Our criminal justice system relies on the efforts of numerous individuals to keep the wheels of justice turning. Peace officers have the power to enforce laws, cite offenders, and temporarily take suspects into custody. These suspects may then go before a judge, with or without a jury, to determine their guilt or innocence and any appropriate penalty. Upon conviction, correctional officers are then tasked with managing imprisonment, parole, and probation.
But what happens when there aren’t enough officers or judges to meet the demands of our society?
Understaffing in the U.S criminal justice system is on the rise, according to multiple sources. An alarming report issued by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) showed that 78% of law enforcement agencies had trouble finding qualified candidates and 65% did not have enough applicants to meet their needs. The consequences of the shortage are widespread and profound, and it appears to be on track to worsen soon.
From Florida to Minnesota to Arizona, law enforcement academies are facing recruitment shortages, and agencies are seeing fewer applicants and greater attrition among their personnel. “Less officers translate into a less effective response time,” police science professor Maria Haberfeld told a Philadelphia news outlet. With fewer officers to respond to calls, valuable time can be lost during or following a crime.
Underserved areas, where existing law enforcement personnel may become overworked and demoralized, are even more vulnerable to crime. “If you are in your 13th, 14th, 15th hour of overtime, your effectiveness obviously goes down,” Haberfeld explained. These conditions are leading an increasing number of frustrated officers to retire or resign.
The staffing outlook isn’t looking any more encouraging in corrections, where, according to some reports, corrections officers are in short supply due to COVID-19 concerns, economic uncertainty, and other job opportunities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the loss of nearly 30,000 corrections officers—a 7% decline in employment—from 2020-2030, leaving prisons severely understaffed.
To quantify recent judge shortages, take as an example federal courts, which had more than 715,000 cases on their docket in the summer of 2021. That’s an increase of nearly 20% over the number of cases just one year prior and a 36% increase over the number of cases from five years earlier. Yet the same number of judges presided over all these cases. No new federal judges are likely to be seated before 2025, and state and local courts coast to coast are similarly facing a shortage of judges.
Such shortages lead to a backlog of court cases, which can force complainants and defendants to wait longer for justice to be served. Judges may also be inclined to dismiss more cases to lighten their caseload or speed up individual cases, potentially denying the involved parties a full and fair hearing.
What’s to be done about these problematic staffing shortfalls? Unfortunately, there’s no fast or easy fix. Systemic issues such as police accountability, poor working conditions, and budgetary concerns will need to be addressed to attract skilled candidates. While our society progresses toward a more effective and equitable criminal justice system, the field needs additional qualified personnel, making the employment opportunities for those with the right skills and credentials plentiful.
You can help fill the need for more knowledgeable, credentialed personnel in our criminal justice system. Whether you aspire to enter a criminal justice career upon graduation, want a stepping-stone to law school, or hope to advance in your current career in the field, UT Permian Basin has online degrees that can help you achieve your goals. Choose the program that aligns with your education and career level:
Online Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
Explore criminal justice from multiple perspectives and gain a broad foundation in general education topics to round out your education. If you want to go into public service, this is where you start.
Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration
If you have a bachelor’s degree in a criminal justice-related major and are active in a criminal justice career or recently completed your undergraduate studies and plan to enter the field, this online master’s degree program can provide the expertise and credentials you need. You’ll build advanced-level abilities that will prepare you for leadership positions with greater compensation potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, master’s degree holders earn about 18% more than bachelor’s degree holders. And you can finish this program in as little as one year!
Continuing your education in one of our online criminal justice programs is one of the most convenient and effective ways to start affecting positive change from within the criminal justice system. Research has consistently shown that officers with increased education levels are associated with fewer injuries, more positive supervisor evaluations, and decreased departmental use of force complaints. With your UTPB credentials, you can shape a stronger, more ethical criminal justice system.
