Public Affairs & Community Service Victimology and Victim Services Minor
Description
The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (SCCJ) is a nationally-recognized leader in the scientific study of the causes of crime and criminal justice system responses. The minor in victimology and victim services is designed for students with an interest in victims of crime and their experiences in the criminal justice system. Students will explore the types and theories of victimization, as well as interventions and support services. The minor in victimology and victim services requires the completion of 18 credit hours.
College Requirements
College Admission
The entrance requirements for the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, including any of the majors or minors offered through the college, are the same as the University of Nebraska–Lincoln General Admission Requirements. Students who have been admitted to the University may apply for entrance to the College of Public Affairs and Community Service during initial registration by indicating their preference in the appropriate place on the University Application for Admission form.
Students who wish to readmit or transfer into the College from another institution or another program within the University should refer to the individual school/department requirements to declare their intended major.
Admission Deficiencies
Students with high school admission deficiencies that have been admitted to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln may enter the College of Public Affairs and Community Service. A college course may fulfill a high school deficiency and may also apply toward a degree in the College.
College Degree Requirements
Achievement-Centered Education (ACE)
All students completing their degree on the Lincoln campus must fulfill the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) requirements. The 30-hour ACE requirement will include a minimum of 3 hours of approved coursework in each of the 10 designated Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) student learning outcome areas, which can be viewed at ace.unl.edu. Students will be provided a list of courses they can select from to meet each of the 10 ACE Student Learning Outcomes.
Experiential Learning Requirement
All undergraduates in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service must complete an Experiential Learning (EL) designated course. This may include 0-credit courses designed to document co-curricular activities recognized as Experiential Learning.
Foreign Languages/Language Requirement
Students in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service who have completed the University of Nebraska high school admission requirement of two years in the same language will not be required to complete additional language for their degree.
Minimum Hours Required for Graduation
Each candidate must present a total of at least 120 semester hours of college credit to meet graduation requirements.
Grade Rules
C- and D Grades
A minimum grade of at least C- must be earned in all required courses within the major, unless a higher grade is designated by the department/school. Completion of a course within the major with a grade below a C- will not be considered as having fulfilled prerequisite requirements for additional courses taken in the major field of study. A higher grade may be designated by the department/school.
Pass/No Pass Limits
See individual school/department limitations regarding Pass/No Pass.
GPA Requirements
Each candidate for the degree must attain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. A minimum grade of at least C- must be earned in all required courses within the major, unless a higher grade is designated by the department/school. All grades reported by the faculty to the registrar become a part of the student’s permanent record and are included in the computation of the grade point average, even though some of these grades may be for work done in excess of the 120 hours required for graduation.
Transfer Credit Rules
The transfer of D grades in non-major courses are accepted only from within the University of Nebraska system. Students from other institutions must present a grade of C- or above for all coursework.
Generally, hours earned at an accredited college are accepted by the University; however, the college will evaluate all hours submitted for transfer to determine applicability toward the degree. A maximum of 64 hours may be transferred from a two-year college and a maximum of 90 hours from a four-year institution.
Course Level Requirements (Hour Requirement 300+)
Individual departments/schools should be consulted for the minimum number of upper-division hours required.
Residency
Thirty (30) of the last 36 hours required for the degree must be registered for and carried within the University of Nebraska system.
Independent Study and Internship Rules
Individual schools/departments should be consulted for rules regarding independent study and internship credit applicable to majors or minors.
Catalog to Use
Choice of Catalog Policy
A student registering in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service for the first time may, except for limitations described below, complete work for the degree according to one of these requirements:
- The catalog in effect the year the student enters CPACS.
- The catalog current at the time the student applies for the degree.
Students entering the College for the first time in the summer will be subject to the catalog for the academic year immediately following.
Students formerly in a CPACS program who dropped out of the College for one year complete requirements of the catalog current at the time of readmission.
