{"id":94,"date":"2026-07-01T11:16:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T18:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/?page_id=94"},"modified":"2026-09-30T12:24:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T19:24:41","slug":"program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/program\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"section section-white body-section-wrapper alignfull wp-block-bc-sitka-spruce-body-section\">\n\t<div class=\"container-xl\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"body-section-content col-md-8\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Message from our Chair<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you interested in&nbsp;<strong>law enforcement, courts, corrections, investigations, forensics, or helping make a difference in your community?<\/strong>&nbsp;You\u2019re in the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our Criminal Justice program gives you more than a textbook understanding of the justice system. You\u2019ll explore how the system works in the real world through&nbsp;<strong>hands-on learning, current events, case studies, discussion, and practical experiences<\/strong>&nbsp;that connect the classroom to careers.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"callout-wrapper col\">\n\t<aside class=\"callout text-margin-reset \">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"callout__heading card-title-small\">Charlene Freyberg, Chair<\/h3>\n\t\t<p><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"callout__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/profile\/21\/\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">Contact the Chair<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section section-white body-section-wrapper alignfull wp-block-bc-sitka-spruce-body-section\">\n\t<div class=\"container-xl\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"body-section-content col-md-8\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where Can a Criminal Justice Degree Take You?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>Your Education can Prepare You for Opportunities in:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Law enforcement and policing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sheriff and public safety careers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Corrections and detention<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Courts and legal services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Investigations and evidence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forensic science<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Juvenile justice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Government and public service<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Security and community safety<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A two-year degree can help you enter the criminal justice workforce while also providing a foundation for continuing your education toward a bachelor&#8217;s degree or beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learn by Doing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Criminal justice isn&#8217;t just about memorizing laws and definitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You may have opportunities to explore forensic evidence, crime-scene investigation, criminal behavior, ethics in the criminal legal systems, policing, corrections, and the courts through applied learning experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interested in forensic science? Courses such as CJ&amp; 240: Introduction to Forensic Science allow you to explore how evidence can help investigators understand what happened at a crime scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your Career. Your Future.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you already know exactly what you want to do\u2014or you&#8217;re still figuring it out\u2014we&#8217;re here to help you discover your path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don&#8217;t have to know your career on day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Start with Curiosity. Build Your Skills. Discover Your Future.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome to criminal justice at Bellevue College!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your career in criminal justice starts here.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"callout-wrapper col\">\n\t<aside class=\"callout text-margin-reset \">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"callout__heading card-title-small\">Careers<\/h3>\n\t\t<p><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"callout__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/careers\/\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">Explore Careers<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section \n\tclass=\"checkerboard section section-white checkerboard-section\"\n> \n\t\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"section-heading\" >\n  <div class=\"container-xl\">\n    <div class=\"row\">\n               <div class=\"col-sm-12 col-md-9 small-order-1 medium-order-1\">\n         <h2  class=\"section-heading__heading oho-animate oho-animate-single\">\n          Program\n        <\/h2>\n      <\/div>\n              <div class=\"col-sm-12 col-md-9 wysiwyg small-order-2 medium-order-3\">\n          <div class=\"section-heading__subheading\">Explore your criminal justice education options.<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            \n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"checkerboards container-xl mt-5\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"card border-0 mb-5 card--checkerboard\">\n\t<div class=\"row g-xl-5\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col-md-5 col-lg-7 card-img--checkerboard\">\n\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aspect-ratio-frame\" style=\"--aspect-ratio: .74\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"660\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/492\/2026\/07\/AdobeStock_361334857-660x550.jpeg\" class=\"img-fluid rounded\" alt=\"Woman standing in front of courthouse holding a folder.\" data-id=\"375\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"card-body p-0 p-sm-auto\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h3\">AAS-T Degree<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The AAS-T combines technical courses required for job preparation and college-level general education courses.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"checkerboard__links mt-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/about\/aas-t-degree\/\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">AAS-T Degree<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.bellevuecollege.edu\/preview_program.php?catoid=16&#038;poid=4990&#038;hl=criminal+justice&#038;returnto=search\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">AAS-T Catalog Page<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"card border-0 mb-5 card--checkerboard\">\n\t<div class=\"row g-xl-5\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col-md-5 col-lg-7 card-img--checkerboard\">\n\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aspect-ratio-frame\" style=\"--aspect-ratio: .74\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"660\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/492\/2026\/07\/AdobeStock_525069624-660x550.jpeg\" class=\"img-fluid rounded\" alt=\"Two people shaking hands over a desk with gavel and scales\" data-id=\"448\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"card-body p-0 p-sm-auto\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h3\">Concentration in Criminal Justice<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Students who are following an Associate in Arts and Sciences degree can secure a \u2018Concentration in Criminal Justice\u2019 by successfully completing coursework that will be specially noted on their transcripts and degrees upon graduation.