AAS Criminal Justice
Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice

This two-year Associate in Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice is designed to prepare students, with or without experience, for entry-level jobs in criminal justice fields such as law enforcement, the court system, corrections, and security. The program combines a broad background of courses in the area of law enforcement, corrections, and criminal law with a sound liberal arts education. Employment opportunities for graduates are available in city, county, and state agencies, as well as, private industry and the armed forces.

Program Competencies

• Provide a detailed analysis of the criminal justice process (Ability to distinguish between and explore the roles and relationships between the police, courts, and corrections).

• Evaluate the functions and roles of various criminal justice practitioners in the operation of an ethical and professional system of justice that exists within a democratic society.

• Explore problems associated with providing justice in a diverse and stratified society.

• Scrutinize the history, functions, policies, and procedures used in each subsystem of justice and offer creative alternatives to current practice.

• Explicate the various crimes within the penal code and the potential punishments associated with each.

• Present a detailed explanation of the principles and pilosophical structure of Criminal Law and the Rules of Evidence.

• Demonstrate proper dactylographic procedures and successfully lift a fingerprint while demonstrating basic scene processing procedures.

• Assess criminological theories of crime causation.

Program Assessment

Candidates for the Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in the outcomes assessments conducted by the academic units of the College, including general education. Students of the Criminal Justice program are required to take the Area Concentration Achievement Test (ACAT) during their last semester.

Key Questions

Are you a "detail" person?

• Careers in criminal justice require careful attention to and documentation of details.

Are you able to work different shifts?

• Law enforcement and corrections officers normally work different shifts in the course of their jobs.

Do you like to work outdoors?

• Law enforcement and corrections officers often work outdoors while performing their duties.

Are you comfortable wearing and, possibly, using firearms?

• Most careers in law enforcement, corrections, and private security require persons to wear firearms and to be able to use firearms if extreme circumstances warrant.

* For further information, please contact James Hartley at: jehartley@smail.anc.edu or call (870) 780-1208.