Department of Criminology

The Bachelor of Science program in Criminology is based on the study of criminal behavior and society’s response to it, including the analysis of those policies and systems designed to control criminality. Through the in-depth exploration and study of both theoretical and empirical social science research students learn about many aspects of crime as a social phenomenon, including the correlates of crime and criminal behavior, the tools and methods used to study and prevent crime, and the institutions involved in the processing of criminal offenders.

The Department of Criminology promotes excellence in teaching, intensive study, and analysis of criminological theory, criminal justice systems, and law and society. The program strives to prepare students to be exemplars in post-undergraduate education in criminology.  The program also strives to prepare students to be leaders in their chosen profession including research and analysis positions in national and global agencies at various levels.  Graduates of the Criminology program have earned post-baccalaureate degrees from institutions such as Arizona State University, Emory University, Harvard University, Quinnipiac University, Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, and Villanova University. 

Announcements

• The Department of Criminology is pleased to announce that Dr. Margaret Leigey will join the faculty as a full-time tenure-track assistant professor in August 2010.  Dr. Leigey graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. degree in criminology/pre-law and a minor in political science. She attended graduate school at the University of Delaware where she received an M.A. and Ph.D. in criminology. Her dissertation was awarded the George Herbert Ryden Prize for Best Dissertation in the Social Sciences from the University of Delaware in 2008. Her current research interests focus on special populations of inmates, including older life-sentenced inmates, female life-sentenced inmates, and juveniles incarcerated in adult facilities.

• The Department of Criminology and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at The College of New Jersey have partnered to feature a new minor in Quantitative Criminology.  To enter the minor, students will be required to complete one semester of Calculus (MAT 125 or MAT 127), one semester of Statistics (STA 215), and one semester of Criminology (CRI 205).  The statistics courses included in the minor, to be completed by criminology majors in the minor, consist of Design of Experiments (STA 303), Regression Analysis (STA 305), Applied Multivariate Analysis (STA 306), Data Mining and Predictive Modeling (STA 307), and Operations Research (STA 308).  The criminology courses within the minor, to be completed by statistics majors in the minor, include Research Methods (CRI 306), Advanced Criminology (CRI 350-352), and Senior Capstone in Policy Analysis (CRI 498).  Students not majoring in criminology or statistics will select five courses for the minor upon advisement from the departmental coordinators: Dr. David Holleran (Criminology) and Dr. David Holmes (Mathematics and Statistics).