Criminal justice is an enormous field of study drawing from a wide range of disciplines. These encompass law; the judicial process;and psychological, social and environmental sciences as they pertain to criminal behavior and crime prevention.
Here is a guide to what you can expect from a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice, beginning with the approach developed by Central Christian College of Kansas (CCCK).
CCCK’s aim is to equip graduates with two professional feet, both of which it considers essential to a noble career in the field of criminal justice. CCCK graduates embark on their careers equipped with a thorough grounding in the academic knowledge upon which the field rests. However,they also bring another dimension.
CCCKguidesits students through their criminal justice major with an accompanying faith-based philosophy of life so that they emerge equipped not only with expert knowledge, but also with the ethical principles needed to undertake their work with courage, compassion and integrity.
The main topics covered in a criminal justice course
Judicial process
Students will learn about the organization and purpose of the two main divisions of the law courts in the US: the federal and state levels. Judicial process also covers the distinctions between criminal and civil trials as well as detailing how special-interest groups may lobby to influence court decisions.
Legal foundations of criminal justice: law and due process
Students will be guided through the foundational influence of the US Constitution on legal proceedings and law enforcement, including how the Constitution regulates the law enforcement techniques that may legitimately be used in crime investigations.Issues such as client-attorney confidentiality during criminal proceedings and jury selection are also included, as well as subjects’rights in police custody, legal standards for determining a suspect’s guilt, how crime scenes are to be properly secured, and how law enforcement works with the court system.
Investigative principals
Rules governing how evidence is to be properly collected, how crime scenes are to be analyzed, and how suspects and witnesses are to be interviewed are covered by this subject area. Other topics include research after the fact (e.g., discovering whether a perpetrator has a history with law enforcement and any connections they may have with the victim or crime) and the importance of adhering to established protocols for evidence and witnesses, as breaches can put a prosecution at risk of mistrial.
Criminology and victimology
Crime as a species of deviant behavior will be covered under these topics, as well as control and treatment programs and the theories relating to crime and violent victimization. Crime is viewed through the lenses of biological, psychological, social and environment sciences and interpreted via its intersection with race, gender, class, ethnicity and sexual preference.
Juvenile justice
Theories of delinquency causation are explored in this field of study, as well as the juvenile court system and approaches to police interaction with juveniles. Treatment and correctionalinterventionsfor juveniles are also covered.
Other subjects coveredin a criminal justice degreemay include terrorism and counterterrorism, comparative justice (criminal justice systems in foreign jurisdictions and crime prevalence in other countries), police administration (police organizations, resource management, professional ethics, etc.) and crisis management (skills of crisis avoidance, management and recovery in relation to crime).