Our online criminal justice degree programs feature the same robust curriculum used in their campus-based equivalents. Courses are taught by the same acclaimed faculty that teach on campus at UTPB— criminal justice experts with significant experience in both the field and the classroom. Who better to guide you through these career-enhancing programs than authorities who know the system from the inside?
Both our online criminal justice degree programs are presented in an asynchronous format that allows you to complete your studies anywhere, at your own pace, with no campus visits required. You can earn a respected university degree while continuing to meet your professional and personal commitments.
Want to be part of building a stronger criminal justice system? Apply now to gain the skills and credentials you need to succeed.
Television shows, films, and other sources of popular culture have all helped perpetuate widely held notions about the U.S. criminal justice system. Some of these notions may be true, but many are either patently false or do not reflect the “whole truth.” Let’s shine some light on five of the most common misconceptions about criminal justice in America.
Misconception #1: You Have a Right to One and Only One Phone Call
The freedom to place a single phone call after being arrested isn’t enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Still, a suspect generally is permitted one or more phone calls to notify family members and secure the services of an attorney after being taken into custody. What can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction is at what point the suspect may place a call during the process. It may be before or after fingerprinting, mugshots, etc. A suspect may also be allowed to make more than one phone call, as they may need to notify multiple parties or make an alternate call if an individual doesn’t answer.
Misconception #2: Pleading Insanity Guarantees a “Slap on the Wrist”
The idea that a defendant can escape a lengthy (or any) prison sentence by pleading “not guilty by reason of insanity” is false. Courts hold a high threshold for proving insanity and may not accept the plea. In fact, defense attorneys deliver a successful case with an insanity plea less than 1% of the time. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, a defendant can expect to be confined to a psychiatric hospital, possibly for longer than they would a conventional prison.
Misconception #3: Giving Convicts Long Prison Sentences Make Us Safer
According to a report published by the National Institute of Justice, an office of the U.S. Department of Justice, “prison sentences (particularly long sentences) are unlikely to deter future crime” and can in fact have the opposite effect if inmates learn new criminal tactics from their fellow prisoners during incarceration. In addition, many convicts don’t emerge from prison reformed and ready to forsake their prior criminal behavior, leading to a pattern of recidivism that many criminologists believe calls for a change in U.S. sentencing policy.
Misconception #4: Reforming Criminal Justice Will Help the “Bad Guy”
While some types of criminal justice reform remain controversial and untested, others have been implemented and may offer benefits to law enforcement, suspects, or witnesses. Footage from police body cameras, a relatively recent example of criminal justice reform, can provide corroborating evidence for any involved party. The ultimate judgment of the court may then better serve justice.
Misconception #5: A Person Can Never Be Compelled to Testify Against Their Spouse
Marital privilege is not a right without limitations. There are various exceptions based on where the crime was committed (if a criminal case), the severity of the malfeasance, and other factors. It’s not a case of “never.”
Online Criminal Justice Degrees for Every Stage of Your Career
Common criminal justice misconceptions are dispelled in The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online criminology and criminal justice studies degree program. Guided by the same expert faculty who teach an identical curriculum on campus, you’ll learn the criminal justice system from people who have worked in the field. Let’s explore these degree programs so you can choose the best fit for your education level and current experience in the criminal justice field.
Online Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
This program provides an ideal foundation for students who wish to pursue public service careers and want to transform the American criminal justice system from within. We examine a comprehensive range of topics, including ongoing challenges in the criminal justice system, approaches to conflict resolution, and methods for preventing crime.
Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration
Students who have completed a criminal justice-related bachelor’s degree and are already working in the field can prepare for leadership roles by earning a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration. Many students take as little as one year to complete our online program, which provides an advanced exploration of crucial criminal justice methods and concepts.
The Truth About Online Learning From UT Permian Basin
At UT Permian Basin, we believe education should propel you forward, not hinder you. Our criminal justice programs are delivered in an asynchronous, 100% online format that enables you to complete coursework on your own schedule, 24/7. What’s more, you can learn from any location in the world with internet access. You won’t find a more convenient, flexible way to earn a career-enhancing graduate credential while fulfilling your work and personal responsibilities.
