Sociology and Criminal Justice
The Sociology and Criminal Justice program provides a foundation for students to pursue careers in social services including social work, reentry services, victim services, law enforcement, probation and parole, law offices, and criminal justice research organizations.
From the global pandemic to increasing social inequalities to massive, sustained protests against police brutality, our program provides students knowledge and skills essential to build a future addressing social justice concerns that characterize contemporary society.
Students are offered the opportunity work as research assistants and gain valuable for-credit internships at various social service and criminal justice agencies. Through these opportunities, students gain experience tackling social problems such as addressing homelessness, assisting crime victims with needed services, providing resources for those reentering their communities, recognizing and preventing social harms, and creating meaningful public policy.
Graduates from our program are prepared to attend law school as well as pursue graduate work in sociology, criminal justice, criminology, and psychology.Faculty
Our faculty members conduct research in a range of areas within the disciplines of sociology and criminology including immigration rights and policies, wrongful convictions, police-citizen communication, post-prison education, reentry, and crime and popular media.
Institutes and Centers
The Sociology & Criminal Justice Department houses three Centers:
- Center for Crime & Popular Culture
- Institute for Peace and Justice
- Post-Prison Program
Our SFC community is enhanced by the Centers housed in the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department. The Centers host an array of interdisciplinary guest speakers, journalists, practitioners, community activists, and research professionals. The Centers are primary sponsors of the SFC Senior Lecture Series that regularly hosts events, film/documentary screenings, and seminars. The Series brings together students, senior citizens, and other community members to explore historical and contemporary developments in sociology and criminology.
A Sampling of Recently Introduced Courses:
- Wrongful Convictions
- Prisons and Prisoners in America
- Problems of Urban Law Enforcement
- Media, Crime, and Criminal Justice
- Victimology
- Cultural Criminology
- Crime, Justice, and American Fiction
- Sex Crimes and American Justice
- Post-War Social Movements
