Why Study Criminal Justice at PLU?
- You will help bring justice to people impacted by the criminal justice system.
- You will gain an understanding of victims and offenders in the criminal justice system.
- You will be critical of how and why we punish the actions of others.
- You will develop research skills you can use in criminal justice agencies.
Internship
One of the hallmarks of the PLU Criminal Justice Program is internship. Examples of recent internship placements include:
- Crystal Judson Family Justice Center
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
- Pierce County Juvenile Court
- United States Attorney’s Office
What Can I Do When I Graduate?
Criminal justice majors generally enter careers in policing, law, corrections, and victim advocacy. Our alumni work as crime prevention specialists, police officers, detectives, lawyers, legal assistants, victim advocates, probation officers, juvenile detention officers, and correctional officers. Some of our alumni choose criminal justice-related careers in social service such as investigating child abuse or serving as bilingual legal advocates, others go on to graduate programs in fields like law, criminology, and public policy.
Students who graduate with a B.A. in criminal justice will find themselves with distinct advantages on the job market: applied experience in an internship, as well as knowledge of key social factors that influence crime and justice, and a firm grasp of research design and methodology. An applied, sociologically-informed criminal justice major provides breadth and the potential for adaptability.
The PLU Sociology department helped me find my passion for criminal justice through various classes that touched on issues of crime, as well as through an internship with a probation department. In my senior year, the professors in the PLU Sociology department helped me find and apply for a Masters of Arts in Criminal Justice program.
Without the background in sociology that I gained at PLU, I would not be where I am today: working for the Seattle Police Department (SW Precinct) as a Crime Prevention Coordinator.
Jennifer Danner, Class of 2014