Criminal Justice and Criminology
Department Chair: Paul F. Joyce, Ph.D.
The Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology (CJC) provides a broad-based education in the various components of the criminal justice system including policing/law enforcement, courts/law, and corrections/supervision. This major prepares men and women to become leaders and outstanding practitioners in careers related to the criminal justice system as well as for advanced educational opportunities, such as law school or other graduate programs. The CJC faculty is comprised of accomplished academics and practitioners with many years of professional experience that provides students with the academic and professional skills, as well as real-world understanding required to become the next generation of influential leaders in the criminal justice field. Just as important as providing opportunities for students to develop their academic and professional skills, students also develop a commitment to the values of respect, dignity, fairness, and the ethical responsibility of “justice for all.” The mission of the CJC Department embraces Salve Regina University's Mission Statement which “encourages students to work for a world that is harmonious, just, and merciful," and views law as a vehicle for balancing the rights of the individual and the enforcement of duties thereby establishing a more just and humane society. Maintaining the highest standards of integrity and personal responsibility is the expectation required from every student.
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program Leading to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Cybersecurity
The graduate program in criminal justice and cybersecurity at Salve Regina University endeavors to address the professional requirements of justice leaders and practitioners, cybersecurity professionals, and intelligence specialists in an increasingly technological and global environment. As a university community that recognizes its responsibility to impart and expand knowledge, develop skills, and cultivate enduring, well-informed, reflective values, the objective of the graduate program is to develop professionals who are morally imbued individuals and will serve their communities guided by the principles of justice, mercy, respect and compassion. The courses and this program will focus on:
- The philosophical, historical, ethical, behavioral, technological, legal, and policy dimensions of the discipline;
- An analytical approach to practice within each area, including criminal justice, cybersecurity, and intelligence;
- Practical tools to improve effectiveness and understanding in the various professional roles;
- The most current and relevant information in a structure that is dynamic and adaptable to rapidly evolving trends.
Salve Regina University offers an accelerated program of study that leads to both a bachelor's and a master's degree within five years. The design of this program is for the University's highly motivated, academically talented and qualified university undergraduates with a recommended grade point average of 3.30 or higher. Current undergraduates must complete the application process by February 15th of their junior year. Undergraduate students considered for the accelerated bachelor’s/master’s degree program are conditionally accepted into the master's program and may take up to four graduate courses (12 credits) during their senior year. Of these 12 credits, six are applied to the undergraduate degree. Final acceptance into the program is contingent upon the successful completion of the undergraduate degree and four graduate courses in the senior year. The total number of credits required to complete the accelerated bachelor’s/master’s degree program is 150, 24 of which are graduate credits taken in the fifth year. Undergraduate students may register for no more than two graduate courses per semester and for a total of no more than four graduate courses while having undergraduate status.
Criminal Justice and Criminology Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the institutions that make up the criminal justice system including policing/law enforcement, courts/law, and corrections/supervision and their interconnectedness; understand the importance of criminological theory and research and its relationship to the criminal justice system.
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.
- Demonstrate skills through experiential learning that are essential for careers in the criminal justice profession.
- Demonstrate the ability to understand and apply ethical principles in personal and professional decision-making.
Psychology of Crime Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate and understand the major theories, concepts, empirical findings, and history of forensic psychology.
- Understand the practical role of forensic psychologists in the mental health, legal, correctional, and law enforcement systems.
- Demonstrate the ability to think critically and analyze the unique challenges faced by forensic psychologists in their interactions with individuals involved in the mental health, legal, correctional, and law enforcement systems.
- Apply the concepts of forensic psychology to current real-life cases.
- Demonstrate and understand the ethical issues related to the practice of forensic psychology.
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.
CJC-081: Interview (1 Credits)
This workshop demonstrates practical applications of theories learned in the classroom. It is selected by the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology and is offered on an irregular basis.
Offering Term(s): Occasional
CJC-082: Human Trafficking (1 Credits)
Provide a legal enforcement, cyber and social overview of the crimes involved with human trafficking and the abuse of children.
