One of the objectives in many criminal justice programs across the country is to foster critical thinking skills in students. At the California State University Bakersfield Department of Criminal Justice, a main goal of the program is to teach students to think critically. The program will help students analyze and discuss issues in relation to crime and justice, the court system and legal issues. The student will think critically about these issues which means considering different perspectives and independent thinking.
The goal of most criminal justice programs, including the program at the University of Maryland, is to ensure the graduates from the program are prepared with an understanding of the legal system. Included in this understanding would be the legal constraints needed to make informed decisions in the field. In the case of a student with a degree in criminal justice who goes on to work as a corrections officer, a complete understanding of the court and justice system is important.
Programs such as Introduction to Criminal Justice, American Government, and Criminal Law in Action, Law Enforcement Administration, Criminal Investigation and Juvenile Delinquency are examples of some required courses which help meet the objective to prepare the student with a legal and criminal understanding.
Along with understanding the legal and criminal justice system, most criminal justice programs also have an objective to mold students interested in staying informed. For example, an objective at the University of Cincinnati Online Master Program in Criminal Justice is to mold students who are informed in the realm of criminal justice research. The goal is for students to continue to stay up on criminal justice and legal trends and knowledge in the industry.
An objective for many criminal justice programs is to mold students to become leaders in the field. For example, at the University of Cincinnati students are encouraged to go back into their communities and become leaders. This role in the community would help them act as an agent of change in the criminal justice system in the respective communities.