CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAJOR

The Department of Criminal Justice merges the liberal arts and professional studies into a well-balanced curriculum.  A Bachelor of Science with a major in Criminal Justice is a solid foundation for law school or graduate study in addition to being a superb preparation for employment in the rapidly growing field of criminal justice.  The core courses provide a basic understanding of the nature of crime and society's reaction to crime as well as an in-depth explanation of the various components within the Criminal Justice System.  The areas of concentration provide knowledge and skills for future employment and serve as a basis for advanced studies.

Concentration in Corrections.  Prepares students for working with individuals who have been placed under the custody of the correctional system.  The purpose of corrections is two-fold: (1) to punish individuals who have committed crimes and (2) to rehabilitate those same individuals for successful re-entry into society. Studies in juvenile justice examines the treatment of juvenile offenders.

Concentration in Forensic Investigations.  Prepares students for careers as criminal investigators and/or crime scene technicians.  Provides insights into basic investigative skills, as well as specialized skills, in drug, homicide, sex offenses, child abuse, and arson investigations.  The main theme of Forensic Investigations, however, is crime scene processing, identification and collection of physical evidence, and the presentation of evidence into a court of law.

Concentration in Law Enforcement.  Focuses on the study of the role and functions of police organizations as agents of crime prevention in a democratic society, including an understanding of police history, organizational structure, policies, planning, and coordination between various police organizations.  The importance of establishing and maintaining positive and supportive relations with the public is an area of special interest.

Concentration in Security Administration/Loss Prevention.  Examines the role of private security in the United States.  Students will learn the relationship between private and corporate security and public police organizations and the role of private security in all aspects of American society.  Studies include an examination of hotel/motel security, security and loss prevention in industry, contract security services, private investigations, executive protection, alarm services, and general crime prevention).  In addition, the student will receive an overview of the basic management practices and operational skills used in private security.

PLAN OF STUDY

The Bachelor of Science with a degree in Criminal Justice requires compliance with the general Academic Regulations, including the following:  a minimum of 128 hours consisting of 50 hours of General Studies courses, 21 hours of Criminal Justice core courses, 21 hours in a Criminal Justice concentration, and 36 hours of minor and elective courses.   

Department of Criminal Justice Core Curriculum
21 hours required for all CJ majors

Department of Criminal Justice Concentrations
Corrections Concentration--21 hours

  Forensic Investigations Concentration--21 hours

Law Enforcement Concentration--21 hours

Security Administration/Loss Prevention Concentration--21 hours

*Courses credited within the core or a concentration will not be credited within another concentration.

MINOR

Department of Criminal Justice majors who have completed the CJ core curriculum and a concentration have met the requirements for a major in Criminal Justice  Effective Fall 2005, Criminal Justice majors must obtain a minor from outside the department. 

Students who are not majoring in Criminal Justice may minor in Criminal Justice, Corrections, Forensic Investigations, Law Enforcement, or Security Administration/Loss Prevention.  Each minor requires a minimum of 21 credit hours.  A minor in Criminal Justice consists of CJ 101, CJ 200, CJ 202, CJ 300, CJ 301, CJ 325, and 3 hours of CJ elective(s).  A minor in Corrections consists of CJ 200, CJ 310, CJ 311, CJ 315, CJ 322, and 6 hours of CJ electives.  A minor in Forensic Investigations consists of CJ 304, CJ 430, CJ 456, CJ 463, and 9 hours of CJ electives.  A minor in Law Enforcement consists of CJ 202, CJ 363, CJ 370, CJ 402, CJ 460, and 6 hours of CJ electives.  A minor in Security Administration/Loss Prevention consists of CJ 303, CJ 395, CJ 400, CJ 406, and 9 hours of CJ electives.    

Core Courses:

101. Intro to Criminal Justice (3).  Survey of the agencies and processes involved in the Criminal Justice System:  the police, the prosecutor, the public defender, the courts, and corrections. 

200. Introduction to Corrections (3).  Prerequisite:  CJ 101.  Philosophical foundations of punishments, historical developments in American penology.  Corrections in contemporary America. 

202. Intro to Law Enforcement (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  The development of contemporary American Police.  Law enforcement role, philosophy, values, culture, discretion, organizational control, accountability, corruption, misconduct, police-community relations, and future trends. 

300. Theories of Crime Causation (3).  An examination of biological, psychological, sociological, political, and economic theories of crime causation. 

301. Criminal Law (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  Analysis of the origin and sources of criminal law as well as definition of parties to crimes and affirmative defenses. Discussion of specific crimes of common law and in state and national statutes.

302. Research Methods (3).  Prerequisites: CJ 101, 300.  An introduction to the theory, design, collection, and analysis of data in criminal justice research. 

325. Criminal Courts (3).  An analysis of the roles of the major participants in the Criminal Justice System; the Courts structure and functions and selected critical issues such as sentencing and plea bargaining. 

Courses That May Count As Electives Toward Any One Concentration:

303. Introduction to Security/Loss Prevention (3).  A study of the private industry including origins, administration, personnel, physical aspects, loss prevention, variations in security systems, and career opportunities. 

304. Intro to Forensic Investigations (3).  The student is introduced to the development of Forensic Investigations and its contribution to the Criminal Justice System and the applications of the scientific discipline to the examination and analysis of physical evidence. 

