Departments

Department of Criminal Justice

The Degree BA Criminal Justice, has two majors

Purpose:

Qualifying learners are capable of using the criminological, policing and legal knowledge and skills within specific labour environments like, policing, correctional services and justice to develop and implement crime reduction strategies by the application of theory based, risk based and collaborative strategies and plans in a partnership style within a human rights  and legal framework.

A learner acquiring this qualification will have skills, knowledge and experience to function within the three main components of the criminal justice system:

• After basic training function as police officers, correctional officers, prosecutors and related fields perform environmental analysis
• Identify potential crime precipitating factors within specific geographical areas
• Develop crime maps
• Develop crime combating plans
• Apply crime combating plans
• Attend to crime scenes
• Enter management programs within components of the criminal justice system

Rationale:

The qualification will allow a learner in the field of criminal justice to obtain a nationally recognized qualification. It will add to the national good as learners will able to introduce and manage programs that will combat crime and lead to better performance within the system.
The qualification will enhance the employment opportunities and their hierarchical mobility especially within the police and corrections.
The qualification creates understanding of the, legislative mandates, activities, responsibilities and shortcomings within the CJS. This enables learners to grasp the problems encountered by the system and to develop performance improvement strategies. The transversal nature of crime control within the domains of policing, adjudication and corrections are amplified and learners understand how performance in one component affects the performance of the others.

The blend of theory in criminology, policing, management and the law with skills development such as risk assessments, crime investigation, community engagement and management skills create a qualification that is tailor made for criminal justice management

The Head of Department is Prof Dr Cornelis Roelofse.