CJA Instructor Toolkit

Welcome to the CUNY Justice Academy Instructor Toolkit

Whether you’re a new faculty member or a seasoned instructor, we hope you’ll find new ideas and practical resources for teaching criminal justice courses. Please click on the links above to access the various sections.

The idea for this tool kit grew out of discussions among faculty and staff in the CUNY Justice Academy who were seeking a convenient way to impart important program and curricular information to the growing number of adjunct and full-time faculty.

Created in 2008, the CUNY Justice Academy is a unique joint-degree program between John Jay College and CUNY’s six community colleges. By enrolling in a degree program of the CUNY Justice Academy, students receive dual admission into one of the six participating CUNY community colleges and John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The first 60 credits are taken at a “partner” community college campus, with the final 60 credits taken at John Jay.

A seamless transfer to John Jay is a key component of the Justice Academy. Another important component of the Justice Academy is that criminal justice courses taught at the community colleges mirror as closely as possible the content and rigor of their equivalent courses at John Jay. This helps ensure the academic success of community college graduates once they arrive at John Jay.

In addition to modules on classroom management, the art of teaching, and tips for instructor success, the tool kit contains model syllabi and learning objectives for the four criminal justice courses required for Justice Academy students. Instructors are welcome to create their own syllabi; however, certain items, such as the CUNY statement on academic integrity and the learning objectives, should be included (as written) on all syllabi.

How the Justice Academy Works

When students successfully complete the first 60 credits with a GPA of 2.0 or better, they not only receive an associate degree from the community college but also are guaranteed enrollment and a seamless transfer to John Jay.

Should students decide not to transfer to John Jay, they nonetheless will earn a 60-credit associate degree and graduate with foundational knowledge of the American criminal justice system. They will have satisfied the educational requirements for many entry-level criminal justice jobs in New York City, including police officer (60 college credits), corrections officer (39 credits), and firefighter (15 credits).

Participating CUNY Justice Academy Colleges

Degree Programs Offered

Criminal Justice
The Criminal Justice major provides the opportunity to study many facets of the criminal justice system, from courtrooms to policing to juvenile justice. It prepares students for a career in law enforcement, judicial, or correctional agencies and lays the groundwork for graduate study. This program is offered at the following CUNY community colleges:

Successful completion of this program leads to automatic admission into John Jay’s B.S. in Criminal Justice Institutional Theory and Practice program.

Forensic Science
The major in Forensic Science provides academic and professional training for work in forensic science laboratories as a research scientist, teacher, or medical professional. At the associate degree level (years 1 and 2), the course work is strongly focused on basic foundations in chemistry, biology, physics, and calculus-level mathematics. This program is offered at the following CUNY community colleges:

Successful completion of this program results in automatic admission into John Jay’s B.S. in Forensic Science program.

Forensic Financial Analysis
The major in Forensic Financial Analysis combines course work in accounting and economics with training in the tools and techniques used to detect and prevent fraud. The first half of the program leads to an A.S. in Forensic Accounting. This program is offered at the following CUNY community colleges:

Successful completion of this program leads to automatic admission into John Jay’s B.S. in Economics program with a specialization in Forensic Financial Analysis.

by David Barnet