69 courses with the subject CRJ, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
This course is designed to describe the criminal justice system from arrest through trial, appeal, sentencing, corrections, and parole. The object of this course is to provide the student with a procedural framework of the criminal justice process. Distance education offering may be available.
Transfer Credits
This course is a survey of the historical and contemporary attempts to explain the phenomena of crime and criminal behavior from the perspectives of sociology, psychology, economics, biology, and law. Emphasis will be placed on contemporary theory and the analysis of evidence supportive of various theoretical positions. Distance education offering may be available.
A course in crime mapping and the analysis of maps of crime patterns, police services, locations of criminal incidents, offenders' geographical behaviors, and spatial trends in crime. Distance education offering may be available. Equivalent courses: GEO 215
The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a survey and analysis of the correctional system and its processes from both a historical and geographical perspective. Emphasis will be placed on relating this survey and analysis to contemporary practice and future trends in the area of corrections. CRJ 220 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110, with minimum grade of C. Distance education offering may be available.
This course will introduce the student to the basic principles of criminal investigation during which relevant ethical issues will be raised. It will include a review of crime scene response, evidence collection and testing during the investigation of violent, property, and other crimes. Pertinent court decisions regarding arrest, interrogation, and search and seizure will be examined. CRJ 240 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Ethics Requirement, Speaking Emphasis
This course provides an in-depth examination of the various facets and interests of the private sector of security. A review of the history, organization, management, and safety issues pertaining to the private security profession will be addressed. Emphasis is placed on policy and decision making, personnel, and budgeting, as well as an examination of security programming that responds to the private sector. CRJ 268 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course offers an examination of the history and evolution of policing in the United States. It will include contemporary issues in policing including administration and management, policing in democracy, community policing, officer training, use of force and coercion, discretion and ethical problems and concerns. CRJ 287 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Distance education offering may be available.
This course covers the principles of criminal responsibility, the purposes and limitations of criminal law, and the elements of various criminal offenses. Substantive criminal law will cover the conduct, acts, and omissions that have been designated as crimes. These acts (or omissions) plus the mental state and other essential elements that make up criminal action will be examined. CRJ 300 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 and CRJ 210 with minimum grades of C; and successful completion of WRT 200, WRT 204, WRT 205, WRT 206, WRT 208, or WRT 220 with a minimum grade of C. Honors students must earn a minimum grade of C in HON 310. Distance education offering may be available. 219
This course explores other systems of criminal justice found in divergent and dissimilar cultures. The focus of interest will be on the historical, political, cultural, and sociological factors that influence the development of systems of justice. The course will examine and compare the status of the common, civil, socialist, and Islamic legal traditions. CRJ 304 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course examines a variety of forms of writing in criminal justice education and the criminal justice profession. Students will receive instruction, guidance, and practical experience in composing several types of written reports that might be required in the numerous occupations that fall within the discipline of criminal justice. Starting with a review of English grammar, students will learn to compose professional emails, cover letters, and resumes. They will progress to police reports, probation violation reports, pre-sentence investigation reports, and finally, research-based reports. Students will also receive instruction on essay and research report writing and the use of APA formatting. Emphasis will be on improving writing skills throughout the semester through extensive feedback from the instructor and opportunities to revise and resubmit written work. CRJ 306 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110, CRJ 210, and any WRT 200-level course, with minimum grades of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis Distance education offering may be available.
This course is a survey of both the formal (police/courts/corrections) and the informal (diversion) means of dealing with the problem of juvenile crime. Emphasis is not on the behavior but on society's response to it. Emphasis will also be placed on the legal rights of juveniles. CRJ 310 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
Electives 1 Select any three of the following: 9
This course provides an examination of organized crime as an American phenomenon, and a comparison to its counterparts in Europe and Asia. The historical development of organized crime throughout the world will be studied. Contemporary issues in organized crime will be addressed, including its evolution into various forms of terrorism. CRJ 314 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the nature and extent of the gang problem in the United States. It provides a comprehensive understanding of gang violence, gang membership, and gang culture. This course also analyzes the complexities of gang life, examines the history of gangs, and provides an in-depth look at the various types of gangs that are prevalent today. In addition, theories as to why youth join gangs, law enforcement's response to the gang problem, how correctional agencies are coping with the gang problem in prison/jails, and the mass media's interpretation of gang life are critically examined. Finally, this course reviews gang prevention/intervention programs and addresses the legal implications of gang policies on gangs, communities, and law enforcement. CRJ 315 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Speaking Emphasis
This course introduces terrorism through an integrative perspective by drawing on multiple disciplines of criminal justice, political science, geography, and history. Students will explore various factors that facilitate and constrain political violence from criminological, historical, and geographical perspectives. This course will also help students understand the political and societal contexts of different domestic, regional, and international responses to terrorism. Criminology will be used to analyze the illegal aspects of terrorism. A historical approach will be used to identify the historical precedents and events behind the activities of terrorist organizations. Political science will be used to investigate the conflicts between different political actors over limited resources. Finally, geography will be used to illustrate the power of geographical constraints and spatial patterns of terrorism. Students will synthesize different disciplines to have a holistic picture of terrorism by working on various research projects. Gen Ed Attribute: Interdisciplinary, Writing Emphasis Distance education offering may be available. 220
The course will focus on four main themes: understanding the adversary and the evolving threat landscape, analyzing the policies and protocols implemented post-9/11, identifying the stakeholders involved at federal, state, and local levels, and exploring the legal frameworks essential for conducting effective homeland security operations. Through this multidisciplinary approach, students will acquire a current and relevant overview of homeland security, equipping them with the knowledge and insights necessary to navigate this dynamic field. Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis Distance education offering may be available.
