Faculty serve
Criminal Justice Studies as administrators, members of the Executive
Committee, and instructors in our interdisciplinary program. Individual
faculty accomplishments are not provided here as Criminal Justice Studies
operates with no faculty lines. Individual faculty are recruited, evaluated,
and promoted within their respective departments. Their accomplishments,
then, are included in their respective departmental reports. It is important
to note, however, that faculty associated with Criminal Justice Studies
have distinguished records as scholars, teachers, and university citizens.
Included in the roster of CJSP-affiliated faculty are winners of the
Josiah Meigs Awards, Sandy Beaver Professorships, Special Sandy Beaver
Awards, Instructional Improvement Grants, Lilly Fellows, Senior Teaching
Fellows, and other internal and external distinctions. In the 2003-2004
academic year, for example, Jody Clay-Warner of the Sociology Department
won the CURO Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award. David Mustard of
the Economics Department was a recipient of a Sarah Moss Fellowship
and Susette Talarico of the Political Science Department was awarded
(with Thomas A. Eaton of the School of Law) a Creative Research Medal.
Students enrolled
as majors in Criminal Justice continue to distinguish themselves in
the classroom and on campus. As detailed in Table 3, a substantial number
of Criminal Justice students earned Presidential Scholar and Dean's
List distinctions during the 2002-03 academic year. The percentage of
students earning Presidential Scholar/Dean’s List distinctions
continues to be almost one third of the total criminal justice majors
enrolled in any given term. Of the 77 students who graduated with a
degree in Criminal Justice during the 2002-03 academic year approximately
25% did so with honors. Twelve students graduated with cum laude distinction,
2 with magna cum laude honors, and 2 with summa cum laude. (See Table
1.)
Criminal Justice
Studies was able to award its second scholarship in the Fall of 2002.
Kristie R. Flowers was the recipient of the Sherry Lyons-Williams Scholarship.
The scholarship was established in memory of the first female Atlanta
police officer to be killed in the line of duty and is designated for
a criminal justice major planning a career in law enforcement. The award
was in the amount of $1200. Recipient Kristie Flowers, was recognized
at an award ceremony held in Baldwin Hall. Guests included the husband
of the late Sherry Lyons-Williams, close friend and fund initiator,
Kathy Papa, representatives from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences,
and Criminal Justice Program faculty, staff and students. To date over
$43,000 has been donated in memory of Ms. Lyons-Williams.
Two additional
scholarship funds were initiated in the 2002-03 year. The Kenneth M.
McCarthy Scholarship was made possible by the Camden County Sheriff’s
Department to aid a criminal justice major with a stated financial need.
The first recipient, Lashawn Blake was awarded the scholarship ($2000)
at a ceremony in Camden County, Georgia, on November 7th, 2002. Dean
Wyatt Anderson and Director Susette Talarico were in attendance for
the presentation. In addition, the James T. Morris Memorial Scholarship
has been initiated. Although its funding is limited at this time, we
anticipate that we will be able to offer a third student scholarship
as funds accrue.
With the death
of criminal justice major William Christopher Bush III, a memorial fund
was set up as he had requested. Will had asked that any funds collected
be used to promote student professional development in general and,
in particular, professional travel for criminal justice students. Within
the last year an additional $4000 in gifts was received enabling our
goal of $10,000 to be realized. Now a permanent fund in Will’s
name has been established.
As noted in
last year’s report, the need for computers for criminal justice
majors’ use (particularly in research methods classes) has been
an urgent one. With the approval for funding by the Technology Task
Force, Criminal Justice Studies has obtained 29 laptop computers for
student instructional use. Classroom use of laptops provides the necessary
computer applications and improves instruction in the required Pols/Soci
3700 (Research Methods in Criminal Justice). This is a major accomplishment
for the program, as access to computers for data analysis is a critical
component of our students’ education. The addition of these computers
will enable criminal justice graduates to compete and succeed in today’s
electronic environment.
During the
2002-03 academic year, Criminal Justice Studies continued its association
with the national Criminal Justice Honor Society, Alpha Phi Sigma. The
UGA chapter, Upsilon Gamma Alpha, completed its seventh full year of
operation in 2002-03 and a total of 12 Criminal Justice majors were
recognized at the Spring Graduation and Awards Banquet. Members recognized
achieved eligibility through the Fall term of 2002. (See Table 3.) CJSP
also continued to support the undergraduate student organization, CJ
Society.
