The study of criminal justice is the application of the scientific method to the administration, procedure, and policies of those government agencies charged with the enforcement of law, the adjudication of crime, and the correction of criminal behavior. The primary components of the criminal justice system are the police, courts, and corrections. The functions of these agencies are studied and analyzed to determine how they accomplish their mission and how their activities are influenced by public policy formulation and the attitudes of society. Criminal justice is the legal responsibility of government. Therefore, it is almost exclusively acted out in a governmental framework or context.
Criminal justice provides the social control function for a democratic society.
Various elements of the criminal justice system attempt to apprehend, prosecute, punish, and rehabilitate violators of society's rules. An effective criminal justice process and system contributes to the welfare of society. The interdisciplinary nature of the criminal justice degree program makes this major and its graduates attractive to other career employers. Criminal justice degree holders are often employed in business, insurance, and counseling positions in addition to the positions shown below. Criminal justice majors frequently enter graduate school and other advanced professional programs.