Criminal Justice - Major/Minor

For information contact Professor Scott A. Hoke, sahoke@cedarcrest.edu, 610-606-4666, ext. 4454

Program Description

Criminal justice is the study of the social factors, social conditions and environmental influences that affect the development of human behavior that is contrary to commonly accepted norms. It is a field of study that attempts to scientifically examine the causes, personal and societal consequences, and effective preventative/rehabilitative responses to socially dysfunctional behavior such as crime, drug abuse, violence, prejudice and human exploitation.

Primarily, the coursework has been designed to allow the student to examine human behavior from a number of different viewpoints. Today, the emphasis in criminal justice is in the prevention of harmful behavior, rather than simply its detection and prosecution. To effectively prevent behavior from occurring one must understand what influences it. As a result, the curriculum places an emphasis on understanding the social, biological, psychological, and environmental factors that influence behavior.

Additionally, the emphasis on research methods, evaluation and presentation allows the student to develop leadership skills through the practical application of problem solving strategies. Combined with a sound field experience, the student is allowed to apply material presented throughout the curriculum to the professional setting, further enhancing their ability to understand, process, and evaluate the critical issues facing the profession.

Criminal Justice Program Mission Statement

The mission of the criminal justice program is to provide students with a state of the art educational experience that is grounded in an understanding of the traditional theories and origins of the criminal justice system but also one that places emphasis on developing an understanding of the emerging issues and developments that are influencing and impacting society today. In addition, it is the mission of the program to produce students who are prepared to assume a position of leadership within the profession. Leadership requires students to be well-rounded academically, intellectually mature, aware of the ethical standards by which the criminal justice system is intended to function, and sensitive to the social and cultural challenges presented by the application of the system.

Criminal Justice Major

Total number of credits required by program: 34 credits

Program Requirements

• Students must earn a grade of C or better in each required Liberal Arts Curriculum course (LAC).

• Students must earn a grade of C or better in each required course or must repeat the course. Students may only take a required foundation course twice. A withdrawal from a course constitutes having taken the course one time.

• Additionally, students must complete a criminal history check. Students will not be permitted into the program if they possess either a felony conviction, or a misdemeanor involving the possession or use of a controlled substance; fraud; violence; or child neglect or abuse.

Course Requirements

The curriculum is organized around a combination of required and elective courses. Each student has the ability to select one of five elective packages that best suits their level of interest. Students may select more than one elective package, with each being designed to allow the student to develop some level of specific depth to the analysis of human behavior. The elective packages are as follows:

• Criminal Behavior and Deviance – This elective package allows the student to examine human behavior from a social, psychological, and environmental perspective. Each of these areas influences behavior and effective control often involves understanding aspects of each of these elements. Addiction, Psychopathology, and Crime examines the social aspects of drug use and allows the student to understand drug influenced behavior; Corrections, and Crime and Place evaluate the environmental influences of human behavior; while Abnormal, and/or Forensic Psychology assist in understanding behavior from a psychological perspective.
• Juvenile Studies – This elective package allows the student to develop an understanding of childhood development and adolescent behavior. Many of the students who major in criminal justice at Cedar Crest express an interest in working with juvenile offenders and this package offers the student a greater understanding of the issues surrounding juvenile behavior than what they are currently receiving.
• Law Enforcement Administration – This elective package is designed for students who have an interest in police administration. It is not intended to expose the student to police practices but rather is designed to better their understanding of the issues related to running a police/law enforcement organization. All of the courses in this package are available in an online or accelerated format.
• Self-Designed Elective package – This elective package allows the students to self-design an area of interest within the criminal justice system. One might choose to study forensic psychology, social justice, restorative practices, or any other subject area where one’s interest exists.
• Crime and Community Mapping – This concentration is designed to offer students the opportunity to become proficient in a skill that is highly marketable in the criminal justice and social service professions. Understanding mapping technology that allows agencies to evaluate patterns of behavior geographically, developing interventions that are responsive to the patterns that arise.