Failure to complete the requirements for the degree within seven years after the date the student first enters the College will subject the student to graduation under the requirements of a later catalog to be approved by the Dean.
The College reserves the right to institute and make effective, after due notice and during the course of a student’s work toward a degree, any new ruling which may be necessary for the general good of the College and to substitute courses currently offered for those no longer offered.
Requirements for Minors Offered by Department
Victimology and Victim Services Minor
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIM 101 | Survey of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Required Courses | ||
| CRIM 400 | Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CRIM 441 | Victimology | 3 |
| CRIM 444 | Victims' Rights and Services | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Women, Crime and Justice | ||
| Domestic Violence | ||
| Child Abuse and Neglect | ||
| Violence | ||
| Human Trafficking | ||
| Sexual Offending | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Grade Rules
An overall C average in courses applied to the minor is required.
All courses must be taken for a letter grade (Pass/No Pass is not allowed).
Description: The justice process and the criminal justice system in general. Concepts of crime, deviance and justice, and general theories of crime causality. Individual rights in a democratic society and the legal definitions of various crimes. Law enforcement, judicial, juvenile justice and corrections subsystems explored and a number of reform proposals presented.
This course is a prerequisite for: CRIM 203; CRIM 211; CRIM 221; CRIM 222; CRIM 241; CRIM 251; CRIM 301; CRIM 331; CRIM 335; CRIM 337; CRIM 338; CRIM 339; CRIM 400; CRIM 403; CRIM 406; CRIM 413; CRIM 421; CRIM 440; CRIM 441; CRIM 442; CRIM 443; CRIM 444; CRIM 450; CRIM 451; CRIM 453; CRIM 454; CRIM 455; CRIM 456; CRIM 475; CRIM 476; CRIM 477; CRIM 478; CRIM 480; CRIM 496
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 6 Social Science |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 6 Social Science
Prerequisites: CRIM 101.
Description: The role of the police in American society. Origins of policing, the nature of police organizations and police work, and patterns of relations between the police and the public.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRIM 101.
Description: Analysis of the structure and function of the criminal court system in the United States, including the roles of prosecutor, defender, judge, jury, and court administrator. Issues confronting the system considered from historical, philosophical, sociological, and psychological perspectives. Ideals of the system compared with actual functioning and court reform proposals.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRIM 101.
Description: History and evolution of the corrections process. Covers all aspects of institutional and community-based corrections.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRIM 101
Designed to familiarize the student with the most recent developments in community-based corrections.
Description: Discussion will focus on the issues related to implementation, management, effectiveness and challenges of community-based programs. Provides a broad overview of the structure and functions of Community-based Corrections. By the end, expect to understand the best practices in community corrections.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRIM 101
Description: Deals with the legal aspects of the investigation and arrest processes as well as the rules governing the admissibility of evidence in court.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Offered: | FALL/SPR |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRIM 101.
Description: Introduction to the principles, methods and techniques of empirical social research.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Math placement into MATH 101 or ACT Math sub score of 19 or above within the last two years
Credit toward the degree may be earned in only one of: CRIM 300 or ECON 215 or EDPS 459 or SOCI 206 or STAT 218.
Description: Basic statistics of public sector research and public administration decision making. Data processing techniques as they relate to statistical analysis and on understanding the proper application of statistics.
