National Criminal Justice Month – There’s Still Time!

Studnet running past lockers

There’s still just under two weeks left to honor National Criminal Justice Month. It’s a time to to contemplate and even become active participants in understanding what causes crime, how our system responds to crime and how we can reduce and prevent crime. It encourages us to look at such issues as incarceration, misinformation, fairness and safety or lack thereof.

Featured Programs:
Sponsored School(s)

You can honor National Criminal Justice Month as a student, professional or as a concerned and passionate citizen. We listed some events going on this month in a previous blog. Others include:

This Week

South Carolina State University’s Department of Human Services is hosting its third Criminal Justice Law Week to inform students about future criminal justice careers. They’ve already hosted presentations and workshops on victim/witness empowerment, offender civil rights and community corrections. Today they hosted a law enforcement expo and tomorrow they’ll be holding a quiz bowl, honor society induction and banquet.

Today-Tomorrow (March 19-20)

The University of Louisville’s Justice Administration Club and Alpha Phi Sigma are hosting a bake sale to raise money for ECHO (Exploited Children’ Help Organization), an organization that strives to reduce and help victims of child abuse. (Each year the JA Club and APS hold a fundraiser to benefit a justice-themed organization.)

Tomorrow (March 20)

Dr. Michael Verro and Gretchen Fleming, JD, MS from Excelsior College in Albany, New York will be hosting a live chat on criminal justice careers. If you are considering or already majoring in criminal justice, this interactive presentation is geared to you. Verro and Fleming (each having an impressive professional background) will be discussing current topics and answering your career questions. The live chat takes place Thursday, March 20 at 5:30-6:30pm EST at: http://www.troyrecord.com/business/20140317/live-chat-thursday-crimes-courses-and-careers-in-criminal-justice

Tomorrow (March 20)

The University of Phoenix, Chicago Campus’ College of Criminal Justice and Security is hosting a series of presentations, entitled “Cyber-security and the Psychology of Hacking”. Expert presenters include IT security professional Bernie Leung, Dr. Melissa Williams who will be discussing the psychology of hacking, one of Security Magazine’s “Most Influential People in Security” Karl Perman, technical security analyst Joe Ksiazek and Treasurer/Membership Director at InfraGard Chicago, Thomas Elward. The event starts at 6pm CDT and registration is required: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/cyber-security-and-the-psychology-of-hacking-tickets-10606559505?aff=es2

There’s Still Time!

Have nothing planned for National Criminal Justice Month, but wish you did? Consider:

  • Check out the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences’ National Criminal Justice page for resources. For example, you could still print off their flyer and hang it as a poster.
  • Get together with your friends, classmates or colleagues and watch a criminal justice themed documentary or film. Who knows maybe a discussion will ensue! Examples include: Aimee’s Crossing, Correction, Crime After Crime, The House I live In, 12 Angry Men, The Accused, Dead Man Walking, Serpico…
  • You could also read a book alone or as a group, not because you have to, but because you might some glean some valuable insights. Examples include: the Alex Cross series by James Patterson, the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell, The Murder of the Century by Paul Collins, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Mindhunter by John Douglas, Cops Don’t Cry by Vali Stone, The Will to Survive by Bobby Smith, The Culture of Fear by Barry Glasner, The Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo, Inside the Criminal Mind by Dr. Stanton Samenow…
  • Donate to or organize a fundraiser for an organization that has a valuable criminal justice mission.

And you do not have to limit your National Criminal Justice Month activities to the remainder of March—they can extend all year long!