Sociology and Criminal Justice

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Professors Hardesty, Norland
Associate Professors  DiChiara (Director of Criminal Justice Program), Eichar (Chair), Markson

Sociology is the scientific study of society and social behavior. It is an outgrowth of the unique capacity of humans to wonder about their own and others’ behavior. If you have every wondered why some people are poor and others wealthy, why men are paid more than women for the same work, why neighborhoods are racially segregated, why your clothing is made overseas, or how anyone could abuse a child, then you have experienced the same curiosity about social life that inspires the “sociological imagination.”

Sociology students learn to develop this curiosity into a set of analytical tools that can be used to demystify the complex workings of society. Central to this task is the sociological understanding that the causes of social issues do not solely reside within the private lives of individuals but are linked to the culture and the social structure of our society.

Sociological training is relevant to a wide variety of occupations dealing with social life. Graduates have the skills and perspectives that make them valuable assets in business, nonprofit organizations, and government. Typical jobs in social or health services include group work with youth or the elderly and helping others learn about available social services. Many businesses - such as insurance and marketing firms - nonprofits, and government agencies hire sociologists as researchers, human-resources administrators, or public-relations staff. Students with a degree in sociology go on to graduate work in social work, law, and public policy as well as sociology.

Criminal Justice is a social science that attempts to provide a comprehensive understanding of both criminal behavior and the criminal justice system. It applies a critical approach to criminal behavior and crime-control policy through an interdisciplinary lens, combining the perspectives of sociology, political science, and psychology. The Criminal Justice Program represents a liberal arts approach to crime and justice issues, with an effort to develop critical thinking, writing and data interpretation skills.

The study of criminal behavior and law enforcement is becoming more sophisticated. Professionals who work in today’s police forces, court systems, correctional facilities, or related agencies need a broad social science background to be prepared for the range of career opportunities. The increasing complexity of American law and society requires that criminal justice professionals be properly educated before taking up their duties. Criminal justice graduates are thus ready for careers in law enforcement, court administration, victim services, and corrections, and many use the degree to advance into law school and graduate programs.

Writing Requirement

Most upper-division courses in both programs require that the student complete a formal writing project in conjunction with the course. The writing project ordinarily takes the form of a term or research paper that tests the student’s ability to communicate the course material effectively. The exact nature of these projects is determined by the individual course instructor.

Internships

Both sociology and criminal justice students are required to do an internship. The University’s location next to Hartford, the state capital, provides an exciting and diverse environment in which to study social life, crime and criminal justice. Opportunities for sociology students include working with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, while those for criminal justice majors include working for the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch in the areas of probation and parole.
 

Programs

• Criminal Justice, B.A.
• Sociology, B.A.

• Criminal Justice Minor
• Sociology Minor

• Applied Social Research Certificate

• Sociology Areas

Courses

• SOC 100 - Cooperative Education Program
• SOC 110 - Introduction to Sociology
• SOC 113 - Contemporary Social Issues
• SOC 115 - Introduction to Social Welfare
• SOC 130 - Cultural Anthropology
• SOC 170 - Introduction to Criminal Justice
• SOC 200 - Cooperative Education Program
• SOC 205 - Israel: History and Society
• SOC 225 - Women’s and Gay Rights Social Movements
• SOC 242 - Methods of Social Research
• SOC 254 - The Sociology of the Family
• SOC 256 - The Black Family in American Society
• SOC 258 - The Caribbean American Family
• SOC 271 - Deviance
• SOC 273 - International Organized Crime
• SOC 274 - Sociological Analysis of Prisons and Corrections
• SOC 277 - Policing Society
• SOC 278 - Drugs and Society
• SOC 281 - Women in Society
• SOC 288 - Death and Dying
• SOC 292 - Special Topics in Sociology
• SOC 300 - Cooperative Education Program
• SOC 306 - Archaeology of the Land of Israel
• SOC 307 - Archaeological Field Methods and Material Culture
• SOC 315 - Sociology of Gender and Sexuality
• SOC 318 - Internships
• SOC 319 - Internships
• SOC 320 - Social Relations
• SOC 326 - Sexuality and Social Conflict
• SOC 327 - America in the 1960s
• SOC 328 - Society and the Individual
• SOC 330 - The Law and Forensic Evidence
• SOC 340 - Sociological Theory
• SOC 343 - Statistical Analysis
• SOC 351 - Sociology of Health and Illness
• SOC 363 - Urban Sociology
• SOC 364 - Collective Behavior and Social Movements
• SOC 366 - Work and Leisure
• SOC 372 - Women and Crime
• SOC 375 - Social Control
• SOC 376 - Juvenile Delinquency
• SOC 377 - Contemporary Studies in Sociology
• SOC 378 - Studies in Criminal Behavior
• SOC 379 - Studies in Crime Control
• SOC 382 - Race and Ethnic Relations
• SOC 388 - Aging and Society
• SOC 400 - Cooperative Education Program
• SOC 418W - Senior Practicum
• SOC 419 - Applied Research Internship
• SOC 420 - Social Relations
• SOC 424 - Political Sociology
• SOC 425 - Popular Culture
• SOC 444 - Social Research and Social Policy
• SOC 445 - Applied Research Methods
• SOC 446 - Readings in Sociology
• SOC 456 - Social Welfare
• SOC 460 - Social Inequality
• SOC 461 - Formal Organization and Bureaucracy
• SOC 463 - Social Change
• SOC 470 - Criminology
• SOC 471 - Readings in Criminal Justice
• SOC 473W - Crime, Law, and Administration of Justice
• SOC 475 - Race, Ethnicity, and Crime
• SOC 476 - Street Gangs
• SOC 477 - Advanced Studies in Sociology
• SOC 494 - Special Topics in Sociology
• SOC 497 - Special Topics in Sociology
• SOC 498 - Special Topics in Sociology
• SOC 499 - Special Topics in Sociology