Criminal Justice

Introduction
Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes
Programs and Courses Offered

Division of Politics, Administration, and Justice Division Chair

Stacy Mallicoat

Criminal Justice Program Coordinator

Christine Gardiner

Division Office/Website

University Hall 511
657-278-3521
hss.fullerton.edu/paj

Faculty

Gregory (Chris) Brown, Amy Cass, Rob Castro, George M. Dery, III, Christine Gardiner, Dixie Koo, James Lasley, Jarret Lovell, Stacy Mallicoat, Kevin Meehan, Jill Rosenbaum, Georgia Spiropoulos

Introduction

Criminal Justice is the study of the causes, consequences and control of crime. Like other new and developing fields, criminal justice is difficult to define, as it draws from a number of different disciplines, including psychology, public administration, philosophy, political science, sociology and law.

The program leading to the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice is designed to acquaint pre-service and in-service students with the principles and practices of criminal justice in America. Although the department’s curriculum allows for the development of depth in one of the subject’s substantive subsystems (i.e., law enforcement, courts or corrections), the overriding objective is to familiarize students with activities in all the above areas.

The department is both academic and professional in that it is an interdisciplinary attempt to relate intellectual issues and practitioner perspectives to the challenge of crime in a free society. In this regard, the department provides preparation for employment with a related agency and/or further study (e.g., law school).

Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

The following goals and learning outcomes have been established for students pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice:

Knowledge

Understand the nature and extent of crime, including its legal, social and economic dimensions
Understand the major theories of the causes of crime, including types of criminal behavior and the characteristics of victims and offenders
Understand how crime is measured and how criminal justice research is conducted, including the skills needed to be a knowledgeable consumer of criminal justice research
Understand the goals, organization and processes of the agencies comprising the criminal justice system
Understand criminal law, its application and related legal processes
Understand the major policies and approaches designed to control or reduce crime, their effectiveness, and the processes by which they are created and implemented

Experience

Be provided with the opportunity through internships to experience the criminal justice system directly

Skills

Be able to think and write clearly, critically and intelligently about the criminal justice system

Advisement

Students are urged to attend a New Major Advisement Session prior to their first semester at the university as a Criminal Justice major. This is particularly important for community college transfers. Failure to do so may delay graduation. The department’s New Major Advisement Sessions are regularly and frequently scheduled. See the bulletin board or call the division office for details. For advising questions, students may email us at pajadvising@fullerton.edu.

Programs and Courses Offered

Programs

Bachelor of Arts

Criminal Justice, B.A.

Non-Degree

Criminal Justice Minor

Courses

Criminal Justice

Courses are designated as CRJU in the class schedule.