This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2023-2024 VCU Bulletin. This edition includes all programs
and courses approved by the publication deadline; however we may receive notification of additional program
approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available
in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
Amy Cook, Ph.D.
Associate professor and program chair
The major objective of this degree program is to prepare students for effective professional careers in criminal justice, forensic crime scene investigation, public service and other helping professions, and/or prepare them to pursue studies in law and other related graduate programs. Career opportunities are available in federal, state, local and private justice-related endeavors. These careers include law enforcement, crime scene investigation, juvenile justice, corrections and the courts.
This program also prepares students to enter law school or to pursue graduate studies in criminal justice or in several of the human services fields, usually related to justice. This program offers and encourages in-service justice employees and others to enhance their professional career development through higher education.
Students majoring in criminal justice receive a broad educational background, professionally oriented courses in their special area of interest and various skill courses designed to enhance their career opportunities. Through core courses and electives in the major, students have the opportunity to orient their course work to fit their educational objectives and career plans.
It is essential that students seek and follow the advice of an adviser in the progression of the core courses, the selection of criminal justice electives and in the identification of complementary courses in other disciplines that can benefit the student and assist in the accomplishment of career goals. Whether the student is interested in general criminal justice, policing, crime scene investigation, legal studies, juvenile justice or corrections, faculty and advisers can assist in identifying the appropriate curriculum.
This concentration is offered for those students who are interested in careers in crime scene investigation at the local, state or federal levels.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will how to do the following:
- Identify concepts and issues that are relevant and/or appropriate (research/content)
- Demonstrate logical connections in concepts, facts and information identified in the literature
- Gather and synthesize knowledge pertaining to a criminal justice or criminological issue
Additionally, students in the forensic crime scene investigation concentration will know how to do the following:
- Clearly describe the four major crime scene processing and evaluating steps
- List applicable CSI equipment and provide a brief summary/conclusion of the overall crime scene process
Special requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice requires a minimum of 120 credits, including 39 credits in criminal justice courses, a minimum of 60 credits in courses outside of VCU-offered criminal justice courses, and a minimum cumulative and major GPA of a 2.0. No more than half of the criminal justice courses applied to the major can be transferred from another college. Students must earn a total of 45 credits in classes at the 300-level and above, including upper-level criminal justice course work. The criminal justice curriculum includes the core and concentration requirements.
Degree requirements for Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in forensic crime scene investigation
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| CRJS 181 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJS 253 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| CRJS 254 | Introduction to Policing | 3 |
| CRJS 324 | Courts and Sentencing | 3 |
| CRJS 335 | Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| • Concentration requirements | ||
| CRJS 320 | Principles of Criminal Investigation | 3 |
| CRJS 370 | Criminalistics and Crime Analysis | 3 |
| CRJS 373 | Crime Scene Evidence: Law and Trial Procedure | 3 |
| CRJS 425 | Violent Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| • Major electives | ||
| Select from upper-level CRJS courses, including HSEP 301, HSEP 302, HSEP 320 and/or HSEP 330. | 3 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| GVPA 100 | Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions | 3 |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 3 |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any courses. | 48 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| CRJS 181 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| GVPA 100 | Making Policy Real: Social Problems and Policy Solutions | 3 |
| MATH 131 | Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics (prerequisite for STAT 208; counts toward open electives) | 3 |
| UNIV 101 | Introduction to the University | 1 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course (select BOK for social/behavioral sciences) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 253 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| CRJS 254 | Introduction to Policing | 3 |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course (select BOK for humanities/fine arts) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 324 | Courts and Sentencing | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education courses | 6 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 320 | Principles of Criminal Investigation | 3 |
| General education course (select BOK for natural sciences) | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 370 | Criminalistics and Crime Analysis | 3 |
| CRJS 373 | Crime Scene Evidence: Law and Trial Procedure | 3 |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Major elective (must be upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 18 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 335 | Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJS 425 | Violent Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Open electives | 11 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Accelerated B.S. and M.P.A.