310. Criminal Behavior and Rehabilitation Strategies (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 200.  A study of criminal behavior from a psychological perspective with correctional rehabilitation programs and strategies serving as the focus.  The effectiveness of various correctional institutions and their programs and strategies will also be examined.  

311. Correctional Techniques (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 200.  An introduction to correctional strategies and the theories on which they are based. Among the topics discussed are counseling, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, humanistic psychology, learning theory and behavior modification.  This course will also provide an in-depth examination of both assessment and counseling strategy effectiveness with offender populations.  

315. Community Based Corrections (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 200.  A survey of non-institutional correctional programs focusing on alternatives to incarceration in community settings.  Programs reviewed include prerelease, parole, halfway houses, restitution centers, probations, and community correctional centers. 

322. The Juvenile Agencies (3).  Prerequisites: CJ 101, 200.  Examination of the historical aspects of the juvenile justice system with emphasis on juvenile rights in the present juvenile court system and pretrial techniques. 

352. Evidence (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  Analysis of the rules of evidence, their origins and types. Constitutional limitations upon their use, methods of safeguarding their value.  The trial and techniques for testifying. 

353. Correctional Law (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 200.  Legal problems of the convicted from conviction to release; pre-sentence investigation, sentencing, civil rights loss and restoration, and other legal problems confronting the convicted. 

361. Constitutional Law (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  Analysis of the Constitution of the United States as it effects the law enforcement and corrections field, to wit:  the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th Amendments to the Constitution. 

362. Constitutional Law II (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101, 361.  A study of constitutional issues in the administration of justice, fair trial guarantees, humane punishment, and the civil and criminal liability of criminal justice professionals. 

363. Foundations of Law Enforcement (3).  An examination of the foundations of American law enforcement from its cultural heritage in England to the present. 

370. Police Administration (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  Organizational structure and coordination of all branches of law enforcement agencies; police, staff, and auxiliary function, their interrelationships and interdependence. 

395. Crime Prevention (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  Analysis of the roles of the Criminal Justice System and the private sector in preventing crime.  Community involvement as a source of preventing crime.  Crime prevention strategies and techniques for evaluating prevention programs.  May also count for Corrections, Law Enforcement, and Forensic Investigations. 

399.  Study Abroad in Criminal Justice (3) (3).  Topics, excursions, and requirements determined by the department.  May be duplicated for credit up to 6 hours.  Infrequently scheduled and subject to minimum and maximum numbers.  Advanced deposit required. 

400. Protective Systems (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 303.  The criminal threat, protective system concept; systems configuration and cost benefit analysis of currently available protective systems.  

402. Police and Community Relations (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  Study of the numerous and complex factors involved in the area of human relations as it affects policing and police management. 

406. Retail Security (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 303.  Employee thefts, shoplifting, robbery, burglary, shortages, special fire problems, insurance recovery. 

411. Victimless Crimes (3).  Study of controversial area of law that deals with consensual crimes. Topics to be included for discussion may be:  homosexuality; drugs; obscenity and pornography; prostitution; gambling.  The history of legislative enactments and judicial decisions will be dealt with, as well as the social and political implications of enforcement to both police agencies and their clients. 

417. Criminal & Deviant Behavior (3).  An analysis of criminal and deviant behavior systems with an emphasis on classical and contemporary theories of crime causation. 

420. Probation and Parole (3).  Prerequisites: CJ 200, CJ 311.  Development, organization, operation of probation and parole with emphasis on alternatives to incarceration. 

425. Correctional Management (3).  Prerequisites: CJ 200, CJ 311, CJ 420.  An analysis of contemporary theories relating to administrative behavior in the correctional setting. 

430. Criminalistics (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 304.  Methods of scientific analysis, comparison and identification of physical evidence; blood and body fluids, casts and molds, detective dyes, fingerprints, and trace evidence. 

456. Homicide Investigation (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 304.  Special problems involved in homicide investigation including the forensic autopsy. 

460. Criminal Investigations (3).  Prerequisites: CJ 101, CJ 301.  Practical application of investigative techniques for specific crimes such as sex offenses, murder, robbery, arson, assaults, and fraud cases. 

463. Crime Scene Processing (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 304.  In-depth and practical look at various types of physical evidence and methods by which evidence is collected and transported to forensic crime laboratories. 

464. Interviews/Interrogations (3).  Prerequisite: CJ 101.  Discussions and practical exercises covering the various techniques used by criminal justice practitioners to elicit information from witnesses and criminal suspects. May also count for Corrections, Law Enforcement, and Security Administration. 

466. Drugs of Abuse (3).   Drugs of abuse, their field identification and drug abuse education. 

467. Trace Evidence (3).  Prerequisites: CJ 304, 430.  Review of techniques used in the analysis of hairs, fibers, and minute items of evidence related to criminal matters. 

471, 472. Internship in Criminal Justice (3) (3).  Prerequisites: Junior standing and consent of Department Head.  Supervised work experience in an approved Criminal Justice agency.  The student is required to attend a pre-announced orientation meeting prior to beginning internship.  (Not open to in-service personnel or those with prior CJ work experience unless approved by Department Head.)

488.  Seminar Series (1 hour each).  Seminar series dealing with current topics and issues in the field.  No more than 6 hours credit may be earned.

Last Updated:  June 9, 2005