This course is an examination of crimes against the environment and crimes that impact the environment. The history of environmental crime, it's investigation and prosecution will be studied, as well as most current developments in this area of study. The course will also address the global impact of and response to environmental crime. CRJ 318 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course explores the nature and extent of sexual crime in America with a focus on the evolution of privacy, sexual rights, and the criminal justice response to sexual offenders. Theories of sexual deviance, treatment, and recidivism will be examined. Changes in laws to prevent victimization and protect the rights of victims will also be discussed CRJ 320 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
Credits. This course is designed to provide an introduction and overview of the field of environmental criminology, which considers how physical space and typical, everyday situations may provide opportunities for crime as well as obstacles for carrying it out. The course will also include discussion of important policy measures and practical crime prevention strategies, such as modifying or planning the built environment and designing products and places in such a way as to make the commission of crime very difficult. CRJ 323 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course is designed to provide an intensive examination of the relationship between animal cruelty and the criminal justice system. It will cover the commission of animal cruelty within circumstances such as child abuse, interpersonal violence, and juvenile delinquency. This course will also cover the ethical analysis of animal cruelty and it is designed to develop oral communication skills. The final goal of the course is to offer students an understanding of the impact that animal cruelty has on society and the criminal justice system. CRJ 325 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Ethics Requirement, Speaking Emphasis
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the American Jury System. This course will describe a brief history of juries that originated in England during the Middle Ages. The evolution of the Jury System in America will be described, including the jury selection procedures, voir dire process, and deliberation dynamics. This course will share information about the American Jury System through textbook materials, videos, descriptions of court processes, and reviews of U.S. Supreme Court findings in critical cases related to petitioners' claims of violations of equal protection and due process guarantees of a fair and impartial jury. Distance education offering may be available.
This course builds on the basics of criminal investigation to elevate students' knowledge and skills in the area of forensic examination. The student will learn to recognize and distinguish relevant evidence, proper preservation techniques, and simple field testing. The course will increase the student's knowledge of techniques used in evidentiary analyses, and serve as an introductory course for those who desire to learn laboratory skills. CRJ 350 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 240.
This course will explore the relationship between race and criminal justice, including the historical background of the role race has played in the system. The impact of race and ethnicity on discretion, sentencing, and disposition will be examined at the adult and juvenile levels. In addition, the causes and remedies of minority overrepresentation in the adult and juvenile criminal justice system will be explored. Gen Ed Attribute: Diverse Communities, Writing Emphasis Distance education offering may be available. 2026-2027 CATALOG - UNDERGRADUATE
This course examines the role that drugs play in U.S. society and its criminal justice system. Topics covered include the types of illegal drugs; the history of U.S. drug prohibition; patterns, trends, and scope of illicit drug use; the relationship between drugs and crime; criminal justice policies toward drug-related crime; the consequences of current anti-drug policies, and alternative strategies for reducing drug crime. CRJ 362 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course introduces the student to the field of victimology. Basic concepts, development, and relevant theoretical and empirical literature will be studied, as well as the policies and practices that have been developed to benefit victims of crime. Distance education offering may be available.
