Law & Public Safety (Criminal Justice)

Criminal Justice defines a society.

The field of criminal justice offers some very exciting and rewarding career opportunities. With new breakthroughs in forensic technology and an ever-evolving domestic and international Criminal Justice landscape, it’s almost guaranteed that a career as a law enforcement or criminal justice professional will be anything but boring. There is an ever expanding list of criminal justice and law enforcement career opportunities that welcome individuals with diverse educational and professional backgrounds.

Are you interested in serving and protecting as a uniformed officer on the street, solving crimes with clues at the scene, or defending the innocent in a courtroom? You will learn how to apply your talents to these various specialties in the Criminal Justice program.

Criminal Justice is challenging and rigorous. A strong academic background is recommended for students interested in applying for this program.

What you will do in this class

Participate in debates over legal and ethical issues, Learn and practice proper arrest procedures, operate a police car and conduct traffic stops, become a member of a CSI team and investigate staged crime scenes, participate in mock trials and intern in a criminal justice related field.

Skills you will learn

Tactical communication, proper arrest procedures, crowd control, traffic scenarios, situational responses, crime scene investigations, and court proceedings.

Tools you will use

Duty belt with handcuffs, training firearm, flashlight, radio, police patrol car with radio, sirens and lights; uniform, crime scene kit with camera, evidence collection containers, sketching materials, measuring devices, and computers;  mock court room.

Major Units of Study

Intro to Criminal Justice
Intro to Law Enforcement
Crime Scene Investigation
Criminal Law

Example Job Titles

Police Officer
State Trooper
Game Warden
Detective
Crime Scene Investigator
FBI Special Agent
DEA Agent
Secret Service Special Agent
Border Patrol Agent
Correctional Officer

Related College Programs

Criminology
WVU, Morgantown, WV

Criminal Justice
Blue Ridge CTC, Martinsburg, WV

Administration of Justice
HCC, Hagerstown, MD

Criminal Justice
Marshall University, Huntington, WV

General Law
George Mason University, Arlington, VA