Master criminal justice practices and principles with a degree from UT Permian Basin!
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/five-myths/criminal-justice-reform-five-myths/2020/11/25/3e67b1ee-2e80-11eb-bae0-50bb17126614_story.html
https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/can-a-spouse-testify-against-his-or-her-spouse-40238
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0090/Sections/0090.504.html
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/544/Analyses/2020s00544.cj.PDF
Criminal justice is a broad term that incorporates the various departments involved in our legal system and the processes that take place within them, from investigation through to apprehension, arrest, trial, incarceration, and paroling of criminals. There are many career paths one can take within criminal justice, from crime scene investigator, police officer, and probation officer to department administrator. No matter which role you might pursue, you’ll need a strong foundation in criminal justice education. The University of Texas Permian Basin offers online bachelor’s- or master’s-level criminal justice degree programs that can help you gain this foundation conveniently and affordably.
What is taught in criminal justice degree programs? Essential principles that help prepare you to begin a career in the criminal justice field or move into a leadership position within an existing criminal justice career. Here we present six things you’ll learn in a criminal justice program, followed by more specifics about each of our online degree programs:
Professional Benefits of Our Criminal Justice Programs
Let’s take a more detailed look at our two online criminal justice degree programs, which we’ve designed to accommodate different levels of education and professional experience. One of these programs may be just what your career needs.
Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
We designed our online Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies program for those who want to protect and serve the public and who wish to help transform the criminal justice system from the inside out. This program explores all facets of the criminal justice system, including present-day challenges and controversies, conflict resolution approaches, and crime prevention tactics, providing an essential foundation for those interested in pursuing a job in criminal justice. All criminal justice courses within this program are taught by highly experienced professionals who have worked within or alongside the criminal justice field.
Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration
If you’ve already earned an undergraduate-level degree in criminal justice or a related discipline and are currently working within the criminal justice field, you may be ready to take a major step forward by embarking on graduate studies. Our online Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration program can give you the respected graduate-level credential required for advancement within many criminal justice agencies. During this program, you’ll build proficiency in the criminal justice concepts and practices needed to become a leader in the field. All courses for this UT Permian Basin criminal justice program last just eight weeks, and you can collect your degree in as little as one year.
The Benefits of Learning Online With UT Permian Basin
All courses for both of these degree programs are presented in an asynchronous, 100% online format, which offers you some considerable advantages. You can complete coursework at your own pace, 24/7, from virtually anywhere in the world. If you have professional and/or family responsibilities, as many of us do, you’ll find this flexibility invaluable. Pursuing an education shouldn’t interfere with you living your life—especially since it’s intended to enhance it! Our online programs feature the same curriculum and instructors as their on-campus counterparts and provide a great way to earn a credential that can launch or transform a career in criminal justice.
Discover what our online degree programs in criminal justice have to offer you and your professional future!
Miami police officers responding to a 911 call found two men sitting in the street. One was holding an unknown shiny object. The other man put his hands up, but the man holding the object ignored police commands. An officer fired a gun at him, but the shot missed its intended target and hit the other man in the leg.
The shiny object turned out to be a silver toy truck. The man holding it was autistic, and the man with him—the one who was shot—was a behavioral therapist who was trying to calm him down. Individuals on the autism spectrum, which includes a range of developmental disabilities, are at high risk for mental health crises.
The officer who fired the shot, and who was probably not adequately trained to understand what was happening, was ultimately convicted of culpable negligence. The shooting victim was hospitalized and recovered from his wound.
This was an unfortunate incident, but it could’ve been far worse.
How Does Law Enforcement Handle Mental Health Issues?
Salt Lake City police officers responding to a call that a juvenile had been threatening people with a weapon encountered a 13-year-old boy. When the boy ran, he was shot multiple times by police. No weapon was found on him. The boy’s mother said she had called for emergency assistance in taking her son, who had Asperger’s syndrome, to a hospital during a mental health crisis. The boy survived the shooting but has lasting health issues.
