SCC’s Criminal Justice program prepares students for a variety of careers in the criminal justice field through classroom theory and hands-on experience.
Location Offered: Beatrice, Lincoln
Overview
The program leads to a versatile, comprehensive degree that can be completed in six to eight quarters. It prepares students for careers as:
- Corrections officer
- Police officer
- Technical support within local, state and federal law enforcement programs
- Criminal intelligence analyst
- Forensic technician
- Transportation and Security Administration screening officer
- Victim advocate
- Private investigator
- Court administration technician
- Property and evidence technician
- Pre-law preparation
- Gaming security
Criminal Justice focus
In the Criminal Justice focus, students will receive comprehensive educational experiences through both theory and hands-on. Students work together as they process mock crime scenes to collect and preserve evidence. In other classes, students will utilize critical thinking skills as they study the law and ethical and contemporary issues in criminal justice. Students also will complete an internship where they will work alongside professionals in the criminal justice field.
Nebraska Law Enforcement focus
The Nebraska Law Enforcement focus is a statewide degree program that requires six quarters of lecture classes at SCC and, for those who are accepted, 14 weeks of instruction at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island, NE. Students are responsible for all equipment that is required for class lectures. For those students who are accepted to the NLETC, some of the equipment is supplied. A list of equipment needed is available to the prospective student in advance. Students who are accepted to the NLETC and successfully complete the course will receive certification by the state of Nebraska as a certified law enforcement officer.
Credit toward bachelor’s degree
SCC’s program also provides advanced placement into a bachelor’s degree program. This degree can be used for seeking immediate employment in the criminal justice field. SCC also offers an Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees in the Academic Transfer program with an emphasis in criminal justice. Most federal agency forensic crime labs, crime scene investigator and probation officer positions require a bachelor’s degree. Each four-year college or university accepts different courses to fulfill their requirements. The student is responsible to check with their receiving institution to know what credits will transfer. Please work closely with an SCC advisor or Criminal Justice advisor when enrolling in courses that transfer.
Note: Academic Transfer students may take some Criminal Justice courses as electives that will satisfy their degree requirements.
Mission
The mission of the Criminal Justice program is to offer students broad-based, practitioner-oriented instruction designed to provide the necessary skills for becoming an entry-level professional or to continue academic pursuits.
Job Outlook
Concern about personal and public safety and crime rates have led to an increased demand for law enforcement professionals. Demand is projected to increase 10-22 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, the demand for correctional officers is expected to grow 9 percent until 2018. The fastest-growing careers in criminal justice are:
- Correctional officer
- Court reporter
- Crime scene examiner
- Detective
- Fish and game warden
- Lawyer
- Paralegal
- Police officer
- Private investigator
- Probation officer