The primary mission of the ETSU Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology is to create and to disseminate that body of knowledge generally defined within the scope of criminology, which includes the study of the breaking of laws, the making of laws, and the social and political reaction to the breaking of laws.
Crime is a central concern to society. Creating and disseminating knowledge regarding the efficacy of criminal justice agencies and crime control policies, the etiology and epidemiology of offending, or other concomitant issues, is essential in developing a response to crime.
Our department emphasizes the preparation of well-educated graduates and scholarly productivity that adds to our understanding of crime while enhancing learning opportunities. The academic programs contribute to the mastery of basic academic competencies while preparing graduates to assume the role of responsible citizens and professionals in the field.
Specific mission-related goals include:
- Facilitating student involvement in society by inculcating a desire for life-long learning, the ability to think critically, and to express themselves in a variety of formats.
- Promoting a critical understanding of crime and concomitant issues by engaging in research that contributes to the body of knowledge in a vital area of concern to society and that enhances learning opportunities for students, faculty, practitioners, and citizens.
- Performing service to the discipline, to the university and to the community.
- Recruiting and retaining faculty and students of the highest academic caliber from diverse backgrounds, ideologies, and interests.
- Mentoring students and involving them in opportunities for active learning.
- Preparing students for careers in the field and for advanced academic studies.