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  Criminal Justice

Assessment Plan

Criminal Justice Program Assessment Plan from the Criminal Justice Council.  The purpose of higher education programs in criminal justice is to educate.  Students to enter this broad field or to prepare them for graduate school: 

The plan for assessing our success in moving toward our purpose is to focus each year on one or two goals from the list that follows.  The goals will be chosen by the department following input from our internal and external advisory boards.  These boards will focus on contemporary issues as to the needs of the profession when making recommendations. 

Goals 

1. The student will gain critical thinking skills that will enable him orher to conceptualize his or her thoughts to analyze typical legal, technological, scientific and human behavior problems encountered by entry level criminal justice professionals or for entry into graduate school. 

Assessment of Goal

The assessment of this goal will be conducted both internally and externally.  Annually, the department will study changes as to the academic achievements of entering students: high school grades, class standing and SAT scores; we will poll graduates and maintain records of scores on graduate school entrance examinations and professional certifying examinations. 

2.  The student will effectively communicate thoughts in oral presentationand written form. 

Assessment of Goal

The curriculum has a multitude of courses that integrate these skills. Students will be required to build a portfolio of samples representing their written and oral accomplishments that will be housed with the student’s academic advisor. Students who are about to graduate will review the folder with their advisor.  The advisor will prepare a written evaluation as to any observed change.   

3.  Students will have gained a comprehensive knowledge of the field:

(a). Criminal justice and juvenile justice processes (law, crime, and administration of justice)

(b). Criminology (the causes of crime, typologies, offenders, and victims)

(c). Law Enforcement (police organization, discretion, subculture, and legal constraints)

(d). Law Adjudication (criminal law, criminal procedure, prosecution, defense, and court procedures and decision-making)

(e). Corrections (incarceration, community-based corrections, and treatment of offenders) 

Assessment of Goal

Student achievement as represented by a grade is an important measure as is feedback from employers where our students complete internships.  Professional certifying examinations is a valuable measure of success. We will poll graduates on their success as to certifying examinations. 

4.  Students will be able to recognize and evaluate the ethics of behavior of criminal justice professionals, and apply their knowledge to relevant and dynamic fact situations. 

Assessment of Goal

Students are engaged in dialogue about professional ethic from the beginning of their curriculum.  They generally are barred from entry in the fields of criminal justice if they have criminal records.  Their employment success is a measure of this goal.

5. Students will have the ability to utilize technology in processing and applying data to gain reliable and valid information.

Assessment of Goal 

All students must complete a course in technology that provides a basis for further study in research methodology.  The achievements in their research projects will be a measure of success.  As students complete the research component of their curriculum, the faculty member offering the course will inform the department as to the technical abilities of the students. 

6. Students will become inquisitive and informed citizens with an understanding of governmental process and public management and policy so as to allow themselves to intelligently analyze, weigh and discuss information found in literature and the media.

Assessment of Goal 

The integration of current issues as portrayed in the media is utilized in all criminal justice courses.  Students will be encouraged to read and view news media.  Course outlines will reflect the use of news media.  Students will be encouraged to participate in student government. 

7. Students will demonstrate an awareness and sensitivity to social problems, human behavior, race and ethnic relations, as well as issues of diversity.

 Assessment of Goal

The integration of current issues as portrayed in the media is utilized in all criminal justice courses.  Students will be encouraged to read and view news media.  Course outlines will reflect the use of news media.  Students will be encouraged to participate in student government 

9. Students may have assessed their interests and applied their classroom knowledge through meaningful and relevant internship experiences.

Assessment of Goal

 Records of student internships and the presentation, by the students, of written and oral presentations following their experiences reveal the level of learning.

 10. Students will demonstrate effective communication skills in a modern foreign language or American Sign Language.

Assessment of Goal

 The students will be encouraged to utilize these skills as mentors and tutors for lower level students.  Field trips, internships and study abroad programs will be encouraged. Records of student success in academic language courses will be examined.  Job placement where the job description requires the utilization of these skills will be an important source of data.  We will poll graduates as to the need and sufficiency of training in language skills as they relate to their professional responsibilities.  We will inquire both about the need for foreign language skills generally within their workplace and specifically for their responsibilities.