Offering Term(s): Fall Only Every Year
CJC-087: Financial Crimes (1 Credits)
This course will focus introducing the students to the world of anti-money laundering (AML) by providing them with a basic understanding of relevant money laundering statutes, teaching current investigative techniques and methods used in both the private and government sectors and providing real-life case studies.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-091: Domestic Violence (1 Credits)
This workshop demonstrates practical applications of theories learned in the classroom. It is selected by the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology and is offered on an irregular basis.
Offering Term(s): Fall Only Every Year
CJC-098: Sex Crimes Investigations (1 Credits)
This workshop demonstrates practical applications of theories learned in the classroom. It is selected by the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology and is offered on an irregular basis.
Offering Term(s): Occasional
CJC-099: Community Violence and Intervention: Addressing Violence With Non-Violence (1 Credits)
The Nonviolence Institute of Providence, Rhode Island is committed to creating a community that addresses violent situations with nonviolent solutions. They accomplish this by intervening in violent situations and working with youth, particularly those involved in gang violence, to introduce nonviolence as a better alternative. This workshop provides students with an understanding of the principles and steps of nonviolence, and the skills needed to think critically about the practice of nonviolence in today's world.
Offering Term(s): Fall Only Every Year
CJC-103: Policing in a Democratic Society (3 Credits)
A survey of the criminal justice systems in the United States, including the roles and responsibilities of the police, courts and correctional institutions. Focus on the role of the police in a democratic society, policing concepts and strategies, historical development of police, police organization, and contemporary issues and challenges facing police leaders are examined.
Offering Term(s): Fall and Spring Every Year
CJC-110: American Judicial System (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-103 is required.
This course is an introduction to the American legal system. Through analysis of actual court cases, students learn the legal principles and the reasoning used in judicial decision making. In order to fully examine our judicial system, this course will also focus on the roles of judges, juries, lawyers, and litigants. The perspective is broader and more evaluative than that taken in most law school courses. Students will be provided with the necessary skills to interpret and brief cases in subsequent semesters.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-205: Criminology (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-103 is required.
Course serves as a general introduction to the study of crime, largely from a criminological perspective rooted in sociological framework. Provides students with a solid foundation of criminological theory and the methods used for studying and assessing crime and crime policy issues.
Offering Term(s): Fall and Spring Every Year
CJC-210: Principles of Correctional Operations (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-103 is required.
This course is a comprehensive survey of the correctional process, including present philosophies and practices of punishment and rehabilitation; procedures of custodial institutions; functions of correctional officers; functions of probation and parole; classification program assignment; and release procedures.
CJC-222: American Legal History (3 Credits)
This course examines the roots of order in the United States by emphasizing certain institutions, customs, ideas and beliefs which continue to nurture order in the republic and the individual. We will examine, successively, the legacy of order received from the Hebrews, the classical culture of the Greeks and the Romans, the medieval world and the age of the Reformation, the turbulent civilization of the 17th century, the elegant civilization of the 18th century, and America's colonial experience. Examination of the Federalist Papers and the influence of the Founding Fathers on the establishment of our judicial branch of government will complete our study. Junior or senior academic standing is required.
Theme: Defining the American Experience.
Cross-listed with: POL-222.
Offering Term(s): Fall Only Every Year
CJC-230: Juvenile Justice (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-103, CJC-110, CJC-210 and CJC-232 or permission of department chair are required.
This course examines the juvenile offender, current theories relative to the causes of delinquency, and prevention and early intervention programs. The juvenile justice system including its origins, philosophy, and contemporary challenges for reform will be analyzed. Study will include the rights of juveniles in the schools and court process.
CJC-232: Ethics in the Criminal Justice System (3 Credits)
Course addresses the ethical standards of conduct required in policing, courts, and corrections and the conflicting strains and pressures produced by and within a system of justice. The greater social context of fairness and equity in the treatment of those involved in the justice system are examined through case studies of contemporary issues and illustration. Restraint, checks and balances and solutions are explored from organizational and legal perspectives, and the ultimate values of justice and mercy delineated.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-250: Women and Crime (3 Credits)
This course studies gender specific legal issues. The history and introduction of women's correctional facilities, disparities and differences from men's prisons, and gender responsive correctional programming are explored. It also examines the profile of the female offender through the exploration of female criminality, female gangs, criminal sentencing trends, adjustment to correctional systems to address victimization are addressed. Emphasis is placed on the roles of female staff in correctional facilities and throughout the criminal justice system, including female law enforcement officers.
