This website uses cookies to ensure site visitors get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies and Privacy Statement. To find out more, please visit Southern University's Privacy Statement.

I agree
Social Sciences

Criminal Justice Undergraduate

The Bachelor of Science Criminal Justice program is designed to provide students with a thorough knowledge of the nature and operation of the Criminal Justice System.

It includes courses in the following core areas as well as specialized electives:

  • criminal justice and juvenile justice processes (law, crime, and administration of justice)
  • criminology (the causes of crime, typologies, offenders, and victims)
  • law enforcement (police organization, discretion, subculture, and legal constraints)
  • law adjudication (criminal law, criminal procedure, prosecution, defense, court procedures and decision-making)
  • corrections (incarceration, community-based corrections, and treatment of offenders).
The program introduces concepts related to legal, legislative, and social processes and how they influence the criminal justice system. The program further addresses current methods in criminal justice processes and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses.

The Criminal Justice Program seeks to educate students in the skills required for a successful professional career. These skills include critical thinking, the ability to communicate thoughts effectively in oral and written form, research methods, statistical and data analysis, and computer technology. In addition, the program teaches students to use ethical behavior in applying the knowledge acquired to factual situations and problems.

 

Download Advising Forms

 

DOWNLOAD BS CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE MAP

CRIMINAL JUSTICE UNDERGRADUATE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

 

CRMJ 110. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM                                       3 credit hours

[LCCN: CCRJ 1013] This course is an overview of the Criminal Justice System; roles of law enforcement personnel, the courts, and correctional agencies; and the philosophical and theoretical views. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening.

CRMJ 200. EVIDENCE                 3 credit hours

This course is an introduction to the rules of evidence, evidence collection, preservation, and basic crime scene investigations. The course also explains the laws and court decisions relating to the admissibility of evidence. Distinctions will also be made between the interview and interrogation methods and their appropriate uses.

 

CRMJ 210. THE ADJUDICATION FUNCTION                                         3 credit hours

[LCCN: CCRJ 2613] This course includes the objectives, process setting, roles, and perspectives of the court, prosecution, and defense. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 110)

 

CRMJ 220. CORRECTIONS PROCESS                                                    3 credit hours

[LCCN: CCRJ 2013] This course covers an historical view of the development of methods of offender treatment: operation of correctional systems; the effect of institutionalization upon individuals; and alternatives to incarceration. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 110) This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening.

 

CRMJ 300. CONCEPTS AND ISSUES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE           3 credit hours

This course includes issues relating to criminal justice policies, perspectives, techniques, roles, institutional arrangements, management, uses of research, and innovative patterns. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 110) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 302. SENTENCING                                      3 credit hours

This course covers theories, practice and reform of sentencing. It includes the study of the philosophical justifications of punishment, the history and nature of criminal sanctions, sentencing/parole practices, and reforms of law and practice of sentencing. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110 and one upper division Criminal Justice course) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 310. CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH METHODS                 3 credit hours

This course concentrates on theories and methods of research with emphasis on research designs most relevant to Criminal Justice data and problems. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110)

 

CRMJ 319. CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THE ADDICTIONS                  3 credit hours

This course is designed to acquaint students with legal, judicial and enforcement procedures and how they relate to the problem of drug and alcohol use and abuse. The criminal justice perspective is examined from historical and contemporary points of view with the central objective to provide a working knowledge of how the legal system affects drug/alcohol prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Special emphasis is placed on the dignity and human rights of those who have become dependent upon drug and alcohol. (Elective)

 

CRMJ 320. POLICE PROCESS          3 credit hours

This course is a critical study of the objectives, strategies, programs, institutional arrangements, roles, perspectives, and interagency relationships of police. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Prerequisite CRMJ 110)

 

CRMJ 330. JUVENILE JUSTICE PROCESS AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY                                                                                                         3 credit hours

[LCCN: CCRJ 2413] This course is a critical study of the objectives, strategies, programs, institutional arrangements, roles, perspectives, and interagency relationships of police. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 110)

