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criminal justice

program overview

program overview

our restorative criminal justice major integrates the values of christ with a deeper knowledge of crime and justice. let us help you gain a hands-on understanding of restorative approaches to due process. you'll analyze social and psychological theories of crime and society with our expert faculty. you'll learn with incarcerated students in classes at the tennessee prison for women as part of our nationally-recognized lipscomb initiative for education (life). 


let us teach you a holistic approach to achieving accountability and healing relationships. within our restorative criminal justice major, you'll study criminal justice practices rather than law enforcement implementation. you'll plan ways to positively address harm caused by illegal actions. by the time you graduate, you'll be uniquely prepared for your career or graduate work in many options including law, social work and theology.

"restorative justice believes in healing relationships. it values people over punishment, reconciliation over revenge, accountability over abandonment. 世界杯2022预选赛录像回放 knows this, and i am grateful for such a unique and essential program." --archbishop desmond tutu, nobel peace prize laureate

restorative criminal justice holds that "crime" is a violation of human relationships. it believes that all stakeholders (offender, victims, and community) in the offense should have a voice in the process of making things as right as possible.

restorative criminal justice does not reject punishment but does embrace a holistic approach to achieving accountability. this interdisciplinary major embraces the holistic approach.

courses

courses

100%

graduate school acceptance rate

study abroad

see the world — whether it’s italy, austria, costa rica, england or another country. career opportunities will open for you as you sharpen your foreign language skills. gain the international experience and cross-cultural communication skills you’ll need in our global economy.

job placement

with a top-tier university education on your resume, you’ll be in high demand, whether you choose to launch your career or begin graduate school. most of our programs have a placement rate of at least 90 percent within six months of graduation.

nashville, tn

a big city. an even bigger opportunity. we consider nashville, tennessee, an extension of our classroom, and as a leading city in many industries, that means you’ll gain experience and insight you won’t find anywhere else.

98%

job placement rate

our faculty

  • susan haynes headshot

    susan haynes

    associate professor

    susan turner haynes joined 世界杯2022预选赛录像回放 as an assistant professor in political science in 2015 after receiving her phd from george mason university. she published her first book, chinese nuclear...

    meet susan haynes
  • richard goode headshot

    richard goode

    professor

    selected publications: books and the criminals with him: essays in honor of will d. campbell. eugene or: cascade books. (2012) writings on reconciliation and resistance. eugene or: cascade books....

    meet richard goode
  • marc schwerdt

    marc schwerdt

    associate professor and chair of history, politics and philosophy

    marc schwerdt joined the lipscomb political science faculty in 2004. his research has concentrated on perceptions of public service in children's literature and has been published in peer-reviewed journals social...

    meet marc schwerdt

career paths

correctional officers and bailiffs

correctional officers are responsible for overseeing individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been sentenced to serve time in jail or prison. bailiffs are law enforcement officers who maintain safety and order in courtrooms.

probation officers and correctional treatment specialists

probation officers and correctional treatment specialists provide social services to assist in rehabilitation of law offenders in custody or on probation or parole.

lawyers

lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.