CJC-254: The Law and Psychology (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): PSY-100 or permission of instructor is required.
This course focuses on the production and application of psychological research findings and methods to law-related issues. The course looks at what psychology has discovered about how people think and behave and how these discoveries can be useful when making decisions about how law should be shaped, administered, evaluated and improved.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-270: Introduction to Cybersecurity (3 Credits)
Course provides students with working knowledge of terms and concepts used in the fields of information technology, specifically related to cybersecurity and digital forensics. Students will learn the history, including the fundamentals of hardware and software, that will also include lessons to assist them in understanding and develop trouble shooting skills. Topics will include skills to help students understand not just cybersecurity, but also discuss the legal and ethical concerns of digital technology. Course will serve as a requirement for all students before being eligible to register for more advanced digital and cyber-related courses at the undergraduate level. Students not taking this course will still be required to take an APT (3 credit) course to fulfill CJC support course requirement.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-302: Criminal Law and Procedure Part I (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-103, CJC-110, CJC-210, CJC-232 and junior academic standing or permission of instructor are required.
This course will provide students with an introduction to the fundamental principles of criminal law and criminal procedure in the United States. In the Criminal Law section of this course, students will learn how our state and federal criminal statutes have developed over time, from the common law, the Constitution as well as legislative enactment to create criminal statutes in state and federal law. The core concepts of mens rea, actus reus and concurrence will be discussed, with special emphasis on the burden placed on the prosecution to prove the elements of the charged crimes by proof and evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. In the Criminal Procedure section of this course, students will examine the protections the 4th Amendment, 5th Amendment, 6th Amendment, 8th Amendment as well as the 14th Amendment provide to those individuals under criminal investigation by law enforcement. This course will also examine the Constitutional protections of individuals charged with violations of the criminal law during the investigatory, arraignment, pre-trial and trial processes.
Offering Term(s): Fall Only Every Year
CJC-307: Criminal Law and Procedure Part II (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-302 is required.
This course will provide students with an in-depth understanding of advanced principles of criminal law and criminal procedure in the United States. In the Criminal Law section of this course, students will examine the elements of the common law crimes of Murder, Manslaughter, Rape, Robbery, Burglary, Arson, Assault and Battery, and more. In addition, students will learn the difference between the various classifications of criminal intent, and the impact criminal intent has on the government's ability to charge criminal suspects with particular criminal offenses. Finally, students will learn the procedural and affirmative defenses to crimes, and how procedural and affirmative defenses impact criminal law. In the Criminal Procedure section of this course, students will examine the procedural aspects of the criminal investigation and prosecution of individuals charged with criminal offenses. The Constitutional protections of privacy, due process, statutes of limitation and other procedural safeguards will be studied, with the goal of understanding the balance between due process and crime control the rules of criminal procedure provide. This elective is recommended for any student interested in a career in law enforcement or as an attorney.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Odd Years
CJC-315: Cybercrime and Digital Forensics Investigations (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-270 is required.
This course covers the essential aspects of computer crime including relevant laws, standards, agencies that monitor computer crime, and terminology. It explores current issues and legal principles.
CJC-323: Introduction to Homeland Security and the Intelligence Community (3 Credits)
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles, structure, and function of homeland security and the intelligence community. It examines the four integrated functions of disaster management: prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. It analyzes strategies to enhance collaboration among the various intelligence agencies on local, state and federal levels.
CJC-331: Punishment and Treatment of Juvenile Offenders (3 Credits)
This course focuses on post-adjudicatory handling of juvenile offenders. It compares rehabilitation-oriented treatment policies with 'get tough' policies aimed at chronic, serious offenders. Model programs dealing with juvenile offenders in community settings and institutions will be examined.
CJC-332: Network Technology Protocols and Defense (3 Credits)
This course provides students with an understanding of the components in a network environment, their roles, and communication methods and techniques that can be taken to protect network and communication assets from cyber threats.
