Learning Objectives and Resources
Goal
Criminal justice programs should incorporate more behavioral science courses.
We recommend that college advisors and professors encourage students to seek and get a certificate of study in diversity.
We also recommend that students learn a second language.
Sample Learning Objectives
- Describe common theories related to motivating behavioral change.
- Describe research related to adolescent brain development.
- Describe the strengths and weaknesses of psychological theories, sociological theories and biological theories related to criminal behavior.
- Explain the effect of trauma on the justice-involved population.
- Recognize the effect that mental illness has on offending and behavior change.
- Recognize the effect that substance use disorders have on offending and behavior change.
- Recognize the effect that brain impairment issues have on offending and behavior change.
- Identify common criminal thinking (i.e., cognitive) errors.
- Discuss types of cognitive interventions used with individuals on supervision.
- Identify methods practitioners can use to enhance an individual’s internal motivation.
- Explain the key aspects of probation/parole officers as change agents.
- Summarize differential interventions used for special populations of offenders (e.g., women offenders, sex offenders, domestic violence offenders).
- Describe how cultural competency of corrections professionals affects supervision outcomes and behavior change.