Criminal Justice A.A.S. (Plan 25CE)
Download as PDF
Award Type
Associate in Applied Science A.A.S.
Catalog Description
This program is structured to prepare students for a variety of careers in the criminal justice system at local, state, and federal levels. Students can specialize in a number of areas, including law enforcement, criminal investigation, juvenile justice, court services, as well as community-based and institutional corrections. Students pursuing the A.A.S. degree are required to complete twenty-one credit hours of general education, twenty-seven credit hours of criminal justice core courses, and nine credit hour of criminal justice electives. All students are urged to consult with a criminal justice advisor in planning their program of study.
Once the program has been completed, students should be able to:
Identify and define the steps in the legal process and administration of criminal justice in American society, as well as the functions of the police, prosecution, criminal defense, courts, and corrections. (Criminal Justice Process)
Demonstrate knowledge of the history, structure, and function of the police in society, including the heritage of American policing, the patrol function, the various styles of policing, community policing, police discretion, and police accountability. (Police Process)
Explain the roots of criminal behavior from the standpoint of sociological, psychological, biological, developmental, and rational choice theories of crime causation as they relate to violent, property, public order, white-collar, organized, and high-tech/internet crime. (Criminology)
Display an understanding of the history, philosophy, and administration of corrections in the United States, as well as sentencing strategies, prison, jail, probation, parole functions, intermediate sanctions, correctional law, and professionalism in corrections. (Correctional Process)
Demonstrate a knowledge of the substantive criminal law, the specific elements of the crime, criminal defenses, and the criminal statutes found in the Illinois compiled statutes. (Substantive Criminal Law)
Analyze rules of evidence and criminal procedure as they relate to arrest, search and seizure, interrogation, use of force, and due process of law, including the interpretations by the U.S. Supreme Court of the application of the U.S. Constitution to criminal procedure. (Procedural Criminal Law)
Display a knowledge of the roots of antisocial behavior in youth, the steps in the legal processing of juvenile cases, the history and philosophy of the juvenile court, current juvenile law as articulated in the Illinois Juvenile Code and by the U.S. Supreme Court, methods of juvenile treatment, and the role of the police and social service agencies in addressing the problem of juvenile crime. (Juvenile Justice Process)
Demonstrate the ability to write narrative reports that relate to either the police or corrections function that relate to the professional style necessary for review by police supervisors, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and correctional administrators. (Professional Writing)
Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and professional standards that apply to the law enforcement, court, and corrections professionals. (Professional Ethics)
Total Hours for Completion
62