Catalog - Course Descriptions

Justice is at the heart of the U.S. democratic system. Today's criminal justice system faces increasingly complex issues. Enter Criminal Justice studies where career options expand through a variety of fields. Be informed about the work of professionals in each field. Study past and present internal and external issues of the various components of the criminal justice system including police, corrections, and the courts; see how these interrelated components result in the administration of justice today. Graduates of our Criminal Justice Program and professionals with careers involving criminal justice share their experiences with our students about important issues that criminal justice professionals tackle every day.

Low-risk youth entering a high-risk system that makes them worse - the costs begin to outweigh the benefits. Delinquent youth in the juvenile justice system confront changed circumstances that call into question legal precedents courts have followed for years. You will study Juvenile Delinquency and Justice to be informed about adolescent development and juvenile offenders, critique cases, and consider current controversies. Current social trends in juvenile crime, gang activity, and premeditated violence will be discussed in this course. As an introduction to the American sytem of juvenile justice, we will cover the relationships between juveniles and the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, juvenile diversion programs, courts, probation and parole, service organizations, and the correctional system. You will examine the historical precedents and philosophical reasons for treating juveniles differently from adults and review empirical evidence about child development that can illuminate the reasons for their special status within the system. We will study the major theories that have been proposed as explanations of delinquent behavior and will also provide a detailed overview of the juvenile justice system, from its beginnings to the current state of the institution.

Examine the role of police in modern society and the application of key concepts to policing scenarios; identify, discuss, and assess critical police practices and processes which include deployment, arrest procedures, search strategies, and other operational considerations.

Focus on the relation of corrections to the criminal justice system, theories underlying correctional practice, and the role of institutions within the corrections system. Explore the principles and practices of treatment accorded to offenders in various types of correctional settings.

Explore issues including the effective interview and interrogation techniques, crime scene management and lab processes, crime scene documentation methods, case preparation, and court presentation.

Examine the history, scope, and nature of law. Focus on the parties to a crime, classification of offenses, criminal acts and intent, the capacity to commit a crime, and criminal defenses along with the elements of misdemeanor and felony crimes.

Focus on the unique types of writing required in a criminal justice career. Gather pertinent information and then record that information by writing a variety of report narratives representative of those prepared by individuals working in a profession within the criminal justice system.

In this course the student examines the basic science concepts and techniques used in a forensic science laboratory. Students explore the nature and significance of physical evidence and the underlying chemical and biological principles of the scientific techniques employed for analysis and interpretation. The student considers the basics of career options in forensic science and its application in criminal cases through various scientific forensic disciplines such as pathology, anthropology, engineering, and bloodstain pattern analysis.

In this course the student explores the underlying principles to understand the laboratory procedures of forensic science. The student recognizes the potential value and limitations of evidence recovery and analysis as practiced in laboratory settings. Students participate in simulations and mock crime scene investigation. The student articulates informed opinions about crime scene analysis and investigative response.

Analyze the systems and methods of determining time, cause, and means of death in criminal investigations and trials. The legal and criminalistic concepts and procedures for the medicolegal investigation of death due to natural, accidental, suicidal, or criminal causes are studied. Examine basic concepts of forensic science and crime-solving techniques of establishing identity through human remains.

This course enables the student the conceptual boundaries and basic concepts and literature of Victimology as a subfield of criminology. The student examines the historical and emerging roles of Victimology and apply personal experiences with the human dimensions of victimization.

Learn about the basic court system procedures and the jurisdiction of the courts along with constitutional and other legal requirements that affect law enforcement practices and procedures. Specific topics include confessions and interrogations, identification procedures, arrest, search and seizure, and admissibility of evidence.

You will explore the major components involved in the study of ethics, particularly as it applies to the field of criminal justice. The focus is on the code of conduct and the ethics of the criminal justice profession and the standards to which they are held in their professional roles. The course aims to produce professionals who are not only critical thinkers but who have the skills necessary to pursue sound ethics in their day-to-day decisions and activities.

You will focus on practical analysis of legal issues, liabilities, modern administration theory, and supervisory management principles and their application to the unique operating problems of criminal justice organizations.

You will gain exposure to the work environment and/or apply classroom learning to the worksite as a precursor to future employment.