Criminal Justice
The criminal justice major at Wilmington College offers students the opportunity to pursue careers in law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, and law. Criminal Justice majors examine the institutions, procedures, and techniques involved in the identification and apprehension of suspects, the enforcement of criminal laws, and the reintegration of offenders. They also analyze the rights of victims and the prospects for victim-offender reconciliation.
The interdisciplinary program of study combines course work in Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology, and Political Science. In addition to core courses in law enforcement, corrections, criminal law and investigation, and statistics, the curriculum enables students to choose from an array of electives that provide necessary background for career placement and further education.
Internships are available in the sophomore, junior, and senior years at local juvenile courts, probation and parole agencies, correctional institutions, prosecutor’s offices, and in administrative settings at the local, state, and national level.
Recent graduates have secured work in probation and parole agencies, court administration, law enforcement, corrections, and other fields.
Degrees
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Criminal Justice Major -
Criminal Justice Minor
Courses
CJ130: INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CJ201G: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This course will examine crime and criminal justice from a global perspective. Issues surrounding the definition, incidence, trends, control, treatment, and prevention of crime will be explored using theoretical and empirical resources from mainstream and international criminology.
CJ231: JUVENILE JUSTICE
CJ234: POLICING
A study of the history, structure, and function of police in America. Includes police management and supervision; constitutional limitations on police; law enforcement and community relations; and the sociological implications of contemporary policing.
CJ331: CORRECTIONS
CJ336: VICTIMOLOGY
CJ339: CRIMINAL LAW I: SUBSTANTIVE CRIMINAL LAW
This course provides a general overview of classification and analysis of selected areas of the substantive law of crimes, including basic principles of criminal law, general assumptions, and elements of crime, against persons and property, and defenses. The particular emphasis of this course is the intersection of the common law and statutory law (drawn from various states and the federal system). Topics addressed include criminal liability, actus reus, mens rea, defenses, inchoate crimes, crimes against persons, crimes against property, crimes against public order, and crimes against the state.
CJ341: CRIMINAL LAW II: PROCEDURAL CRIMINAL LAW
Examines the general principles, theories, and laws of criminal procedure, including concepts of due process, arrest, search and seizure, wiretapping, lineups, and other recent developments. This course will focus on federal constitutional criminal procedure with some time dedicated to exploring differences in procedure among the states.
CJ350: TOPICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CJ430: THE DEATH PENALTY
This course provides an in-depth examination of the historical and contemporary use of capital punishment in American society. The course explores arguments surrounding the death penalty, death row, the historical and modern execution process, constitutional issues, alternatives to capital punishment, and related topics.