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Each institute offering an online program in criminal justice is sure to have its own syllabus. Though a few courses may be unique to certain institutes many of these are similar and may only be known by different names while their contents are more or less the same. A criminal justice program benefits prospective law enforcement officers as well as social service workers and private investigators. All these programs teach you the fundamentals of the criminal justice system and help you enrich your skills in the field. The nation's legal system and law enforcement standards are given equal importance in most of these programs. Languages are an important part of the course as are interpersonal skills.

Courses in the humanities, mathematics, science and social sciences all figure in the syllabus. Over the years, the criminal justice program has also evolved and aims at encompassing the changing scenario of crime in the 21st century. Institutes now offer courses in tackling terrorism, aviation security and cyber crime. Interrogation and interviewing techniques, emergency procedures, and community policing are but some of the features of criminal justice programs.

Some of the courses taught in a criminal justice program are:

* Introduction to Criminal Justice
* Criminal Law
* Criminal Procedure
* Forensic Science
* Juvenile Justice
* Criminology
* Corrections
* Security
* Community Policing
* Aviation Security
* Hate Crimes and Groups
* Sex Crimes
* Independent Research
* Law Enforcement Reporting and Recording
* Correctional Programs: Probation and Parole
* Criminal Investigation
* Criminalistics of Cybercrime
* Issues in Ethics and Law
* Psychology and the Justice System
* Crime in America
* Correctional Systems and Practices
* Sociology of Law

In many cases the syllabus might combine traditional and the virtual method of study. All criminal justice programs aim at providing students with an informed perspective on the components of the justice system. They are taught to recognize and interpret crime data and statistics. Students are made aware of the correctional systems and purposes of punishment. It helps develop an understanding of the differences between the adult and juvenile justice systems.