Criminal Justice

Bachelor of Science

The major in criminal justice is designed to provide students with a solid understanding of the intricacy and utility of the American criminal justice system. Strong emphasis is placed on examining the components of law enforcement, court system, and corrections as part of the wider sociopolitical system that exercises social control, as well as providing a wide range of human services. It is the intent of the major to provide to the system graduates who possess the potential for leadership and positive change.

Learning Outcomes for Criminal Justice
The following are learning outcomes for successful completion of the criminal justice major:

  • To understand the responsibilities of the major components of the system in order to appreciate the role of criminal justice in our democratic society.
  • To understand the basic ingredients associated with the studies of crime and its control.
  • To understand the limits our constitutional democracy places on practitioners by the study of professional, ethical and legal issues in the system.
  • To display the ability to communicate effectively in written form.
  • To display the ability to communicate effectively in oral form.
  • To develop information and digital literacy.
  • To think critically by researching, analyzing, and interpreting studies, case law, statutes, and constitutional provisions that protect the rights of citizens.

I’m excited to move forward—in the classroom and professionally!

From understanding the basics of the criminal justice system to gaining new perspectives on law, professors in the Criminal Justice program help push each student to the next level. I’ve gained such a deeper and broader respect for the men and women who work in the field.

Joshua Gagnon, School of Criminal Justice, Class of 2015

In the classroom. In the workforce.

What You’ll Learn

AIC’s Criminal Justice program provides a thorough understanding of the social, economic, and political issues affecting the systems that protect our social order, as well as the role you can play in these systems to help elicit positive change.

Future Studies

As a graduate of the program, you’ll be prepared for future studies in criminal justice, criminology, forensic services, and other related fields.

Career Opportunities

You’ll be ready for fields like law enforcement, corrections, legal services, victim advocacy, security, rehabilitation and social work, and can work at the local, state or federal level for private, corporate or academic organizations.

Major Requirements

  • CRJ1400: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
  • COM2200 Information and Technology
  • CRJ2224: Corrections
  • CRJ2302: Statistics
  • CRJ2342: Law Enforcement
  • CRJ2350*: Criminal Justice Research
  • CRJ2426: Probation and Parole
  • CJR2451: Legal Aspects of the Criminal Justice System
  • CRJ3240: Criminal Procedures
  • CRJ3441: Criminal Law
  • CRJ3636: Community Relations and the Criminal Justice System
  • CRJ3641: Comparative Criminal Justice System
  • CRJ3842: Criminology
  • CRJ3844: Ethics in Criminal Justice
  • CRJ4880: Senior Seminar
  • CRJ4979**: Criminal Justice Practicum

Plus one of the following

  • CRJ2000 Communications in Criminal Justice
  • ENG2280 Professional and Technical Writing

*May substitute PSY3615, Experimental Psychology or SOC 2631 Sociological Research Methods.

** May substitute SOC2400 Crime and Delinquency or SOC2410 Deviance and Social Control
** Students must enroll for a minimum of 3 credits. This course may be taken in more than one semester for additional credit up to a total of 9 credits.

Minor Requirements

  • CRJ1400: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
  • CRJ2224: Corrections
  • CRJ2342: Law Enforcement
  • CRJ3842: Criminology

Choose one from the following courses:

  • CRJ2426: Probation and Parole
  • CRJ2451: Legal Aspects of the Criminal Justice System
  • CRJ elective: Choose a CRJ elective selected with the advisor.

Course Descriptions

An introductory survey course designed to provide the student with an overview of the system. Theories of criminal behavior, criminal law, and procedures are introduced and studied as they apply to the criminal justice components of law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.

This course is an introduction to statistical methods as they are used in the social sciences. Both descriptive and inferential statistics are covered, including sampling, probability, and hypothesis testing. Specific parametric and non-parametric analyses include analysis of variance, the t-test, Chi-square, and correlation.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. An overview of the correctional system. Topics for study and discussion include historical development, theories of punishment, sentencing structures, the functions of different types of institutions, management techniques, and problems in today’s correctional operations.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. The course examines the development and professional practice of federal and state probation and parole systems. Emphasis is placed on organization, roles, and responsibilities of these systems, as well as the significant impact of court decisions on delivery of services.

The course is designed to give an overview of legal principles, which provide a framework for the criminal justice system. An analysis of cases and statutes, pertinent to areas under consideration, is emphasized together with a coverage of fundamental aspects of legal research. Areas covered include investigation, initial appearance, arraignment, preliminary examination, trial, guilty pleas or conviction, sentence, and release.

This course will provide students with the foundational knowledge and skills in the use of library resources and common computer tools. It will be broad enough in scope to enable students to continue learning independently as well as to build discipline-related knowledge and skills both within and beyond the college curriculum. Legal and ethical considerations will be addressed.

A course designed to explore the interpersonal expectations and relationships between criminal justice practitioners and community members. The content will focus on basic psychological and sociological principles (including attitudes, perception, self-image, stereotypes, subcultures, and rumor), as well as discretion, and their application to the interaction between criminal justice practitioners and community members.

This course examines the rights of those accused of criminal wrongdoing, from the time they become suspects, through incarceration. Topics covered include issues surrounding search and seizure, right of counsel, right against self-incrimination, use of force, right to medical treatment, sentencing guidelines, identification procedures, and protection from cruel and unusual punishment. Additionally, topics include court rules governing trial procedures and the roles the defense and prosecuting attorneys play in the adjudication of criminal cases.

This course explores the body of written law that defines crimes and specifies punishment. Substantive criminal law emphasizes the nature, history, and purpose of criminal law; its constitutional limits; general principles of criminal liability; the defenses of justification and excuse; and the specific elements of crimes.

This course examines the nature and complexity of crime as a social problem. The measurement, techniques of data collection, and patterns of crime are explored as well as various classical, biological, psychological, and sociological theories of crime causation. Throughout the course, policy implications of the content matter will be considered.

The ethics curriculum is designed to further the goals of professionalization of the criminal justice system. The course is designed to lay a foundation for our students to better make moral decisions as they face inevitable ethical dilemmas as practitioners in the field of criminal justice. Students will first be required to analyze various theories of moral decision making, including, but not limited to, the theories of moral imperativism and utilitarianism. Throughout the semester, students will be applying these theories to practical situations. This will be accomplished by presenting hypotheticals to the class, and requiring the class to analyze the hypotheticals individually and in-group discussions.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. This course compares the U. S. criminal justice system with selected foreign systems. A cross-cultural overview will study the nature, theories, and mechanisms for fighting crime and dealing with criminals in different societies. An end goal will attempt to discover innovative ways that may deal with crime in the United States.

An individualized program of reading, library research, and interviewing, under direction of a faculty member.

This meets the requirement as a writing intensive course in the major. A supervised work experience for majors in criminal justice. Students will have the opportunity to observe professionals in action and to take part in the activities of the agency, thereby utilizing and improving skills learned through that observation along with those from classroom study.

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