Department Head: Dr. H. Dean Buttram III dbuttram@jsu.edu
Department Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Sheryl Pelletier, spelletier@jsu.edu
The Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation offers courses leading to the Master of Science (MS) in Criminal Justice, and supporting courses for the Master of Arts (MA) with a major in Integrated Studies. The department also offers an area of concentration in Criminal Justice within the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program (Please refer to the Department of Emergency Management and Public Administration section of this catalog for application materials required and admission and program requirements).
CJ 500 Seminar in Contemporary Criminal Justice Issues (3)
Overview of the criminal justice system and exploration of the ways in which criminal justice policy and practice impact citizens' lives.
CJ 501 Applied Data Analysis for Criminal Justice (3)
Emphasis on the analysis of original and secondary criminal justice data.
CJ 502 Research Methods in Criminal Justice (3)
Social research methods and their application to administration of justice; in-depth examination of the role of social research in analysis, interpretation, and clarification of problems in the Criminal Justice System. CJ 502 is cross-listed with PA 502 and only one course may be counted for credit.
CJ 503 Seminar in Law Enforcement (3)
In-depth analysis of issues and practices in modern policing.
CJ 504 Comparative Criminal Justice (3)
Critical comparative study of criminal justice systems in the U.S. with those in selected foreign countries including administration, organization, objectives, principal functions, and relationships with the people.
CJ 505 Criminal Justice Administration (3)
Analysis of problems and issues confronting the administrator in a criminal justice setting. This course may only be taken at the undergraduate level upon approval for participation in the Faster Master's program.
CJ 506 Seminar in Juvenile Justice (3)
Assessment of policies and practices of agencies involved in processing juvenile offenders through the Juvenile Justice System.
CJ 507 Seminar in Legal Issues (3)
In-depth study of contemporary legal issues faced by criminal justice professionals with emphasis on constitutional problems, as well as the judicial review of administrative decisions made by criminal justice organizations.
CJ 508 Seminar in Corrections (3)
Overview and critical analysis of contemporary correctional theory and practice.
CJ 509 Criminal Justice Planning, Evaluation, and Grant-Writing (3)
A study of planning and evaluation in criminal justice agencies, programs, and the preparation of grant proposals.
CJ 512 Directed Study in Criminal Justice (3)
Prerequisite(s): Approval of department head and approval of instructor.
(3) (3). Preparation, completion, and submission of an acceptable individual project. May be duplicated for credit for a total of 6 semester hours. (Grade: Pass/Fail).
CJ 515 Applied Ethics (3)
Application of ethical theories and systems to practical ethical problems and dilemmas encountered in criminal justice.
CJ 516 Seminar in Forensic Investigation (3)
Covering a wide range of topics, including provinces of the court and jury; burden of proof, probability and documentary and physical evidence; expert witnesses; preparation of scientific exhibits for court. This course may only be taken at the undergraduate level upon approval for participation in the Faster Master's program.
CJ 521 Seminar in Criminological Theory (3)
Provides a solid grounding in criminal justice through analysis of historical and contemporary theories and analytical models of crime causation. This course may only be taken at the undergraduate level upon approval for participation in the Faster Master's program.
CJ 523 Seminar in Victimology (3)
Focusing on the risks and consequences of crime for its victims; victim-offender relationships; typologies of victims; the nature and extent of victimization in the United States; and theories and consequences of victimization for victims and society.
CJ 525 International Criminality and National Security (3)
National, international, and transnational terrorism and the problems they pose for the criminal justice system; prevention and control of terrorist activities.
CJ 526 Special Topics in Criminal Justice (3)
(3) (3). An examination of contemporary issues in criminal and juvenile justice not addressed in other courses. May be duplicated for credit for a total of 6 semester hours as long as the courses taken are on different topics.
CJ 527 Seminar in Criminal Behavior and Personality (3)
Prerequisite(s): CJ 521 or approval of instructor.
A study of the typologies of delinquent and criminal behavior from behavioral and psychological perspectives with particular focus on clinical behaviors frequently associated with delinquents and criminals.
CJ 528 Seminar in Correctional Counseling (3)
The study and practical application of effective correctional counseling and treatment methodologies for youthful and adult offenders.
CJ 531 Legal Issues Facing Criminal Justice Administrators (3)
The focus of this course will be on public employment law, which encompasses various aspects such as the recruitment, advancement, disciplinary actions, and termination of employees. It will also delve into the realm of fair employment practices and explore the civil liability that agencies and administrators may face. Throughout the course, we will analyze both state and federal statutory regulations as well as relevant case law to gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
CJ 595 Crime Prevention (3)
Analysis of the roles of the Criminal Justice System and the private sector in preventing crime. Emphasis on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Community involvement as a source of preventing crime. Crime prevention strategies and techniques for evaluating prevention programs as well as practical solutions for physical site security.
CJ 598 Directed Reading (3)
Prerequisite(s): Approval of department head and approval of instructor.
(3) (3). Selected topics appropriate to student's course of study as determined by faculty advisor. May be duplicated for credit for a total of 6 semester hours. (Grade: Pass/Fail).
CJ 599 Thesis (3)
Prerequisite(s): Dean's Approval and Approval of Application for Thesis Option.
See "Thesis Option and Procedures". Grade: Pass/Fail.