An interdisciplinary exploration of the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice systems in the United States. The primary theme is the deinstitutionalization movement which has resulted in the shifting of persons with mental illness from hospitals into correctional facilities. Important topics include school-to-prison pipeline (STPP), civil and outpatient commitment, police as first responders, training for law enforcement responding to crisis situations, and other efforts to decrease criminalization and stigmatization, such as Crisis Intervention Teams, Mental Health Courts, Assertive Community Treatment, and reentry strategies. Students are expected to engage in innovative policy solutions through a multi- disciplinary lens, which may include strategies based on developments in the fields of criminal justice, medicine and forensic psychiatry, counseling and psychology, social work, education, and public administration. Gen Ed Attribute: Interdisciplinary, Writing Emphasis Distance education offering may be available.
This course provides a forum in which students are encouraged to examine the impact gender has on various aspects of the criminal justice system. The course will offer an exploration of the victimization of women and the culture that supports it. It will also address the unique issues of women as criminals, women as prisoners, and women as workers in the criminal justice system. Intersectionality is a fluid theme throughout the course, as matters of gender in the justice response oftentimes rest on marginalization based on several intersecting static traits, such as race, ethnicity, social status, and sexuality. It is important to understand the substantive nature of these groups as one attempts to identify issues and offer meaningful solutions. The ultimate aim is to help students foster an informed and reasoned openness to and an understanding of difference--a significant furtherance of the university's goal of graduating students who are committed to creating a just and equitable society. CRJ 370 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Diverse Communities, Speaking Emphasis
This course is an introduction to the various aspects of crimes committed with the aid of computers. While the content is not technical in focus, certain topics involve discussion of computer systems and protocols, specifically in the area of computer forensics. Students are introduced to both the collection and analysis of digital evidence. Since computer crime and its investigation are evolving rapidly, the curriculum changes as the semester progresses and the syllabus may be altered to include current issues or legal cases. Students complete the course with the basic tools by which to practice computer crime investigation and a knowledge base of current law to keep up with developments in this discipline. CRJ 380 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course will examine the relationship between crime, the criminal justice system, and the mass media. The types of media examined in this course will include television, films, the internet, video games, music, news reports, comic books, novels, magazines, the radio, and scholarly research. This course will further examine how the criminal justice system (police, courts, corrections) is portrayed through various narratives and images in the mass media and its potential impact on crime and justice. Some of the topics covered will include media theory and the social construction of crime, moral panics, crime and justice in news and entertainment, media effects on attitudes toward the criminal justice system, media as a cause of crime, media-driven anti-crime efforts, news media and the courts, the use of media technology in the judicial system and law enforcement, and the relationship between the media and criminal justice policies and practices. CRJ 385 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110, CRJ 220, and CRJ 287, Student must major in Criminal Justice. Juniors and seniors. 2026-2027 CATALOG - UNDERGRADUATE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This course is designed to provide an overview of research methods used in criminal justice research, including data collection methods, sampling techniques, and basic statistical analyses. The course will provide hands-on application of research methods as well as critical analyses of research studies conducted by others in the field of criminal justice. CRJ 387 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110, CRJ 210, and 200-level WRT course, with minimum grade of C. Honors students must earn a minimum grade of C in HON 310. Distance education offering may be available.
This course is an examination of the theory and application of the broadly defined subject of criminal procedure. It is designed to develop in the student, a sophisticated understanding of the underlying reasons for, and the applications of these rules in investigations of criminal activity, and in court proceedings. This will be accomplished through the study of the appropriate sections of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and selected cases and statutes. CRJ 400 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 300 and CRJ 387, with a minimum grades of C. Honors students must have a C or better in HON 310. Distance education offering may be available.
Research projects, reports, and readings in criminal justice. CRJ 410 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Repeatable for credit.
This course offers the undergraduate student an understanding of the psychology of interviewing and assessing suspects, witnesses and victims. The course provides students with a solid knowledge base related to interviewing and assessment skills employed at every level of the criminal justice system. Students learn skills through lecture, reading assignments, role play and in-class team exercises. CRJ 435 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
This course seeks to survey the incidence of violent crime, to analyze the violent criminal, and to study the variety of means that have been developed to control criminal violence. CRJ 440 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
Intensive examination of a selected area of study in the field of criminal justice. Topics will be announced at the time of offering. Course may be taken more than once when different topics are presented. Distance education offering may be available. Repeatable for credit.
This course moves a step beyond basic criminal law and criminal procedure studies and takes the student into the courtroom. The student will learn basic rules of evidence presentation and court procedure and discover how the trial process works by actively participating in it. The student will learn how to distill the issues, and to present concise, well-reasoned arguments supporting a given position. It is in this manner that the student will learn critical analysis and practical presentation. CRJ 460 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C.
