(5 credits)

Criminal justice encompasses many roles and responsibilities, including responding to victims, punishing or rehabilitating criminals, and developing laws and policies. To carry out these tasks effectively and responsibly, taking into account current trends and ethical considerations, criminal justice professionals need to understand underlying factors, such as the root causes of crime and the impact of crime on communities. In this course, students examine a range of research methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative methods, that professionals use to collect data and analyze trends in criminal justice. They examine models, metrics, and tools used to evaluate criminal justice programs and policies, and they assess the strengths and limitations of research methods. Students also learn about threats to the validity of data and consider the legal and ethical issues associated with research and evaluation methods.