Program Overview:
The Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (HS/EP) Program is a Career and Technology Education instructional program which integrates government, academia, and private sector training/educational initiatives to help students understand how the United States and its interests worldwide are protected against threats to public safety, both natural and manmade, through effective communication, preparedness, detection, prevention, response and recovery. The program offers three career strands: Homeland Security Sciences, Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement, and Information/Communications Technology. These three strands align with the six mission areas of the United States Department of Homeland Security: Intelligence and Warning, Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets, Border and Transportation Security, Domestic Counterterrorism, Defense against Catastrophic Threats, and Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Students are expected to:
- Outline the essential characteristics of national and international acts of terrorism.
- Classify the roles, functions of, and interdependency between local, federal and international law enforcement, intelligence and military agencies.
- Develop effective strategies to generate information necessary for intelligence and Law Enforcement organization agency heads to make timely, effective and efficient decisions on the directions and methods of Homeland Security policies and operations.
- Examine the global and national issues and policies concerning terrorism and Homeland Security.
- Employ technology for general and critical legal research, writing and case management.
- Demonstrate proficiency in communication, problem-solving, and team building skills.
- Explain and justify the ethical standards needed for careers in the Health and Human Services Cluster.
- Participate in internship experiences that include exposure to multiple career areas within the chosen program strand. and
- Explore career opportunities within the Human Resource Services Cluster and Homeland Security Pathway.
Courses
Forensic Science I
Prerequisite: The Administration of Justice
Students learn observation skills and how to apply those skills to crime scene investigation and evidence examination. The protocols of crime scene investigation are emphasized. Students explore the identification of trace evidence such as hair, fiber, pollen, and latent fingerprints. The science of DNA profiling and blood spatter interpretation is also studied.
Forensic Science II
Prerequisite: Forensic Science I
Students are introduced to the larger components of physical evidence including drug identification, handwriting analysis, soil examination, glass evidence, tool marks, and ballistics. Students learn to make casts and impressions of such evidence as tire marks and foot prints. Death investigations are explored and the science of forensic anthropology.
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Students learn the history and structure of American law enforcement as well as how crime is defined and measured. Emphasis is on identifying causes of crime, procedural rights, and the duties and styles of police officers in combating crime.
The Administration of Justice
Prerequisite: Intro to Criminal Justice
Students study the American court structure and examine institutional corrections and community corrections including institutionalization, parole, and probation. The juvenile justice system is covered as well as the future of corrections in relation to developments in procedure and technology.