Criminal Justice Administration

College of Business Administration and Public Policy
School of Public Service and Justice
Department of Criminal Justice Administration

Features

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration is designed to provide students with a high quality education that prepares them to think critically about research and policy as they relate to policing, courts, and corrections. In this regard, the Criminal Justice Administration curriculum seeks to prepare students for careers in public service, social justice, civic engagement, collaborative governance, and ethical leadership. The curriculum also serves as excellent preparation for graduate education in these and related areas.

The degree program requires: the completion of two lower-division required courses common to all students in the Department of Criminal Justice Administration:

1. completion of a set of upper-division core courses common to all Criminal Justice Administration students; and
2. four elective courses.

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration Degree is a single-field major, which means that students are not required to complete a minor for graduation.

Concentration in Homeland Security Studies

Students earning the B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration have the option to select the Homeland Security Studies (HSS) concentration. The concentration prepares students to make significant contributions to the community in the fields of homeland security and criminal justice administration. Completion of the HSS concentration provides students with a conceptual context for understanding homeland security, potential threats and vulnerabilities, and an understanding of preparedness, response, and recovery including countering plausible threat scenarios in the United States. 

Minor in Criminal Justice Administration

The Minor in Criminal Justice Administration is designed to provide a basic foundation in Criminal Justice Administration. The minor is especially appropriate for students who major in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. It is an attractive option for students with majors in fields that lead to employment in the public, non-profit, and private sector professions, as well as in federal, state, and local agencies in the field of criminal justice administration and related public services.

Academic and Career Advisement

Candidates for the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree receive academic advisement for designing and completing their program of study. Specialized academic advisement can be obtained from CBAPP Student Success Center. Undergraduate students seeking career advisement should contact department faculty, who are available to discuss Criminal Justice Administration career options.

Preparation

Undergraduate

High school students should take college preparatory courses in English and mathematics in the social and natural sciences.

Students taking their first two years of study at a community college are advised to complete lower-division general education requirements.

Graduation with Honors

A student may be a candidate for graduation with Honors in Criminal Justice Administration by meeting the following criteria:

1. A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills;
2. A minimum grade point average of 3.5 in all courses used to satisfy the upper-division requirements in the major.

Career Possibilities

The job opportunities for students in criminal justice administration include employment in the public, non-profit, and private sector professions, as well as in federal, state, and local agencies in the field of criminal justice administration and related public services. 

The degree also prepares students for graduate and professional education in criminal justice studies, criminology, law, and public policy. 

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor

Minor

Faculty

Fynnwin Prager, Director of the School of Public Service and Justice
C. Augustus (Gus) Martin, Department Chair of Criminal Justice Administration

Diego Avalos, Shari Berkowitz, Sarah Britto, Jennifer Macy, C. Augustus (Gus) Martin, Marie Palladini

Department website: https://www.csudh.edu/criminal-justice-administration/

Emeriti Faculty

Marie Palladini

Academic Advisement and Student Services

The CBAPP Student Success Center provides undergraduate student services regarding major advisement, scheduling an appointment with an advisor, registration issues, permission numbers, petitions, add/drop, and change of major/minor, etc.

Office: II 1100 and 3400
Phone: (310) 243-3561

Faculty Office Hours and Support

Faculty office hours are posted on our website. Additional support is provided to students in regards to faculty office hours, contacting faculty, classroom changes, etc.

Office: II 4524, 4526 and 4200
Phone: (310) 243-3548
Website: www.csudh.edu/cbapp/faculty-support

Courses

CJA 339.  Research Methods and Communication in Criminal Justice Administration.  (3 Units)  

Presents an overview of the fundamentals of research design in criminal justice. Students will learn how to design, conduct, and communicate ethical scientific research. A focus will be placed on academic writing and oral communication as an iterative process. This is a GWAR certifying course.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 340.  Crim Justice & Community.  (3 Units)  

Political, cultural, and social environment of criminal justice administration; police community relations; accountability of criminal justice agencies to the political and legal order.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 341.  Statistics in Criminal Justice Administration.  (3 Units)  

Prerequisites: MAT 105, MAT 131, MAT 132 or MAT 195 is required. Explores statistical procedures used for the analysis of data by criminal justice professionals. Instruction on the most commonly used applications of statistical analysis in the administration of justice, including review of mathematics and statistical functions and the use of statistics by criminal justice decision makers. An introduction to computer applications will also be provided.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 342.  Legal and Ethical Foundations of Justice in Criminal Justice Administration.  (3 Units)  

Local, state, and federal judicial systems; constitutional, judicial and legislative influences on the administration of justice.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 344.  Theories of Crime and Criminal Justice Policy.  (3 Units)  

Examines theories of crime and criminal justice policy. Covers definitions of crime, its measurement, and patterns across time and place. This is used to evaluate historical and contemporary politics in criminal justice administration.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 423.  Administrative Law.  (3 Units)  

Role and nature of administrative law, procedural requirements and judicial review of administrative actions, safeguards against arbitrary action, delegation of legislative power, legal principles and trends in the development of public administration.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 443.  Criminal Law & Justice Admin.  (3 Units)  

