BS in Criminal Justice Degree Requirements

An overview of the criminal justice system: an investigative look into the agencies of social control including law enforcement, corrections, and the courts. To include brief discussion of crime causation in order to identify methods of crime control. (3 credits)

This course examines American crime problems in a historical perspective, examines crime causation, social and public policy factors affecting crime, the impact of crime and crime trends, social characteristics of specific crimes, and the prevention of crime. (3 credits)

A look into minority issues relating to our criminal justice system. Which age, race, gender, or social class is most likely to be in acorrectional institution and why? Is racial/ethnic profiling appropriate or necessary? What are some of the applied sociological theories and practices behind the statistics? (3 credits)

This course offers an interdisciplinary, scientific approach related to the study of criminal behaviors. Includes an introduction to the organization of the criminal justice system; theories of crime causation; crime typologies; research methods utilized to collect and analyze crime trends; and analysis of the crime trend statistics themselves. (3 credits)

This is an applied course relating to conducting criminal investigations. This course examines the history, theories, and problems of criminal investigations. What really needs to be done to solve the case? Topics to include identifying, collecting, and processing physical evidence; understanding the relative value of evidence as it is applied to a specific case; conducting interviews and interrogations. Successful criminal investigations rely on an analytical process to uncover and sort evidence and information to determine what occurred. (3 credits)

This course examines the roles of women in the criminal justice system. The topics of women as victims, offenders, and practitioners in the field of criminal justice will be examined. A theoretical and pragmatic approach will be applied to those crimes, which have a greater impact on females in society, such as rape, prostitution, and domestic abuse. The evolving role of women as professionals in the field of criminal justice will be explored. Also considered will be societal views and the role of the media concerning these issues. (3 credits)

Examine the relationship between society, the law, and causes of violence applying sociological concepts such as inequality, stratification, social control and social change. Includes analysis of violent behaviors, law enforcement practices, court processes, the legal professions, the law itself, and related social institution. (3 credits)

Collecting, compiling, and assessing statistics related to the criminal justice system. Learning what raw data truly represent and utilizing numbers to convey useful, meaningful information. (3 credits)

This course is designed to assist the criminal justice major in performing research in the field: formulation of research design, data collection, and interpretation of information; knowing what to access, where to access it, and how to compile meaningful information that may accurately describe certain statistical probabilities.

A look into the codes, standards, and the decision-making processes that apply to the professions within the criminal justice system: police, correction officers, forensic scientists, attorneys and judges. (3 credits)

This course discusses the history, development, and policy of the juvenile justice system. Understanding theories along with biological, and psychological factors that contribute to juvenile delinquent behavior are covered through discussion of targeting, preventing, redirecting, and controlling delinquent behaviors. Topics also include punishment vs. rehabilitation, intervention strategies, youth gangs and substance abuse issues. (3 credits)

Types and definitions of sexual offenses; typologies, causations, assessment, and treatment of offenders: and care and treatment of sex crimes. Monitoring issues. Juvenile vs. adult sexual offenders. (3 credits)

This course is an examination of the act and response to the recent explosion in computer-related crimes. Topics to include legal issues in relation to investigation (electronic surveillance, Fourth Amendment issues), prosecution, and defense, emerging legislation, computer crimes (hacking, viruses, espionage, terrorism, etc.), and ways in which to combat cybercrime. (3 credits)

An overview of the field including realities and falsehoods of the mass media. An introduction to criminalistic procedure: how the sciences are used at and after crime scene investigations. Fingerprints, DNA, firearms analysis, hair and fibers, document examination, and more. Crime scene investigation procedures: preserving the scene, transporting, storing, and analyzing evidence. What type of evidence is "court-worthy" and how does that evidence need to be handled to be admissible in a court of law? Closing the case with the right expert testimony. Mock crime scene simulations and visiting experts who work in the field. (3 credits)

An exploration of experiences from the perspective of the victim, their families, and society from major crimes including: robbery, burglary, carjacking, assault and battery, rape, domestic violence, stalking, homicide, arson, child sexual abuse and exploitation, child pornography crimes, federal crimes, identity theft, terrorism, and Internet crimes. The psychopathology of trauma, offender motivation, secondary traumatic effects, and the re-traumatization of victims during the adjudication process are evaluated. (3 credits)