Selected factual accounts of criminality and criminal behavior over the past 75 years are analyzed. Selection is based on notoriety and continued dispute. The course is designed, through reading and class analysis, to illuminate a wide spectrum of criminal conduct and the related investigative, legal, ethical, and judicial response. CRJ 461 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Ethics Requirement Distance education offering may be available.
This course is designed to address the successes, weaknesses and failures of our current system of justice by examining and analyzing sometimes controversial issues through critical inquiry and legal and social science investigation. The course will include in-depth discussions and analyses of often complex ethical issues that affect the investigation, prosecution, adjudication, and defense of criminal conduct. CRJ 472 Prerequisite: Sucessful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Ethics Requirement Distance education offering may be available. 221
This course encompasses a brief review of the general principles of law and procedure, followed by an in-depth study of the more controversial legal dilemmas facing today's criminal justice system. The course is designed to shed light on each side of the issue, to enable the student to see beyond the superficial aspects of the conflict, and to understand its more profound nature. CRJ 482 Prerequisite: Sucessful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Distance education offering may be available.
This course is designed to identify and examine ethical issues among practitioners and students in the criminal justice field. Such issues may include the discretionary power of arrest, the use of deadly force, the decision to prosecute, participation in plea bargaining, representation of the guilty, and the imposition of punishment. Such a course will promote inquiry that combines ethical analysis with a practical awareness of the realities of the criminal justice system. CRJ 487 Prerequisite: Sucessful completion of CRJ 110 with minimum grade of C. Gen Ed Attribute: Ethics Requirement
This practicum capstone course is a supervised field-based learning opportunity that enhances the student's educational experience by providing substantive work experience in a criminal justice or related professional setting. The course provides the opportunity to synthesize prior classroom learning with learning in the work setting through written research and reflective assignments. CRJ 490 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 300 and CRJ 387, Student must be a Criminal Justice major. Distance education offering may be available. Repeatable for credit. B.S. IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This course examines criminal justice systems worldwide, focusing primarily on the relationships between the police, courts, corrections and the society these subsystems serve. The primary focus will be on the four legal traditions: common law, civil law, socialist, and Islamic systems of law and social control. Descriptive material on selected countries will be analyzed and compared.
This course is designed to help the student understand behavior by comparing criminal with normal behavior. A survey course, it reviews types of abnormal behavior and mental disorders, methods of diagnosis, and treatment and resolution of internal personal conflicts. Also included is an understanding of criminal behavior as it applies to abnormality.
The objective of this seminar-style course is to explore the various and complex ways mental health and the criminal justice system are intertwined. Students' exploration will include an inventory of the literature/research related to victims, offenders, and criminal justice officials. Through discussion facilitated by the instructor, students will engage in a critical analysis of the criminalization of mental illness, mental health care in the correctional system, and community mental health care as it connects with the criminal justice sector. Topical issues include: history and contemporary societal responses; increased awareness and understanding of mental disorders; impact on the community as well as criminal justice professionals; legal aspects of mental illness; policy as it pertains to diversion opportunities and the treatment and management of offenders with mental illness. Engagement and innovative research/policy solutions are required from students. r Distance education offering may be available.
This course is a survey of the historical and contemporary attempts to explain the phenomena of crime and criminal behavior from the perspectives of sociology, psychology, economics, biology, and law. Emphasis will be placed on contemporary theories and the analysis of evidence supportive of various theoretical positions. Distance education offering may be available.
This course offers graduate students insight and understanding into the strategies and skills necessary to become outstanding supervisors and leaders. The course content provides students with the opportunity to develop personally and professionally through exploration of theory, application of theory to practice and skill development related to leadership concepts. Students will have the opportunity to practice skill sets in a classroom setting and receive immediate feedback.
This course is designed to identify and examine ethical issues among practitioners and students in the criminal justice field. Such issues include the discretionary power of arrest, the use of deadly force, the decision to prosecute, participation in plea bargaining, representation of the guilty, and the imposition of punishment. Distance education offering may be available.
This course is intended to introduce the graduate student to the process of conducting research in the social sciences. Topics to be covered include: scientific and ethical contexts of social research, research design, methods of data collection, and data processing, analysis, and interpretation. Distance education offering may be available.
This course examines the complex concepts and principles of criminal law and procedure. The foundations of these disciplines will be initially reviewed, followed by a more comprehensive and incisive analysis and investigation of the difficult issues which have evolved through decisions of the United States Supreme Court. Supreme Court jurisprudence is examined and contrasted with the jurisprudence of the Pennsylvania courts. Distance education offering may be available.