The accelerated B.S. and M.P.A. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Criminal Justice and Master of Public Administration in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.P.A. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 144 or 147 credits rather than the 156 or 159 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.
Students holding these degrees are prepared for effective careers in public service related to criminal justice policy, especially forensic crime scene investigation, by broadening and refining their understanding of criminal justice and organizational and management issues. Students become prepared to apply theory to practice as professional public managers, public officials and citizens who are able to meet the challenges of public service in both government and nonprofit sectors and serve the profession and local, state, federal and international communities.
Entrance to the accelerated program
Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.
Minimum qualifications for admittance to the program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including CRJS 181, CRJS 253, CRJS 254, CRJS 320, CRJS 355, CRJS 370, CRJS 373 and CRJS 380; an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.5 in criminal justice course work. Successful applicants would enter the program in the semester following completion of their 90th credit hour.
Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students in an accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate criminal justice adviser and the faculty adviser to the Master of Public Administration program.
Admission to the graduate program
Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin. One of the required reference letters must be from a criminal justice faculty member.
Degree requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits substitute for upper-level electives for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
The graduate public administration courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are 12 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PADM 601 | Principles of Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 602 | Public Administration Theory | 3 |
| PADM 607 | Public Human Resource Management | 3 |
| PADM 623 | Research Methods for Government and Public Affairs | 3 |
| PADM 650 | Principles of Nonprofit Management | 3 |
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.
For students in the no-concentration program
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| Criminal justice elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 12 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Criminal justice electives (upper-level) | 6 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 335 | Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| PADM 601 | Principles of Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 602 | Public Administration Theory | 3 |
| Criminal justice elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| PADM 607 | Public Human Resource Management | 3 |
| PADM 623 | Research Methods for Government and Public Affairs | 3 |
| Open electives | 5 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Fifth year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| PADM 609 | Financial Management in Government | 3 |
| PADM 624 | Quantitative Methods for Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 625 | Public Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Graduate elective (select 500- or 600-level from CRJS, GVPA, HSEP, URSP) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| PADM 689 | Seminar in Public Administration: Integration of Theory and Practice | 3 |
| GVPA 693 | Internship (if required) | 0-3 |
| Graduate electives (select 500- or 600-level from CRJS, GVPA, HSEP, URSP) | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 or 15 | |
For students in the forensic crime scene investigation concentration
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 370 | Criminalistics and Crime Analysis | 3 |
| CRJS 373 | Crime Scene Evidence: Law and Trial Procedure | 3 |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Criminal justice elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 18 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 335 | Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJS 425 | Violent Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| PADM 601 | Principles of Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 602 | Public Administration Theory | 3 |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| PADM 607 | Public Human Resource Management | 3 |
| PADM 623 | Research Methods for Government and Public Affairs | 3 |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Fifth year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| PADM 609 | Financial Management in Government | 3 |
| PADM 624 | Quantitative Methods for Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 625 | Public Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Graduate elective (select 500- or 600-level from CRJS, GVPA, HSEP, URSP) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| PADM 689 | Seminar in Public Administration: Integration of Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PADM 693 | Public Administration Practicum (if required) | 0-3 |
| Graduate electives (select 500- or 600-level from CRJS, GVPA, HSEP, URSP) | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 or 15 | |
Accelerated B.S. and M.S.
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Criminal Justice in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to six hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 144 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.
Students holding these degrees are prepared for effective careers in criminal justice, forensic crime scene investigation, public service and other related professions by broadening and refining their understanding of criminal justice and criminological issues. Students learn to critically analyze criminal justice and criminological research, discuss criminal justice issues and policies using evidence from empirical studies, and frame major issues related to the field in diverse sociocultural contexts.
Entrance to the accelerated program
Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.
Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including CRJS 355 and CRJS 380 , an overall minimum GPA of 3.5 and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in criminal justice course work. Additionally, one of the required reference letters must be from a criminal justice faculty member. Successful applicants would enter the program in the semester following completion of their 90th credit hour.
Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Students who do not maintain a 3.0 GPA in the graduate-level classes will no longer be eligible for the accelerated program and may not take any additional graduate-level classes while pursuing the bachelor’s degree. Students will not begin their first semester of only graduate courses until the bachelor’s degree has been conferred. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the Wilder School undergraduate academic advisor and the senior academic adviser from Graduate Student Services and Advising.
Admission to the graduate program
Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin. Three reference letters are required with one of the letters coming from a criminal justice faculty member.
Degree requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
A maximum of six graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits substitute for the upper-level electives for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
The graduate criminal justice courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are a choice of two of the following:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRJS 501 | Principles of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJS 550 | Professional Ethics and Liability | 3 |
| CRJS 620 | Seminar in Criminology | 3 |
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 380 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Criminal justice elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 475 | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| Criminal justice elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| CRJS 501 | Principles of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| or CRJS 550 | Professional Ethics and Liability | |
| or CRJS 620 | Seminar in Criminology | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 501 | Principles of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| or CRJS 550 | Professional Ethics and Liability | |
| or CRJS 620 | Seminar in Criminology | |
| Electives | 12 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Fifth year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CRJS 617 | Law and Criminal Justice Policy | 3 |
| CRJS 623 | Research Methods for Government and Public Affairs | 3 |
| Graduate criminal justice electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| CRJS 690 | Criminal Justice Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Graduate criminal justice electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
CRJS 181. Introduction to Criminal Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Comprehensive overview of criminal justice; assesses the extent of crime; reviews law enforcement, judicial and correctional processes at all levels of government; discusses history and philosophy of public safety; evaluates career opportunities.
CRJS 253. Introduction to Corrections. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. A survey of societal responses to the offender; traces the evolution of practices based on philosophies of retribution, punishment and rehabilitation; reviews contemporary correctional activities and their relationships to other aspects of the criminal justice system; introduces the emerging area of correctional programming within the community.
CRJS 254. Introduction to Policing. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. A survey of different facets of law enforcement including the activities of public police agencies and private security organizations. Assesses changes in law enforcement philosophy and practices, police relationships with the public and the political arena and anticipated future trends in policing.
CRJS 300. Forensic Criminology. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. The intersection of law, predictions of dangerousness, mental disorder and crime. Behavioral prediction, classification and the development of typologies of offenses and offending will be considered. Issues in the use of clinical and statistical prediction methods in criminal justice will be presented.
CRJS 305. Policing Theories and Practice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181 and 254. An overview of the nature and application of law enforcement theory. Examines the theoretical underpinnings of a variety of law enforcement practices, with emphasis on evolving trends.
CRJS 316. Victimology and Victimization. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Enrollment is restricted to criminal justice majors and minors. Introduces the concepts of victimology and various forms of criminal victimization. Evaluates historical and contemporary policy responses to addressing victimization in the United States. Particular attention is given to measuring the nature and extent of victimization, victims’ roles in the criminal justice system, the impact of victimization on individuals, and laws and policies designed to prevent victimization.
CRJS 320. Principles of Criminal Investigation. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Surveys the fundamentals of criminal investigation procedures and techniques. Examines crime scene management, distinguishes between types of criminal offenses, analyzes sources of information and covers trial preparation.
CRJS 324. Courts and Sentencing. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181, CRJS 253 and CRJS 254. An overview of the U.S. criminal courts. Examines sources of law, court structure and jurisdiction, the role of courtroom actors and juries, and stages in the criminal process, including pretrial procedures, trials and sentencing. Disparities based on race, gender and class will be included.
CRJS 335. Ethics and Decision-making in Criminal Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181, CRJS 253 and CRJS 254. Enrollment is restricted to criminal justice majors and minors. Understanding the ethical basis for decision-making in criminal justice, which involves the liberty interests of others. Important decision points are examined to apply ethical perspectives to decisions for criminalizing behaviors, methods of enforcing the law, charging suspects, convicting and sentencing offenders. These decisions include those made by citizens, legislators, police, prosecutors, defense counsel, judges and corrections officials.