In 2003, the
Criminal Justice Studies Program continued the annual Graduation and
Awards Banquet inaugurated in the Spring, 1997 term. The guest speaker
at this function was Criminal Justice alumnus, Mr. Russell Tolley. The
families of graduates and honorees were invited, various awards were
presented, and the honor society induction ceremony was conducted. Sincerai
Stallings was recognized with the 2003 Award for Outstanding Senior,
while Ryan Merritt won the 2003 Outstanding Paper Award. Service certificates
were presented to Meredith Speck, Sarah Manson, and Tara Clark for their
work with the Criminal Justice Society; to Sincerai Stallings for her
work with the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and
to John Stofer for his service on the Dean’s Student Advisory
Board. The following 6 students were recognized for academic excellence
(3.5 or higher overall gpa): Alejandro Garcia, Meredith Speck, Sincerai
Stallings, Gregory Stein, John Stofer, and Staci Swit. In addition to
these exemplary student distinctions, Stephanie Langston was inducted
into the Blue Key Honor Society and Staci Marie Swit and Jennifer J.
Bell were selected for inclusion in Who’s Who in American Colleges
and Universities.
During the
past year, Criminal Justice Studies continued its broad range of program
events and student services. The Program continued with its orientation
seminar for new majors, library research seminars for new majors, a
guest lecture series, an annual alumni panel, workshops on career planning
and graduate education, and a variety of student-faculty socials. A
highlight of the year’s programs, though, was the Crime Film Festival
held in February 2003 to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the
Criminal Justice Studies Program. Additionally, the program worked with
the undergraduate Criminal Justice Society and helped to provide tours
of criminal justice offices and institutions. Students toured the Federal
Law Enforcement Training Center and the Georgia State Maximum Security
Correctional Facility in the Fall 2002 term. The Program also worked
with the CJ Society on community service projects. The CJ Society sponsored
a toy drive for children of inmates at the Clarke County Jail and a
work day with a local Habitat for Humanity project. For the fourth year,
CJSP sponsored the Federal Law Enforcement Seminar and Employment Workshop.
Funding for this was provided by the Criminal Justice Society and Professor
Talarico’s Saye Professorship. Guest speakers for 2002-2003 were
Dr. Alan Ault of the National Institute of Corrections (Fall 2002) and
Dr. Nicole Rafter of Northeastern University who gave the keynote address
at the Spring, 2003 Crime Film Festival. The former was funded with
support from Professor Talarico’s Saye Professorship, while the
latter was made possible by the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Student Fee Allocation Committee, the School of Public and International
Affairs, the Department of Sociology, and Professor Talarico’s
Saye Professorship. In addition, several local, state, and federal law
enforcement authorities were invited to speak.
As noted in
previous annual reports, Criminal Justice Studies has developed a student
exchange program with two universities in the United Kingdom, the University
of Leicester and Lancaster University. At the University of Leicester,
this exchange program was developed with the Departments of Law and
Sociology. Three UGA students studied at Leicester and one British student
came to UGA in 2002-03; one UGA student studied at Lancaster University
during the 2002-03 academic year.
B. PROGRESS
TOWARD ACHIEVING THE STRATEGIC PLAN
The Criminal
Justice Studies Program's primary efforts in the area of strategic planning
focused on the role of the program in the School of Public and International
Affairs. Criminal Justice Studies is jointly housed in the School of
Public and International Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences.
As SPIA has become a reality, the organizational and programmatic implications
of this placement continues to dominate CJSP strategic planning.
Other strategic
planning activities of the 2002-2003 year include continued efforts
to implement the recommendations offered by the 2000 University Program
Review Committee, the consideration and passage of new policies by the
Executive Committee (changes in application/admission criteria), the
development and refinement of the CJSP web site, the operation of the
program’s student listserv, and the construction of two program
databases. The cj student database enables the program staff to conduct
more extensive assessments and analyses as well as to access information
more efficiently. This database is used to track enrollment statistics
as predictors for degree completion/academic performance and to measure
the effectiveness of various courses, especially with regard to student
performance (academic and agency) in the internship. Work continues
in order to enlarge the database to include all students who have graduated
from the Criminal Justice Studies Program since 1977. CJSP computers
have been networked to provide retrieval access to all staff members
of the program.
