The crime dramas that air on television have influenced courtrooms by generating forensic evidence demands. These same television shows expose viewers to criminal justice careers they might not otherwise have considered. Those who want to pursue criminal justice careers might participate in traditional and online degree programs that a variety of colleges and universities make available.
There are college and university degree programs in forensic science, criminology, crime scene investigation and more. Some criminal justice degree programs are offered at the associate level, while others are bachelor’s degree programs or graduate offerings. Criminal justice degrees could lead to careers in law enforcement, counseling, private investigation, rehabilitation and corrections as well as with courts, governments, insurance companies and more, according to Ohio State Department of Sociology information provided on the web site for Kent State University in Kent, Oh.
At Kent State University, criminal justice students get to look at the different magnitudes of crime and how common they are. Kent State students also explore crime prevention and control agencies and programs – probation, the courts and police among them. Students who are considering a criminal justice major might start by taking an Introduction to Criminal Justice course to determine their level of interest in following through with studies in this subject area.
Tiffin University in Tiffin, Oh. Offers an Introduction to Criminal Justice course that explores the different systems within the criminal justice system – law enforcement, courts and corrections – and explains to students how these areas work independently and with each other. With Tiffin’s Introduction to Criminal Justice course, students also work with sources such as the federally funded National Criminal Justice Reference Service, as part of an introduction to criminal justice research. Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill., offers an Introduction to Criminal Justice course that looks at criminal justice systems as well as government administration, citizen groups, technologies, historic court decisions and more, the institution’s web site shows.
Introduction to Criminal Justice may or may not be required as part of a criminal justice degree program. At Ohio-based Tiffin University, students do have to take the the Introduction to Criminal Justice course in order to obtain bachelor’s degrees, which the institution offers in areas such as forensic science, corrections, law enforcement, homeland security and terrorism, forensic psychology, and cyber-defense and information security. Tiffin University’s criminal justice students must also fulfill internships as part of their degree programs. Introduction to Criminal Justice is also required in instances where students work toward bachelor’s degrees in criminal/social justice at Lewis University, which offers a minor in criminal/social justice as well.
Some criminal justice degrees at the bachelor’s level are Bachelor of Arts degrees, while others are Bachelor of Science degrees. The difference typically involves the number of courses that students must take that are related to their major. Where Bachelor of Arts degrees often are provided in the humanities, Bachelor of Science degrees that require more of the courses related to majors are typically provided in subjects such as the sciences, engineering or agriculture. Students working toward a justice studies bachelor of arts degree at Kent State University are provided a foundation in social science and the humanities where they might become sensitive to diverse values of views, the institution’s web site suggests.
A portion of the Kent State University campus has made the US Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places for justice-related events that happened in 1970. The institution in May 2010 marked the 40th anniversary of what became known as the Kent State “Massacre,” where anti-war protests led National Guardsmen to fatally shoot four students and injure nine others. Those Vietnam-era events resulted in justice investigations, court cases and more.