Overview
Whether you are looking to go on for graduate work or immediately to the workplace, a bachelor's degree in criminal justice is designed to develop professional knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system from a biblical vantage-point.
The Criminal Justice major is designed to develop an educational base and skills for the criminal justice system. This program strongly encourages students to pursue firsthand experiences with either local, county, state, or federal agencies. The purpose of the Criminal Justice major is to familiarize you with the content and concepts of the criminal justice system, and to prepare you for graduate school or work in the criminal justice field. You will take courses in various areas of criminal justice, including juvenile delinquency, police work, victimology, and criminal law.
We emphasize the practical side of criminal justice along with the content needed as a foundation. One of the greatest strengths of this major is the faculty who will not only teach you, but will journey with you over the next few years. Our faculty have years of practical experience in the behavioral science field, and continue to work in their various areas of expertise. Many are engaged in research and all have a commitment to the Word of God as a foundation of their work. They are also committed to see their students succeed and grow, even after graduation.
Course Requirements for B.A. and B.S. Criminal Justice
Courses
Examples of courses in this major:
SOC 234 Introduction to Criminal Justice
This course introduces students to the essentials of criminal justice and the most significant issues in today’s American criminal justice system. Students will learn the true roles of the police, courts, and corrections and develop an understanding of the complex ways in which they work together. Information on criminal justice careers will help students learn about the meaning of criminal justice to those who work in the field and will provide useful information that can aid career choices.
SOC336 Juvenile Delinquency
The nature, extent, causes, and methods of control of juvenile delinquency. Emphasis is given to the role of community agencies in prevention and rehabilitation.
SOC337 Criminology
The nature, extent, causes and methods of control of crime. Emphasis is given to the role of community agencies in prevention and rehabilitation. Three hours.
SOC346 Police in American Society
The role of law enforcement in society as it relates to local, state, and federal jurisdictions. Three hours.
SOC356 Victimology
This course will provide an extensive overview of the principles and concepts of traditional and modern victimologists. This course will further examine victimology, analysis of victimization patterns and trends, and theoretical reasoning and responses to criminal victimization. In addition, this course explores the role of victimology in the criminal justice system, examining the consequences of victimization and the various remedies now available for victims. Three hours.
Introducing Specialty Courses
Introduction to Corrections:
This course gives students a broad understanding of how the corrections system works within the more complex system of criminal justice. The course covers topics from sentencing, probation, parole, jail, prison, prison life, prison staff, juvenile justice and reentry. The purpose of this course is to give students a better understanding of this key factor in the criminal justice field, as well as to introduce students to careers in corrections.
Criminal Investigations:
This course will present the procedures, techniques, and applications of criminal investigations. Students will explore the tools used by criminal investigators, they will explain the science behind crime scene analysis and summarize different types of crimes. In addition, this course will discuss modern investigative tools, as well as established investigation policies.
Faculty
The individuals who will challenge you to learn:
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Craig Allebach, B.A., M.A.
Chief of Safety/Instructor of Criminal Justice
Education History
B.A. in Sociology, Grace College; M.A. in counseling, Grace College
About
Prof. Allebach, who joined the Grace College faculty in 2003, teaches from experience, as he served as the Warsaw Chief of Police from 1988 - 1999 and as Captain of the Warsaw Police Department from 1999 - 2000. During his time on the police force, he implemented Project D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), a canine (K9) program, take-home cars, and enhanced 911. He also overhauled the communication center with the latest technology. He has worked as a security consultant and has led workshops on homeland security and risk analysis. In addition to his employment as the Town Coordinator for Winona Lake, Prof. Allebach serves Grace as the Chief of Campus Safety and as an instructor in the Criminal Justice Program.
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Thomas Edgington, B.A., M.A., M.Div., Ph.D.
Chair, Dept. of Behavioral Science, Professor of Behavioral Science
Education History
B.A. in Psychology, Grace College; M.A. in Biblical Counseling, Grace College; M.Div., Grace Theological Seminary; Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, Ball State University
About
Dr. Thomas Edgington joined the Grace College faculty in 1992. He is a licensed psychologist and mental health counselor, who has practiced in community mental health centers, church counseling centers, and private practice. He is involved in ongoing research and has interests in marriage counseling and counseling depression and anxiety.
