The Criminal Justice program was established in 1972 as a unit within the Department of Political Science, Edmonds Classroom Building under the leadership of Dr. Jesse Bowe, Director and the only faculty.

In 1973 a second faculty member, Joseph Sroka was hired. Due to the disparate allocation of resources with the University of North Carolina system, a Consent Decree was enacted in 1978 to help foster the development of HBCU/predominantly black institutions.

As a result of student enrollment in criminal justice and the Consent Decree, the University of North Carolina system allocated funds to build what is now known as the Albert N. Whiting Criminal Justice Building in 1981. The Graduate Program was established in 1984 to offer the Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. The Department of Criminal Justice has evolved from a program in Political Science in 1972 to a free standing department in spring 1992.

Over the past six years the number of undergraduate criminal justice majors increased 98%, i.e. from 291 in Fall 2001 to 575 in Fall 2007. The number of graduate students increased from 44 to 49 during the same time period. Criminal Justice is the second largest academic unit within the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Student learning and outcomes serve as the cornerstone for the Department's academic and learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Students are challenged to be critical and analytical consumers of information and advocates for social justice in order to be competitive in seeking employment in criminal justice and related agencies.

To this end, the Department has a commitment to self-evaluation in order to meet the changing workforce demands and changing demographics of the student population.

The mission of the Department of Criminal Justice is to prepare students to become leaders, outstanding practitioners, scholars, and advocates for social justice in a diverse and global society.

To be nationally and internationally recognized for academic excellence, research and advocacy in criminal justice.

Department Goals

Goal 1:    To provide students with the core knowledge and skills necessary to enter criminal justice professions and/or pursue graduate/professional studies.

Goal 2:    To provide students with the critical and analytical problem solving skills needed to achieve academic success.

Goal 3:    To offer online undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Criminal Justice to better serve nontraditional students and promote workforce development.  

Goal 4:    To provide students with experiential learning opportunities to ensure their competencies in a global and diverse society.

Goal 5:    To promote research service learning and interdisciplinary collaboration to advocate for social justice and community building. 

Goal 6:    To conduct regular assessments to promote continuous improvement in program offerings to ensure the quality of student learning and student success (retention, graduation and placement).  

Goal 7:    To further develop the department's institutes/center capacities in the areas of research, collaborative efforts throughout the university and beyond, student learning, and community engagement.

The Department seeks to provide its students with a learning experience, classroom and experiential, that embraces technology and leadership skills in order for them to effectively advocate for constructive social change, excel in their selective career path and to be good citizens in a diverse and global world community. Thus, students who are graduated from the Department of Criminal Justice will:

1. Demonstrate the abilities to examine and reflect on critical and analytical thinking skills in a problem solving capacity in criminal justice and related concerns.
2. Demonstrate leadership skills, written and oral, to effectively communicate in a diverse and global society
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the juvenile and criminal justice systems and their impact on crime prevention and control.
4. Exhibit qualities that reflect their ability to exercise ethical and sound judgment in their personal and professional lives.
5. Participate in real-time experiential learning about the operations of a criminal justice or related agency or organization in the public or private sectors.
6. Engage in efforts to promote public safety through a heightened sense of social justice, leadership, and civic engagement.
7. Exhibit skill and knowledge set to assume a position in a public or private criminal justice or related organization.