Proposed Changes

							                                     Overview of Proposed Changes
                                      Criminal Justice Department


Change One: New BS/BA in Criminal justice
Change Two: New Homeland Security minor and Homeland Security Certificate

New BS/BA in Criminal justice
The faculty of the Criminal Justice Department proposes to restructure the existing
criminal justice program moving it from three baccalaureate degree options (Law
Enforcement, Corrections, and Community Crime Prevention) to a single “Criminal
Justice” baccalaureate BS/BA degree. We have decided on this administrative action for
three reasons. Each rationale is guided by our goal of providing a comprehensive quality
education to criminal justice majors. We briefly explain these reasons in the following
paragraphs.

First, a general baccalaureate degree in criminal justice is more recognizable, marketable,
and academically respected. The field of criminal justice calls for well educated
generalists at the baccalaureate level. Our current degree options, Law Enforcement,
Corrections, and Community Crime Prevention are profession specific. Moreover, as
their titles imply, the degrees are bounded by certain subject matter limitations. This is
true from the student’s perspective (i.e., when they seek employment) and the
university’s perspective (i.e., recruiting students). When we surveyed other departments,
we found the vast major of criminal justice and criminology programs in America offer
the “criminal justice” degree, a degree that is universally recognized. Consequently, we
believe our current and prospective students will be better served through a general (and
more traditional) course of study, leading to the criminal justice degree.

We should add that the proposed restructuring plan does not eliminate courses of study in
the areas of law enforcement, correction, or community crime prevention. Students will
still have the option of concentrating their studies in a specific area through the selection
of electives. However, the number of core courses for all students will be increased from
8 to 12 to reflect a greater emphasis on theory, research, and law.

Second, by folding our three-track program into a single degree program and adding new
courses in law, statistics, and comparative criminal justice we enhance the likelihood of
securing accreditation through the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), our
professional association. Our goal is to secure accreditation by 2009. Unfortunately, at
this time, we are not an accredited criminal justice program. We believe our students
deserve better. While the process of securing ACJS accreditation is arduous, the first step
is self-evaluation followed by structured change, when needed. The changes we are
proposing are an essential first-step toward meeting this goal.

Third, the criminal justice program has approximately 300 majors and five tenure-track
faculty. Based on this reality, we simply do not have sufficient faculty (in either their
academic expertise or numbers) to offer three separate undergraduate degrees and a


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graduate degree. The best we can do, which is our intention under the restructured
program, is to offer an area of elective concentration in a subfield of criminal justice,
specifically law enforcement, corrections, and community crime prevention (See
electives under “Course of Study”).

The new undergraduate program would still require a total of 72 credit hours.

New Homeland Security minor and Homeland Security Certificate
The faculty of the Criminal Justice Department proposes to add a minor and a certificate
in Homeland Security. The adoption of a minor and a certificate in Homeland Security is
a response to national circumstances and market demands. This new field of study will
provide students with an educational option designed to prepare them for employment (or
enhance their employment) in the various federal, state, and local agencies charged with
incident management to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist
attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. Moreover, these educational options will
complement the programs of study currently offered within the BA/BS degrees in
Criminal Justice and Fire Sciences Administration.

The minor and certificate in Homeland Security will expose students to basic and
advance concepts of emergency management and disaster preparedness strategies.
Importantly, the two concentrations will be offered in partnership with the Western
Community Policing Institute (WCPI), which is located on the campus of WOU. WCPI
is one of only two programs (the other is collaborating with the University of Michigan)
to receive federal funding (WCPI received $257,000) for the purpose of presenting
Homeland Security training to communities across the nation. The series of five courses
for the Certificate in Homeland Security and eight courses for the Minor in Homeland
Security will introduce students to the strategies and concepts of homeland security.
Students who complete the programs will be prepared to join (or enhance their current
utility in) federal, state, and local governments (and collateral agencies) as they work to
create vigilant, prepared and resilient communities for homeland security.

The minor in Homeland Security would require a minimum of 26 credit hours. The
Certificate in Homeland Security would require a minimum of 20 credit hours.

List of Courses
The following courses will be offered within the new BS/BA in Criminal Justice and the
new Homeland Security minor and Homeland Security Certificate. New courses are
indicated by an asterisk “*”.

