Criminal Justice Studies

College of Health and Social Sciences

Interim Dean: Dr. Andreana Clay

Criminal Justice Studies Program

Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Brown
HSS 359
Phone: (415) 405-4129
Website: cj.sfsu.edu

Program Scope

The multidisciplinary program in Criminal Justice Studies explores the conception and implementation of law, crime and justice systems and ideas. The program emphasizes critical thinking about law, crime and justice systems and their entanglement with larger political economic processes. In particular, the program explores how ideas and systems of crime, law and justice shape broader issues of social justice, especially those related to the experience of race, class, gender, sexuality, and age inequity in the U.S. The program teaches students the skills of critical analysis and ethical reasoning such that students can challenge structures and assumption and innovatively contribute to the assessment of alternative solutions to problems associated with the identification control and prevention of crime and delinquency.

Students seeking a major or minor begin with foundation courses that examine constructions of crime and provide a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding issues of crime, law and justice, both within and outside of criminal justice systems. Both majors and minors will pursue coursework within and across multiple areas of emphasis within the field of criminal justice studies, including Power & Inequality and Criminal Justice Law and Administration. Majors and minors will also take coursework in general electives, which span the following areas: 

  1. Administration of Justice. Students explore the central features of criminal justice systems. Courses include the treatment of distinguishing features of the U.S. criminal justice system and comparative perspectives of systems around the globe. Attention is given to recurring problems, including abuse of authority, community conflict, and discrimination in case processing. Students have opportunities to learn methods and applications for studying criminal justice systems and processes.
  2. Crime and Delinquency. Courses in this area expose students to major explanations of what brings about different forms of juvenile delinquency and adult criminality. Students have opportunities to explore biological, feminist, economic, international, psychological, racial, and sociological perspectives of crime and delinquency. In addition to addressing street crime, courses are available for learning about hate crime, organized crime, terrorism, and white-collar crime.
  3. Legal Studies. Attention is given to legal doctrine relevant to criminal justice, the practice of law by criminal justice agents, and the experience of law by defendants, family members, and victims. Courses include distinctive disciplinary perspectives of law as well as issues faced by particular populations. Students have the opportunity to learn and apply legal analysis, including case law and the development of legal briefs.
  4. Working with Diverse Communities. Working in the criminal justice system in any capacity requires interacting with individuals from diverse family, cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. Courses in this area expose students to a deeper understanding and appreciation of individuals and groups from backgrounds other than their own. These courses help students develop communication skills to bridge cultural differences while working toward common goals related to the pursuit of social as well as criminal justice.

Students pursuing the major will complete their coursework with a culminating field experience.

A network of criminal justice agencies and personnel in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area serves as a powerful asset for students. An active Criminal Justice Student Association plans and implements community service activities, has a guest lecture program featuring criminal justice professionals, and creates a sense of community on campus.

Career Outlook

The major and minor provide training for students who anticipate they will be engaged in their communities regarding issues of law, crime, and justice as well as those seeking related careers in government, law, and higher education. Career opportunities include those in law enforcement, diversion, crime analysis, probation, parole, corrections, juvenile justice, victim advocacy, corporate security, community development, and justice research. Students who intend to pursue graduate education in criminal justice, justice studies, criminology, and related fields, as well as those planning to apply to law school, are encouraged to consider the major and minor in Criminal Justice Studies.

Professor

Elizabeth Brown (2006), Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. University of Washington.

Carina Gallo (2018), Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. Stockholm University.

Jeffrey B. Snipes (2002), Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. State University of New York, Albany.

Associate Professor

George Barganier (2014), Associate Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley.

Dilara Yarbrough (2016), Associate Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. University of California, San Diego.

Assistant Professor

Angelica Camacho (2018), Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. University of California, Riverside.

Albert de la Tierra (2022), Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. City University of New York.

Armín Fardis (2024), Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. Harvard University.

Navi Kaur (2023), Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. University of California, Irvine.

Lecturer

Ishman Anderson (2017), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. Ed.D. San Francisco State University.

C. Jason Bell (2013), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. M.S. San Francisco State University.

James Dudley (2013), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. M.A. University of California, Irvine.

Gina James (2022), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. M.A. San Francisco State University.

Mary Juno (2013), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. M.Sc. University of Strathclyde.

Dan Macallair (1996), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. M.P.A. San Jose State University.

