Criminal Justice (B.S.)
Overview
Trinity’s criminal justice program focuses on the role of criminal justice within the broader concept of social justice in a multi-cultural, industrialized democracy. Our students explore the historical, theoretical and practical aspects of the discipline and are challenged to analyze current issues in the field, including evaluating the performance of the criminal justice system in deterring crime, protecting the public and fostering a just society.
Our location in the nation’s capital affords students the opportunity to observe the criminal justice system firsthand, from traffic court to the U.S. Supreme Court, from a cop on the beat to the Director of Homeland Security, and from the policy created by the city council to the policy laid out by the U.S. Congress. Through an integration of interdisciplinary learning with the needs of criminal justice in the 21st century, the program prepares the student for a wide variety of careers in criminal justice, including law enforcement, corrections and homeland security, and for graduate study in criminal justice and related fields, such as the law and social services.
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Faculty
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Featured Courses
CRJ 201 Juvenile JusticeComprehensive survey of the correctional process in the U.S., including present philosophies and practices of punishment and rehabilitation; procedures of custodial institutions; functions of correctional officers; functions of probation and parole; classification program assignment; and release procedures.
3 credits
CRJ 205 CriminologyThis course presents a framework for the scientific study of the nature and causes of crime and antisocial behavior. The course focuses on explanations provided through criminal typologies and criminological theories, by focusing on definitions, history, types, causes, and consequences of crime as well as the responses of the criminal justice system to crimes, criminals, and the victims of crimes. Topics will include crime causation, the extent of crime, victimization, social/psychological theories, and various types of criminality, including violent, property, and public order offenses.
3 credits
CRJ 303 Special Populations in Criminal JusticeRace, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class and other characteristics may define individuals as minorities who deserve equitable treatment in the criminal justice system. This course examines the roles of racism, sexism, homophobia and social class in theories of crimes and the treatment of minorities by various components of the criminal justice system.
3 credits
CRJ 381 Homeland SecurityThis course examines the organization, functions, and strategies of the Department of Homeland Security and its member agencies. How can the department meet the new challenges caused by global and domestic terrorist threats, natural, and man-made disasters and cultural changes within the United states and the world? Students will also explore examples of various security threats and the DHS response to them and examine management style and structure in the department.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
CRJ 388 International and Domestic TerrorismThis course examines aspects of extremism and terrorism in a historical, cultural and tactical context and relates the use of terrorism to contemporary issues of international domestic terrorism facing the United States today. Paramilitarism, white supremacy groups, hate groups, religious fundamentalism, and foreign terrorist groups throughout the world and through history will be investigated and studied with sophisticated theories of analysts.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
CRJ 466 Community PolicingThis course examines how community policing strategies can be tailored to meet the new challenges caused by terrorist alerts and cultural changes within the Unite States. Students will also explore the principal concepts of community policing and their relationship to culture, communities, and social order. The course will integrate measurements of community policing efforts through specific case studies and research from the texts and other government and academic sources.
3 credits
CRJ 471 Law, Justice, and the American FamilyLaw, Justice, and the American Family: Modern Family Law draws from constitutional law, criminal law, conflict of laws, and the laws of contracts, torts, property, inheritance, and even taxation. Students will examine the law as it involves the formation and dissolution of modern families, both traditional and non-traditional, violence against family members, adoption, custody and support of children, and government interventions in family issues. This course will also cover evolution the family law and dispute resolution process.
3 credits
PSYC 323 Forensic PsychologyIntroduces students to psychological issues in the area of criminal justice, including the topics of juvenile delinquency, mental illness and criminal responsibility, and rehabilitation of offenders. Psychological theories and research on the causes of criminal behavior and the role of the psychologist in the criminal justice system are presented. Formerly PSY 333 and PSYC 323 Criminal and Forensic Psychology.
3 credits
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and 3 additional Psychology credits at the 200 level
SOCY 311 Research Methods for Social ScientistsIntroduces 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
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Career Paths
- Homeland Security Agent
- U.S. Marshal
- Court Services and Offender Supervision Agent
- Court Service Provider
- Lawyer
- State or Local Law Enforcement Officer
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