Criminal Justice Requirements - 34 credits

Core Requirements (22 credits):
CRJ 101 The Legal System 3 credits
CRJ 106 Criminology 3 credits
CRJ 211 Criminal Justice Ethics 3 credits
CRJ 206 Class, Race, Gender, and Crime 3 credits
CRJ 325 Criminal Justice Research Methods 4 credits
CRJ 331 Leadership in Criminal Justice 3 credits
REL 227 Islam in America 3 credits

Elective Packages (12 Credits – the student must select at least one)
Criminal Behavior and Deviance (12 credits):
CRJ 201 Addiction, Psychopathology and Crime 3 credits
CRJ 306 Corrections 3 credits
CRJ 311 Crime and Place 3 credits
PSY 309 Abnormal Psychology 3 credits
OR
PSY 310 Forensic Psychology 3 credits

Juvenile Studies (12 credits):
CRJ 201 Addiction, Psychopathology, and Crime 3 credits
CRJ 301 Juvenile Justice 3 credits
SWK 303 Human Behavior & Social Environment 3 credits
OR
PSY 210 Life Span Development 3 credits
SWK 304 Child Abuse Maltreatment and Neglect 3 credits

Law Enforcement Administration (12 credits):
BUA 220 Human Resource Management 3 credits
BUA 239 Employment Law 3 credits
BUA 320 Attracting, Selecting, and Retaining Talent 3 credits
BUA 325 Compensation Management 3 credits

Self-Designed Elective Package – Thematic design must be approved by faculty advisor (12 credits)
Crime and Community Mapping (12 credits)
CRJ 110 – Introduction to GIS and Crime mapping
CRJ 210 – Advanced Crime and Community Mapping
CRJ 310 – Crime and Community Development
CRJ 212 – Problem-oriented Policing OR CRJ 311 – Crime and Place

Field Experience

The field experience enables the student to apply knowledge acquired in the major in a criminal justice agency of the student’s choice. This application of knowledge is vital to the career placement of the graduate. Students are required to engage in a 220-hour experience, 16 hours per week in a community setting developed by the criminal justice faculty.

In addition, a field experience seminar has been designed to be taken concurrent with the field experience. The seminar provides an opportunity for students to critically assess learning in the field with theoretical concepts associated with the major in criminal justice.

Fulfillment of LAC Requirements

The student fulfills the Technology, Oral Presentation, and Information Literacy requirements by successfully completing the following courses embedded within the criminal justice major:

Technology:
CRJ 110 Introduction to GIS and Crime Mapping 3 credits
CRJ 210 Advanced Crime and Community Mapping 3 credits
CRJ 325 Criminal Justice Research Methods 4 credits
CRJ 311 Crime and Place 3 credits

Oral Presentation:
CRJ 211 Criminal Justice Ethics 3 credits
CRJ 325 Criminal Justice Research Methods 4 credits
CRJ 331 Leadership in Criminal Justice 3 credits

Information Literacy:
Each of the required courses contributes to the completion of this Liberal Arts requirement.

Learning Outcomes

• The student will be able to analyze human behavior and identify the social factors that influence it.
• The student will be able to analyze human behavior and identify the environmental factors that influence it.
• Students will be able to apply criminal justice theory and content to a larger community context.
• Students will be able to analyze criminal justice decision-making to determine if it meets acceptable ethical standards.
• Students will demonstrate effective oral communication skills.
• Students will demonstrate effective written communication skills.

Criminal Justice Minor

Program Requirements for the Criminal Justice Minor

Cedar Crest College does offer a minor in criminal justice, which consists of 18 credits. It can be completed by using the following format:
Course Requirements for the Criminal Justice Minor: 18 credits

Required Courses (6 Credits):

CRJ 101 The Legal System 3 credits
CRJ 106 Criminology 3 credits

Elective Courses (12 credits):
CRJ 110 Introduction to GIS and Crime Mapping 3 credits
CRJ 201 Addiction, Psychopathology and Crime 3 credits
CRJ 206 Class, Race and Gender 3 credits
CRJ 210 Advanced Crime and Community Mapping 3 credits
CRJ 211 Criminal Justice Ethics 3 credits
CRJ 212 Problem-Oriented Policing 3 credits
CRJ 301 Juvenile Justice 3 credits
CRJ 306 Corrections 3 credits
CRJ 311 Crime and Place 3 credits

One of the following courses can be substituted for one of the elective criminal justice courses:
PSC 202 Law and Justice 3 credits
PSC 207 Law and Women’s Rights 3 credits
PSC 218 Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Rights 3 credits
PSC 250 Modern Political Thought 3 credits
PSC 300 Topics in Law and Public Policy 3 credits