Sam Moussavi (2020), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. M.A. San Francisco State University.

Elizabeth Tejada (2018), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. J.D. University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Dan Vencill (2011), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. Ph.D. Stanford University.

John Viola (2005), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. J.D. City University of New York School of Law.

Kimberly Wong (2022), Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies. M.S. California State University, Long Beach.

Major

Minor

Explanation of Course Descriptions, Symbols, and Terms

C J 200 Construction of Crime and Justice (Units: 3)

Critical analysis of the images, realities, and mythological construction of crime, as well as the criminal justice system in the U.S. [Formerly C J 520]

C J 230 Crime, Data, and Analysis (Units: 3)

Introduction to practices of knowledge production related to crime and criminal justice. Analysis of the practices of "crime speak": what we say, why we say it, and what consequences talking about crime and criminological data have in society today. Exploration of how crime is defined, measured, and analyzed; how the definition of crime shapes the practices of data collection and dissemination; and the impact of knowledge production on people.

Course Attributes:

  • D1: Social Sciences

C J 300 Criminal Justice: A Cross-Disciplinary Perspective (Units: 4)

Prerequisites:GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

Analysis and critique of the contemporary criminal justice system. Includes field observation and guest lecturers. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 unit.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

C J 306 Crisis in Central America: U.S. Policy and the Root Causes of Chaos (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Explore the background and current crisis in Central America with a special focus on the political, social, and economic relations of the countries of Central America to the United States.
(This course is offered as I R 306 and C J 306. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

C J 320 Literature in Criminal Justice - Crime Control, Due Process, and Class Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; C J 300 and a GWAR course (may be taken concurrently).

Critical appraisal of basic perspectives on the criminal process as reflected in published sources; primarily fiction as well as some non-fiction. Literature is selected for its value in clarifying and pursuing the basic perspectives of crime control, due process, and class justice.

C J 323 Ethics in Criminal Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Area A2; C J 300 (may be taken concurrently).

Explores ethical issues related to the institution of the criminal justice system, the professions of criminal justice, and politics intended to address crime, law, and justice.

C J 330 Research Methods in Criminal Justice Studies Activity (Unit: 1)

Prerequisites: Upper-division Criminal Justice majors; GE Area A2; C J 300 (may be taken concurrently); concurrent enrollment in C J 330GW*.

Practice of research methods in criminal justice studies in real-world field settings. Activity.

C J 330GW Research Methods in Criminal Justice - GWAR (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Criminal Justice majors; GE Area A2*; C J 300* (may be taken concurrently); concurrent enrollment in C J 330*.

Heuristics refers to data gathering. How and by what basic procedures is data gathered in criminal justice? Data gathering strategies and techniques, the nature of data gathered by official, governmental agencies, and alternatives to the present arrangement. (ABC/NC grading only)

Course Attributes:

  • Graduation Writing Assessment

C J 335 Legal Writing and Research (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300 (may be taken concurrently); a GWAR course; or permission of the instructor.

The legal brief as the focus of strong inference writing in criminal justice. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 unit.

C J 340 Comparative Criminal Justice (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Ways in which institutions of criminal justice in one society compare with those in other societies. Attention is given to U.S., British, European, Asian, and African systems. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 unit.
(This course is offered as C J 340 and I R 341. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C J 360 Intelligence and Intelligence Agencies (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

The role of modern intelligence agencies in international politics. Areas of study include cyber warfare, intelligence collection, hybrid war, and the comparative structures of different intelligence agencies around the world.
(This course is offered as I R 360 and C J 360. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C J 362 The Making of US Foreign Policy (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing; GE Area A2; C J 200 or I R 310 or PLSI 200; or permission of the instructor.

The role of domestic and transnational actors in making U.S. foreign policy. Examine American culture, media, interest groups, social movements, corporations, and lobbies on policy outcomes. Analyze domestic factors and constraints on U.S. foreign policy decision-making. Consider global constraints and influences on US foreign policy and the impact of international events on Americans.
(This course is offered as I R 362, PLSI 362, and C J 362. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • Global Perspectives

C J 400 Police and Public Policy (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; or permission of the instructor.

The scope of police activities, police administration, discretion, accountability, affirmative action, public relations, new technologies, and changing criminal procedure. Issues that the police can and should accomplish, by what rules, and under whose control.

