The Field

As society becomes more populous, the demand for quality personnel in the field of criminal justice in both the private and public sectors will continue to increase. On the public side, society is asking more of law enforcement and of the justice system. This system involves law enforcement, court systems, and corrections for juveniles and adults. Likewise, a growth trend continues for private security and protection programs. Not only is there an increasing need in this field, but there is a demand to improve services and to raise the level of professionalism.

Opportunities for employment in the criminal justice field exist on the local, state, and federal levels. There are also opportunities for related specialties in many governmental regulatory agencies. Areas of employment include patrolling, investigating, corrections administration, counseling, juvenile justice, casework, probations and parole, security, and victim advocacy, to name a few.

The Instructional Program

The Criminal Justice Studies A.A. degree program retains the focus that SUNY Delhi has on delivering both career-oriented and transfer options to students. The program is intended primarily for those wishing to continue their studies in a baccalaureate program. Through an interdisciplinary approach to the problems of crime and society, the program prepares students to pursue further study in criminal justice or related disciplines, and educates students to become effective problem-solvers as professionals in the field of criminal justice. Students may enroll in the program with the intention of transferring to a senior college where criminal justice, criminology, sociology, public administration, or political science majors can be pursued. To this end, SUNY Delhi has articulation agreements with SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College.

The program of study consists of an overview of the criminal justice system and an examination of the basic components of the system. The program also prepares graduates for entry-level employment positions in the criminal justice field, courts, and corrections. For students planning to enter the field upon attaining the A.A. degree, the internship option is recommended to give an inside view of the operations of the justice system.

Criminal Justice majors also take one course from each of the ten General Education subject areas, thereby satisfying the SUNY Gen. Ed. requirement for both two- and four-year students. For more information on this requirement, see the "General Education" section of this catalog.

Curriculum

SUNY Curriculum Code:  5622

First Semester

Second Semester

Third Semester

Fourth Semester

Degree Requirement: 63 credit hours

Notes

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the Criminal Justice Studies program should have successfully completed 4 units of high school English, 3 units of social studies, 2 units of college-preparatory math, and 1 unit of laboratory science. Students should be fully prepared to begin work in college-level English and math.

Electives

Restricted Electives

Students may choose from the following restricted electives:

Program Objectives

A graduate of the Criminal Justice Studies A.A. program should be able to:

1. Discuss in detail the fundamental institutions of the U.S. criminal and civil justice system (e.g., basics of the law and legal procedure, law enforcement agencies, the courts, and the penal system).
2. Understand, use, and critically evaluate social statistics relevant to criminal behavior and the criminal justice system.
3. Demonstrate proficiency with modern information and database technologies used in the legal and penal system.
4. Comprehend the methods used by various social sciences and related disciplines to understand criminal conduct.
5. Formulate policies to address criminal behavior through the various institutions of the legal, penal, and corrections systems.
6. Assess and critically evaluate the ethics and efficiency of various legal structures and public policies within the justice system.
7. Understand the importance of implementation and administration to policy success.