Criminal Justice
FacultyKonia Kollehlon, Associate Professor of Sociology (Program Chair) DescriptionCriminal justice is the scientific study of criminal behavior. It focuses generally on, among other issues, the history of the criminal justice system; theories of crime and deviance; the origin and development of criminal law; the functions and operations of criminal justice agencies in a diverse society; the violations of criminal law and society’s responses to the violations of criminal law; the nature, meaning, and purposes of criminal punishment; and the nature and impact of criminal justice policy. The Criminal Justice major at Trinity is offered by the Sociology Program, and emphasizes three foundational areas: law enforcement, corrections, and juvenile justice. The Criminal Justice major prepares students for graduate school and a wide range of career opportunities in security and law enforcement, probation and parole, the court system, and corrections. Given the applied nature of criminal justice, experiential learning is an important part of the major. As such, all majors are required to complete an internship with a public or private organization that is involved in some aspect of criminal justice. The Criminal Justice major and minor are offered to students in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Professional Studies. Major RequirementsRequired Courses (36 credits) ALL of the following courses:
Minor RequirementsRequired Courses (18 credits) SOCY 205 Criminology: An Introduction Program PoliciesAdvanced Placement: Credits earned through AP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the Criminal Justice major. CLEP Policy: Credits earned through CLEP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the Criminal Justice major. Grades in Major Courses: Students are required to earn a grade of “C” or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major. In addition, students must achieve a passing grade on the Senior Comprehensive portfolio. Pass/No Pass: Courses fulfilling major requirements may not be taken pass/no pass. Senior Assessment: Students are required to submit a Senior Comprehensive Portfolio Assessment Project prior to graduation. Specific requirements and due dates are distributed to seniors in the Fall semester of their graduation year. TELL Policy: Students applying for credit in experiential learning should consult with the program faculty. Transfer Credits: Credits in courses equivalent to those required for the major from a similar institution may be accepted toward a major. Students majoring in criminal justice must take a minimum of four criminal justice courses at Trinity College. Credits Counted Toward Minor in Criminal Justice: Other than courses that are required for both Sociology and Criminal Justice majors, students who major in Sociology and minor in Criminal Justice can not double count criminal justice courses for sociology credits. Also, students who major in Human Relations and minor in Criminal Justice must fulfill their Sociology requirements separately from the minor requirements for Criminal Justice. If, however, someone is only majoring in Human Relations, s/he may take Criminal Justice courses to meet the Sociology requirements for Human Relations. Course DescriptionsMATH 110 Introduction to Statistics Introduces students to the science of sociology and prepares students for upper-level social science course work. Formerly SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology. 3 credits SOCY 205 Introduction to Criminology SOCY 206 Juvenile Justice SOCY 303 Women and Minorities in Criminal Justice SOCY 305 Corrections/Jails and Prisons SOCY 306 Law Enforcement SOCY 307 Criminal Procedures and Evidence SOCY 311 Research Methods for Social Scientists SOCY 410 Theories of Crime and Deviance SOCY 492 Internship in Criminal Justice Serves as a capstone course that explores contemporary sociological and criminological concepts through new research and theory in the discipline. Students will contribute to class discussion through written work and oral presentations. Formerly SOC 460 Senior Seminar. 3 credits Prerequisites: Senior status in the major |
