The curriculum for a criminal justice degree course will cover the basic principles of law enforcement, investigative procedures, victim’s rights, bail process, and forensic pathology. A criminal justice major is focused on training people in how to effectively investigate crimes and apprehend criminals. Some criminal justice majors are also required to take a forensic science course that allows them to participate in scientific research related to the field. The coursework includes laboratory techniques used for DNA testing and handwriting analysis. Some subjects also focus on the legal system including police work, court reporting, bail hearings, probation supervision, parole, and jury duty.
When deciding which criminal justice degrees to take, many students choose to take courses that combine the subjects in one degree. For example, criminal justice majors may take courses that teach them how to conduct investigations, interview suspects, write arrest warrants, conduct interviews, interview witnesses, gather evidence, document evidence, and collect documents. Many times, a criminal justice major will have to take courses in these areas at their first two or three universities. Students then continue to complete the same coursework, but also take courses that help them develop computer skills and learn to use a number of different databases.
Many students begin their careers in criminal justice and even become a state, county, or federal judges by taking a course in law enforcement or a specialized course that teaches them about a specific aspect of the law. For example, if a criminal justice major takes a course on civil rights, they may also take classes on the legal system or the police. There are a number of criminal justice colleges that offer degree programs. At the University of Michigan, criminal justice programs provide information on the types of criminal justice degrees and how to choose a program.
Students who want to specialize in any one criminal justice program can choose a degree program based on their interests and needs. Criminal justice majors may be interested in investigating child abuse, sexual assault, drug crimes, violent crime, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, armed robbery, or murder. They can choose from a variety of criminal justice programs including forensic psychology, criminal justice administration, corrections administration, juvenile justice, correctional administration, forensic pathology, and juvenile justice law enforcement.
The degree options available to students in a criminal justice program vary depending upon the type of program. Some programs allow students to enroll in a course in criminal law, while others focus on certain aspects of the justice system such as police work, investigation techniques, or forensic pathology.
Other courses in a criminal justice program may include a course that teaches students the ins and outs of police work such as crime scene investigation, fingerprinting and processing, interviewing, and interviewing. Other courses include forensic pathology, crime scene investigation, forensics, and forensic pathology. Forensic pathology is a course in forensic pathology that trains students in the physical and forensic characteristics of human remains such as fingerprints.
Students also must take courses in courses that teach about law, such as criminal law, police work, court reporting, prosecution, bail and bond procedures, pretrial procedures, and court reporting. Students will need to take courses that address the criminal law, such as the UCR Code, the penal code, and other relevant sections of the penal code. There are also courses that cover different aspects of the courtroom and court system, such as trial preparation, the role of the prosecutor, plea negotiations, jury selection, and trial administration. Students must take coursework that teaches students about the administration of criminal justice.