This course is an examination of the process of electronically mapping the distribution of crime and other spatially defined data. The focus is on the distribution and analysis of crime and social services information over time relative to the relevant demographic and social environment. The goal is to teach law enforcement and related social service personnel how to create, map and analyze data within the spatial context of the relevant community.
This course facilitates the study of complex and significant areas of economic crime, better known as "white collar crime". Examples of these types of crimes include: insider trading, fraud against the government, corruption of public funds be elected or appointed officials, bid rigging, and unethical industry practices such as "off-labeling" of pharmaceuticals. Basic statutory laws, including the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, will be reviewed.
This course will bring together the leading cases that have reached the Supreme Court, as well as other important federal and state court decisions relating to the juvenile justice process.
This course will examine the use of restorative justice in the criminal justice system. The impact of restorative justice approaches on victim and family of victim, offender and community will be examined at the adult and juvenile level. In addition, the history and philosophy of punishment will be explored. A critique and overview of contemporary models of restorative justice will also be undertaken.
This course is designed to examine current policing strategies and political issues that have developed as a result of those strategies. It also will explore the future of policing in America and will present several interdisciplinary approaches to new theoretical perspectives. Distance education offering may be available.
This course will present, identify and discuss major trends and cutting edge initiatives in law enforcement technology. The course will address the latest technology in two aspects: in the lab and in the field. Potential problems with new technologies will be examined, including constitutional issues, public policy implications, and difficulties of implementation. Distance education offering may be available.
This course describes and explains the art and science of criminal profiling used as an investigative technique to identify the demographic, personality and behavioral characteristics of offenders. The course defines the differences between clinical profiling by mental health professionals and profiling as an analytical investigative tool.
This course is designed to explore the history and extent of alcohol and other drugs of abuse and the relationship to crime. The current criminal justice response will be analyzed as will past efforts at crime control. This course will provide students with the factual, theoretical and philosophical information necessary to understand the multifaceted dimensions of drug abuse and addiction and a rational approach to address the problem.
This course will provide an intensive examination of a selected area of study in the field of criminal justice. Topics will be announced at the time of offering. This course may be taken more than once when different topics are presented.
The course will examine selected factual accounts of criminal law and process. Through critical examination and analysis of these cases, the student will be able to understand the practical realities of the criminal justice system, and to compare theory and philosophy with practice.
This course is designed to analyze historical and contemporary issues in the areas of victimology and victim services. The course will cover the historical and modern-day roles of victims in criminal justice, victimization trends and patterns, theories of victimization, current research findings related to crime victims, legal rights of victims, and available victim services Distance education offering may be available.
This course is designed to analyze contemporary issues in the area of corrections. Such issues will include the privatization of corrections, diversion, restorative justice, treatment of the mentally ill, sentencing disparity, the politics of corrections, the incarceration of youth, the death penalty, prison overcrowding, inmate rights, the media and corrections, and the use of technology in corrections.
This course will examine the impact gender has on various aspects of the criminal justice system. The course will offer an exploration of the victimization of women, and the culture that supports it. It will also address the unique issues of women as criminals, women as prisoners, and women as workers in the criminal justice system.
This course addresses the protection of the public's health and that of workers such as first responders from biological agents that cause disease and/or death. Students will learn scientific concepts, issues and techniques currently used in disaster mitigation and response for bio-crises such as disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics as well as bioterrorism emergencies and related catastrophic events. Students will analyze this information to evaluate, communicate, and reduce risk effectively.
This course addresses the evolution of criminal activity conducted using internet technology. Areas of study will include cyber terrorism, cyber stalking, espionage, information warfare, electronic fraud, "phishing", systems interference and other virtual crimes.
This course presumes a sophisticated working knowledge of criminal law and procedure (successful completion of CRJ 509). It provides an in-depth analysis of the Supreme Court's historical and contemporary approach to the most controversial issues of criminal law and procedure. The perspectives and arguments will be examined through the study and analysis of U.S. Supreme Court cases. CRJ 582 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 509. Distance education offering may be available.
This course will entail research projects, reports, and readings in criminal justice. Repeatable for credit. 125
This capstone course requires the successful completion of a significant em study. It builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in CRJ 508, as well a concepts learned in other graduate CRJ courses. The student is required to findings in a scholarly paper and an oral presentation. CRJ 600 Prerequisite: Successful completion of CRJ 508 with a minimum grade Distance education offering may be available.
Bound and shelved in the library, the thesis represents the student's abili and direct a research effort designed to discover, develop, or verify knowl students taking the thesis track. M.S. IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Source: West Chester University of Pennsylvania's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 59
