Criminal Justice Studies (BS)

Federal CIP: 45.0401 Criminology

Learning Outcomes

Students completing the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice Studies are expected to:

• justify and articulate how a Christian worldview and faith commitment relates to criminal justice and how this perspective prepares them to serve others in their chosen occupation.
• assess and distinguish between the various endemic and emerging issues confronting the major components of the criminal justice system: police, courts, and corrections.
• appraise, assess, or critique the policies and practices of the administration of justice as a system of social control and defend what constitutes “best practice” in a programmatic delivery of justice services to the community.
• differentiate and evaluate the development of historical and contemporary correctional philosophies, incarceration practices and trends, diversion efforts, community-based corrections practices, and offender treatment programs. 
• compare and contrast various criminological theories on the etiology, persistence, and desistence of crime and criminal behavior.
• articulate and distinguish the purpose and limits of the procedural and substantive criminal law, justify the criminal procedures for prosecution and defense, and critique court procedures and various adjudication decision-making practices.
• evaluate and debate the various endemic and emerging issues confronting the police including a critique of the police organization and culture, use of force, discretion, and deviance.
• construct, design, and structure an original research project from conceptualization and operationalization to analysis and presentation of findings using quantitative and qualitative methodologies.