Of all the problems that the social sciences might address, the upgrading of our criminal justice system may be among the most important. At Bluffton University, this effort takes the form of an interdisciplinary major in criminal justice that is fully within the liberal arts, and couched within the social sciences. Beyond the core of academic work in this major, students may choose a concentration of study to prepare for a variety of professional settings. Hands-on learning is available through internships and field experiences in a variety of settings, such as prisons, juvenile services, courts, and mediation centers.
Emphasis on Restorative Justice
At Bluffton, we place a strong emphasis in our criminal justice major on the philosophy and practice of restorative justice. This is a new paradigm for the way that we view crime that emphasizes the restoration of healthy communities, the inclusion of victims and their needs, and a deeper commitment to holding offenders accountable for the harms that they have caused while at the same time supporting the reintegration of offenders back into the community. Through the lens of restorative justice, students are encouraged to take a critical look at many of the fundamental assumptions of the current criminal justice system, and explore alternatives to this system that are more humane and just. Restorative justice fits within the ideals of the Anabaptist vision of the college, and also is a philosophy that is increasingly utilized by both public and private criminal justice services around the world.