C J 401 Criminal Profiling (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; or permission of the instructor.

Analysis of the application of personality studies in homicide, arson, rape, and terrorist cases.

C J 405 Organized Crime (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; or permission of the instructor.

Organized criminal enterprise recognizes no geographic, legal, or moral boundaries. Salient characteristics and impact of criminal organizations in various settings and crime control strategies.

C J 410 Crime Scene Investigation (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to Criminal Justice Studies majors and minors.

A critical examination of the myths of CSI and a realistic perspective on the roles and duties of forensic and investigative personnel. Application of the scientific method and logical reasoning to careful analysis of the physical evidence present at crime scenes. Additional topics will include probative value and probability of physical evidence; documenting evidence using photos, diagrams, and reports; collecting and preserving evidence; maintaining the chain of custody; and legal and safety considerations. Emphasis on commonly encountered types of evidence, and writing clear, accurate, and mechanically sound reports for use in court.

C J 420 Introduction to Forensic Science (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; C J 300* (may be taken concurrently).

Introduces students to scientific evidence and operations of a crime lab, pure and applied science, and the scientific method as applied to evidence analysis. Explores the sub-disciplines of forensic science, characteristics of evidence, methods of laboratory analysis, requirements of courtroom admissibility, expert testimony, and forensic error. Lecture, 2 units; activity 1 unit.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science

C J 435 Race, Crime, and Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

Ethnic studies methods and cross-cultural perspectives examine the rise of institutions of law enforcement, juvenile and criminal justice, case studies, life histories, and community service learning internships. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as LTNS 430 and C J 435. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

C J 450 Jails and Prisons (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

The political economy of the prison industry in the U.S. with a focus on the jail as well as the prison. Field study at the San Quentin and San Francisco jails.

C J 451 The Architecture of Incarceration (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; or permission of the instructor.

The connections between the architectural design and management of U.S. jails and prisons.

C J 452 Criminological Theory (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4.

The social, economic, and political context in which criminological theories (past and present) emerged and how they are reflected in legal practices.
(This course is offered as SOC 451 and C J 452. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C J 460 Community Corrections and Sentencing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Deinstitutionalization movement within the prison industry in the U.S. Development of the scale and reach of the prison industry, incarceration rates relative to violent and non-violent offenses, incarceration rates for drug offenses, development of decentralized, and community-related sentencing.

C J 461 Terrorism and Covert Political Warfare (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Terrorism and covert political warfare as international instruments especially since World War II. The use of terror and covert political warfare and the responses to their use.
(This course is offered as C J 461 and I R 361. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C J 470 Juvenile Justice (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4.

Analysis of "delinquency," emergence and administration of juvenile law, and analysis of social organizations for youthful offenders. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as SOC 452 and C J 470. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C J 471 Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the punitive turn in juvenile justice and the impact on youth. Consideration of how changing concepts of childhood, criminal behavior, and moral development impacted the juvenile court system. Analysis of how courts have responded to the punitive turn with a focus on reform and decarceration.

C J 475 Intervention Policies in Juvenile Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

A critical examination of juvenile justice treatment and intervention policies over the past 200 years. Special emphasis on contemporary systems of care and revolutionizing practices.

C J 480 California Corrections System (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; or permission of the instructor.

Development of California's correctional system, among the ten largest in the world. Critical junctures, including the introduction of the convict labor system, good time, progressive penology and the prison building boom.

C J 485 Latina/o Youth, Crime, and Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

Examination of Latino juvenile justice, the myths and realities, and the over-incarceration of Latino youth: its sources, costs, and consequences; and impact on individuals, families, and communities. Latino experiences with schooling, police, gangs, drugs, "juvie," and caseworkers. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as LTNS 485 and C J 485. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

C J 490 Immigration, Criminalization, and Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Survey of dynamics that drive immigration from the Global South, the political, cultural and economic, incorporation of immigrants, the criminalization of immigrants, the merger of criminal and immigration law enforcement, the impacts of detention and deportation, and the histories and social change produced by immigrant communities.

C J 501 Criminal Law (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; a GWAR course; or permission of the instructor.

Substantive criminal law: legal adjudication within the criminal justice system and the criteria according to which guilt is established. Types of crime: homicide, rape, theft, and business crimes. Disposition of convicted offenders. [CSL may be available]

C J 502 Criminal Procedure (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; a GWAR course; or permission of the instructor.

