The Criminal Justice Department at Lone Star College-University Park offers an Associate of Arts with a Field of Study in Criminal Justice degree program.

The program prepares students to enter a variety of careers in the criminal justice system or transfer to a four-year university to continue working toward a Bachelor of Criminal Justice. Possible career paths for Criminal Justice graduates include:

• Police Officer
• Private Security or Investigator
• Bailiff or Correctional Officer
• Crime Scene Technician
• Fire Inspector or Fire Investigator
• Loss Prevention
• Victim Services/Support

Students in the Criminal Justice program will receive cutting-edge classroom instruction blended with real-life scenarios. Hands-on educational experiences include investigating mock crime scenes, fingerprinting, handcuffing, and participating in mock trials.

Courses include Intro to Criminal Justice (CRIJ-1301), Court Systems and Practices (CRIJ-1306), Fundamentals of Criminal Law (CRIJ-1310), Correctional Systems and Practices (CRIJ-2313), Police Systems and Practices (CRIJ-2328), and Crime in America (CRIJ-1307).

REGISTER for Criminal Justice classes.

Peace Officers Receive Free Tuition

Are you a Peace Officer? You can enroll now in LSC-University Park's Criminal Justice courses for free. Eligibility requirements are set by the state of Texas and include:

• Provide documentation to prove the following:
  • Student is currently employed as a peace officer by the state of Texas or by a political subdivision of this state.
  • An eligible peace officer is defined as an individual elected, appointed, or employed to serve as a peace officer for a governmental entity under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law—Texas Government Code, Section 615.003(1)(A).  
• Be an undergraduate student enrolled in an eligible criminal justice or law enforcement-related degree or certificate program
• Have filed a selective service statement of registration status; and
• Student must currently have and maintain a 2.0 GPA.

If you meet these requirements, fill out the State Exemption/Waiver Acknowledgement Agreement and reach out to a department contact. Additional information may also be found here.

Department Contacts

Courses are taught by diverse, highly qualified faculty members and offered in face-to-face, fully online and hybrid formats. For those who need additional flexibility, LSC-University Park also offers some Criminal Justice courses in the evenings and Saturdays.

Cassandra Khatri, Ph.D.
Department Chair
Professor of Political Science
281.290.3767
Office: B13.822

Jermaine Johnson, Ph.D. 
Faculty
Professor of Criminal Justice
281.655.3784
Office: B12.726

Jermaine Johnson is a Professor of Criminal Justice at Lone Star College-University Park. He has been teaching for over 20 years. Dr. Johnson has also served in law enforcement for 11 years. Dr. Johnson is truly passionate about education, but more importantly, is dedicated to positively transforming the lives of his students.

Alicia Castillo 
Faculty
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
346.395.3272
Office: B12.618

Alicia Castillo is a dedicated criminal justice educator with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, specializing in Penology, from the University of Houston–Downtown. She earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi and has been teaching at Lone Star College–University Park since 2018. In addition to her role as professor, she serves as the faculty advisor for the Justice Agents of Change criminal justice club and is the co-chair of the college’s annual True Crime Camp, an interactive event that connects students with professionals across the criminal justice system.

Dave Gaer
Dean of Instruction 
281.290.2663
Office: B12.603C