The Crime and Justice Studies minor is an interdisciplinary minor drawing primarily from Sociology and Law and Society that provides students with knowledge and analytical skills to understand the problem of crime in its broad societal context—social, cultural, political, and economic, both nationally and internationally. This includes fostering an understanding of the causes and consequences of crime, criminal justice policy, and the role of law in redressing or reinforcing inequality and social problems with criminogenic ramifications.

Goal 1. Students become familiar with conceptual foundations for examining crime and societal responses to crime.

• 1.1: Students will demonstrate understanding of sociological theoretical explanations for crime and society’s responses to crime  and be able to contrast how these explanations differ from individualistic explanations, including classical,
  psychological, and biological explanations.
• 1.2: Students will demonstrate understanding of legal theories and narratives that
  explain crime and society’s responses to crime.

Goal 2. Students will become familiar with the centrality of social categories in the
context of criminal justice.

• 2.1: Students will demonstrate how categories such as race, ethnicity, gender, social class/status, religion, age, and immigration status affect processes and outcomes within the criminal justice system.

Goal 3. Students will become familiar with the creation and reproduction of
ideologies and institutions within the criminal justice system.

• 3.1: Students will identify specific institutional policies and practices within the criminal justice system and explain how such policies and practices are created and reproduced by both ideology and social, economic, and political interests.

1. The Crime and Justice Studies Minor will consist of 5 courses.
2. Courses fulfilling the requirements for the primary or second major may count towards the requirements of the minor, but may not exceed one-half of the credits required in the minor. A School core does not need to be completed for a minor.  Minors are open to students regardless of school affiliation.

CRIME AND JUSTICE STUDIES MINOR

General Education Requirements
Four Year Plan
Graduation Requirements
School of Social Science and Human Services Website
Faculty Profiles