An Interview with Paul Sylvestre, Professor &
Chair, Social Science Department
If you aspire to serve vulnerable people in your community, advocate for victims, improve the legal system, investigate crime, or protect the country globally in a Homeland Security position, consider an interdisciplinary associate or bachelor’s program to prepare for a criminal justice career.
Beginning in 2025, Johnson & Wales University will offer two new online programs — an associate in science and a bachelor of science in Criminal Justice. Industry-experienced faculty, who have been teaching in the Criminal Justice bachelor’s program on campus, will deliver these online courses, including Professor and Department Chair Paul Sylvestre, who has been teaching criminal justice courses at JWU since 2011.
Professor Sylvestre emphasizes, “The one thing that students will recognize right away is the passion and enthusiasm that the faculty have for what they’re doing. All of the faculty members teaching in the Criminal Justice program have extensive experience working in the industry.”
Sylvestre describes the Criminal Justice program as “almost like a Swiss army knife.“
“Students come with diverse aspirations, and we are able to prepare them for whatever career path they want to pursue, with faculty who have experience in those areas. All students will be able to get a basic understanding of criminal justice, and how it relates to other disciplines, other majors, other factions of society — not just the isolated silo of criminal justice.”
“If you’re considering one of the online Criminal Justice programs,” Sylvestre explains, “It’s important to understand that we’re not a police academy. While many of our students do want to go into a career in law enforcement, a sizable portion of our students want nothing to do with policing or with law enforcement.”
Stephen Riccitelli, Lecturer in the Criminal Justice program agrees, “A Criminal Justice degree at JWU is not limited to those pursuing careers in law enforcement. The field offers diverse career opportunities in areas such as forensics, psychology, law, and more, making a Criminal Justice degree from Johnson & Wales a valuable asset across multiple professions.”
“The online programs will have the same academic rigor and expectations as the on-campus classes.”
Sylvestre explains, “I believe Johnson & Wales University’s reputation speaks for itself, and then look at who is teaching these courses — the faculty’s education and experience. We are going to provide those remote yet practical experiences for adult learners who work full time but want to pursue their education and earn a criminal justice degree.”
Riccitelli adds, “As part of an ongoing review process for online criminal justice courses within the program, I have observed that online students receive the same high-quality education and comprehensive instruction as those attending in person.
“A robust online degree program allows Johnson & Wales to reach students who may be unable to attend on-campus classes due to factors such as shift work, transportation challenges, family obligations, or financial constraints.”
Two Online Criminal Justice Programs
Characterizing the two programs, Professor Sylvestre said, “The associate in science Criminal Justice degree is designed for a range of individuals — from those who are curious about criminal justice to others who are already working in the field. Someone thinking about going on to earn a bachelor’s degree may want to first see how they do in the associate degree program before committing to further education. With an associate degree, you can enter the field quickly — and employers are going to pay additional money for individuals who have industry-related degrees. Plus, after completing your degree, you can apply your credits toward our Criminal Justice bachelor’s degree.”
The bachelor of science Criminal Justice degree is aimed at students ready to commit to earning their bachelor’s degree, including industry professionals who are already working in law enforcement or in any field related to criminal justice.
“Coursework for the online bachelor’s degree covers foundational aspects of the legal system, including Law Enforcement, Criminal Law and Procedure, Criminology and more. In addition to the general education courses and elective requirements, students will take a Senior Seminar class.
“In addition, for students who wish to continue their education past the associate and bachelor’s programs, we offer a fully online master’s degree in Criminal Justice.”
Why Pursue A Criminal Justice Education
According to Sylvestre, “Regardless of your area of interest in criminal justice, you will have job security — the need for law enforcement, legal, social service and other related positions will not go away, so there will always be jobs for you.
“Just like any other major, some students come to school knowing what they want to do. Some are still unsure about their career path; they just know they want to focus on criminal justice — restorative justice, race, crime, and diversity — because we live and work in environments that have diverse cultures, domestically and globally.”
“Many of our students want to be advocates, either to help victims or offenders.”
Paul continues, “They want to understand why people do the things they do. That’s why a lot of criminal justice students minor in psychology — and we have psych students who minor in criminal justice, because those disciplines complement one another.
“At JWU, we create programs with courses of study that are driven by student focus and interest.”
“For example, we have a Victimology course because that was precipitated by responses to a student survey in which students asked to have a that class. Now we also offer as electives a Serial Killers course and Offender Assessment Management.
“Students involved in any aspect of criminal justice have to understand the human element and the human dynamic, and that two plus two doesn’t always equal four when you are dealing with the human psychological element. You have to take all that into consideration — which goes back to why college is important.
“Students who might come from a very homogeneous community and school system may find themselves in an unexpectedly diverse population in college. They have to interact with other students who might not have had the same benefits and privileges they did. Education encourages them to see things from different perspectives — and to understand what they hadn’t been exposed to before.
“We believe it is important for students and faculty to have open discussions about restorative justice, punishment, incarceration and to look holistically at what’s in the best interest of each person.“
“Sometimes individuals — students and faculty — are reluctant to speak up, feeling they may alienate someone. We want to have these dialogues without the name-calling, without the insults or the shouting. Certain views may be unpopular, but talking about them helps us understand why individuals think the way they do. That’s what an education at college is for.
“Criminal justice permeates everything in society. We hope our programs provide students with the opportunity to gain a better perspective so that they see the whole picture and do not remain myopic. We believe our graduates will be well prepared for their chosen career and will be better people because of the interactions they experienced during their classes.”
How Do The Criminal Justice Programs At JWU Stand Out?
Sylvestre emphasizes, “The biggest thing that makes the programs stand out is the dedication of the faculty to students. It’s the sense of caring that students know we have for them — they feel that we genuinely care about their success.
“The program design — which allows students to get into their major courses right away — distinguishes Johnson & Wales from other institutions where students might not get to take a core class until the end of sophomore year or in the beginning of their junior year. By taking core courses up front, students can decide early in their program whether or not they like this major.
“The flexibility we provide with the bachelor’s degree sets the program apart. The number of electives allows students to almost design the program to their area of focus. The balance between the core classes, the electives and the general education classes helps students understand the connections between the major discipline and their general courses — it’s more holistic.”
Adjunct Professor Sarah DeCataldo commented, “I am excited for JWU to expand its online Criminal Justice program. As a JWU Criminal Justice bachelor’s graduate and a current adjunct instructor, I value and appreciate what JWU offers, especially compared to other institutions.
“One of the courses I teach is Victimology. As a former victim advocate, I saw firsthand the impact that crimes had on victims and how important it was for criminal justice professionals to be aware of and ensure that the rights of victims are upheld throughout the process. JWU is one of the only Criminal Justice programs I am aware of offering this important course. It truly demonstrates why JWU stands out and offers one of the most comprehensive Criminal Justice programs around.”
Sylvestre admits he may be biased by his almost 14 years of teaching at JWU and heading the Criminal Justice department. “I believe someone should study and earn their degree at JWU because we have the best criminal justice program in the State of Rhode Island, measured by class size, engagement, our program design, the enthusiasm of our faculty — and of course JWU’s reputation for excellent education.”
Ready to take the next step in starting or advancing in a criminal justice career?
For more information about the online Criminal Justice associate in science and bachelor of science programs at Johnson & Wales, complete the Request Info Form, call 855-JWU-1881, or email [email protected].