Crime Scene Investigations

This certificate is designed to provide a strong academic and skill building pattern of coursework to prepare participants to enter the professional field with the academic and technical knowledge and skills in the forensic and criminal investigative techniques used within crime scene investigations. The successful participant will gain sufficient skills and understanding of criminal investigative procedures, criminal and procedural law, legal aspects of evidence, criminalistics and forensic science, criminal investigations, professional communications, criminal justice report writing and legal analysis, and proper forensic evidence collection and handling procedures.

Program Learning Outcomes:

 Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:

 • Demonstrate advanced knowledge in the components of criminal law and the criminal justice system.

• Understand, analyze, and demonstrate advanced knowledge in Constitutional criminal law, civil rights, and the rules and legal aspects of criminal investigations, including rules of evidence, criminal procedure, and related case law.

• Demonstrate a proficient level of knowledge in evidence identification, collection, preservation, handling, custody, and chain of custody.

• Understand, analyze, and demonstrate a proficient skill set in professional communication, written and verbal, to meet industry needs for criminal justice professionals.

• Understand basic and intermediate forensic science principles and techniques and the relationship between proper fieldwork and scientific analysis.

Current data available showing students identifying CSI as their program of study shows a gradual increase since 2016 from 159 to 182. Program Awards (CSI cert.) has also increased from 3 in 2017-2018 to 10 in 2020-2021. 

 Our student interest in Crime Scene Investigations has also doubled since last year.  This semester, we added a second section of ADJ-13 in the Fall semester to meet student demands. Students all identifying their interest in a career within investigations. 

The CSI Certificate program, as it currently exists, has never had a dedicated marketing/advertising plan in place and without any advertisement or marketing beyond a listing in the college catalog and on the website. With this, the program has still amassed students interested in the profession, despite the certificate only being locally approved and not designed to meet current industry needs at entry-level positions. With these modifications, there can now be a dedicated marketing to this program that advises students and potential students of the quality programming available within the CSI Certificate housed within the ADJ discipline.

Once the modification has gained approval and state recognition, the ADJ program can advertise a program that provides benefit to both students and employers, with an estimated growth rate of 3% within the first year, up to 5%in the next couple years.

This certificate program modification is designed to provide students with a state-approved certificate offering that also provides a strong evidence-based and industry-required set of technical skill and academic knowledge in criminal, forensic, crime scene investigation, and professionalism. The inclusion of courses with both fundamental and cutting-edge technical skill and workforce preparation systems will result in graduates of this program being skillful and trained legal and ethical professionals. 

The Administration of Justice Program aligns with the College’s Mission to inspire, challenge, and empower our diverse, multi-cultural community of student learners to realize their goals; promote citizenship, integrity, leadership, and global awareness; encourage academic excellence and professionalism.

In expanding and modifying our CSI Certificate, it would allow our student graduates to meet the knowledge and skills requirements for 88.18% (n=97) of 110 regional and state job descriptions.

We have one goal in mind: How to plan and manage curricula within our programs to best benefit our students and provide them with the necessary academic, technical, and employable skills to transition into higher than livable-wage careers and post-secondary education. This modification will also accompany submission to Curriculum for the certificate to receive state approval as well, which is a vital next step to legitimize our program.

This necessary modification takes a locally approved certificate that does not meet any known employer needs or industry standards and transforms it into a state approved certificate that provides opportunities for students who complete it to meet entry-level criteria for over 85% of job postings within the region and state.

While a CSI certificate program already exists at Norco College, this proposal is to modify the program to meet and exceed local and regional industry needs. This modification will join the rest of the ADJ program offerings as a state-approved, research-backed, and cutting-edge educational offering.

Crime Scene Investigations - 24 unit certificate

This certificate is designed to provide a strong academic and skill building pattern of coursework to prepare participants to enter the professional field with the academic and technical knowledge and skills in the forensic and criminal investigative techniques used within crime scene investigations. 

This certificate in Crime Scene Investigations will be awarded upon successful completion of 21 required units of coursework and three units of elective coursework. 

Required (21 units)

Electives (3 Units) Choose two from the following three classes. 

** = Lab Courses (12 Hours Each)

*** = Lab Courses (18 Hours)

**** = Lab Course (54 Hours)

Total Program Units:    24     .units