Criminal Justice program gives students real-world experience in forensics and law enforcement
Friday, May 29, 2026 12:00 AM
Blog Highlights
- Macomb’s Criminal Justice program prepares students for careers in law enforcement, forensics and other law-related fields.
- Criminal Justice student Kionna Daily is gaining real-world experience at the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Through Macomb’s Criminal Justice associate degree program, student Kionna Dailey is gaining firsthand experience at the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office, observing crime scenes, autopsies and the daily work of forensic professionals.
As the first student to participate in the Criminal Justice fieldwork option, she’s helping to set the stage for future students.
“My mom is a big true crime fan,” she said. “We’d watch The First 48 or Forensic Files together, and something about the process and how investigators worked through cases really grabbed my attention.”
Kionna’s early interest has grown into a goal of becoming a forensic photographer. And at Macomb, she has found a program that turns her passion into a career.
Hands-on and immersive
In Macomb’s Criminal Justice program, students learn by doing. This is an approach that appealed to Kionna from the start.
“When I toured Macomb with my high school, I saw that the program was so hands-on and immersive,” she said. “It felt like a good fit.”
That hands-on focus is woven throughout the Criminal Justice curriculum. For example, students will practice real techniques, from fingerprint lifting and blood analysis to evidence collection in the following courses:
As the first student to participate in the Criminal Justice fieldwork option, she’s helping to set the stage for future students.
“My mom is a big true crime fan,” she said. “We’d watch The First 48 or Forensic Files together, and something about the process and how investigators worked through cases really grabbed my attention.”
Kionna’s early interest has grown into a goal of becoming a forensic photographer. And at Macomb, she has found a program that turns her passion into a career.
Hands-on and immersive
In Macomb’s Criminal Justice program, students learn by doing. This is an approach that appealed to Kionna from the start.
“When I toured Macomb with my high school, I saw that the program was so hands-on and immersive,” she said. “It felt like a good fit.”
That hands-on focus is woven throughout the Criminal Justice curriculum. For example, students will practice real techniques, from fingerprint lifting and blood analysis to evidence collection in the following courses:
- Crime scene investigation (CSI)
- Criminal law and procedure
- Corrections and policing
- Victimology and community engagement
- Emergency management and homeland security
“My CSI professor was an active on-call homicide detective,” Kionna said. “It was really cool knowing he was solving cases while teaching us.”
Pathways to a career in criminal justice
Macomb recently updated its Criminal Justice program to mirror industry standards and employer needs.
“After communicating with local police chiefs, it became clear that the curriculum required enhancement to better align with updated professional standards,” said Samantha Bowlin, Criminal Justice program coordinator and faculty member.
The revised Criminal Justice program offers two educational pathways.
For the first path, students may pursue an Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice, which provides a foundation in corrections, juvenile justice, victimology, the court system and crime investigation.
A second option, Criminal Justice with Basic Police Academy, combines the associate degree with the Basic Police Academy certificate.
Students in either pathway will have the opportunity to gain fieldwork experience at local police departments, courts, correctional facilities and more.
Kionna plans to transfer to Wayne State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree with a minor in forensic science. She knows her time at Macomb is helping to build a solid foundation.
“I already feel like Macomb has taken me far,” she said. “The opportunities here are amazing.”
To learn more about the Criminal Justice program, please visit our webpage.