CRJS 350. Evaluation and Treatment of the Offender. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181 and 253. An analysis of the issues and procedures involved in evaluating individual differences in offenders and among classes of offenders; current diagnostic and treatment methods are discussed; introduces the student to case analysis and correctional counseling techniques. Includes analysis of evaluation and treatment resources external to corrections.
CRJS 351. Community Corrections. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181 and 253. A comprehensive review of various community-based rehabilitation and treatment efforts; includes analysis of probation, parole, work release, halfway houses and other methods of re-integrating the offender into society.
CRJS 352. Crime and Delinquency Prevention. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Examines the purpose, empirical evidence and effectiveness of major crime and delinquency prevention programs, policies and practices. Focuses on introducing students to primary, secondary and tertiary crime and delinquency prevention programs and uses evidence-based research to assess the effectiveness of crime and delinquency prevention programs implemented in various domains, including families, schools, peers, communities and the criminal justice system.
CRJS 355. Criminological Theory. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181, CRJS 253 and CRJS 254. Examines the intellectual underpinnings of the criminal justice system. Includes analysis of evolving values and ideas regarding social control, individual and collective responsibilities and rights, the role of punishment, politics and the law, practitioners as public servants, and criminological and other foundations of the criminal justice system.
CRJS 358. Lawyer's Role in the Justice System. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Examines the multiple responsibilities of lawyers from an historical and contemporary perspective. The basic techniques of the lawyer's craft will be studied with emphasis placed on case advocacy, negotiation skills and legal reasoning, and problem-solving.
CRJS 360. Foundations of Criminal Law. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Clarifies both the content and role of criminal law within criminal justice and its administration in America. Explores the moral, theoretical and historical foundations of American criminal law and jurisprudence; elements and classification of criminal conduct; burdens of proof; defenses to criminal culpability; and a variety of crime types focusing in particular on crimes against person and property.
CRJS 370. Criminalistics and Crime Analysis. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. A comprehensive evaluation of current developments in research, instrumentation and laboratory technology utilized to detect, identify, analyze and compare evidence.
CRJS 373. Crime Scene Evidence: Law and Trial Procedure. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Provides a fundamental understanding of evidence law. Examines the nature and admissibility of various forms of evidence. Provides an understanding of the investigator's role in the judicial process including the presentation of testimony and adversarial proceedings.
CRJS 380. Research Methods in Criminal Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181, CRJS 253 and CRJS 254; and STAT 208 or STAT 210. Designed to familiarize the student with current and applied research methods in criminal justice, including the application of data and information processing techniques and procedures; analyzes research in criminal justice journals and government reports; and enhances the capability to evaluate contemporary research.
CRJS 382. Gender, Crime and Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181 or permission of instructor. Examines the role of gender as it relates to crime and justice. Special attention will focus on the gendered experiences of practitioners, offenders and victims within the criminal justice system in terms of processing, adjudication and institutional responses. Crosslisted as: GSWS 382.
CRJS 400. Current Issues in Juvenile Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Restricted to criminal justice majors. Examines key issues facing the modern American juvenile justice system. Integrates social science research, juvenile justice policy and legal scholarship pertaining to current law and policy controversies in juvenile justice.
CRJS 401. Sex Crime and Society. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Restricted to criminal justice majors. Examines the nature and extent of sex offending, societal responses to sex crime, and the laws and policies enacted to reduce sexual offending. Explores the etiology of sex offending as well as methods to evaluate the efficacy of sex crime laws.
CRJS 407. Jails and Reentry. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181 and CRJS 253. Enrollment is restricted to criminal justice majors. Examines issues specific to jails and short-term detention. Considers historical and contemporary aspects of the American jail, while exploring the complexities of jail management and dynamic offender populations. The challenges of providing health care, mental health and substance-abuse programming, legal resources, educational training, and reentry support are examined, as well as the broader collateral consequences of short-term detention.