Units of study would be divided between core courses and electives as shown below:

Core Courses (Required of all students, 48 Units)
CJ-213D       Introduction to Criminal Justice (4)
CJ-219D       Ethics and Leadership in Criminal Justice (4)
CJ-252        American Court System (4)*
CJ-327W       Research Methods (4)


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CJ-331D       Police and Community (4)
CJ-352        Criminal Law (4)*
CJ-427        Crime Analysis (4)*
CJ-450D       Criminology (4)
CJ-453        Corrections (4)
CJ-407        Seminar (4)
CJ-409        Practicum (8 units)

Criminal Justice Electives: (Select 6 courses, 24 units from the following Criminal
Justice courses or any combination of Social Science or specified Writing courses.
Students electing to take a minor in Homeland Security can not count those courses as
electives. Refer to the University catalog for a complete list of Social Science and
Writing courses.)

CJ-220      Introduction to Homeland Security (4)*
CJ-212D     History/Development of American Law Enforcement (4)
CJ-225      Substance Abuse: Causes, Enforcement, Prevention (4)*
CJ-241D     Community Crime Prevention (4)
CJ-244      Comparative Criminal Justice (4)*
CJ-320      Developing Homeland Security Practices (4)*
CJ-321      Principles of Forensic Investigations (4)
CJ-351      Police Organization and Administration (4)
CJ-403      Field Study (4 units max)
CJ-406      Independent Study (4 units max)
CJ 408      Workshop (1-15)
CJ-420      Implementing Homeland Security Strategies (4)*
CJ-421      Policy Analysis in Criminal Justice (4)*
CJ 422      Community Collaboration and Development (4) *
CJ-423/523W Management of LE Organization (4)
CJ-424/524 Law Enforcement Planning (4)
CJ-425      Program Evaluation/Participation (4) *
CJ-435/535WD Gender, Crime, and Justice (4)
CJ-436/536D Minorities, Crime, Social Policy, and Social Control (4)
CJ-440/540WD Community Crime Prevention Studies (4)
CJ-449      Youth Gangs in American Society (4) *
CJ-452/552 Criminal Procedure (4)
CJ-451/551D Youth Crime and Society (4)
CJ-454/454D Parole and Probation (4)
CJ-455/555D Correctional Casework and Counseling (4)
CJ-456/556 Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice (4)
CJ 458/558 Integrated Services in Community Crime Prevention (4)
CJ 463/563 Juvenile Issues (4)
CJ 499/599 Special Studies in Community Crime Prevention (4)
WR-222      Research and Composition (4)
WR-321      Business and Technical Writing (4)
WR-323      Intermediate Exposition (4)


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Minor in Homeland Security (26 unit minimum)
CJ-220       Introduction to Homeland Security (4) *
CJ-320       Developing Homeland Security Practices (4) *
CJ-420       Implementing Homeland Security Strategies (4) *
CJ-425       Program Evaluation/Participation (4) *

                     OPTION ONE
CJ-421        Policy Analysis in Criminal Justice (4) *
                            -OR-
                     OPTION TWO
CJ-422        Community Collaboration and Development (4) *

Plus two electives from the following:

PS-203        Introduction to International Relations (3)
PS-202        State and Local Government (3)
PS-350        Introduction to Public Policy (3)
PS-351        Introduction to Public Administration (3)
PS-454        Public Personnel Administration (3)
GEOG-413      Urban Geography (4)
GEOG-425      Urban Planning and Policy (4)
HE-227        Community and Public Health
HST-492       World Problems (4) or GEOG 410 Global Issues (4)
GEOG-310      World Regional Geography (4)
GEOG-433      Political Geography (4)

Certificate in Homeland Security (20 units)
CJ-220          Introduction to Homeland Security (4)*
CJ-320          Developing Homeland Security Practices (4)*
CJ-420          Implementing Homeland Security Strategies (4)*
CJ-425          Program Evaluation/Participation (4) *

                     OPTION ONE
CJ-421        Policy Analysis in Criminal Justice (4)*
                            -OR-
                     OPTION TWO
CJ-422        Community Collaboration and Development (4)*




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