This course provides an introduction to criminal justice. One of the primary goals of this course is to provide a general understanding of how the criminal justice system responds to crime in society. The main component parts of the criminal justice system (i.e., police, courts, and corrections) will be examined with a particular emphasis on developing an understanding of the behavior and interactions among the main actors in the criminal justice system. To accomplish this goal, we will examine how criminal cases are processed in the criminal justice system. We will also consider how external forces, such as political decisions, public opinion, and the media influence criminal justice decision-making. Students will also formulate, argue, and evaluate ethical perspectives regarding criminal justice systems, individual-level decisions, and recognize relationships with other ethical problems in society. Finally, throughout the course we will emphasize how the societal response to crime has evolved over time.

A comprehensive survey of historical and contemporary theories of the causes of crime. Included are theories that derive from biological, psychological, sociological, geographic, economic, and political perspectives. Development of criminological theory reviewed; fundamental distinctions between classical and positivist theories and between theories of crime and criminality discussed.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with training in quantitative analysis of social science data. Students will develop a conceptual understanding of techniques, the ability to recognize the appropriate selection of techniques, and the ability to use those statistical measures and interpret their results. Students will gain experience with inferential statistics through the level of commonly used multivariate analyses. The prerequisite for this course will be a strong undergraduate foundation in statistical analysis. With the consent of their adviser and the graduate coordinator, qualified students may substitute more specialized statistics courses or courses in such areas as geographical information systems (GIS).

The criminal justice capstone involves guided research on a topic approved by the instructor. The capstone requires students to develop, design and complete an original research project. Satisfactory completion involves the execution of a substantial research paper and includes a public oral presentation.