This curriculum was developed with an advisory committee comprised of Criminal Justice administrators. Its purpose is to provide basic fundamentals for entry into any type of Criminal Justice agency. The curriculum leads to a Certificate of Achievement in Criminal Justice.
It is suggested that courses be taken in the order they are listed. However, courses may be taken in any order provided prerequisites have been met. Following are the three different options to obtain this certificate.
As a prerequisite for admittance to the Regular Basic Course (Police Academy) and the Specialized Investigators’ Basic Course (State Investigators Academy), applicants must certify that they are free from any physical, behavioral, emotional, or mental condition that would adversely affect their behavior so as to create an undue risk of harm to themselves, other students, instructors, or other persons. If the Program Director determines an applicant is not free from such a physical, behavioral, emotional, or mental condition, the Program Director, with the agreement of the Vice President of Instruction and Student Learning, shall, as soon as possible, arrange for such an applicant to be examined by one of the following:
✓ a licensed physician, or
✓ a licensed clinical psychologist who has a Ph.D. in psychology and at least five years of postgraduate experience in diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders.
This expert will determine if the denial of admission to the program was based upon reasonable grounds. If so, the applicant will not be admitted to the program. If the expert determines reasonable grounds do not exist, the applicant will be admitted to the program. Applicants may appeal the denial of admission to the Division Dean, on the grounds they have met this prerequisite. Following the appeal to the Dean, applicants may make a final written appeal to the Vice President of Instruction and Student Learning.
Maintenance of a satisfactory physical, behavioral, emotional, and mental condition is required throughout enrollment in the Basic Course Programs. If at any time the Program Director determines a student is not meeting this requirement, the Program Director may refer the student to a physician or clinical psychologist and follow the procedures outlined in the preceding paragraph. The physician or psychologist will determine if the student should be dismissed from the program. Students may appeal their dismissal to the Division Dean. Following the appeal to the Dean, students may make a final written appeal to the Vice President of Student Instruction and Learning of the college. The College does not assume any responsibility for the student’s physical, behavioral, emotional or mental condition. The student at all times is personally responsible for these conditions and is obligated to report in writing to the course instructor if the student’s ability to participate in the course is impaired
Program Level Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
✓ Differentiate the roles of the law enforcement, courts, and corrections components of the criminal justice system.
✓ Evaluate the biological, psychological, and social causes of criminal behavior.
✓ Summarize the punishment philosophies of criminal law.
✓ Demonstrate appropriate First Aid procedures.
✓ Develop effective reading, writing, speaking, listening, and nonverbal communication skills for a variety of audiences.
✓ Evaluate legal arguments, and explain constitutional and statutory limits on the application of law.
✓ Discuss and practice the Six Pillars of Character as defined by the Josephson Institute of Ethics: trustworthiness, respect, fairness, responsibility, justice and fairness, caring, civic virtue and citizenship, and how they apply to personal and professional environments.
