Chair and Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology LiYing Li says she's excited about the curriculum changes in her department.

LiYing Li does not apprehend criminals, but her classes will take you inside the mind of one.

As chair and professor for the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Li helps insure that students get relevant, quality instruction in everything from Miranda Rights and victim rights to court proceedings and community policing.

Her passion and expertise, though, is much more grounded in criminology, which explores the “why” behind crime and criminal behavior, as opposed to criminal justice studies that look primarily at law enforcement, corrections and court issues. Li says that, until recently, criminology was an area of study that was underrepresented in Metro State’s program.

According to Li, the department began revamping curriculum in summer 2006, in part to align with national standards of instruction put forth by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and also to act upon suggestions from a November 2004 external review of the department.

The curriculum changes are already being felt by students this fall with new course offerings in such topics as victimology and statistics for criminal justice practitioners. Additionally, new classes in spring will evaluate the role that gender, race and social class play in criminal behavior and take closer looks at American gangs, drugs in society and the portrayal of crime in the media.

It has been said that learning can create more questions than answers. Li believes that is especially true in criminal justice and criminology--two related, yet distinct disciplines often grounded in extensive research and questioning.

For example, one of Li’s classes looks at notorious serial killers for answers to the age-old question of what drives some people to commit unspeakable acts and deters others from becoming murderers.

“I want you to finish my classes with more questions than answers,” says Li. “You come in, you don’t know anything, you don’t have any questions. A lot of times you don’t know what to ask, but when you know more, then you will have more questions.”

Taking that thought a step further, Li uses serving on a jury as an example of the importance of valid and thoughtful questioning. Because the American criminal justice system is founded in part on the ideal of a fair trial, Li says it is important that jurors ask educated questions as they attempt to rationalize the conviction or acquittal of the accused.

Li also points out that law enforcement is quickly becoming more technology rich as practitioners employ GPS to track and monitor those on parole or DNA evidence to exonerate or convict those accused of crimes.

“In terms of law enforcement, now we have tools we didn’t have before,” Li says. “For instance…some states use GPS as a tracking system for ankle bracelets worn by people on probation. Like Martha Stewart, she was wearing one at one time.”

Li says because of the sheer scope of expertise areas in criminal justice and criminology, it is unreasonable that any one student or faculty member should know everything about all things. She adds, however, that graduates of the program will now be well versed in a variety of law enforcement, correctional and court issues and have the ability to use research methods to explore areas like criminal behavior and crime patterns.

“A lot of things they do need to learn in the field, but we should at least plant some seeds,” says Li.