CJC-340: Research Methods in Criminal Justice (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-103, CJC-110, CJC-210 and CJC-232 and must be at least junior academic standing at the start of the course or permission of instructor are required.
Course introduces students to the social scientific approach to criminal justice research and inquiry. Explores foundational concepts, structure, and purpose of research. Theory, measurement, designs, applications, and ethical principles in human inquiry are examined.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-350: Organized Crime (3 Credits)
The course provides an in-depth study of organized crime in the United States and throughout the World. It begins by tracing the history of organized crime in America and then surveys different organized crime groups which exist in the US and throughout the world. Through discussion, theories and trends are examined in an attempt to understand the reasons for the existence of organized crime. Attention is also given to policies and practices of law enforcement in response to organized crime.
Offering Term(s): Fall Only Every Year
CJC-352: Introduction to Forensic Psychology (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): PSY-100 or permission of Instructor is required.
Why do people commit crime? How effective and reliable is the investigative process? How do jurors decide whether a person is guilty or innocent? How effective is treatment in reducing the risk of reoffending? In this up-to-date and highly informative class, I will attempt to reveal to students just how much forensic psychology can tell us - not only about offenders and their crimes, but also about the different stages of the criminal justice system. Covering social, psychological, biological and cognitive theories of crime, as well as research and theory relating to the investigative process, the courtroom and the penal system, this class will provide in-depth coverage of the major areas within forensic psychology. It could be a great class for curious students seeking an engaging and accessible introduction to this fascinating topic.
Cross-listed with: PSY-352.
Offering Term(s): Fall Only Every Year
CJC-356: Psychology of Crime and Victimization (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): PSY-100 or permission of instructor is required.
This class will explore what's behind the experiences of both offenders and victims of crime. Students will learn how taking a psychological approach will allow them to look at different types of offending behavior with a view to understanding those behind it and 'NOrking to reduce rates of reoffending. Students will gain an insight into the challenges faced by victims of crime, and study the theoretical perspectives that inform our understanding of victimization. Students will explore the wider historical and political contexts that influence victim-centered policy and legislation, gaining the skills they need to advocate for victims of crime anywhere within the criminal justice system. This class will ready students to work on behalf of offenders or victims of crime and to achieve the best outcomes for them, within criminal justice agencies, related support services and collaborative partnerships.
Cross-listed with: PSY-356.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-399: Special Topics (3 Credits)
These are 3-credit courses on current issues in the justice process selected by the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology and offered on an irregular basis.
Offering Term(s): Occasional
CJC-404: Introduction to Criminalistics (3 Credits)
This course studies the foundations of crime scene investigative theory and techniques. It explores its history, scientific rationale, and problems that may compromise accuracy or validity. Evidence collection skills will be emphasized.
Offering Term(s): Spring Only Every Year
CJC-420: Cybersecurity Law, Policy, and Ethics (3 Credits)
This course addresses the assessment of ethical principles within the application of information technologies to produce and store data and disseminate and use information. It will define and discuss computer ethics within a historical, current, and future perspective by dealing with ethical issues in the workplace, privacy and anonymity, property rights, professional responsibility and globalization from the viewpoint of the individual, business and government.
CJC-450: Capstone: Application of Knowledge (3 Credits)
Pre-requisite(s): CJC-340 is required and completion of all CJC required, support, and elective courses; senior academic standing or permission of instructor are required.
Culminating course that brings together the students' academic, practical, and personal experiences gained over four years as CJC majors. Connects students to their core values of working for a world that is harmonious, just and merciful, setting high expectations of integrity and personal responsibility and understanding the importance of compassion and service. Provides students the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to explore critical issues/problems facing criminal justice leaders in contemporary society and prepares them for their transition into the work world and/or graduate studies. Completion of all CJC required, support, and elective courses. Senior academic standing or permission of instructor is required.
CJC-491: Internship (3 Credits)
This course allows students to apply their skills and knowledge outside the classroom while gaining practice work experience at an approved agency.
Offering Term(s): Fall and Spring Every Year
CJC-499: Independent Study (3 Credits)
Supervised study in an area not available in regularly scheduled courses. Proposal approved by the department chair is required.
Offering Term(s): Occasional