2021-61

Motion Introduced by: Curriculum and Academic Programs Committee,
Denise Bodman, Chair

Date of First Reading: April 26, 2021

Date of Second Reading: August 30, 2021

Title of Motion: Request from the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions – School of Criminology and Criminal Justice – for the established of an undergraduate certificate – Juvenile Justice
Action Requested: This curricular proposal has received all college, school, unit and university administrative approvals, and is being presented to the Senate for review and voting decision.

Rationale:

The certificate in Juvenile Justice focuses on key topics related to delinquent and criminal behavior committed by those under 18 years old. These include required courses that focus on juvenile delinquency and theoretical perspectives on why
juveniles engage in delinquent acts; life-course criminology and how key turning points in life impact trajectories of crime and delinquency; and juvenile justice and how the criminal justice system, including police, courts, and correctional agencies,
respond to delinquent acts. Elective courses cover topics such as gangs and the criminal justice response to crimes and how the law views children as victims and offenders, as well as adolescence and developmental psychology. This certificate
program would be of interest to students seeking more specialized knowledge about juveniles' involvement in delinquent acts and the criminal justice system or those interested in careers working in the juvenile justice system