Criminal Justice
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Courses & Curriculum
Criminal justice is the study of criminal law, the law of criminal procedure and the procedures and activities having to do with the enforcement of criminal law. It includes understanding the social context of criminal behavior and the system of practices directed at upholding social control and sanctioning those who violate the criminal law. The major is grounded in a liberal arts curriculum; it emphasizes not only how the criminal justice system has developed in its present form, but also how changes in the system affect other parts of society. In addition, the major is constructed to prepare students for a broad spectrum of occupations, including law enforcement, corrections and allied mental health. Finally, students who wish to pursue careers as lawyers can major in criminal justice and also take advantage of the college’s Pre-Law program
Qualifications for the Major
Students must have a minimum grade of “C” in each required course in the major and an overall GPA of 2.0 in the major
Criminal Justice Curriculum:
1. Core Curriculum Requirements:
Learn more information regarding the Core Curriculum requirements. All students complete these requirements as part of their overall Canisius education.
2. Major Course Requirements (12 courses)
| MAT 131 Statistics and Computers | 3 credits | ||
| SOC 110 Introduction to Sociology | 3 credits | ||
| SOC 342 or ANT 351 Research Methods | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 227 Introduction to Criminal Justice I | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 228 Introduction to Criminal Justice II | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 320 Criminology | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 449 Criminal Law | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 450 Criminal Procedure | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 382 Criminal Justice Ethics | 3 credits | ||
| Criminal Justice Electives: three courses | 3 credits | ||
3. Free electives:
Free electives are courses in addition to the Core Curriculum and major requirements sufficient to reach a minimum of 120 credit hours for graduation. Students may graduate with more but not less than 120 credit hours.
Criminal Justice Minor
The Criminal Justice minor is designed for students who have chosen another academic major (e.g. Psychology, Political Science) but who may have an academic and/or career interest in the area of criminal justice. Three courses are required. The two CRJ electives can be chosen from any of the criminal justice offerings, with at least one course at the 300 or 400 level.
| SOC 110 Introduction to Sociology | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 227 Introduction to Criminal Justice I | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ 228 Introduction to Criminal Justice II | 3 credits | ||
| CRJ elective (2 courses) | 6 credits | ||
| TOTAL (5 courses) | 15 credits | ||
Courses
CRJ 227 Criminal Justice I 3 credits
Criminal justice system; justification for punishment, the police, constitutional rights, the prosecuting and defense attorney. Fall
CRJ 228 Criminal Justice II 3 credits
Trial, guilty pleas, sentencing, corrections; the extent and causes of crime, and proposals for change and reform. Spring
CRJ 300 Special Topics in Criminal Justice 3 credits
Critical examination of a selected topic in criminal justice. Subject matter determined by the instructor. Fall and Spring
CRJ 320 Criminology 3 credits
Classical and contemporary theories of criminal behavior. Fall
CRJ SL337 Violence and the Family 3 credits
How family dynamics can contain elements that give rise to violence, including “battered women” and abused children. Fall
CRJ 344 Violent Crime in American Society 3 credits
The nature of violence as a social act and problems in obtaining data on violence. Family violence, effects of the media and collective violence. Spring
CRJ 345 Gangs in American Society 3 credits
Examines the causes in growth of violent and criminal gangs. Topics include the extent of the problem and solutions offered. Spring
CRJ 351 Police and the Community 3 credits
How changes in community standards affect the business of policing. Topics include use of force and private policing. Fall
CRJ 354 Juvenile Delinquency 3 credits
Legal processes in delinquency field. Suggested programs for rehabilitation and prevention of delinquency. Fall
CRJ 356 Treatment of Offenders 3 credits
Correction theory, offender typologies, and nature and diagnosis of offenders and future trends in dealing with criminal offenders. Fall
CRJ 358 White Collar Crime 3 credits
Crimes committed by “respectable people” in positions of responsibility in private or public sector. Nature of these crimes, how regulatory bodies and legal systems treat these criminals and how they seek to avoid detection and prosecution. Spring
CRJ 359 Women and Crime 3 credits
Classical and contemporary accounts of the etiology of female crime, patterns of female criminal behavior, and the role and treatment of women in the criminal justice system. Fall
CRJ 449 Criminal Law 3 credits
The substantive criminal law, including offences against persons, property and public morality with emphasis on New York State Penal Law. Criminal responsibility and defenses. Prerequisite: CRJ 227, CRJ 228. Fall
CRJ 450 Criminal Procedure 3 credits
Key Supreme Court decisions on search and seizure, arrest, interrogation and identification of criminal suspects. Sentencing and punishment, appeal and post-conviction relief. Prerequisite: CRJ 227, CRJ 228. Spring
CRJ 382 Criminal Justice Ethics 3 credits
The personal, social and criminal justice contexts for understanding justice, crime and ethics. Skills necessary to deal effectively with ethical issues in criminal justice systems. Problems and case studies for active exploration of social issues. Prerequisite: Senior status; CRJ 227, CRJ 228, ANT 351 or SOC 342 Spring
CRJ 498 Criminal Justice Internship 3 credits
Opportunity for selected students to participate in daily work in a law enforcement agency. Students must apply the semester before they take the internship. Prerequisite: Background check; G.P.A. of at least 2.75; junior or senior status; signature of major advisor. Fall and Spring
CRJ 499 Individual Reading and Research 3 credits
Independent studies allow in-depth study of a specific topic and are most often reserved for seniors who cannot otherwise fulfill a graduation requirement. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor, department chair and associate dean. Fall and Spring
The following courses offered by other departments or programs count as satisfying the requirements for the criminal justice major and minor:
ANT 280 Language for Legal Professions;
ANT 333 Forensic Anthropology;
ANT 351 Qualitative Research Methods;
PSC 103 Constitutional Foundations of American Government ;
PSC 320 American Constitutional Law I;
PSC 321 American Constitutional Law II;
PSC 345 International Crime after 9/11;
SOC 342 Research Methods
The following psychology courses will count as satisfying the requirements for criminal justice majors pursuing a dual major with psychology:
PSY 201 Basic Statistics for Behavioral Sciences;
PSY 202 Experimental Psychology;
PSY 303 Abnormal Psychology;
PSY 307 Adolescent Psychology;
PSY 369 Forensic Psychology.
