CRJS 355 Criminological Theory Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CRJS 181, CRJS 253 and CRJS 254. Examines historical and contemporary theories of crime and criminal offending. Includes an analysis of scientific theory and the behavior of the law, major sources of crime data, and an analysis of the assumptions, propositions and empirical validity of prominent criminological theories. Additional areas of focus include the implications of criminological theory for social justice and public policy aimed at increasing public safety.