Through the in-depth exploration and study of both theoretical and empirical research drawn from the behavioral and social sciences students learn about many aspects of crime as a social phenomenon, including the correlates of crime and criminal behavior, the tools and methods used to study and prevent crime, and the institutions involved in the processing of criminal offenders. The department seeks to achieve this mission through its curriculum that emphasizes the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills with respect to each of the following:

• the structure and organizational behaviors of the justice system;
• the theories underpinning normative socialization and both formal and informal social control;
• the roles policing, courts, corrections, and laws play in contributing to social control;
• macro and micro level criminology theories regarding the etiology of crime, criminality, and delinquency;
• the measurement, detection, and prevention of crime, criminality, and delinquency;
• the research, planning, and evaluation methods used to expand knowledge in the field;
• the international variations on criminal justice systems and social control and comparative criminology;
• the development and refinement of communication skills both orally and in writing with particular emphasis on persuasive argumentation supported by logic and scholarly research
• the application of knowledge and skills in ways that promote active leadership in governmental agencies, academia, and research.