Criminal Justice (Transfer)
Start a Career Protecting Lives
Help. Protect. Serve. Become a guardian of society by maintaining peace and ensuring public safety. Make a difference protecting lives and property.
Kirkwood’s Criminal Justice interest area examines issues relating to crime, law, and justice with a focus on building trust and legitimacy within the community. You'll also learn how to analyze situations and events with logic for effective problem solving.
As a Liberal Arts student, you will take core requirements while choosing informative and interesting electives in criminal justice.
If you're planning to transfer to a four-year program, you'll work with our criminal justice program coordinator to plan out your academic path while at Kirkwood and beyond. They'll help ensure you have everything completed for a seamless transfer.
You should work with your program coordinator to plan out your class schedule based on Kirkwood’s graduation requirements, as well as the admission requirements to your transfer school.
The transfer process couldn’t be easier, which gives you the ability to fully concentrate on your studies.
Criminal Justice Transfer Agreements:
- Iowa State University
- Iowa Wesleyan University
- Mount Mercy University
- Simpson College
- Upper Iowa University
- University of Central Missouri
- University of Northern Iowa
- Western Illinois University
Explore your share of more than $3 million in scholarship opportunities! At Kirkwood, we make it incredibly easy — you only need to apply once, even if you are eligible for more than one scholarship.
David R. Goodwin Mt. Hermon Lodge Law Enforcement Scholarship
- Must be a U.S. citizen who graduated from a Linn County high school.
- Must have completed one semester in Criminal Justice.
- Must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average.
Michael J. Gould Criminal Justice Endowed Scholarship
- Must be enrolled in Criminal Justice.
- Must indicate your interest in a career in corrections or law enforcement.
- Must demonstrate financial need.
Careers in criminal justice increase every year. And, with technology continuing to advance, even more opportunities for those with a criminal justice background are being created. Potential careers in criminal justice include:
- Police officer
- Private detective
- Forensic science
- Insurance investigator
- Deputy
- Corrections officer
- Probation/parole officer
- Reentry specialist
Resources:
Criminal Justice students are encouraged to join the Kirkwood chapter of SkillsUSA, a workforce development organization for students with nearly 400,000 members nationally.
SkillsUSA is one of eight recognized members of the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO). CTSOs are co-curricular groups that help students in career and technical education programs further their knowledge and skills by participating in activities, events, and competitions.
Sample Coursework
CRJ-100 Introduction to Criminal Justice
Provides an overview of the American criminal justice system and examines the process of justice administration through the agencies of law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: none; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-101 Ethics in Criminal Justice
Examines the ethical considerations facing the criminal justice practitioner. Includes determining moral behavior, developing moral and ethical behavior, ethics and law enforcement, ethics and the courts, ethics and corrections, policy and management issues, professionalism, pride and ethics for practitioners.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-111 Police and Society
Examines police as part of society's official control apparatus. A theory-based course which utilizes a multiple causation model to explain police issues, integrating six core elements: history, role, socialization, culture, function, and experience. Students study police history, police role and organization, the making of a police officer, police behavior, stress, the delivery of effective police services, and the future of law enforcement.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-120 Introduction to Corrections
Examines the history, theories and practices of penal institutions, both adult and juvenile. Additionally explores penal reform in relation to various objectives of modern penology.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-130 Criminal Law
Reviews the historical development of criminal law and the resulting philosophy of law that has developed. The law-making process, with the societal and political influences, is examined and discussed. Comparisons of common law with contemporary law are analyzed in an attempt to determine what impact historical events and societal changes have had in bringing about change.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-133 Constitutional Criminal Procedure
Studies the development of fundamental principles in constitutional law, integrating a case-by-case study of United States Supreme Court decisions and a broad examination of the judicial legal processes. Coverage includes the nature of judicial review, powers of the Supreme Court, president, Congress and federalism.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-136 Correctional Law
Explores current statutory and case law pertinent to correctional concepts, facilities and related topics. Examines major legal issues: incarceration, probation, parole, restitution, pardon, restoration of rights, and related topics. Students identify and discuss legal issues which directly affect correctional systems and personnel.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-141 Criminal Investigation
Presents the basic principles of investigation, both public and private, including: examination of the scene, collecting physical evidence, interrogations and interviews, sketching a scene, report writing, and basic photography. Special methods of investigating certain crimes are explored, and the function of the crime laboratory discussed.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-200 Criminology
Surveys the nature, causes and extent of crime and delinquency; major consideration is given to various explanations from numerous disciplines.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: SOC-110; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-201 Juvenile Delinquency
Analyzes the various components of delinquency: home, school, peer group, and community structure. Explores the role of therapeutic and detention centers and the juvenile court, as well as approaches to prevention and treatment.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: SOC-110; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-202 Cultural Awareness for Criminal Justice Practitioners
Expands the student's awareness of both cognitive knowledge and skills necessary to interact effectively with and serve culturally diverse populations. Emphasizes attitudes, competencies, and behavioral issues in interracial and cross-cultural contacts between criminal justice practitioners and a diverse citizenry. Sociological frameworks allow for examination of diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, poverty, religion, age, disability, and language minorities.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100, SOC-110; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-220 Community-Based Corrections
Studies the principles and practice of corrections as applied in the community setting. Includes examination of theories of corrections that apply to the correctional practices of parole and probation. Also explores alternative treatment programs utilized in community halfway houses, alternative jails, and outpatient facilities.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-222 Correctional Treatment Methods
Examines the history, evolution and development of correctional treatment in the United States and presents an overview of the strategies and various protocols that are used in the rehabilitation and counseling of juvenile and adult criminal offenders who are incarcerated, or assigned to residential facilities through judicial referrals. Institutional and non-institutional programs are reviewed and treatment models discussed.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-120; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-232 Community-Oriented Policing and Problem Solving
Utilizes community-oriented policing philosophy and problem-oriented policing methods. Emphasizes active research into crime patterns, to explain them in terms of environmental influences and develop strategies to prevent and/or control crime problems.
Credits: 3, Hours: (3/0/0/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-924 Honors Project
Allows a qualified honors student to pursue a special concentration of study under the guidance of a faculty member. Requires completion of an honors project contract.
Credits: 1, Hours: (1/0/0/0), Prereq: none; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A; Comments: Requires approval of supervising professor and dean.
CRJ-928 Independent Study
Provides readings, papers and basic research or other projects under the individual guidance of a staff member.
Credits: 1, Hours: (1/0/0/0), Prereq: none; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
CRJ-932 Internship
Provides placement in a criminal justice agency in a student capacity. Work experience in an agency under supervision of professionals in the field permits students to learn what career opportunities are offered.
Credits: 1, Hours: (0/0/3/0), Prereq: CRJ-100; Coreq: none; Arts & Sciences Elective Code: A
“I love all the expected aspects of community college – cost, location, smaller classes – but at Kirkwood, all of that comes with a really direct connection to the 4-year school I’m transferring to. I’m in contact with advisors and people from the Agriculture department at Iowa State who make sure I can easily transition over there. It gives me a lot of peace of mind and feels like I’m already a part of my ISU program in a lot of ways.”
Katelyn Kucera,
Traer, Iowa