The incident led a former Salt Lake City police chief to state, “If we cannot respond, as a police agency, to a 13-year-old child who has autism, without shooting him, I don’t know if we should be in this business.”
A Killeen, Texas, family called police requesting a mental health professional when a member of the family, Patrick Warren Sr., was experiencing a mental health crisis. No officer with mental health training was available, and a police officer responded to the family’s call. When the officer arrived, Warren emerged from his house, and when he failed to comply with the officer’s order to “sit down,” the officer fatally shot him. Warren was unarmed.
According to one report, nearly 25% of all suspects killed by police in 2020 were diagnosed as having a serious mental illness. A look back to five years prior shows similar results, with one quarter of people shot dead by police in the first half of the year alone having been “in the throes of mental or emotional crisis.” Another report stated that people suffering from mental illness are “16 times more likely” to be killed by law enforcement than suspects who don’t have mental health issues.
Mental illness isn’t the only root cause of mental health crises, however. People with developmental disabilities and individuals going through a tough time, even without any underlying conditions, may also have mental health episodes. These cases need to be treated with great sensitivity. Too often, however, law enforcement handles mental health issues with potentially deadly force. Outcomes for these incidents could improve drastically if officers understood that they were dealing with a person who was experiencing a mental health crisis.
There’s no question that law enforcement is a dangerous profession, with police officers forced to make life-or-death decisions quickly and in hazardous circumstances. There have been numerous documented cases of police officers being injured or killed by mentally ill suspects. However, the number of suspects killed by police could be significantly decreased if some key changes are made to law enforcement protocols.
What’s Needed for Change
Deadly incidents have prompted a widespread call for increased mental health training for police officers, most of whom aren’t currently qualified to handle suspects with mental health problems. Some believe that law enforcement shouldn’t be dealing with such individuals at all. This underscores the need for a twofold approach to the problem:
More Training
Some reports show police receive only eight hours of crisis intervention training. Those publicly calling for expanded training include police chiefs, chiefs of staff to police commissioners, and high-profile public policy organizations. Yet, as of June 2020, an average of only 16% of police departments nationwide were using Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs), which utilize mental health professionals. Still, CIT is becoming a “model for police interactions in crisis situations involving persons in the community with mental, emotional, or developmental challenges.”
More Alternatives
Not everyone agrees police should be the first responders to emergency calls. The city of Eugene, Oregon has begun to handle non-criminal calls that come into 911 in a different way. Instead of sending police, the city sends mental health workers as part of a program it calls CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets). During 2019, the CAHOOTS team requested law enforcement assistance on less than 1% of the calls to which it responded.
Our Online Degree Programs Can Help
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers online bachelor’s degree programs that can help you perform to your potential in a criminal justice career. By developing a better understanding of the behavior and motivations of the people you interact with, you’ll gain a critical tool in avoiding unnecessary use of force.
Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
Our program prepares you to protect and serve your community as you work toward positive changes to the criminal justice system from the inside. You’ll examine topics including the use of force by police and the control of police behavior.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Build a broad foundation of psychological science knowledge through an emphasis on crucial written communication and research skills beneficial in helping professions and beyond. You’ll explore topics such as abnormal psychology, social psychology, and positive psychology.
Online Learning Convenience
We offer all of the courses for these programs in an asynchronous, 100% online format that enables you to earn a valuable credential on your own schedule, practically anywhere, while keeping up with your professional and personal duties. Many courses last just eight weeks, and you’ll learn from the same respected faculty who teach these courses on the UT Permian Basin campus.