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Joe Graham B.S., M.A., Psy.D.
Director of Student Health Center/ Part-time Professor of Behavioral Science
Education History
B.S. in Psychology, Grace College; M.A. in Counseling, Colorado Christian; Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology, Adler School of Psychology.
About
Dr. Graham became the Director of the Student Health Center in September of 2011, and began teaching, counseling in the Behavioral Science Department at the same time. He brings a wealth of experience as a counselor, including work in group hours, community mental health centers, and a church counseling center. As a licenced Psychologist, Dr. Graham specializes in adolescents and marital therapy, and has eight years of teaching experience.
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Michael E. Grill, B.A., M.A., Ed.D.
Dean, School of Behavioral Sciences
Education History
B.A. in English, Grace College; M.A. in School Psychology, Ball State University; Ed.D. in School Psychology, Ball State University
About
Dr. Grill, Dean of the School of Behavioral Science, is a licensed school psychologist and has taught at Grace since 1978. He taught in the public school system and was a school psychologist for 10 years before joining the faculty at Grace. He is an elder at his church and takes every opportunity to talk and teach about the Holy Spirit's attributes and role in the Christian life. He is committed to taking regular mission trips to third world countries, and has led numerous workshops on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator for local business and industry. He was the tennis coach at Grace for 23 years and is still very active in tennis, basketball, and golf. He and his wife, Becky, have one son and two grandchildren.
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Brooke Kovac
Professor of Behavioral Science
Education History
B.S. in Criminal Justice, Grace College; B.S. in Psychology, Grace College 2006-2010; M.A. in Criminal Justice, Pennsylvania State University 2010-2012.
About
Brooke recently joined Grace College as an Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice. Brooke has spent time working with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in the Threat Management Unit; the United States Secret Service working with counterfeit and tax evasion; Winona Lake Police Department and Kosciusko County Emergency Management. She has conducted research in Pennsylvania Prisons concerning transgender inmates and victimization, juvenile delinquents in Pennsylvania, police shift work and restraining orders in domestic violence situations.
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Kevin Roberts, B.S., M.A., Psy.D.
Professor of Behavioral Science
Education History
B.S. in Criminal Justice and Psychology, Grace College; M.A. in Counseling, Grace College; Psy.D., Adler School of Professional Psychology
About
Dr. Roberts' special interests include integrated health care practices and behavioral medicine and addiction treatment. In addition, he is working with the Kosciusko County Health Department on a 2–year research grant from the K21 Foundation to study behavioral health intervention in the treatment of diabetes. The basic hypothesis driving the research purports that it is possible to improve the long term health outcomes of individuals diagnosed with Type II Diabetes by adding a psychological component to their treatment. His research is driving towards improved patient outcomes and health care efficiency through integrated care practices.
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George Slaughter, B.S., M.A., Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Education History
B.S. in Biology, Ashland College; M.A. in Counseling, The Ohio State University; Ph.D. in Counseling, The Ohio State University
About
Dr. Slaughter, a licensed psychologist and mental health counselor, joined the Grace College faculty in 1988. Prior to his joining the faculty, he worked in a juvenile center and had his own private counseling practice. His special interests include marriage and family counseling, personality, and working with students.
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James Swanson, B.M., M.A., Ph.D.
Vice President of Student Affairs and Academic Services; Assistant Professor, Sociology
Education History
B.M., William Tyndale College; M.A. in Counseling, Eastern Michigan University; Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Educational Leadership, Western Michigan University
About
Dr. Jim Swanson, Vice President of Student Affairs and Academic Services, joined the Grace College faculty in 1995. In addition to his role in student life, he is an instructor in the GOAL Program and for the School of Behavioral Sciences. He has professional counseling licenses in Michigan and Indiana. His special interests include marriage and family, addictions, statistics, and crisis intervention.
Careers
Some of the positions you can obtain:
Public Advocate
Manage client inquiries by gathering information and responding to questions. Work to research and resolve problems in a timely manner. Assist members in understanding and maximizing the benefits and use of their program.
