American Government 3e (OpenStax) Chapters 4 and 5 of this textbook designed for courses on American Government focus on civil rights and civil liberties, which may be useful for some CRJ courses.
Criminal Justice: An Overview of the System This OER textbook by Adam J. McKee provides an overview of the criminal justice system of the United States. In six chapters, the book covers the workings of the legal system as well as policing, courts, and corrections.
“Deviance, Crime, and Social Control” (textbook chapter) This chapter is from Introduction to Sociology – 2nd Canadian Edition, an adaptation of the OpenStax texbook Introduction to Sociology by William Little.
Ethics in Law Enforcement “In this book, you will examine the moral and ethical issues that exist within law enforcement. This book will also familiarize you with the basic history, principles, and theories of ethics.”
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System “This OER covers law enforcement, criminal courts, sentencing, penal institutions, and community-based sanctions. It also includes historical and contemporary perspectives on components of the criminal justice system, as well as the legal and constitutional frameworks in which they operate.”
Social Problems: Continuity and Change From Univ. of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. “A realistic but motivating look at the many issues that are facing our society today.”
Open Courses and Sites
The meaning of crime (OpenLearn) This course “examines how we, as a ‘society’, define crime. You will look at the fear that is generated within communities and what evidence is available to support claims that are made about crime rates.” Note that OpenLearn is based in the U.K.
Race, Crime, and Citizenship in American Law (MIT OpenCourseware) This course “looks at key issues in the historical development and current state of modern American criminal justice, with an emphasis on its relationship to citizenship, nationhood, and race/ethnicity.”
Urban Omnibus “Based in New York City, Urban Omnibus is The Architectural League’s online publication dedicated to observing, understanding, and shaping the city. We raise new questions, illuminate diverse perspectives, and document creative projects to advance the collective work of citymaking.” All written materials published on Urban Omnibus are licensed CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 unless otherwise noted.
