2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Dec 03, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Criminal Justice (AA.CRJ)


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Program Description

The criminal justice program allows students interested in a range of careers related to criminal justice systems, human services, victim services, or law, to earn a B.A. or an A.A. in Criminal Justice. Criminal Justice teaches students to be engaged citizens and prepares graduates for a wide array of meaningful/in-demand careers including law enforcement, corrections, law, juvenile justice, restorative justice, and victim advocacy.

Program Outcomes 

  1. Define and explain the functions and roles of each component of the criminal justice system.  

  1. 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. 

  1. Name and summarize the goals and justifications for criminal punishment. Describe how the U.S. government imposes punishment on convicted offenders and explain the differences between institutional and community correctional practices and programs. 

  1. Demonstrate basic research methods including design, data analysis, and interpretation of different official crime indexes. 

  1. Identify and explain the various normative theories of ethics, demonstrate why a commitment to ethics is important in the criminal justice field, and apply that knowledge of ethics to evaluate and resolve dilemmas often faced by criminal justice professionals and policy makers. 

  1. Identify, summarize, and evaluate various criminological theories of crime causation, and determine how well these theories can be adapted to develop programs/strategies to prevent or reduce crime. 

Program Electives (15-16 credits)


Credits Required for Major: 36-37


Graduation Requirements


To obtain a degree, students must fulfill the major-specific requirements as well as satisfy all other Degree Requirements  including the Connections General Education Program Requirements .

Sample Degree Map


Degree Map (Sample) - AA.CRJ  

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