What is criminal
justice?
Criminal
justice is the study of social control in organized societies where
the rule of law is the primary social control mechanism. As a result,
one will study patterns and etiologies of deviance (why people choose
the "road less-traveled"), appropriate enforcement options/initiatives,
the court process, the corrections process, and issues of victimology.
What is the difference between Justice Studies, Criminal Justice, Administration of Justice, Criminology, and Criminology & Criminal Justice?
Since the 1970s, criminal justice programs in the United States have gone through various name changes. Criminology, Criminal Justice, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Justice Studies, and Administration of Justice/Justice Administration.
The Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Standards and Education provided a standard and benchmark of what criminal justice programs should be. The Fort Hays State University Justice Studies Program encompasses these standards and it is wise for students to take a critical look at a criminal justice program and course requirements before making a judgment as to the validity of the program based solely on the name. Interestingly, research has indicated that students' perceptions of program value are based upon such names. For example, Justice Studies has been perceived by students as having courses that are the least theoretical, least interesting, least highly regarded, least useful, least academic, least challenging and most vocational as compared to other program names such as criminal justice, criminology and justice administration (Wortley & Wimshurst, 1999). This is quite contrary, however, to the assessment and outcomes of students who enter and complete our program, specifically
Summarily, the names of degrees do carry meanings for students. Criminology and Criminal Justice appear to have more prestige and evokes perceptions of the likelihood of a more comprehensive academic experience. It also seems to carry connotations of enhanced employability. The realization, however, are those names DO NOT affect employability. Research has not been done to determine perceptions of employers, however, most employers in the criminal justice field today ask for some type of liberal arts education in criminal justice or the other social sciences, i.e. sociology, psychology.
What jobs are available with a criminal justice degree?
Police (local, state, federal level), Forensic Sciences (computer, psychology, natural sciences), Probation, Parole, Corrections (local, state, federal level), Juvenile Justice, Case Management, Counseling, Victim Advocacy, Court System, Law School
I like many different areas of the social sciences. Why is it necessary to get a criminal justice degree?
In today's criminal justice market the idea is to become MOST positively positioned for employment. While you may meet the minimum criteria for a job at the local, state, or federal level with a four-year degree, the applicant pool is so large that to stand out now as a primary candidate, the "preference" is taking precedence over the "required" As a result, students with criminal justice degrees, specifically, will be hired over those with a sociology, psychology, biology, business, leadership, music, or English degree. Likewise, students with master's degrees, practical work experience, and military experience will be favored over those who don't.
What is the difference between a major and minor and why is that important?
A major (such as Justice Studies) is typically a culmination of 30-40hrs of specific coursework in a concentrated area. This concentration is in addition to the general education and free elective requirements of most baccalaureate programs. Minors consist of typically 21 hours of coursework in an area that may or may not be specific but rather courses that can be taken at the discretion of the student.
Minors are not denoted on your transcript and have little value in terms of employability via degree program. They are, however, beneficial for personal interest for those who seek to learn more about a different area.
What is the difference between a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) vs. a B.S. (Bachelor of Science)?
The B.A. degree requires 10 hours of a foreign language whereas the B.S. degree allows for 10 hours of free electives, only. The B.A. is more prestigious of a degree program, given the difficulties associated with learning a new language vs. taking ten hours of whatever you want.
Criminal justice studies makes the language component more important since language proficiency in Spanish assists with employability at the local, state, and federal level.
There are other criminal justice programs in Kansas and online, abroad. Why should I choose your program over another?
Although one of the newest criminal justice programs in the state and country (1996), we have grown fast and furious given two key successes: affordability< and quality. We are the least expensive state college in Kansas and one of the least expensive ONLINE programs in the country.
More importantly, our program is based upon national standards or "best practices" of what a criminal justice degree program should be. As a result, students come and learn a comprehensive set of classes instead of just courses in policing. Additionally, our program was the first-ever award recipient at the program-level regarding quality assurance based upon Baldrige Assessment Criteria. As a result, we maintain key performance indicators to assess student learning outcomes and use this to provide a quality educational experience.
