailiffs), and interpreters. The functions of records management including public access, retention, and destruction of records will also be covered. Students will identify and examine services available for self-represented litigants and alternate methods of resolution.
AJ 131 Judicial Branch Workplace: Relationships and Communications
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will learn about the complexities of interpersonal workplace relationships and communications in the judicial branch. Knowledge will be gained of successful workplace skills and abilities, such as leadership, management, individual, group, and organizational behavior.
AJ 132 Introduction to Judicial Administration
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will learn the history, administrative requirements, and complex environment of the administration of justice in the judicial branch. This course examines traditional business functions that comprise the administrative infrastructure unique to the judicial branch and court administration of the state of California. Topics covered will include human resources, training and education, finance, facilities, information technology, security, media relations, strategic planning, and governance.
AJ 133 Career Readiness in the Judicial/Justice System
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will examine the variety of careers in the judicial branch and justice system. Students will learn about the public employment process and the basics of a successful application. They will identify the key knowledge, skills, and abilities involved in the employment process, such as locating job opportunities, writing resumes, networking, preparing for employment testing, and interviewing techniques. Topics will also include employer expectations, performance management, and work/life balance.
AJ 138 Work Experience
- Units
- 1-8
- Hours
- Lab Hours: 2.07
- Corequisite
- Be employed or a volunteer at an approved work-site for the minimum number of hours per unit as stipulated for paid and unpaid status.
- Transfers to
- CSU
Work Experience is designed for students who work or volunteer in a field related to their career major. Students are required to provide evidence that they are enrolled in a career program (e.g., education plan or coursework in a career/technical subject area). Students can earn one unit of credit for each 60 hours of unpaid volunteer time or 75 hours of paid work during the semester. Students can repeat Career/Technical Work Experience, combined with General Work Experience, or alone, up to a maximum of 16 units. Internship/job placement is not guaranteed.
AJ 139 Introduction to Public Safety Community Service Officer
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture Hours: 3
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will prepare for public safety professional support careers including Community Service Officer, Explorer, and other ancillary-support functions. Role and responsibility of law enforcement support staff and basic duties including crime reporting, investigations, parking enforcement, integrity of evidence, and interacting with a diverse community will be explored.