Criminal Justice

An introductory level course focusing on the application of biological and clinical principles to crime scene analysis. Students will learn how to analyze and document a crime scene and collect evidence. Laboratory activities will be focused on the analysis of evidence collected from the crime scene and will include hair and fibers, fingerprints, blood stains, glass, and DNA. Basic principles of toxicology will also be discussed. 

Three-hour lecture, three-hour lab. 

A minimum grade of C is required for BI majors.

Forensic Psychology is an interdisciplinary field that draws upon psychology, sociology, and criminal justice. Forensic Psychology is designed to introduce the field and examine aspects of human behavior related directly to criminal justice. Major topic areas include the roles and responsibilities of the forensic psychologist, the history of forensic psychology, criminal profiling, geographic profiling, police and investigative psychology, and criminal psychology. The profiles of serial killers will be highlighted. The court structure, judicial process, and related topics such as mental health laws, insanity and competency will be covered. The interaction between nature and nurture and their association with factors such as violence will be highlighted.

While the focus of this course is on the origin and development of criminal law through history, significant attention is also given to contemporary issues and controversies. Specific emphasis is placed on the elements required by law for an act to constitute a crime, the significance of the mental state of the defendant, the burden of proof in trials, and the goals of the prescribed punishments available to courts. In addition, this course looks at issues such as the rule of law and its crucial role in democracy; and the relationship between law, especially constitutional law, and individual rights.

This course examines the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s mission in the world today. Students learn about the FBI’s efforts to address the threat of terrorism both nationally and globally, as well as its efforts to continue to be on the forefront of combating crime that falls within its jurisdiction. This course also explores how the FBI was first created as a minor division of the Department of Justice in 1908, but grew steadily over the next 100 years to become a premier law enforcement agency. Students gain insight into how the FBI expanded its responsibility and jurisdiction over the years as Congress enacted laws that increasingly regulated political, economic and personal activities.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of those provisions of the American Constitution having the greatest impact on criminal justice. Issues surrounding the rules of search and seizure, the protections against self-incrimination, and the right to counsel, among others, are discussed in light of landmark cases. In this context, the course also explores the relationship between larger societal changes and the evolution of the Supreme Court’s understanding of the Constitution, together with the debates that continue over interpretations of the Bill of Rights.

This course is an exploration of professionalism and decision-making in criminal justice through the lens of ethics, professional codes of conduct, and leadership in organizations. Through the use of case studies, students develop an awareness and understanding of ethical dilemmas faced in the police service, the judiciary, and the correctional system and the checks and balances established to preserve the integrity of the criminal justice system. With this foundation, the students will examine their own decision making process and apply this to current problems and issues facing criminal justice professionals.

The purpose of this course is to examine how the media portray violence and crime, influence crime policy, and impact public perceptions of crime and victimization. The course evaluates: the ways that media construct crime and criminals; the portrayal of crime and violence in television dramas and film; and media representations as cause, consequence, and cure for crime.

This course is the culmination of the Bachelor of Arts program in Criminal Justice. Students will be expected to demonstrate significant competence in the field of criminal justice by preparing, presenting and submitting a research project on a self-selected, instructor-approved topic central to the field.