{"id":1403,"date":"2020-05-11T17:31:58","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T00:31:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=1403"},"modified":"2024-07-23T11:24:52","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T18:24:52","slug":"crime-justice-online-sociology-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/crime-justice-online-sociology-degree\/","title":{"rendered":"Crime and justice is a key focus of Oregon State online sociology degree"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Scott

Sociology professor Scott Akins helps students analyze the fact that social variables and power structures play a significant role in determining which people are exposed to the criminal justice system.<\/p><\/div>\n

Specialization option provides a gateway to criminal justice careers<\/h2>\n

When Scott Akins was growing up, he says he was “a bit of a juvenile delinquent<\/a>.” Now he’s a Ph.D. professor of sociology at Oregon State University, and he owes much of his career work to, well, his “work” as a troublemaking kid.<\/p>\n

“After experiencing criminal behavior and law enforcement from the \u2018other side,\u2019 I became very interested in studying the behavior, why it occurs and what can be done to prevent it,” Akins says.<\/p>\n

That’s precisely what students can study as part of the crime and justice option<\/strong> in Oregon State’s sociology bachelor’s degree program online<\/a>. It provides opportunities to\u00a0use social science concepts as a means of analyzing the relationships between crime, justice and public policy from a sociological perspective.<\/p>\n

In order to help you learn more, we asked Akins a series of questions about the crime and justice option, which is particularly relevant for sociology students who want to build careers in criminal justice, law or social services.<\/p>\n

1. Why is it important for us to have a better, sociological understanding of how crime, justice and public policy are interrelated?<\/h3>\n

“Sociology is the systematic study of social behavior and human groups. It focuses primarily on the influence of social relationships on people’s attitudes and behavior and how societies are established and change. Who chooses a criminal path and who is exposed to the criminal justice system is highly affected by social variables and power structures, and that is fundamentally a sociological question.”<\/p>\n

2. What types of things will students learn in the crime and justice option?<\/h3>\n

“They will learn about the causes of crime, methods of reducing crime, and the personal and social consequences of different crime control strategies.”<\/p>\n

3. What career opportunities could the crime and justice coursework create for students?<\/h3>\n

“Graduates of the crime and justice option have commonly been employed in positions in law enforcement and corrections, law, and social work or social services.”<\/p>\n

4. Students in this option can pursue an internship at a criminal justice or social service agency in their local area. What added value would an internship like that bring?<\/h3>\n

“Having a practical and applied experience via internship can assist a student in determining if that career field may be an appropriate, long-term career path. Additionally, many interns often move on to permanent employment with the agency they are placed at, enhancing chances for early employment following (or even prior to) graduation.”<\/p>\n

5. Looking at the big picture \u2013 as a professional, member of society, etc. \u2013 how will students benefit from earning a sociology degree with a focus in crime and justice?<\/h3>\n

“Students earning a degree in sociology with a focus in crime and justice will be provided with the tools needed to work in a variety of crime- and justice-related fields, ideally affecting policy to ensure an evidence-based approach to the causes and responses to crime.”<\/p>\n

\n

Want to learn more about the crime and justice option in Oregon State’s online sociology bachelor’s program?<\/p>\n

Request information<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 2<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>When Scott Akins was “a bit of a juvenile delinquent” growing up. Now he’s a Ph.D. professor of sociology at Oregon State University. “After experiencing criminal behavior and law enforcement from the \u2018other side,\u2019 I became very interested in studying the behavior, why it occurs and what can be done to prevent it,” Akins says. That’s precisely what students can study as part of the crime and justice option in Oregon State’s online sociology bachelor’s degree program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1404,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,9,678,3],"tags":[75,640,43],"class_list":["post-1403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-faculty","category-faculty-and-programs","category-features","tag-college-of-liberal-arts","tag-health-and-human-science","tag-sociology"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/scott-akins-sociology-crime-justice.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-mD","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":113,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/scott-akins\/","url_meta":{"origin":1403,"position":0},"title":"Behind the scenes with Scott Akins, sociology associate professor","author":"Heather Doherty","date":"April 27, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\"One of the best things about Ecampus is that it provides opportunity for individuals to pursue the goals of education and career advancement that might otherwise be denied to them,\u201d says Sociology Associate Professor Scott Akins.","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scott Akins stands in front of Fairbanks Hall on the Oregon State University campus.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Scott-Akins-Main2.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Scott-Akins-Main2.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Scott-Akins-Main2.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1469,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/sustainability-online-carlee-sedgwick\/","url_meta":{"origin":1403,"position":1},"title":"Oregon State Everywhere: Prone to wanderlust, but at home with Ecampus","author":"Carlee Sedgwick","date":"July 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\"I think my favorite part about Ecampus, besides the community and approachability of all the faculty, is the overall flexibility allowed through online classes. ... When I graduate, I want to continue my education before pursuing a career that involves conservation, environmental justice or really anything to do with environmental\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Carlee Sedgwick, a sustainability and sociology double major with Oregon State University Ecampus, stands with ocean cliffs behind her. 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