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SEC/341

Criminology and the Criminal Justice System

3 credits

Total credits

5 weeks

Course length

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Take this course on its own, or as part of a degree or certificate program.

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Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

Course level: Upper Division

This course identifies the theories of criminology and its influence on society from social, political, individual and theoretical perspectives. The course examines types of criminal activity and provides students with an understanding of the causes of criminal behavior and the societal response to crime. The course also identifies and discusses the various elements of the United States' criminal justice system and related current trends of social media and perceived disparages.

Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

What you'll learn

Course skills and outcomes

  • Define the terms: crime, criminal law, and criminology.
  • Explain crime and criminal offender typologies.
  • Describe issues related to victims and victimization and their effects on crime prevention, investigation, and prosecution.
  • Summarize how Unified Crime Reporting (UCR) and crime data analysis can enable improved understanding of criminal behavior.

  • Analyze the rational choice theory.
  • Examine the trait theories.
  • Consider the social structural theory.
  • Assess the social process theories.
  • Compare the developmental theories.

  • Classify different type of crimes, including violent, non-violent, organized, and social-based crimes.
  • Explain the effects of criminal profiling on criminal activity.
  • Summarize the effects of the public’s perception on the use of less-lethal devices on crime prevention.
  • Examine the effectiveness of various measures designed to reduce recidivism.

  • Summarize the political and governmental influences on criminal laws and the ability to enforce them.
  • Describe the effects of cybercrime on society and government.
  • Explain the effects of drug abuse, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and prostitution on public health and society.
  • Differentiate between terrorism and traditional crimes, including the roles of the different criminal justice system entities in managing those crime types.

  • Compare traditional and contemporary crime control measures.
  • Evaluate the influence and effectiveness of different security measures on crime prevention and mitigation, including partnerships and collaboration.
  • Examine the use of ethical standards within law enforcement and the ramifications such standards present.
  • Evaluate community supervision policies and practices that promote successful reentry.

Why UOPX

Why take courses at University of Phoenix

Accreditation that matters

We’ve been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) for more than 40 years.

Real-world instructors

Learn from instructors who bring an average of 25 years of working experience to the classroom.

Affordable and potentially reimbursable

Our tuition and fees are competitive and fixed. Also, check to see if your employer will cover you for this course.

Next Steps

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Transfer Credits

Credit Transfer

Need to transfer credits to another college or university?

Before you enroll in a course, check with your school of choice to make sure they will accept our transfer credits and to understand any requirements or limitations. Then you can complete your course, and request your official transcript be sent to your school. That’s it!

How to request your transcripts

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. Although our continuing teacher education courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing teacher education courses are not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid. Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.