Examination of the law of criminal culpability, parties to crime, defenses, and sentencing issues. Critical analysis of types of crime, elements of specific crimes, theories of criminal law, and issues pertaining to its application by the criminal justice system.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 444.  Juvenile Justice Process.  (3 Units)  

Examination of the administration of juvenile justice, including juvenile justice policies and procedures, and components of the juvenile justice system. Critical analysis of the theory and dynamics of how the juvenile justice system responds to juvenile issues, including delinquent behavior.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 445.  Policing & Admin. of Justice.  (3 Units)  

Examination of policing in the United States. Critical analysis of theories of policing, police administration, and police obligations and responsibilities under the law. Analysis of historical and contemporary approaches to police-community relations.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 446.  Terrorism & Extremism.  (3 Units)  

Examination of contemporary terrorism and extremism. Critical analysis of terrorist behavior, typologies of terrorism, and extremism as a foundation for terrorist behavior. Analysis of the role of law enforcement and other public administrative agencies.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 447.  Corrections Administration and Policy.  (3 Units)  

Explores the history, organization, administration and effects of institutional and community corrections in the United States and abroad. Critically examines the development and implementation of correctional administration through analysis of policy and practice at each level.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 448.  Forensic Science.  (3 Units)  

Examines the scientific basis of forensic science techniques. Students will learn to think critically about forensic science, and the legal and ethical considerations that come with relying on forensic science evidence in the courtroom

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 449.  Investigative Interviewing, Interrogation and Lie Detection.  (3 Units)  

Scientific research is informing and transforming the practice of investigative interviewing, interrogation, and lie detection. This course reviews this research and the ethical considerations and legal decisions of this work as applied to the practice of criminal justice administration.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 450.  Eyewitness Evidence and the Law.  (3 Units)  

Criminal Justice administrators are commonly tasked with collecting and assessing eyewitness evidence. Course focuses on the scientific research of eyewitness testimony and the legal decisions on eyewitness evidence as applied to the practice of criminal justice administration.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 451.  Intelligence and National Security.  (3 Units)  

Explores the history, function, principles, policy guidelines and methods of collecting intelligence. Central to this course is the use of intelligence in the United States regarding homeland security, cybersecurity, terrorism, and organized crime investigations.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 452.  Homeland Security.  (3 Units)  

Introduces students to the homeland security environment in the United States. Emphasis is placed on policies and systems designated to prevent, respond to, and mitigate incidents. Discussions critically assess how governments and homeland security agencies respond to domestic threats.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 460.  Gender, Race and the Administration of Justice.  (3 Units)  

Examines the relationship between race/ethnicity, gender, crime, and the criminal justice system, including resulting disparities. We analyze traditional and critical theories of crime, system policies and practices, and the system as a place of work.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 490.  Capstone in Criminal Justice Administration.  (3 Units)  

Prerequisites: CJA 339, CJA 340, CJA 342, and CJA 344 are required. CJA 341, CJA 443, CJA 444 and CJA 447 are recommended. The capstone experience synthesizes the CJA student's experience at CSUDH. Integrates CJA coursework with a 120-hour semester-long internship in criminal justice administration. The course provides students with an opportunity to directly apply the knowledge gained in the CJA program to the criminal justice system.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

CJA 495.  Special Topics in Criminal Justice Administration.  (1-3 Units)  

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. An intensive study of an issue, concept or technique that is related to criminal justice administration. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 540.  Adv. Criminal Justice Issues.  (3 Units)  

This course will introduce students to advance issues relating to the administration of justice from the perspective of the American criminal justice system. Emphasis will be placed on policy concerns, crime and its causes, the structure of the criminal justice system, and criminal justice procedures. Special issues in criminal justice will also be reviewed.

Offered Infrequent

CJA 563.  Administrative Law, Policy and Analysis.  (3 Units)  

This course shall define the scope and boundaries of administrative law within the context of public policy. It will introduce students to major constitutional issues underlying administrative law bodies at the federal, state, and local levels of government.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 565.  Issues in Police Administration and Ethics.  (3 Units)  

Examination of policing in the US. Critical analysis of theories of policing, police administration, police obligations, ethics, and responsibilities under the law. Analysis of historical / contemporary approaches to ethical community relations.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 566.  Issues in Homeland Security and Terrorism.  (3 Units)  

This course will introduce students to contemporary issues in homeland security and terrorism. Emphasis will be placed on foundations of homeland security, threats and vulnerabilities, preparedness / response / recovery, and evolving issues.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 595.  Special Topics in Criminal Justice Administration.  (1-3 Units)  

Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Intensive study of a specialized area or contemporary issues in Criminal Justice Administration (e.g. Homeland Security, Emergency Management, CJA Debates). Three hours of seminar per week. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring

CJA 596.  Internship Practicum.  (3 Units)  

Prerequisite: Consent of MPA program coordinator. Supervised internship working with a cooperating government agency in a function germane to public administration. Sessions are held to discuss and analyze the problems with which interns are concerned. A written project related to the internship is required. CR/NC grading.

Offered Fall, Spring