Certificate in Administration of Justice-Investigative Technician
Riverside, USA
Certificate
DURATION
1 semester
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 514 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* per unit | for F-1 international students total estimated cost per year is $29,591
Key Summary
About: This certificate doesn't lead to an Associate degree. It provides coursework to prepare participants for entry-level assistant roles in investigations or as evidence / property technicians. You'll learn investigative procedures and skills to identify, gather, analyze, prepare, store, and present evidence for law enforcement, district attorney offices and private agencies. Study evidence handling, chain of custody and documentation.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can pursue evidence / property technician, crime-scene technician, forensic evidence technician, investigative technician, police evidence clerk or forensic lab assistant, and support roles for district attorney offices, criminal law firms, private investigators, government agencies, crime labs, or courts.
This certificate may lead to employment competency but does not lead to an Associate degree.
This certificate is designed to offer a basic pattern of coursework that will prepare the participant to enter the professional fields of criminal and forensic investigations or evidence/property technician roles at an assistant level. The successful participant will gain sufficient skills and understanding of criminal investigative procedures to assist professionals in all areas of the criminal justice system to properly identify, gather, analyze, prepare, store, and present evidence in criminal matters, including law enforcement agencies, district attorney offices, criminal law offices, and private or commercial investigative agencies.
Required Courses (22 units)
- ADJ-2 --- Principles, and Procedures of the Justice System --- 3
- ADJ-3 --- Concepts of Criminal Law --- 3
- ADJ-4 --- Legal Aspects of Evidence --- 3
- ADJ-13 --- Criminal Investigation --- 3
- ADJ-14 --- Advanced Criminal Investigation --- 3
- ADJ-24 --- Interviewing and Interrogation --- 3
- ENG-1A --- English Composition --- 4
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of the principal components of criminal law and the criminal justice system.
- Understand the comprehensive structure of the criminal justice system from the beginning of an investigation through arrest, booking, pre-trial process, trial, and sentencing.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of state and federal rules of evidence.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of the procedures and process of collecting, preserving, and cataloging physical evidence from a crime scene.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of specialized criminal investigation techniques.
- Demonstrate the ability to utilize professional and multicultural communication strategies within criminal justice, including interviewing skills.
- Demonstrate the ability to properly write official reports related to the collection, preservation, and presentation of crime scene evidence.
Financial Aid Support for Your Educational Goals
There are many types of financial aid available to you at RCC. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application is required for most forms of financial aid. Types of financial aid include grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and student loans.
Federal Grants
- Federal Pell Grant (Part of FAFSA application)
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG - Part of FAFSA application)
State of California Grants
- California College Promise
- Cal Grant Program
- Student Success Completion Grant
- Chafee Grant Program for eligible foster youth and former foster youth
- California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program (CNG EAAP)
Riverside Community College District Scholarship
There are over 250 scholarships available to students through the RCCD Foundation, and only one application is needed to apply. If you are an admitted student at RCC and have a student email address, you can apply for scholarships offered by the RCCD Foundation.
CGACC-RCC International Student Scholarship
International Students at Riverside City College are welcome to apply for CGACC-RCC Scholarship. This scholarship is in the form of a tuition fee reduction estimated at $1,250. The application deadline for CGACC-RCC International Student Scholarship is July 25, and the results of the students selected are typically announced by August 6.
To be eligible for consideration for this award, the applicant must be a new or continuing international student who will study full-time at one of the RCCD colleges (Riverside City College, Norco College, or Moreno Valley College) on an F-1 Student Visa in the fall semester. Transfer students can also apply. New international students who apply for the scholarship must have a completed RCC international student application, submitted all required application documents, and received an RCCD I-20.