The establishment
of scholarships expressly designated for criminal justice students (Sherry
Lyons-Williams Scholarship and Kenneth M. McCarthy Scholarship) and
the memorial fund for cj major William Bush necessitated the construction
of donor databases that are used for both scholarship information and
future solicitations. These databases will be used with our alumni records
to solicit support for Criminal Justice Studies Program services and
activities.
C. PUBLIC SERVICE
AND OUTREACH CONTRIBUTIONS
The academic
requirement of the Criminal Justice Internship is, itself, a form of
public outreach. Students work primarily in state agencies, in most
cases with no remuneration, in order to gain familiarity with the agency
and also to complement the classroom experience. Examples of internship
sites include, the UGA Legal Aid and Defender Clinic, Athens-Clarke
County Police Services, Georgia Probation Offices, the Department of
Juvenile Justice, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The Crime Film
Festival and lecture sponsored by the Criminal Justice Studies Program
was open to the general UGA student population and public at large and
was offered at almost no cost (small fee charged for one film only).
Funds were donated from the Director’s Albert Berry Saye Chair
Account as well as from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Student
Fee Allocation Committee and the School of Public and International
Affairs.
Program student
organization, The Criminal Justice Society, sponsored the collection
and distribution of Christmas gifts for children of inmates during the
Christmas holiday. This toy drive was supported by Program students,
faculty and staff. In addition, the Society continued its work on a
Habitat for Humanity house.
The Criminal
Justice Studies Program with the Department of Political Science in
the School of Public and International Affairs serves as the editorial
office of Justice System Journal, a refereed publication issues by the
National Center for State Courts. Professor Talarico serves as editor-in-chief
and CJSP Office Manager, Dori Porter, as editorial assistant.
D. SHORT TERM
GOALS FOR FY 2004
1. To implement
the new admissions criteria adopted by the CJSP Executive Committee.
2. To enhance the CJSP website to include online application forms and
to make the CJSP undergraduate and alumni newsletters available via
the site.
3. To continue work on the CJSP Alumni database - to add all majors
beginning in 1977.
4. To continue and refine major assessment.
5. To continue to refine the use of laptop computers for classroom use.
6. To increase funding for our general discretionary Foundation account.
E. ASSESSMENT
CJSP assessment
outcomes are unchanged from 2002 and include:
1. general
background knowledge of criminal justice administration, criminology,
related law and legal processes, and the particular sectors of the criminal
justice system (law enforcement, criminal courts, and corrections;
2. an ability to use various analytical tools, including the scientific
method, to think critically about problems and issues in criminal justice;
3. competence in using, synthesizing, and reporting information about
crime, criminal justice, and related governmental functions;
4. refinement of all communication skills so that the aforementioned
skills can be effectively applied and the aforementioned knowledge effectively
shared.
Criminal Justice
Studies relies on several assessment tools to gauge instructional effectiveness.
These include:
1. student
course performance;
2. faculty evaluation of student completion of the two major academic
requirements that constitute the program’s capstone courses;
3. student evaluation of mandatory internship;
4. agency evaluation of student intern performance and preparation;
5. exit survey of all program graduates;
6. alumni focus groups;
7. post-graduation placement.
Individual student course performance is tracked by the program’s
academic advisor. As we continue to add student data, CJSP will be able
to conduct more extensive assessments of course performance.
Each criminal justice student is required to complete a full semester
internship. This requirement includes several, different assessment
tools. UGA faculty supervising individual interns provide evaluations
of the research project and analytical essays that are required of each
student. The related courses (Pols/Soci 5500 and 5510) are the capstone
courses in the major. Faculty evaluation of the related course work
plays an important role in assessment, particularly the degree to which
students have acquired the aforementioned background knowledge, analytical
skills, and communication tools. Furthermore, agency supervisors provide
regular evaluations of intern agency performance that help the program
gauge its educational and professional effectiveness.
Each criminal
justice student submits an evaluation of his/her required internship
after its completion. This evaluation helps us to gauge the appropriateness
of the internship placement, but more importantly the degree to which
the student thought that s/he was prepared for both the academic requirements
and agency responsibilities.
