Stephen Phelps

Dean


Courses Taught

Juvenile Justice

  • This course is designed to introduce the student to the organizations, processes and actors that comprise the Juvenile Justice System. The emphasizes the history of the juvenile justice system, the agency interactions and interrelationships, the concepts of prevention and diversion, the development of juvenile gangs, the roles of criminal justice professionals, and the future of the Juvenile Justice System.

 

Corrections in America

  • An overview of the American correctional system as it relates to local, state and federal correctional agencies. The course will cover the history and development of correctional policies and practices, criminal sentencing, jail, prisons, alternative sentencing, prisoner rights, rehabilitation and parole and probation. Current philosophies of corrections and the issues surrounding the roles and effectiveness of criminal sentences, institutional procedures, technological developments and special populations will also be examined.

 

Criminal Procedures

  • This course covers the basic constitutional rights associated with investigation and adjudication of criminal cases. Particular attention is given to the problems of arrest; search and seizure; self-incrimination; coerced confession; wiretapping; right to counsel; bail; speedy trial; discovery; plea bargaining; double jeopardy; and the retroactive effect of decisions.

 

Probation and Parole

  • Basic principles of probation of juveniles and adults. Topics include: pre-sentence, pre-hearing, pre-parole, investigations, administrative organizations, and supervision.

 

Police and Society

  • An introductory course which provides students with an overview of the role of the police in American society. It will explore diversity and critically evaluate the direction and trends in modern police agencies. Particular attention will be given to the origins of policing, the nature of police organizations and police work, and patterns of relations between the police and the public.

 

Introduction to Criminal Justice

  • This course provides a historical and philosophical overview of the American criminal justice system, including the nature, extent, and impact of crime; criminal law; and justice agencies and processes.

 

Court Systems and Practices

  • This course is a study of the court system as it applies to the structures, procedures, practices and sources of law in American courts, using federal and Texas statutes and case law.

 

Crime in America

  • American crime problems in historical perspective, social and public policy factors affecting crime, impact and crime trends, social characteristics of specific crimes, and prevention of crime.

 

Fundamentals of Criminal Law

  • This course is the study of criminal law including application of definitions, statutory elements, defenses and penalties using Texas statutes, the Model Penal Code, and case law. The course also analyzes the philosophical and historical development of criminal law and criminal culpability.

 

Juvenile Justice System

  • A study of the juvenile justice process to include specialized juvenile law, role of juvenile law, role of juvenile courts, role of police agencies, role of correctional agencies, and theories concerning delinquency.

 

Community Resources in Corrections

  • An introductory study of the role of the community in corrections; community programs for adults and juveniles; administration of community programs; legal issues; future trends in community treatment.

 

Correctional Systems and Practices

  • This course is a survey of institutional and non-institutional corrections. Emphasis will be placed on the organization and operation of correctional systems; treatment and rehabilitation; populations served; Constitutional issues; and current and future issues.

 

Criminal Investigations

  • Investigative theory; collection and preservation of evidence; sources of information; interview and interrogation; uses of forensic sciences; case and trial preparation.

 

Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement

  • Police authority; responsibilities; constitutional constraints; laws of arrest, search, and seizure; police liability.

 

Police Systems and Practices

  • This course examines the establishment, role and function of police in a democratic society. It will focus on types of police agencies and their organizational structure, police-community interaction, police ethics, and use of authority.

 

Criminology

  • The course surveys various theories of crime, with an emphasis on understanding the social causes of criminal behavior. The techniques for measuring crime as a social phenomenon and the characteristics of criminals are examined. This course addresses crime types (such as consensual or white-collar crimes), the criminal justice system, and other social responses to crime.

 

Juvenile Delinquency

  • A survey of the delinquent as a person and delinquency as a social problem. Emphasis is on the extent, causation, prevention, treatment, and theories of delinquency.

 

Writing in Criminal Justice

  • This course prepares students for writing criminal justice academics and vocations. Students will be instructed in writing for research and various types of field reports required in the criminal justice field. Students will compose professional emails and letters, learn the use of APA guidelines for research, and write case reports for police, corrections, and courts. Students will benefit from instructor feedback, assistance from the writing center, and opportunities for revision and resubmission of course assignments.

 

Introduction to Social Work

  • Development of the philosophy and practice of social work in the United States, survey of the fields and techniques of social work.

 

Social Welfare as a Social Institution

  • Introduction to the study of modern social work, the underlying philosophy and ethics of social work, and the major divisions and types of social work together with their methods and objectives.

 

Master Student for TSI (Texas State Initiative)

  • Psychology of learning and success. Examines factors that underlie learning, success, and personal development in higher education. Topics covered include information processing, memory, strategic learning, self-regulation, goal setting, motivation, educational and career planning, and learning styles. Techniques of study such as time management, listening and note taking, text marking, library, and research skills, preparing for examinations, and utilizing learning resources are covered. Includes courses in college orientation and development of student’s academic skills that apply to all disciplines.
Education
  • CTG, Liberty University, Higher Education Administration, December 2023
  • MS, Tarleton State University, Criminal Justice, August 2008        
  • BS, Tarleton State University, Criminal Justice, December 2006        
  • AA, Temple College, Criminal Justice, December 2006
Teaching Experience
  • Temple College, 2009-present
  • Central State University, 2020-present
  • University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2019-2021
Professional Experience

Dean, Business and Career Professions / Department Chair, Criminal Justice

  • Spring 2020 - Current

Department Chair, Criminal Justice

  • Fall 2016 - Spring 2020

Director, Dual Credit / Adjunct Faculty

  • Spring 2014 - Fall 2016

Veterans Affairs Coordinator / Adjunct Instructor

  • Fall 2011 - Spring 2014

Veteran/Military CTE Liaison and Instructor, Criminal Justice

  • Fall 2010 - Fall 2011

Adjunct Instructor

  • Fall 2009 - Fall 2010

Investigator- Child Protective Services (DFPS Texas)

  • March 2007 - Fall 2010

Loss Prevention Supervisor, JCPenney

  • July 2004 - March 2007
Professional Presentations
  • TACTE, 2019
  • NISOD, 2011
Awards
  • Above and Beyond Award (Institution Service Award), 2023
  • Excellence Award (Peer-recommended Award), 2021 & 2016
  • Master Presenter (NISOD Award), 2011