Individuals with mental health issues continue to be killed by police in tragic misunderstandings. The right training can help prevent such incidents. An online Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies or Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UT Permian Basin is a good place to start.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/health/north-miami-police-shooting-autistic-man/index.html
https://6abc.com/boy-with-autism-shot-police-shoot-utah-shooting/6415497/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/policing/2020/12/02/cops-shouldnt-first-mental-health-call-ny-program-needed-nationwide-column/6422931002/
https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2019/12/17/increasing-collaboration-between-police-and-mental-health-professionals.aspx
Stories related to the U.S. criminal justice system often make headlines. However, many of the complex and controversial issues covered in these stories don’t lend themselves to simple, clear-cut solutions and news-ready synopses. Here, we examine five current issues in criminal justice and explore the degree programs that can help make sense of these complex subjects:
Body Cameras
Increased attention on fatal incidents involving alleged police misconduct has spurred a push to make body cameras standard equipment for police, alongside handcuffs and pepper spray. The intent is to achieve greater accountability and transparency regarding police actions through recorded evidence. This is potentially beneficial because video footage may exonerate the officer or the suspect involved.
The use of body cameras has broad support—90% of American voters, according to one survey—and is expanding, with the Department of Justice announcing it will permit officers nationwide to use body cameras under certain conditions. Body cameras do have their critics and downsides, however. In some jurisdictions, officers are not permitted to turn their cameras off while on duty. This creates privacy issues for police, who often take restroom breaks or take personal calls while on duty, and for bystanders who may be inadvertently recorded during an investigation.
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking, the act of smuggling a person for the purpose of forced labor, is a $150 billion business. The case of Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier with personal ties to royalty, world leaders, and major celebrities, is perhaps the highest profile sex trafficking story in recent memory. While all 50 states have anti-human-trafficking laws on the books and increasing focus is being directed toward helping survivors, addressing and preventing human trafficking still presents many challenges.
According to the Center for American Progress, these challenges include a lack of solid data about sex trafficking involving minors, the tendency of society to see trafficked individuals as criminals rather than as victims, and the justice system and social services failing to recognize victims and potential victims of human trafficking. Further, business owners and the public may unwittingly support human trafficking through companies that are ostensibly legitimate, e.g., hotels and other hospitality businesses, banks, and transportation companies.
Marijuana Legalization
A growing number of states are legalizing marijuana for recreational use, which has created some new concerns for law enforcement. There has been an increase in burglaries of marijuana dispensaries and violence toward their employees, as well as increased criminal activity in the surrounding neighborhoods. Further, determining how impaired a driver might be by cannabis during a traffic stop is a more complex process than testing for alcohol intoxication. The Breathalyzer has been used to detect alcohol in a driver’s system since the 1950s, but an equivalent and accurate device for detecting cannabis is still under development.
Genealogy Database Use
The Golden State Killer, who murdered at least 13 people and raped dozens more during the 1970s and 1980s, was apprehended in 2018 using a method relatively new to law enforcement. Police involved in the case uploaded DNA evidence from a crime scene to GEDmatch, a public genealogy website, and found a DNA match from one of the killer’s distant relatives. This eventually led them to Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., who was convicted as the Golden State Killer in 2020.
DNA evidence is possibly the most definitive type of evidence in crime investigation, but the use of data from genealogy websites by police is controversial. People tracing their family history through a genealogy website may not want to have their information used by law enforcement. There are also concerns that this use of data by police violates the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable search and seizure. These concerns notwithstanding, in 2019 a Florida judge ordered GEDmatch to give police full access to its database.
Sentencing Disparities
The expression “justice is blind” is intended to suggest that the justice systems “sees” and treats all people equally. This ideal is often not reflected in criminal sentencing, however, as a federal government report has shown. For instance, Black men receive longer prison sentences—an average of 19.1% longer—than white men under similar circumstances. The same report shows that women of any race receive shorter prison sentences than white men. Advocacy groups such as The Sentencing Project are actively working to end such sentencing disparities.
A Career-Enhancing Online Education in Criminal Justice
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers online degree programs in criminal justice that can prepare you to enter into or advance within this dynamic field. Both programs are presented in an asynchronous, 100% online format that enables you to learn at your own pace, anywhere, around your personal and professional responsibilities.
Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
This online program is designed for students who wish to protect and serve their community while affecting positive change to the criminal justice system from within.
If you’ve already completed a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or another field, you may want to consider the professional benefits that a graduate-level criminal justice credential can bring to you.
Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration
This online program is designed for professionals working within the criminal justice system who wish to advance into leadership positions, and it can also benefit undergraduate degree holders looking to develop a mastery of criminal justice concepts. You can earn an online master’s degree in criminal justice administration from UT Permian in as little as one year.
Explore criminal justice online with UT Permian Basin and earn a respected degree that can expand your expertise and bring greater employment opportunities.
Sources:
https://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/hot-topics-and-features.aspx
https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-trafficking-in-persons-report/
https://www.thedunkenlawfirm.com/businesses-involved-in-sex-trafficking/
https://www.policefoundation.org/the-five-things-you-need-to-know-about-marijuana-legalizations-impact-on-public-safety/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6690273/
Often called the “highest court in the land,” the U.S. Supreme Court sits at the top of the American justice system. But despite its influence, the Court hears only a tiny fraction of the cases sent its way.
Each year, the Supreme Court receives around 10,000 petitions, yet it only agrees to hear about 70 to 80 cases. When the Court declines a case, the lower court’s ruling usually stands, making the Supreme Court the final word in many legal disputes.
So, what does the Supreme Court actually do, and why does it matter?
At its core, the Supreme Court’s role is to interpret the U.S. Constitution and ensure that federal and state laws align with it. Its decisions affect how laws are applied nationwide, shaping issues like voting rights, criminal sentencing, and the balance of power between state and federal governments.
In simple terms, the Supreme Court:
Because its rulings apply across the country, the Supreme Court plays a critical role in maintaining consistency within the justice system.
The Supreme Court sits at the top of a broader federal court system that includes two main levels below it: the U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Courts of Appeals.
District courts are trial-level courts where federal cases begin. There are 94 district courts across the country, where judges hear cases involving federal law, often with juries present.
Above the district courts are the U.S. Courts of Appeals, also known as circuit courts. These courts review district court decisions to determine whether the law was applied correctly.
Appellate courts don’t use juries. Rather, they employ panels of judges who evaluate legal arguments and issue rulings.
After a case moves through lower courts, a party may ask the Supreme Court to review it by filing a writ of certiorari. The Court is not required to accept these requests—and in fact, it accepts fewer than 1% of them.
The justices use the “rule of four” to decide which cases to hear. If at least four of the nine justices agree that a case is significant, the Court will review it.
Once the Supreme Court issues a decision, that ruling is typically final unless:
The Supreme Court’s responsibilities extend far beyond individual cases. Its rulings influence civil rights, federal authority, voting laws, business regulations, and many other aspects of daily life.
Because of this reach, understanding the role of the Supreme Court is essential for anyone interested in:
If you’re interested in how courts function—from trial courts to the Supreme Court—The University of Texas Permian Basin offers flexible online programs that explore the justice system in depth.
Programs include:
All programs are 100% online, allowing you to study on your schedule while gaining a strong foundation in law, courts, and public institutions.
Explore UT Permian Basin’s online programs to see how you can turn an interest in the justice system into a meaningful career.
Sources:
https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/supreme-1
https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure
https://www.justice.gov/usao/justice-101/federal-courts
https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/constitutional.aspx
https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/about
The FBI reported that in 2017, violent crimes occurred every 24.6 seconds in the United States, including a murder every 30.5 minutes, a rape every 3.9 minutes, and a robbery every 1.7 minutes. Not to be overlooked are property crimes, which were happening at an astonishingly rapid rate—every 4.1 seconds. So, what drives individuals to…
Television shows, films, and other sources of popular culture have all helped perpetuate widely held notions about the U.S. criminal justice system. Some of these notions may be true, but many are either patently false or do not reflect the “whole truth.” Let’s shine some light on five of the most common misconceptions about criminal…
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