Criminal Justice Mission, Goals, & Objectives

The Criminal Justice Department Goals
  • Students will be familiar with key concepts and theories in criminology (for the Criminal Justice Program). 
    • Distinguish between crime and deviance.
    • Explain and compare and contrast various theories of crime causation.
    • Explain the issues concerning “victimless crime”.
    • Explain the patterns associated with various crime typologies.
  • Students will have a basic understanding of the criminal justice system and how it operates (fort the Criminal Justice Program).
    • Explain police culture, issues concerning police corruption and police brutality, the court system, the corrections system and alternatives to corrections.
    • Students will be able to articulate the goals and philosophies governing the criminal justice system.
    • Students will be able to explain issues concerning crime victims.
  • Students will understand the role of evidence in Criminal Justice and will be familiar with quantitative and qualitative research methods used in the social sciences.
    • Identify basic methodological approaches and understand the role of methods in building sociological knowledge.
    • Compare and contrast basic methodological approaches for gathering data.
    • Critically assess published research reports/articles.
    • Design and complete a research study.
    • Use data sets to answer research questions.
    • Understand and apply basic statistical tests used in the social sciences.
  • Students will be able to communicate effectively.
    • Express ideas in a clear and coherent manner in writing.
    • Express ideas in a clear and coherent manner through oral presentations.
    • Work together in teams to present group projects.
    • Demonstrate critical thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, and application of principles.
  • Students will have a basic understanding of the legal rights afforded the accused (for the Criminal Justice Program).
    • Explain the basic constitutional rights afforded to the accused.
    • Explain the exclusionary rule.

 

For more information on learning goals and outcomes, contact institutionalresearch@lvc.edu.