The salient norms of criminal adjudication as they have developed in case law reflecting 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendment issues incorporated via the 14th Amendment. Reasonableness, probable cause, privacy, penumbral rights, the assistance of counsel, and federalism.

C J 510 Analysis of the Felon in Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4, or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the process of Re-entry (post-incarceration) from the perspective of individuals who have lived it. Lecture, 1 unit; activity, 2 units.
(This course is offered as SOC 510 and C J 510. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C J 511 Critical Analysis of Re-entry and Housing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Examine the strange, tumultuous, and sometimes cruel period of reentry after incarceration. Explore current approaches to re-entry, focusing on the key element of housing. A critical look at dated and current theories concerning re-integration/integration, examining theories inspired by medical, social, and criminology models. Critically examine current practices of reentry, which tend towards a one size fits all (cookie-cutter) approach. Lecture, 2 units; activity, 1 unit.
(This course is offered as SOC 511, C J 511, and USP 511. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

C J 515 Extremism as Crime (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; a GWAR course; or permission of the instructor.

Domestic extremism in the U.S. (militia, hate crimes, terrorism).

C J 525 Global Restorative Justice and Corrections (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; C J 323GW or C J 330GW.

Restorative justice practices as alternatives to incarceration, focusing on international practices.

C J 530 Geographies of Social Control and Urban Diversity (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; or permission of the instructor.

Geographical distribution of crime, law and justice systems. Informal and formal mechanisms of social control in urban space.

C J 535 Alternatives to Criminalization (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300.

Examination of the causes and consequences of criminalization with a focus on alternative responses that improve safety and communities without the use of police, jails, or prisons. Study of the criminalization of drugs, poverty, immigrants, youth, sex work, and other communities or practices. Engagement with Bay Area organizations working on community organizing and redistributive policies as solutions to the problems of criminalization, incarceration, and harm such as harm reduction, restorative justice, etc. Reflexive, ethical practice of qualitative methods, focused on ethnography and Participatory Action Research.

C J 550 School Violence and Discipline (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; C J 330GW or C J 323GW; or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the perceptions and realities of contemporary public school violence; the range of school disciplinary efforts for their effects and consequences. [CSL may be available]

C J 570 Urban Violence (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the role violence plays in the lives of ghetto subjects; conceptual problems and the socio-political and historical contexts of contemporary manifestations of violence; the world socioeconomic-system in shaping the contours of violence in the American Ghetto.

C J 600 Youth Gangs in Community Context (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; C J 300; C J 330GW or C J 323GW; or permission of the instructor.

Examination of youth gangs in America within their social, economic and political contexts from their earliest development to the present day; theories of gang formation and stories of the gang experience.

C J 605 Criminalization of Gender and Sexuality (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the criminalization of gender and sexuality utilizing feminist and queer perspectives on criminality; understanding of how laws, policing practices, courtrooms, and institutions regulate gender and sexuality; and examination of effects on labor market opportunities, life chances, and gendered ideas of protection and punishment.

C J 680 Field Course in Criminal Justice (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: Restricted to senior standing; C J 300*; a GWAR course (may be taken concurrently); or permission of the instructor.

Data gathering, organization, and presentation of research to students engaged in field studies in any criminal justice system setting. Activity. [CSL may be available]

C J 685 Projects In Teaching Criminal Justice (Units: 1-4)

Prerequisite: C J 300.

Offers undergraduates experience in tutoring other undergraduates in preparing for written examinations in Criminal Justice courses. Tutors assist in organizing legal briefs and analyses in C J 300 and in essay examination preparation in other C J courses. (Students may earn a maximum of 4 units toward the baccalaureate degree for any course(s) numbered 685 regardless of discipline.)

C J 690 Criminal Justice Studies Internship (Units: 1-4)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division Criminal Justice Studies majors and minors.

Fieldwork in approved criminal justice studies related public, private, and non-profit organizations, government and non-government agencies, or local corporations under the supervision of the organization and faculty coordinator. May be repeated for credit on advisement.

C J 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-4)

Prerequisites: C J 300; C J 323GW or C J 330GW; permission of the instructor, major adviser, and department chair.

Supervised study of a particular criminal justice issue selected by the student. May be repeated for a total of 4 units. [CSL may be available]