Criminal Justice
Program Chair
Description
Major Requirements
Program Policies
Course Descriptions
Program Chair
Alison Goodrich, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
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Description
Criminal justice is the scientific study of criminal behavior. It focuses generally on, among other issues, the history of the criminal justice system; theories of crime and deviance; the origin and development of criminal law; the functions and operations of criminal justice agencies in a diverse society; the violations of criminal law and society’s responses to the violations of criminal law; the nature, meaning, and purposes of criminal punishment; and the nature and impact of criminal justice policy.
The Criminal Justice major emphasizes three foundational areas: law
enforcement, corrections, and juvenile justice. The Criminal Justice
major prepares students for graduate school and a wide range of career
opportunities in security and law enforcement, probation and parole, the
court system, and corrections. Given the applied nature of criminal
justice, experiential learning is an important part of the major. As
such, all majors are required to complete an internship with a public or
private organization that is involved in some aspect of criminal
justice.
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Major Requirements
Required Courses (36 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
SOCY 100 Introduction to Sociology (or SOCY 105 Social Problems)
SOCY 205 Criminology: An Introduction
SOCY 206 Juvenile Justice
SOCY 303 Women & Minorities in Criminal Justice
SOCY 305 Corrections/Jails & Prisons
SOCY 306 Law Enforcement
SOCY 307 Criminal Procedures & Evidence
SOCY 311 Research Methods for the Social Sciences
SOCY 410 Theories of Crime and Deviance
SOCY 499 Senior Seminar
MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics
Three Additional credits of Internship:
SOCY 492 Internship in Criminal Justice
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Program Policies
Advanced Placement:
Credits earned through AP examinations do not fulfill
requirements of the Criminal Justice major.
CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP examinations do not fulfill requirements of
the Criminal Justice major.
Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of "C" or better in all
courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major. In addition, students
must achieve a passing grade on the Senior Comprehensive portfolio.
Pass/No Pass:
Courses fulfilling major requirements may not be taken pass/no pass.
Senior Assessment:
Students are required to submit a Senior Comprehensive Portfolio
Assessment Project prior to graduation. Specific requirements and due
dates are distributed to seniors in the Fall semester of their graduation year.
TELL Policy:
Students applying for credit in experiential learning should consult with
the program faculty.
Transfer Credits:
Credits in courses equivalent to those required for the major from
a similar institution may be accepted toward a major. Students majoring in
criminal justice must take a minimum of four criminal justice courses at
Trinity.
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Course Descriptions
MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics
Presents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, normal and binomial distributions, and central limit theorem, with an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics.
3 credits
SOCY 100 Introduction to Sociology
Introduces students to the science of sociology and prepares students for upper-level social science course work.
Formerly SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology.
3 credits
SOCY 105 Social Problems
Examines the political and economic organization of society and its impact on social problems. The goal of this course is to enable students to understand the social nature of social problems. Students focus on how social problems result from cultural and social arrangements. Critical scrutiny of polity and economy provides clues for the bias of society. Explains how political and economic processes affect what is currently being done about social problems and thus why so many social policies fail.
Formerly SOC 200 Social Crisis and Social Policy.
3 credits
SOCY 205 Introduction to Criminology
Introduces students to the scientific study of crime by focusing on the definitions, history, types, trends, causes and consequences of crime; as well as the responses of the criminal justice system to crimes, criminals, and the victims of crimes. The course is a survey of both criminal justice (the more applied aspect of the field) and criminology (the more basic aspect of the field).
3 credits
SOCY 206 Juvenile Justice
Examines status offenses and other crimes committed by juveniles. The course also examines the social and legal history, definition and explanations of delinquency, assesses delinquency prevention and correctional programs, and emphasizes the application of philosophical and legal principles to the problems of juvenile justice.
3 credits
SOCY 303 Women and Minorities in Criminal Justice
Examines the roles of racism, sexism, and homophobia in theories of crime and the treatment of minorities by various components of the criminal justice system.While minorities are generally over-represented in arrests, convictions, and incarceration (with some exceptions), they are disproportionately under-represented among criminal justice practitioners. Race, ethnicity, sex, and other characteristics may define individuals as minorities who deserve equitable treatment in the criminal justice system.
3 credits
SOCY 305 Corrections/Jails and Prisons
Studies jails and prisons as complex institutions with varied, sometimes conflicting goals. The course provides students with an overview of correctional philosophies, practices, and procedures.
3 credits
SOCY 306 Law Enforcement
Surveys law enforcement concentrating on the police, with particular emphasis on its functions (enforcing the law, maintaining order, serving the public); responsibilities (preserving constitutional rights, community relations); and problems (corruption, police use of deadly force, racial profiling), among others.
3 credits
SOCY 307 Criminal Procedures and Evidence
Iintroduces students to the lawful gathering and evaluation of evidence concerning criminal acts, with particular attention to the fundamentals of investigation and the knowledge and skills necessary for investigation.
3 credits
SOCY 311 Research Methods for Social Scientists
Introduces the student to various research methods used in the social sciences.
Topics include causal analysis survey, observational, and evaluating strategies;
feminist methods; database management; and statistical data analysis (SPSS).
Formerly SOC 342 Research Methods.
3 credits
Prerequisites: SOCY 100 and MATH 110
SOCY 410 Theories of Crime and Deviance
Examines various explanations of crime and deviance from a variety of perspectives: biological, psychological, sociological, feminist, and conflict, among others.
3 credits
SOCY 492 Internship in Criminal Justice
Provides students the opportunity for field placement in an approved criminal justice agency, where students can integrate the theory and practice of criminal justice.
3 credits
SOCY 499 Senior Seminar
Serves as a capstone course that explores contemporary sociological and criminological concepts through new research and theory in the discipline. Students will contribute to class discussion through written work and oral presentations. Formerly SOC 460 Senior Seminar.
3 credits
Prerequisites: Senior status in the major
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