This course is a prerequisite for: BLAW 371H; FINA 361H; SCMA 250; SCMA 331; SCMA 350; SCMA 350H; STAT 318
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 3 Math/Stat/Reasoning |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 3 Math/Stat/Reasoning
Description: Philosophical examination of justice and its administration. Provides the student with a richer understanding of the conceptual foundations of justice.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: The means by which society attempts to use criminal law to prevent harm to society. Acts which are declared criminal and the punishment prescribed for committing those acts. Philosophies and rationales that have shaped current day substantive criminal law. English Common Law and the historic evolution of substantive criminal law from its early origins.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: General survey of the nature of causes of crime and efforts of the criminal justice system to predict, prevent, modify, and correct this behavior.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: How delinquents and juveniles in need of supervision are handled within the juvenile justice system. The nature and extent of delinquent behavior status offenses, child abuse and neglect; theories of delinquency and their implications for intervention; cultural and social factors related to delinquency; as well as the philosophy by and functioning of the juvenile justice system.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Survey of minority groups and criminal justice in the United States. Racial minorities as victims of crime, as offenders, as defendants, and as criminal justice professionals.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 9 Global/Diversity |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 9 Global/Diversity
Description: Women's experiences as victims of crime, as offenders, as defendants, and as criminal justice professionals.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRCJ major or CRCJ minor, 75 credit hours completed, GPA of 2.5 and instructor permission.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
Description: Job-related experience in a criminal justice agency and permission to enroll must be received from the student's adviser each semester.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Pass No Pass |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 10 Integrated Product |
| Experiential Learning: | Internship/Co-op |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 10 Integrated Product
Prerequisites: CRIM major or minor, 75 credit hours completed, minimum overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and a GPA of 3.25 in the major, and instructor permission
Description: Provides advanced majors and minors with experience conducting research in the field of criminology and criminal justice. Students will work under the supervision of a faculty member to complete research tasks that integrate learning with service. Tasks may include reviewing relevant literature, instrument development, data collection, data entry/cleaning, data analysis, codebook development, presentation of findings.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Pass No Pass |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 10 Integrated Product |
| Experiential Learning: | Research |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 10 Integrated Product
Description: Focuses on the intersection of individuals with mental health, substance abuse, and/or severe & persistent mental illness diagnoses and the criminal justice system. Examine how individuals become involved in the criminal justice system and how the criminal justice system and other social services respond to their involvement.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Contemporary concepts, principles, and theories of organization and administration as they relate to criminal justice agencies. Historical development and modern practices of public policy.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Examines ethical issues that arise in the three major areas of criminal justice: police, courts, and corrections. General philosophical theories of ethics as well as Codes of Ethics that operate to control the institutional and personal behavior of police, courts and correctional systems.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Investigates the etiology of many forms of norm-violating conduct. Rule-breaking behavior as defined by the criminal statutes.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: In-depth analysis of the history and operation of prisons and jails in the United States and other countries. Management and operation of prisons and jails from the perspective of both employees and incarcerated persons.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Examines the criminal justice system response to domestic violence/intimate partner violence. A focus on the interactions between battered victims and components of the criminal justice system, as well as the role of the community in addressing and preventing this violence serves as the foundation for this course. Insight into factors contributing to the incidence of intimate partner violence, explore the background/history of domestic violence.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Provides an introduction to the topics and issues that are pertinent to the study of victimology. Prevalence, predictors, and consequences of various forms of victimization, including child abuse, intimate partner violence, rape and sexual assault, stalking, and homicide over the life-course. Examines the nature of criminal justice victimization data, and the issues related to the measurement and costs of victimization.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Addresses issues related to child abuse and neglect investigation, intervention and prevention efforts facilitated through criminal justice system processes. Discusses the history of child maltreatment, definitional challenges, statistical trends, physical and behavioral indicators, mandatory reporting, investigative processes, intervention strategies and prevention efforts.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: A systematic introduction to the study of human trafficking. Learn about what constitutes human trafficking, theories of victimization as they apply to trafficking, debates about the language and definitions surrounding sex trafficking and prostitution. Discuss the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of various forms of trafficking and critically assess efforts related to measurement, intervention, and prevision.