Program Outline
The Generalist specialization within the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program is designed to offer a well-rounded overview of the criminal justice system.
We can help you learn how to:
- Apply foundational knowledge of criminal justice including causes of crime, criminal behaviors and victims of crime.
- Define and identify the various components of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems which include law enforcement, law and courts and corrections.
- Analyze and apply law enforcement principles including the structure of police organizations, police discretion, police subculture and the legal constraints of policing.
- Analyze and apply knowledge of law adjudication including criminal law, criminal procedures and the decision-making processes associated with the defense and prosecution of criminal offenders.
- Analyze and apply knowledge of community-based corrections including the incarceration, treatment and alternative punishments offered in the correctional system.
- Use critical thinking skills and apply ethical theories to ethical dilemmas faced by criminal justice practitioners in law enforcement, courts, corrections and forensics.
- Analyze and synthesize key theories of criminology, including the causes of crime, typologies, offenders and victimization
- Differentiate between the substantive and procedural aspects of the criminal and juvenile justice processes
- Use the knowledge and understanding of law enforcement, homeland security and crisis management principles to analyze and evaluate police organization, discretion, terrorist threats and legal constraints
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of law adjudication including criminal law, prosecution, defense, court procedures and legal decision-making processes
- Utilize knowledge and analytical skills pertaining to corrections including incarceration, community-based corrections, and treatment of offenders, as well as other alternatives to incarceration programs.
- Employ knowledge and understanding of techniques, abilities, and limitations in the forensic science laboratory, the field of medicolegal death investigations, forensic psychology and computer crimes and computer forensics.
Classes Overview
At AIU, more of the courses you take, on average, are devoted to your field of interest than at other similar schools. Your classes may include:
Security and Loss Prevention
This course examines the theories and principles of security and loss prevention through a systematic review of key issues and concepts associated with the reduction and prevention of personal and corporate loss. This course will review the historical development of loss prevention, exposures to losses, risk assessment techniques and strategies to minimize loss and improve security.
Crime and Substance Abuse
This course examines drug abuse and its relationship to crime. Topics include the statistical relationship between drugs and crime, drug laws and courts, drug prevention programs and public policy concerning the use and abuse of substances.
Administration of Criminal Justice
This course focuses on the challenges administrators face in law enforcement, courts and corrections. Students will examine the various organizational frameworks in the criminal justice system and the concepts, organizational principles and models associated with these criminal justice agencies.
Criminalistics
Criminalistics is part I of a two part series. This course is a survey course of forensic science. The course content will focus on defining "forensic science"; recognizing practices of legitimate, junk and fraudulent science; examining the properties of physical evidence; discussing the scope, potential and limitations of a variety of forensic sciences; examining analytical techniques applied by forensic scientists; evaluating the criteria for admissibility of scientific evidence; and discussing the ethical responsibilities of forensic scientists.
Criminal Investigation
This course explores the elements of investigation including crime scenes, witnesses and evidence and includes such topics as investigative techniques, evidence documentation, interrogation and arrest. The course addresses the particulars of investigating major crimes.