Criminal Justice
Studies mails an exit survey to every program graduate with a letter
of congratulations. This is sent within a month of graduation and has
been conducted since 1996. Of the graduates surveyed after Summer and
Fall terms, nine have responded. Surveys for Spring 03 graduates have
been recently mailed out and we await those responses. Since the inception
of the exit survey, graduate response has been respectable but insufficient
for extensive data analysis. The exit surveys that have been returned,
however, indicate that students are generally very satisfied with the
administrative, advising, internship, and program services provided
by Criminal Justice Studies. More critical comments in the past have
highlighted problems with limited computer resources, particularly as
they apply to classroom instruction. Student satisfaction/comment on
new CJSP computer resources should be reflected in upcoming surveys.
A perennial area of concern continues to be specific course availability.
Each year Criminal Justice Studies conducts an Alumni Panel where returning
graduates are asked to advise current students on programs of study
and career development. This program was initiated in 1995 and is held
in conjunction with the University's annual homecoming activities. The
2002 Alumni Panel was well attended with more than 10 alumni present.
In addition to the aforementioned interaction with current students,
alumni also participate in a focus group discussion led by the program
director. In past groups, alumni reinforced our emphasis on the development
of analytical and communication skills, and supported student requests
for computer labs in the teaching of the mandatory research methods
course.
Due to time
and budgetary constraints the CJ Alumni Newsletter was not published
this past year. We anticipate a newsletter to be mailed and/or available
online before the end of the Fall 03 term. This newsletter will contain
a short placement survey. This assessment effort is designed to gauge
the program's effectiveness in preparing students for careers in criminal
justice.
The most obvious
changes that have been made as a result of assessment evidence can be
found in the ongoing refinement of the semester curriculum and major
requirements, program efforts to coordinate course scheduling across
several departments and recently successful efforts to secure a computer
lab for the teaching of research methods. In drafting the semester curriculum
Criminal Justice Studies relied on evidence from alumni focus groups
and student exit surveys, among other sources. Expansion of course options
in Sections II and III of the curriculum and the full semester length
of the mandatory internship are examples. As departments revised and
redefined courses for the semester curricula, Criminal Justice Studies
took concerted efforts to see that offerings were reasonably coordinated
across departments. Political Science and Sociology were especially
helpful in this regard. With the establishment of the School of Public
and International Affairs and CJSP’s association with it and the
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, additional curricular and programmatic
refinements will be ongoing.
Three recent
policy changes resulting from periodic assessment include, 1) the discontinuation
of the Criminal Justice Minor, 2) the addition of two courses to the
Major Curriculum, and 3) the change in admission criteria. A review
of the list of minor students and their major course of study revealed
that a substantial portion of our limited resources was being devoted
to students in fields already very closely related to criminal justice.
The original intent of the minor was to permit students in more “distant”
majors such as business, economics, genetics, and journalism to benefit.
In contrast, those primarily taking advantage of the minor offered were
those in closely related majors (sociology, political science, and psychology)
where the benefit appears less substantial. The administrative costs
and loss of class seats to minors, then, had become problematic and
figured in the decision to discontinue the minor program.
The CJSP Executive
Committee voted to include two additional courses in the major curriculum.
Psyc 4240 - Psychopathology (4 credits) will be listed as an option
in Section IIA (not available to those with credit for Psyc 3230 - Abnormal
Psychology) and Pols 4090 (Social Justice) will be listed in Section
II C. Both of these courses will provide additional alternatives for
our majors as demand for classes continues to be a consideration.
A review of admission criteria revealed the need for 1) a change more
in keeping with University policy and also 2) reducing the drain on
limited administrative resources. Rather than have a committee continue
to meet each term to determine admissions, student performance across
a group of four “predictor” classes was deemed a more useful
determinant for admission. The CJSP Executive Committee voted to implement
this change beginning with the Fall 2003 term. We will continue to review
this change in policy and its actual effect as compared with its intended
impact.
F. RETENTION
AND GRADUATION
Completion
of the student database has enabled Criminal Justice Studies to conduct
analyses of retention and graduation. The database currently contains
the records of all students now enrolled in the major and those who
were accepted since 1998. Since this student database includes information
on date of admission and graduation, the program is able to offer a
preliminary report on retention and graduation in our 2003 assessment
study. (See Table 2.)