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"checkerboard__links mt-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/about\/concentration\/\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">Academic Concentration<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.bellevuecollege.edu\/preview_program.php?catoid=16&#038;poid=5103&#038;hl=academic+concentration&#038;returnto=search\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">Academic Concentrations Catalog Page<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"card border-0 mb-5 card--checkerboard\">\n\t<div class=\"row g-xl-5\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col-md-5 col-lg-7 card-img--checkerboard\">\n\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"aspect-ratio-frame\" style=\"--aspect-ratio: .74\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"660\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/492\/2026\/07\/AdobeStock_166767127-660x550.jpeg\" class=\"img-fluid rounded\" alt=\"Person writing with right hand and typing with left hand\" data-id=\"348\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"card-body p-0 p-sm-auto\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h3\">Courses<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Department of Criminal Justice offers a variety of courses to prepare students either for immediate employment or for transfer to a university bachelor\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"checkerboard__links mt-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/courses\/\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">Courses<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<hr class=\"section-divider\">\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-wrapper alignstandard\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-mayflower-blocks-panel card bg-default\"><h2 class=\"card-header\">Learning Areas<\/h2><div class=\"card-body\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-brutus-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-859d03c0826e2cf092332e525e46fcdd\">Degree recipients will acquire an understanding of the following:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Knowledge of the criminal justice system (law enforcement, court system, and corrections)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stages of the criminal justice process<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Criminology<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Law enforcement and criminal justice ethics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Criminal and constitutional law<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Written, verbal, and nonverbal communications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block-wrapper alignstandard\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-mayflower-blocks-panel card bg-default\"><h2 class=\"card-header\">Learning Outcomes<\/h2><div class=\"card-body\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-brutus-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-850554913d7e1295572ea96fbcb53ccc\">Degree recipients should possess the skills &amp; abilities described below:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Apply basic investigative techniques for developing solutions to crime problems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use critical thinking skills to understand and analyze verbal, non-verbal and cultural communications in the field of&nbsp;criminal&nbsp;justice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define, explain and contrast the basic sociological, economical and physiological theories relating to the causation of crime<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Demonstrate how the theories relating to the causation of crime, law building and law enforcement reflect the historical context of times and culture in which they were developed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain and analyze different social, legal and political responses to&nbsp;criminal&nbsp;behavior<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define and explain the different philosophies of policing and determine which philosophy a police department is utilizing by analyzing process, programs and organizational structure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define and explain the ethics and ethical paradoxes that face&nbsp;criminal&nbsp;justice&nbsp;professionals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define and explain the basic precepts of&nbsp;criminal&nbsp;law as it applies in the state of Washington<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define and explain the major reform movements which have substantially impacted the policing profession in America<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"section section-white body-section-wrapper alignfull wp-block-bc-sitka-spruce-body-section\">\n\t<div class=\"container-xl\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"body-section-content col-md-8\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prior College\/University Credits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For credits from other institutions, meet with the program advisor for an initial unofficial transcript review.&nbsp; For an official review, submit the <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.bellevuecollege.edu\/studentcentral\/evaluation-of-transfer\/\">Transfer Credit Evaluation Request form<\/a> and an official transcript(s) in the prior institution(s) sealed envelope to Evaluations once registered for your first quarter of classes at Bellevue College.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"callout-wrapper col\">\n\t<aside class=\"callout text-margin-reset \">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"callout__heading card-title-small\">Resources<\/h3>\n\t\t<p><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"callout__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/contact-us\/\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">Contact Us<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/socialscience-redesign-dev\/\"  class=\"link-accent-lg\">Visit the School of Social Science Site<i class=\"fa-regular fa-arrow-right-long \" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3914,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template--no-sidebar.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-94","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/94","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3914"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/94\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":815,"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/94\/revisions\/815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/criminal-justice-redesign-dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}