CRJS 417. Drug Use, Drug Policy and Criminal Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Enrollment is restricted to criminal justice majors and minors. A course designed to examine drug use and its important consequences for individuals, health and communities. Traditional criminal justice prohibition-based policies, such as the "war on drugs," are examined and compared and contrasted with the principles of harm reduction. A review of harm-reduction partnerships with law enforcement, courts and correctional agencies will be discussed.
CRJS 421. Race, Crime and Criminal Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. This course is an examination of race in the context of the criminal justice system. Emphasis on the various observations of racial minorities as victims and offenders by law enforcement, courts and corrections. In addition, the course will explore the theoretical approaches on how race and ethnicity are connected to the criminal justice system and its myriad processes. In addressing these connections, emphasis is placed on social forces and other related factors as applicable to the criminal justice system.
CRJS 425. Violent Crime Scene Investigation. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Introduces students to specialized tools and scientific aids used in the criminal investigation of violent crime cases. Applies investigative techniques and preparation of trial evidence used in violent crimes.
CRJS 432. Leadership in Criminal Justice Organizations. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Considers the behavioral dimensions of administrations in criminal justice and public safety agencies. Examines the concepts of leadership and decision-making and the effect of environmental dynamics in the management of the criminal justice system.
CRJS 434. Principles of Police Administration. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181 and CRJS 254. Examines major management concepts and principles with special emphasis on consideration of law enforcement. Policies and procedures formulated and followed by managers in law enforcement settings will be evaluated from a structural as well as a functional perspective. Contemporary and anticipated future problems, challenges and trends facing police managers will be addressed.
CRJS 450. Cyber Crime and Computer Forensics. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Study of computer-related crime and related laws and policies. Focus on the investigation and processes of securing evidence for computer-related crimes.
CRJS 463. Crime and Justice in Global Perspective. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. This course is designed to move students beyond an “American-centric” view of criminal justice in an introduction to crime, law, criminal justice systems and crime control in cross-national perspective. Crime is a global problem that has been part of the human experience through both time and space; as such we will discuss crime trends around the world, the statistics that tell us what we think we know about crime around the world, and the different systems of law, policing, courts and corrections around the world in place to combat it. Problems of cultural relativity, international crime, transnational organized crime and policy transfer will also be discussed.
CRJS 468. Organized Crime. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. The nature and extent of organized crime will be examined. The distinctions from street crimes will be reviewed, as will an assessment of organized crime history, causation, investigation tools, prosecution, defense and sentencing alternatives. The changing nature of organized crime, its transnational manifestations and the outlook for its future will be explored.
CRJS 475. Criminal Procedure. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181 and UNIV 200, or permission of instructor. Analyzes criminal procedure regarding the courts and their supervisory role over prosecutions and the use of testimonial and non-testimonial evidence. Examines the judicial interpretive processes by which the public safety is balanced with individual rights.
CRJS 480. Senior Seminar. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181, CRJS 253, CRJS 254, CRJS 355 and CRJS 380. Enrollment is restricted to seniors in criminal justice with at least 85 credit hours taken toward the degree. A capstone course designed to assist students to apply and to think critically about current knowledge regarding crime, crime trends, law, law enforcement, the adjudication process, corrections and crime prevention. Scenarios, research, projections and evaluation of different viewpoints will be employed to develop the student's ability to assess methods of argumentation, use information and apply existing knowledge to new fact situations.
CRJS 491. Topics in Criminal Justice. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. In-depth examination of selected administration of justice topics. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester and prerequisites.
CRJS 492. Directed Individual Study. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; variable hours. 1, 2 or 3 credits. Maximum total of 6 credits. Prerequisite: CRJS 181. Available to all other criminal justice students who are seniors and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (with permission of department chair) as a substitute for a major elective course. Provides an independent study opportunity for the adult student who is (or was) employed in a criminal justice, safety or risk administration position and who does not require internship or volunteer experience.