 

CRMJ 350. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION                                   3 credit hours

This course provides an analytical examination of crime detection and solution. The course also covers topics such as crime scene procedures, physical evidence, interviews, field notes and reporting, follow-up investigation, interrogation, as well as rules of evidence. Specific detail is given to investigations involving environmental crime, homicide, sex-related offense, and crimes against children, robbery, larceny, vehicle thefts, computer crime, arson, and drug abuse. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 110)

 

CRMJ 360. LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL                                      3 credit hours

This course is a study of resolution of social issues through the application of law as an agent of social control; nature, sanctions, and limits of law; and categories of law and schools of jurisprudence. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110, and one upper division Criminal Justice course) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 409. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM                                                                           3 credit hours 

This course is a system-wide analysis of organizational structures; management and administrative policies of criminal justice agencies-law and schools of jurisprudence. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 110 and one upper division Criminal Justice course)(Elective)

 

CRMJ 410. CRIMINAL LAW AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE                3 credit hours

This course includes examination of criminal liability, crimes against person, property and society; the criminal process; constitutional and legal problems associated with criminal procedures; and the due process of law. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110 and one upper division Criminal Justice course)

CRMJ 411. DISCRETIONARY JUSTICE   3 credit hours

This course examines the use of discretionary authority throughout all phases of the criminal justice system; and effect of discretionary authority. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110 and one upper division Criminal Justice course) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 412. SPECIAL TOPICS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE    3 credit hours

This course includes topics chosen from various fields of criminal justice. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110 and one upper division Criminal Justice course or consent of the department chairperson) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 413. PRO-SEMINAR  3 credit hours

This course provides small group-study and research for advanced students. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110 and one upper division course or consent of the department chairperson) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 414. INDEPENDENT STUDY 3 credit hours

This course provides original study or investigation in the advanced student’s field of interest under the supervision of a faculty member; it may be repeated for credit but not more than 6 hours may be applied toward the major. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110 Senior status, major GPA of 3.0 or better and consent of the department chairperson) (As Needed)

 

CRMJ 415. CRIME AND SOCIAL CAUSATION   3 credits hours

This course is an examination of theories of deviance and crime as they relate to social policies and specific response of the criminal justice system, including crime prevention. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 310, 330 or consent of the department chairperson)

 

CRMJ 416. CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION 3 credit hours

This course is a study of the administrative policies and practices used in criminal justice agencies and their application to the various facets of the criminal justice administrative process. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 110, 210 and 330) (Elective)

 

 

 

CRMJ 417. WOMEN AND CRIME 3 credit hours

This course is a study of the nature and extent of female crime, causation theories, and the treatment of female in the criminal justice system. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 415) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 418. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY                           3 credit hours

This course is an in depth study of delinquency, including causation theories, alternative definitions of delinquency, official statistics and the critique, and an analysis of the interaction between social institutions and youth. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 415) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 420. PROBATION AND PAROLE STRATEGIES 3 credit hours

This course provides an examination of the process which an individual follows as he enters the federal, state or local judicial system. The strategies studied focus on the actual practices followed from the individual’s intake into the system until termination. (Prerequisite: CRMJ 220) (Elective)

 

CRMJ 430. CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTICUM 3 credit hours

This course provides assignments in a criminal justice agency, designed to further the student’s integration of theory and practice. Placements are arranged through consultation with students and agencies. Students must work 120 hours in their assigned placement. Students who have met the work hour requirements of this course will be deemed to have met the University’s community service work hour requirements.  This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Prerequisites: CRMJ 110, 310 and 410)

 

CRMJ 492. SENIOR SEMINAR IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CAPSTONE) 3 credit hours

This seminar focuses on preparing majors for standardized tests required for graduate and professional schools and for civil service employment. It also serves to monitor whether students have completed all University requirements for graduation. This course is offered in the Fall and Spring during the day and evening. (Formerly CRMJ 492S)