Criminal Justice (AS.CRJ)

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In the AS.CRJ program students will be able to:

Define and explain the meaning of "justice," describe the types of justice our society is supposed to provide, and discuss instances in which the criminal justice system specifically, has acted unjustly, and recommend reforms and policy changes to correct these injustices.
Define and explain the difference between the criminal justice system and process. Students will also identify and explain the sources and purpose of various government methods of gathering data about crime, and evaluate the strengths and shortcomings of each data source.
Identify and describe the agencies that make up the criminal justice system, explaining the functions of each, and identifying and describing the roles/responsibilities of the criminal justice personnel who work in those agencies.
Name the specific stages of the criminal justice process, from arrest to appeal, determine the amount of proof required at each stage, identify who must offer that proof, and explain what happens at each particular stage of the process.
Identify and describe the various sources of law in U.S. society, explain the differences between criminal and civil law, and identify and explain U.S. Constitutional Amendments most relevant to the criminal justice process. Students will also identify, discuss, and evaluate how specific landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions have shaped and influenced the operation of the U.S. criminal justice process.
Name and summarize the theories/justifications for criminal punishment and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. Students will describe how our government imposes punishment on convicted offenders, explain the differences between institutional and community correctional practices and programs, and compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.
Explain the meaning and difference between organization and management, describe how various criminal justice agencies are organized and managed, and explain who serves as the chief managers of specific criminal justice agencies. Additionally, students will explain how a criminal justice organization influences the behavior of its personnel, as well as analyzing how a criminal justice organization influences and is influenced by the environment in which it operates.

To complete the AS in Criminal Justice, students must complete the following coursework:

Majors must earn an overall 2.0 average in CRJ and CRJ-related (approved) courses in the major.

Complete these core courses (15 cr):

Majors should complete CRJ 1010, CRJ 2020, CRJ 2080, and CRJ 2510 in their first two years of study.

CRJ 1010 - Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 cr (must be completed with a C or better)
CRJ 2010 - Law Enforcement in America 3 cr
CRJ 2020 - American Judicial Process 3 cr
CRJ 2080 - Correctional Philosophies and Practices 3 cr
CRJ 2510 - Criminal Law 3 cr

And complete at least 4 CRJ or CRJ-approved electives, which may include any 2 of these courses (12 cr):

SOC 2210 - Deviant Behavior 3 cr
SOC 3210 - Criminology 3 cr
SOC 3410 - Dismantling Rape Culture 3 cr
SWK 2020 - Family Violence 3 cr

And complete 1 of the following courses (3 cr):

SOC 2040 - Race, Ethnicity, Class and Gender 3 cr
SWK 2040 - Discrimination in American Society 3 cr

And complete these specific General Education courses (9 cr):

MAT 2021 - Statistics I 3 cr
PSY 1012 - Introduction to Psychological Science 3 cr
SOC 1010 - Introduction to Sociology 3 cr

(Credits required for the major: 39 cr)

Note:

In-service students should discuss these requirements with their Criminal Justice Advisor and/or the Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Program. Transfer students from criminal justice programs in other schools are urged to review their transcript evaluation with their Advisor and /or the Coordinator. They must satisfy the General Education and academic major requirements, regardless of the number of criminal justice credits transferred.