Program Description
The JCJC supports graduate education for working professionals in the field of juvenile justice by offering a weekend graduate education program taught by the faculty of Shippensburg University’s Criminal Justice Department. Since its inception in 1982, the JCJC-sponsored Graduate Education Program has significantly contributed to the improvement of services to justice-involved youth in Pennsylvania. By sponsoring scholarships for the costs of the program, the JCJC provides a tool to help juvenile probation departments recruit and retain quality juvenile probation officers, increase their officers’ level of expertise and effectiveness, and create a professional climate conducive to creativity and research. The program also creates a networking system in which the juvenile probation officers meet colleagues from all over the state. Juvenile justice professionals are also eligible to apply.
The goals of this endeavor, developed by the JCJC and the Criminal Justice Department, were to:
- Create a program that aligns with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences certification standards.
- Develop a program that provides a focus on juvenile justice with practical applications for juvenile justice professionals throughout the Commonwealth.
- Deliver a program taught by committed faculty with working knowledge of juvenile justice best practices.
The overall focus of the program is a juvenile justice curriculum that reflects the current practices in the field of juvenile justice.
The program provides a quality education that promotes advanced inquiry and application of new knowledge. One of the core values of Shippensburg University is to inspire and guide students to become successful leaders in their professions and their communities. The program aims to serve the educational and research needs throughout the Commonwealth’s juvenile justice system. The emphasis of the program is scientific and practical. Graduates will be better qualified to participate in their profession if they are prepared as research-oriented students and informed practitioners of juvenile justice.
Program faculty participate in research and service activities that benefit criminal and juvenile justice and social service agencies locally, statewide, and nationally. The faculty’s involvement in research and community affairs enhances the classroom experience, as faculty members are able to engage students in discussions of current controversies, dilemmas, discussions, practices, and strategies surrounding juvenile justice as well as future streams of inquiry and thought. In most of our coursework, juvenile crime and delinquency are viewed as social phenomena and are analyzed with methodologies developed in the social and behavioral sciences.
The program's major strengths are its applied perspective and strong emphasis on theory, policy, research, and analysis. Philosophy, format, and implementation stress the practical application of a higher level of knowledge, skills, and strategies.
The curriculum is guided by the following educational objectives which are evaluated on a yearly basis:
- Comprehensive Knowledge of Juvenile Justice
- Critical Analysis
- Communication
- Exposure to Human and Cultural Diversity
- Exposure to Ethical Problem Solving
- Exposure to Technology
The program is available to full-time county juvenile probation officers and juvenile justice providers in the Commonwealth who graduated from an accredited college or university with at least 18 credits in the behavioral or social sciences. The county chief juvenile probation officer may at their discretion identify additional requirements regarding interested applicants in your county (e.g., minimum service time with the juvenile probation department prior to eligibility). Similarly, the head administrator of a juvenile justice provider may at their discretion identify additional requirements regarding interested applicants in your organization (e.g., minimum service time with the organization prior to eligibility).
The JCJC pays all tuition, lodging, and most University fees for juvenile probation officers. These students are responsible for other costs, including books, remaining University fees, and mileage. Students from juvenile justice providers are responsible for all program costs.
Students agree to attend the program continuously for two academic years and to maintain their current employment status for the duration of the program and for at least two years after graduation. Students who fail to meet these conditions will be required to reimburse the Commonwealth for all, or a portion of, costs paid on their behalf by the JCJC.
There are two primary requirements for admission to the program:
- Acceptance into the Shippensburg University School of Graduate Studies.
- Endorsement by the JCJC.
Applicants must meet all requirements of the Shippensburg University School of Graduate Studies as defined in the current Graduate Catalog. Applicants should have a baccalaureate degree in criminal justice, or a closely related social science field from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum grade point average of 2.75/4.00. Applicants who do not meet the minimum grade point average requirement must successfully take either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) and submit their scores as part of their application. The standard for successfully passing the GRE or MAT is at or above the 50th percentile.
The Criminal Justice Department recommends the GRE as it reflects a familiar testing format that is similar to the SAT. The GRE assesses student strengths in verbal, quantitative, and analytical areas, whereas the MAT only assesses student strengths in the area of verbal reasoning. The Administration of Juvenile Justice degree focuses on academic research requiring strong verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills, and the GRE provides a better assessment of a student’s potential for success. Both the GRE and MAT require academic preparation to successfully complete. Upon request, assistance with GRE/MAT preparation may be available from the University.
Interested applicants must follow application procedures for both the JCJC and Shippensburg University. The application process is facilitated online through Shippensburg University. For your reference, below is the list of required materials:
- A completed Graduate Education Program Application.
- A letter of Interest for Endorsement and Admission to the JCJC-sponsored Graduate Education Program and the Shippensburg University School of Graduate Studies. This letter should address the following issues: a) why you are a strong candidate for endorsement; b) any reasons why you may still be a strong candidate despite having an undergraduate GPA below 2.75/4.00; c) a complete description of juvenile justice work experience; and d) how you expect to use the graduate education experience to improve practices in the county from which application is made.
- The Recommendation Form for interested juvenile probation officers is to be completed by the chief juvenile probation officer in your county and signed by the chief juvenile probation officer and the Juvenile Court Administrative Judge in your county. The Recommendation Form for interested applicants who are employed by juvenile justice providers is to be completed by the head administrator in your organization and signed by the head administrator and a Juvenile Court Administrative Judge.
- A copy of your résumé.
- A copy of your undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) transcripts. Official transcripts are required.
- A copy of your official GRE/MAT scores (applicable only if your undergraduate GPA is below 2.75/4.00).
April 1st
Application deadline each year to begin in the Fall semester. Interested applicants must follow application procedures for both the JCJC and Shippensburg University as outlined above.
April
JCJC endorsement interviews at Shippensburg University.
May
JCJC endorsement; the Commission Members endorse candidates at their May meeting. Prospective students receive endorsement letters from the JCJC and instructions for registering for classes.
August/September
Program orientation and classes begin.