Criminology and Justice Studies

Introduction to the fields of criminology and criminal justice including distinctions between criminology and criminal justice, measuring and studying crime, and basic theoretical paradigms for criminal behavior are addressed. Examination of the impact of crime on individuals, communities, and societies as well as criminal justice response. Overview of the purpose, components, and processes of the …

This course provides an introduction to key perspectives, principles, institutions, actors, and issues in the field of criminology and criminal justice. This course takes a critical perspective on current issues and controversies surrounding the attempts to understand the causes of crime as well as the criminal justice response to it. The impact of crime and …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course provides an analysis of the historical and philosophical foundations of the juvenile justice process and system. Special attention is given to legal and administrative issues, reforms, and controversies. Additionally, the course will include the study of the emergence of youth subcultures …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course creates a foundation in criminal law and legal procedure as applied to the criminal justice field. Rationales for punishing criminals, elements of crimes and defense of the accused are covered. In addition, this course examines tensions between various state statutes, the …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course introduces the student to the field of victimology and will explore the extent, types, theories and effects of crime victimization. The criminal justice context of understanding victimization and effective approaches for working with crime victims will be a primary focus in …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. Introduction to key concepts, explanations, and criminal justice application in the area of diversity and crime. Begins with an analytic overview of philosophical, ideological, economic, political and sociological principles underlying human diversity. Each dimension of human diversity is then examined as it …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course provides a solid knowledge foundation for understanding law enforcement and security including the basic organization and operations of law enforcement, contemporary issues in law enforcement, and the major theoretical traditions in the field of law enforcement and security. Critical and global perspectives …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course provides a foundation for the study and application of ethics in criminal justice decision-making and policy analysis.  Students will demonstrate the ability to apply ethical practice in research and applied situations through writing. (Available for General Education, Lifelong Learning.)

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. Offers social-scientific examination of the field of corrections, both substantively and critically. Includes patterns and trends in incarceration rates; police and judicial processes resulting in incarceration; climate and culture of correctional facilities; and gender/diversity issues in corrections. Discussion of correctional facilities and supervision including …

Prerequisites: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course provides foundational education in criminological theory including its social scientific roots, development and application to contemporary crime problems. Historical theoretical traditions as well as new directions are included.

The course provides the groundwork for professional socialization into the roles, norms, expectations and requirements for careers in the criminal justice system. Special attention will be given to the ways in which local agencies interview, hire and train new criminal justice employees and how internships feed into those professional expectations by these agencies. Students are …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course provides an in-depth foundation for the understanding of the organization and process of police, law and the courts, and corrections from a systemic perspective. This course will address the purpose and goals of the system and the conflicting values between crime …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course provides a core foundation for the study of gangs and gang control in a historical and contemporary perspective. Gang definitions, types, social organization, and control are included in this class as well as an examination of the social, political, and economic conditions …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. Focuses on the influence of gender structures and gender interactions on criminal perpetration, victimization, and societal responses to crime. Includes a focus on women as victims and perpetrators of crime as well as discussion of how gender impacts men’s experiences with offending and victimization. Critically examines …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course will explore various types of white collar crime committed in the United States and abroad, including fraud, perjury, obstruction, computer crime, identity theft, bribery and corruption, embezzlement, tax evasion, conspiracy, RICO, and organizational (entity) crime. It will examine criminal procedure, including search …

Prerequisites: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302. Preparatory: SBS 320. Note: CJS 430 and 430L are corequisite classes. CJS 430/L is designed to give the student a working knowledge of basic research methods and data used in the study of criminology and criminal justice. The seminar portion of the course is designed to …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course will provide a foundation for understanding the interactions between alcohol, drugs, and crime. Included in this foundation are the nature, effects, theories, interventions, and prevention of substance abuse both for individuals and society. Students will engage in a critical examination of the …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course addresses gender as it impacts the criminal justice system. Areas covered in this class are gender and police, courts, and corrections. Specific focus will be given to application of gender insights into each component of the criminal justice system.

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course studies the role of community corrections within the U.S. correctional system. Specifically, this course includes topics including pretrial diversion, community-based sentences and treatment, and parole supervision. Critical issues in the field including offender reentry, managing offenders in a community setting, and instituting …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. This course addresses domestic violence from a sociological, social psychological, and criminal justice perspective. An overview of the problem of domestic violence is provided as well as coverage of theories, processes, effects, and interventions with victims and offenders. Basic domestic violence law and criminal …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. The purpose of this course is to give students an introduction to criminology and criminal justice from a global perspective. Students in this course adopt comparative and cross-national approaches to crime in order to examine a number of subject matters in international criminal law, …

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. Special seminars in selected topics in criminology offered based on student interest and faculty expertise. Examples of topics include in-depth study of such specialty areas as terrorism, sexual victimization, cybercrime, or profiling.

Prerequisite: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302 or permission of instructor. Special seminars in selected topics in criminal justice offered based on students interest and faculty expertise. Topics involve in-depth study of such specialty areas of criminal justice as restorative justice, terrorism and criminal justice, deadly force, or police discretion.

Prerequisites: SOC 250 or CJS 102 or CJS 302; CJS 430/L or GEOG 306/L; or permission of instructor. This course will provide students applied research experience either in a criminal justice-related agency or with crime data. The course will focus on the practice of research in the field of criminology and justice studies, the development …

Prerequisites: CJS 102 or CJS 302; CJS 430/L; senior standing; permission of instructor. CJS 494A-E and CJS 494AA-EE are corequisite classes for an internship experience relating to one of these five areas: law enforcement (494A and 494AA), law and courts (494B and 494BB), corrections (494C and 494CC), victim services (494D and 494DD), and community based …