Welcome to Justice Studies

(formerly Administration of Justice)

Mission Statement
The Justice Studies Department strives to provide our students with the legal, ethical and educational background necessary to pursue a career in a criminal justice-related field and/or to successfully transition into a 4-year academic program.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of one of the School of Justice Studies programs, a student should be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the American criminal justice system and the scope of responsibilities of the various local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, beginning with arrest through parole.
Articulate the system’s objectives, the crime problem and role expectations of criminal justice personnel, and describe the various agencies and each subsystem within the system.
Describe the system’s responsibilities to the community, factors in crime causation, the social implications of crime and communication barriers between the system and the community.
Articulate the differences between the major criminological theories of the causes of crime and how those theories relate to policies toward crime and criminal behavior.
Analyze legal concepts and make rational decisions about case processing. Demonstrate knowledge of the rules of evidence, legal definitions and concepts of evidentiary law. Apply basic investigative proficiencies.
Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills acquired in the social sciences in preparation for continuance of college-level education.

Program Description

The School of Justice Studies Program is designed to qualify students for entry into the field of law, law enforcement, or corrections directly from Santa Barbara City College, as well as for those who desire two years of criminal justice study for transfer to the State University system or law school.

California certificated instructors, with criminal justice and/or legal experience, teach all School of Justice Studies courses offered at Santa Barbara City College. Full college credit is granted for each course successfully completed, and a Certificate of Achievement or Associate in Science/Arts Degree is awarded upon completion of the respective program chosen.

The criminal justice system is a diversified occupational area with available employment opportunities on the federal, state and county levels: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, California
Highway Patrol, municipal police departments, county sheriff's departments, federal and state departments of correction, probation and parole.

Department Offices

Division: Health Technologies/Human Services
Department Co-Chair: Anne Redding (ECOC2-9, ext. 3071)
Department Co-Chair: Thomas Mahoney (ECOC2-10, ext 2520)
Associate Dean: Betty Pazich (A-218, ext. 2721)

Faculty & Offices
Anne Redding, Co-Chair (ECOC2-9, ext. 3071)
Thomas Mahoney, Co-Chair (ECOC2-10, ext. 2520)