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Focuses on the experiences of victims of crime through the criminal justice system, from reporting the crime to the closure of the case. Examines types of victim services and advocacy throughout various points of the criminal justice system (police, courts, corrections), the history of victims' rights and the development of victim services over time.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Socially constructed nature of drugs and drug policy, focusing on the variety of ways drugs and crime are connected and the socio-historical context of contemporary US drug policy.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: This course is a survey of the nature and extent of violence. The focus is on patterns of violence across social groups, the causes and correlates of violence and violent behavior, and programs/policies geared toward violence prevention and reduction. Also of interest is the relationship between theory and violence research.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Focuses on sex offenses, sex offenders and the responses of the criminal justice system. Examines applications of criminological theory to sex offending, trends and patterns of behavior, characteristic of sex offenders and the psychological and legal responses to sex crimes.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRIM 101
Description: Examines the processes, practices, and people involved in the investigation of criminal acts, highlighting recent developments in policy, tactics and technology. Explores theoretical approaches to investigating various crimes, examining how aspects of each approach can benefit investigators. Involves analysis, discussion, and learning how to complete thorough investigations that will ensure best chances for successful case prosecution in court.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded |
| Offered: | FALL/SPR |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Focuses on American youth street gangs. Topics include history of gangs, gang and gang member characteristics, gang life and strategies of gang control. Link between youth street gangs, prison gangs and other deviant collectivities will be explored.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Designed to present an overview of the crime of homicide. Attention is given to homicide data, theories of why homicides occur, types of homicide, investigating/solving homicides, prosecuting homicide cases, and the impact on co-victims and society as a whole. Use critical thinking skills while exploring various investigative techniques.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: CRCJ major or CRCJ minor and instructor permission
Study abroad required.
Description: Specialized course which provides a comparison of the criminal justice systems of the United States and the United kingdom. Allows for an exploration of how the American system developed from the British system and why social and cultural factors influenced the differences/similarities in their development.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Experiential Learning: | Education Abroad |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Analyzes the dynamics of criminality and the social response to criminality across countries. Differences in crime and justice between developed and developing countries and between socialist and capitalist nations.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Development of an understanding of terrorism as a political crime. Examines social, political, and psychological aspects of this behavior.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Traces the origins and historical development of the activities that have come to be known as "organized crime." These crimes are some of the most dangerous to American society and range from the commonly known offenses of gambling, racketeering, and narcotics trafficking to the more subtle and sophisticated, less understood but equally serious, crimes of extortion, commercial bribery, and political corruption.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Illegal acts committed by nonphysical means and by concealment or guile, to obtain money or property, to avoid the payment or loss of money or property, or to obtain business or personal advantage.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Admission into upper division criminal justice program, 24 hours of criminal justice credit, and permission
Description: Faculty-guided research in an area of mutual interest to the student and the instructor. Students are responsible for selecting the area of inquiry prior to contacting the instructor.
| Credit Hours: | 1-3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 9 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:1-3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Upper-division CRIM major or minor
This is a capstone course.
Description: Identify and explore a contemporary issue relevant to crime and justice policy. Develop multimedia packages designed to educate and advocate for a chosen policy action (e.g., adoption, reform, replacement). The purpose is to integrate previous course experiences and skills, independent research, and community stakeholder engagement (via interviews) into an activity that demonstrates critical thinking, synthesis, and evaluation.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Offered: | FALL/SPR |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 10 Integrated Product |
| Experiential Learning: | Case/Project-Based Learning |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 10 Integrated Product
Description: Independent research project supervised by department/school faculty.
| Credit Hours: | 3-6 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 6 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded |
Credit Hours:3-6
ACE:
Description: Part of the department's Student Outcomes Assessment effort. Designed to monitor the department's performance and to identify changes needed.
| Credit Hours: | 0 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | |
| Max credits per degree: | |
| Grading Option: | Pass No Pass |
Credit Hours:0
ACE:
Students must register for CRIM 499A in the term they plan to graduate.
Description: This course is an integrative online senior seminar to be taken during the final semester. It facilitates the transition to criminal justice professional through the use of specific assignments focused on areas of resume development, continuation of research, and reflection of academic progress.
| Credit Hours: | 1 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 1 |
| Max credits per degree: | 1 |
| Grading Option: | Pass No Pass |
Credit Hours:1
ACE: