Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Program

Both Criminal Justice and Forensic Science are interdisciplinary programs that expose students to the structure and process of the criminal justice system.

Students address key questions: What is a crime? Who commits crime? Why do people commit crime? How do we know who committed a particular crime? What legal and scientific evidence do we need for proof? How do we deter crime? The core courses examine crime patterns, criminological theory, statutory definitions of criminal law, constitutional issues in criminal procedure, crime policy, corrections, and the role of science in the criminal justice system.

Students also select courses from a wide variety of courses in the fields of Legal Studies, Sociology, Psychology, Conflict Studies, Anthropology, Philosophy, Chemistry and Biology in accordance with their individual interests to broaden their knowledge of crime, criminal justice, and forensic science. Both Criminal Justice and Forensic Science require an internship in the field which enables students to make the connection between theory and practice and to gain valuable professional work experience. The location of Hamline in the Twin Cities offers students diverse opportunities for exceptional internships through local, state and federal criminal justice, law enforcement, legal and forensic science agencies.

Students pursuing a major/minor in Criminal Justice and/or a Forensic Science Certificate may use their degree to pursue careers in local, state, or federal law enforcement, criminal prosecution or defense, corrections, probation and parole, social services, business loss prevention, forensic science laboratories, and medical/coroner offices. Careers in forensic science are strongly interdisciplinary and require a strong background in the natural sciences, laboratory experience, and knowledge of the criminal justice system. Forensic scientists are variously involved with crime scene investigation, evidence collection, analysis and interpretation of evidence, and the communication of their results and conclusions in written reports and as expert testimony in a court of law.

Students may also continue their education in graduate programs in Criminology or Criminal Justice. Other students choose to study law. Forensic Science students may pursue additional training in Chemistry, Biology, or Forensic Science graduate programs.

Criminal Justice Program Director: Margaret Jensen, Criminal Justice/Sociology.

Forensic Science Program Director: Susan Myster, Anthropology/Forensic Science.

Admission for Postbaccalaureate Students

Students must have earned a degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 from undergraduate coursework. Contact the Office of Graduate Admission for application materials.

Honors and Student Activities

Students interested in undergraduate research should inform a faculty member; collaborative research projects with faculty are possible. Criminal justice and other social science majors may apply for collaborative research funds. Students wishing to be considered for honors should request detailed information from program faculty no later than the beginning of spring of their junior year. Honors students must have a GPA of 3.25 or better in the criminal justice major, and honors projects must be approved by a majority of program members. Honors projects should exhibit distinctive scholarship, originality of thought, and a high degree of relevance to a major issue in the discipline. Other student activities include guest lectures featuring criminal justice/forensic science professionals, participation in the Innocence Project of Minnesota sponsored in the Law School, and tours of criminal justice/forensic science agencies such as the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and correctional facilities.

P.O.S.T. Certification

Selected coursework within the criminal justice program has been approved to satisfy the academic learning objectives required by the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training Board for licensure as a Minnesota peace officer. Students interested in such licensure should contact the POST Coordinator, Glenn Hardin, for further information and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible after their enrollment at the university. General information may also be found at http://www.hamline.edu/cla/criminal-justice/peace-officer-certification.html.

Faculty

Glenn G. Hardin, professor of practice, forensic science. BS 1984, MPH 1984, University of California at Berkeley. Physical forensic sciences.

Margaret Jensen, professor, sociology. Honours BA 1971, MA 1974, PhD 1980, McMaster University. Criminology, family.

Jerry Krause, professor, criminal justice. BS 1978, Mankato State University; JD 1984, University of Wisconsin Law School. Managing Editor, Wisconsin Law Review; American Bar Associations. Criminal justice, criminal law and procedure, law enforcement.

Susan M.T. Myster, professor, anthropology. BA 1984, Hamline University; MA 1989, PhD 2001, University of Tennessee. Biological anthropology, human osteology, prehistoric population relationships and migration patterns, human evolution, forensic anthropology.

Shelly S. Schaefer, assistant professor, criminal justice. BA 2000, MA 2007, PhD 2011, University of Minnesota. Criminology, the sociology of punishment, juvenile delinquency, and corrections.