Correctional Officer
Correctional officers guard inmates inside and outside local, state, and federal prisons. They counsel individuals and groups in prison rules and listen to their complaints and needs.
Police Officer
Close collaboration with the communities they serve to maintain law and order, protect members of the public and their property, prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime and improve the quality of life for all citizens.
State Trooper
State police officers, or state troopers, patrol and enforce laws on highways, issuing traffic tickets, investigating accidents, and administering first aid. They also help motorists by radioing for automobile mechanics and by giving directions and tourist information. Sometimes they check the weight of commercial vehicles and give the public information about highway safety.
Probation Officer
Probation officers monitor offenders who get sentences of supervision – known as probation – instead of or in addition to jail time. They meet with offenders regularly to check their activities and to evaluate their progress. They make regular reports to the courts about the offenders’ behavior. Sometimes they may arrange substance-abuse rehabilitation or job training for their clients. Officers generally work in the adult, juvenile, or family divisions of probation departments. Some officers work for state or county courts; others work in the probation office of the U.S. District Court.
Private Investigator
Private investigators detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment, or seek, examine, and compile information for clients.
Testimonials
Student Testimonies
“I started as a Counseling major at Grace, but within the first year realized my calling into law enforcement, therefore, I switched to Criminal Justice and Psychology. Working for Campus Safety exposed me to local law enforcement. I went for a ride along and was hooked. I was hired January of 2007 as a Reserve Police Officer on the Winona Lake Police Department. After 4 years on WLPD I was hired full time by the Mishawaka Police. The greatest influence during my time at Grace College in the classroom was being exposed to those already in the field, such as Craig Allebach and law enforcement guest speakers. Looking back now, I see numerous positive factors during enrollment at GC which influenced my development into the law enforcement field. Among those are: professors and staff who cared for each individual student, influencing them with their kindness, knowledge, professionalism, and love for the Lord; an excellent exercise facility along with educational fitness and health courses. There are many demands in this field, such as court appearances, report writing and documentation, evidence integrity, physical fitness, and stress management. I credit the positive factors while attending GC with influencing a firm foundation for success with these demands.”
-Officer Dave Ruiz, Criminal Justice and Psychology, 2005-2010
“I went to Grace College from 2006 to 2010. I majored in criminal justice and psychology, originally planning to pursue a federal law enforcement career. Grace was a special place that not only provided me a top-notch education in my field of study, but more importantly, the professors at Grace helped solidify my Christian worldview. This was invaluable as I was planning on entering the field of law enforcement. My criminal justice classes gave me a broad foundational knowledge about laws, the rich history behind criminal justice, and even some specific tools relevant to the policing world. The classes I took alongside my criminal justice classes, such as Essential Doctrinal Themes, Prophecy, Biblical Psychology, and so many more, taught me a Biblical perspective on life. I also learned a lot from the Bible that was applicable to my field of study. Issues like justice, mercy, law, morals, ethics, pride, and magistrates as well as other people in authority, are all talked about in the Bible. Learning about these issues first from the Bible helped me construct a biblical worldview from which to operate in my profession today. After I graduated from Grace I was blessed to be hired as a deputy sheriff by Hanover County Sheriff's Office in Virginia. The application process was strenuous and included several hundred applicants. I felt prepared to enter the field largely due to my educational background from Grace. I am thankful for everything Grace gave me over the four years I was there. I personally had a lot of fun, learned a lot, got a Christian wife, and grew much closer to Jesus. I would recommend Grace College to anyone wanting to further their education in criminal justice, or any other field for that matter.”
-Deputy David Swanson, Criminal Justice and Psychology, 2006-2010
I am a recent graduate of Grace, and looking back on my years at Grace makes me realize how blessed I am to have gone there. Grace has impacted my life in many ways, but it is the professors who made the greatest impact. The professors went above their job requirements to invest in my life. They encouraged me when I needed it most, they pushed me to achieve my goals, and they prepared me for life out of college. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am.
—Cassie Patterson, B.S., Counseling and Criminal Justice, 2010