You’ve come to a place where we ask hard questions about the way society responds to criminal behavior. Why do people break the law, and what are the ways in which the criminal justice system responds to them when they do?

Our research seeks to understand crime and the operations of the criminal justice system, as well as find ways to make the system more effective and fair. We explore this challenge while preparing more than 500 undergraduate majors for advancement in the field.

The issues examined in our courses are in the news every day.  These include prison management, gun control, terrorism, cybercrime, sex trafficking, racism and the uneven application of the law. There are cultural and political dimensions to issues such as immigration, child protection, same-sex marriage, homelessness, substance abuse, and hate (bias) crimes—with consequences in the courts and the correctional system.

Graduates of our program go on to careers in law enforcement, academia, law, intelligence, and private investigation. Earning a degree in criminal justice is the first step to a vital, meaningful career.