Why do people engage in criminal behavior? What are the policies, practices, and institutions currently in place that address crime—and what do they reveal about us as a society? Do they achieve justice? What does justice mean to us?
In criminology and criminal justice, we explore these questions and more with an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from multiple fields in the social sciences and humanities. From these perspectives, we consider how social issues and our lived experiences impact our understanding of criminality and criminal justice policy and practice. Together we seek answers—in the classroom, in our research, and through experiential learning—always with justice in mind.
Why CCJ at URI?
Interdisciplinary solutions
Crime is a complex social problem. That’s why we approach criminology and criminal justice from an interdisciplinary perspective. In addition, as a CCJ major, you can supplement the core curriculum with electives from other majors in the College of Arts & Sciences to further broaden your perspective—and if you choose, you can add a minor or another major in a related discipline that can open new doors in new places.
In and out of the classroom
CCJ faculty analyze all facets of crime and criminal justice—from why people engage in criminal behavior to how our police, judicial, and correctional systems respond to it. In your classes, you’ll benefit from their expertise. Out of the classroom, you can participate in research projects and engage in experiential learning options, such as internships in law enforcement and government agencies, advocacy services, and social service agencies, among many others.
Many paths to follow
Both as practitioners in the field and as graduate students, our CCJ alumni have a range of options and a variety of paths to follow. CCJ graduates have gone on to work for government agencies, at non-profits, and in industry jobs. Alumni who have pursued further study have been accepted into graduate programs in criminal justice, cyber security, law, social work, and psychology, among others.
Recent News
URI Alumni Kosean Kokeh earns Ph.D. and and returns to CCJ - Dr. Kokeh reflects on his journey from URI undergrad to a senior part-time faculty member in CCJ.
Dr. Luzi Shi’s research receives national award - Assistant professor Luzi Shi has been awarded the American Society of Criminology’s Division of Public Opinion & Policy 2024 Young Scholar award.