Master's of Criminal Justice Program Outline

This non-credit orientation is a foundation-building experience that introduces and refreshes the skills necessary for success in your Master's Degree Program. You'll learn how to navigate ProQuest, Ashworth College's online library, and review the distinguishing characteristics of academic journals and other publications. Internet research skills are polished enabling you to identify credible and unbiased Web sites for your research. Emphasis is placed on submission requirements, project structures, and writing formats used throughout your coursework, and APA writing style. The final portion of this course provides you the opportunity to research and explore the various career fields in the world of Criminal Justice.

Examine the everyday workings of the criminal justice system. Explore the purpose and function of the U.S. criminal justice system in the apprehension, prosecution, punishment, correction and rehabilitation of offenders. Included is a broad overview of key criminal justice issues, including theories of criminal behavior; measurement and assessment of crime statistics; corrections; juvenile delinquency; technology's role in the criminal justice system; and terrorism.

Understand how today's legal environment affects the criminal justice system. A thorough introduction to criminal laws and procedures, the historical precedents that built them, and how they've evolved and changed as a result of recent landmark court decisions. You'll study many fundamental principles behind criminal law, Constitutional guarantees, legislative initiatives, due process, prosecution and punishment.

What causes criminal behavior? Learn the historical and theoretical roots of criminal thought and criminal behavior: classical and neoclassical theories, biological roots, sociological and psychological theories, and modern theories. Learn the fundamentals of crime against the person, crime against property, white-collar crime, organized crime and drug crime.

How comparative criminology leads to better understanding. Comparative criminology seeks to expand your knowledge of crime and criminality by examining theories of criminality and the practice of criminal justice in world cultures and societies and in various subcultures within them. Gain a firm knowledge of how history and geography--and demographics within these groups such as ethnicity, income, education, and age --combine to affect crime, cultural values, business behaviors and ethics, leisure activities, politics and work.

Analyze and use statistical data. You'll examine the concepts, tools, and techniques that go into the design, development, administration, and data analysis of surveys. This includes methods of research, interviewing and data collection; definitions of statistical data; reliability and validity; constructing valid samples; and how to process and analyze collected data. Two projects--one focusing on victim services, the other on surveying the community--allow students to prove their abilities to create and administer a survey and analyze the data collected.

Forming a strong team to protect the public. An overview of management theories and practices in the criminal justice system, and how they apply to workplace dynamics between individuals, groups, and separate agencies. Examine police management, administration, and leadership, as well as issues concerning planning and budgeting, organizational structure, policy analysis, human resource management, labor relations, and trends in community policing.

Make a dent in white-collar crime. White-collar crimes don't leave chalk lines on the sidewalk or blood spatters on the wall. Yet annual losses from white-collar crime are some 50 times greater than losses from ordinary property crimes. Learn theories concerning upper-class and high-level corporate criminality--as examined at the individual, corporate, and institutional levels--including how white-collar crime is perceived and punished, and how it affects the regulation of business. Examine the differences between crimes committed by corporations and those committed by individuals within corporations.

Develop an asset protection program. Today's businesses are responsible for creating security plans that protect employees, the buildings they work in, their equipment, and information and communications. Examine how leadership, ethics, planning methods and new technologies can address and prevent problems and emergencies such as unsafe working conditions, liability, theft, sabotage, workplace violence and vulnerability in security and safety.

What drives terrorism--and the battle against it. A broad survey of global terrorism today--its causes, trends, and manifestations--and the counter-measures being taken against it. You'll analyze the origins and varieties of terrorism; study terrorist profiles, networks, and weapons; and review efforts by the intelligence, law enforcement, and legislative sectors to confront and combat the profound challenges of terrorism.

What is the ethical framework of today's criminal justice system? Examine the ethical roots and theories underlying contemporary criminal justice, including broad concepts of ethical codes and the most widely accepted schools of thought concerning ethics. Learn about the obligations, conflicts of interest, and compelling ethical mandates of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges.

How do public policy and the criminal justice system influence each other? There's an unquestionable link between politics, law, and the administration of justice. You'll take an in-depth look at the three cornerstones of the criminal justice system; police, the courts, and corrections; and how they affect and are affected by legislation, policy making, and the social problems and issues that impact our daily lives. Other timely matters are discussed, such as the death penalty, gangs, racism, the drug culture, and terrorism.

Apply your knowledge in a research paper. A thought-provoking investigation of contemporary criminal justice challenges, including the death penalty, jail reform, victim impact, prison privatization, gender and race issues, sentencing, HIV in prisons and more--enhanced with readings from futuristic criminologists. Culminates with a research paper that examines a critical criminal justice issue in-depth.