Of the 242
students who were admitted to the Criminal Justice Studies Program beginning
Fall 1998 through Fall 2000, 43 changed to another major/transferred
out of Criminal Justice. Of the 199 remaining students, 14 actively
continue to pursue the AB degree, while 173 students have graduated
with the degree. Twelve are listed as inactive. The inactive students
represent approximately 6% of the 199. Of those 12, several lack only
one or two courses to complete the AB degree, but for some reason have
failed to do so.
In the upcoming
year we plan to continue work on the database and review for factors
that may impact on failure to complete one or two final classes, thereby
preventing conferring of the degree. A cursory examination shows some
students with a final foreign language or Independent Study that is
never completed. One other consideration is the few students who fail
to complete successfully, one of the two academic facets of the internship.
For the most part, this is limited to the original research design and
paper that are required for graduation. We will be seeking to identify
those factors which may illuminate potential reasons for failure to
complete the degree.
One factor
that complicates the completion of these and other data analyses is
the program’s limited staff. The database has been compiled by
our office manager, Dori Porter, whose job description covers a wide
range of tasks and obligations. The demands on Mrs. Porter combine with
the fact that Criminal Justice Studies operates with no faculty lines
which limits the number and frequency of statistical analyses that can
be conducted.
Finally, additional
support for course offerings through cooperating departments would be
most helpful in easing the limitations of class space and the increasing
necessity for PODs. Students continue to advise us of their frustration
with inability to gain access to our major classes. This factor may
impact those students who leave the Program for other majors.
G. CONCLUDING
SUMMARY
Criminal Justice
Studies is in sound, organizational health. Enrollments are robust,
student performance is excellent, the program’s very small staff
continues to provide and expand on a wide range of services for its
undergraduate students, and program graduates have distinguished careers
in varied criminal justice agencies at all levels of government. This
is particularly noteworthy given the fact that the program operates
with no faculty lines and a limited budget.
Because Criminal
Justice Studies operates with such a small staff, an organizational
chart is not necessary. The director of the program has a faculty appointment
in one of the cooperating departments and reports directly to the deans
of the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public and International
Affairs. There is, however, regular consultation with the heads of the
cooperating departments, especially political science and sociology.
Other staff include an internship coordinator, an office manager, and
academic advisor. Each reports to the director although the internship
coordinator also teaches selected courses in sociology and in that capacity
reports to the head of that department.
_______________________________________________
2001-2002
ANNUAL REPORT
CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDIES PROGRAM
I.
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Faculty
serve Criminal Justice Studies as administrators, members of the Executive
Committee, and instructors in our interdisciplinary program. Individual
faculty accomplishments are not provided here as Criminal Justice Studies
operates with no faculty lines. Individual faculty are recruited,
evaluated, and promoted within their respective departments. Their
accomplishments, then, are included in their respective departmental
reports. It is important to note, however, that faculty
associated with Criminal Justice Studies have distinguished records
as scholars, teachers, and university citizens. Included in the
roster of CJSP-affiliated faculty are winners of the Josiah Meigs Awards,
Sandy Beaver Professorships, Special Sandy Beaver Awards, Instructional
Improvement Grants, Lilly Fellows, Senior Teaching Fellows, and other
internal and external distinctions. In the 2001-2002 academic
year, for example, Stefanie Lindquist of the Political Science Department
participated in the University’s selective Lilly Program and won
one of three Russell Awards in a university-wide competition.
Also, Susette Talarico of the Political Science Department was named
Albert Berry Saye Professor of American Government and Constitutional
Law.
Students
enrolled as majors in Criminal Justice continue to distinguish themselves
in the classroom and on campus. As detailed in Table 1, a substantial
number of Criminal Justice students earned Presidential Scholar
and Dean's List distinctions during the 2001-02 academic year. The percentage
of students earning Presidential Scholar/Dean’s List distinctions continues
to be almost one third of the total criminal justice majors enrolled
in any given term. Of the 77 students who graduated with
a degree in Criminal Justice during the 2001-02 academic year approximately
25% did so with honors. Nine students graduated with cum laude
distinction, 9 with magna cum laude honors, and 1 with summa cum laude.
Criminal
Justice Studies was able to award its first scholarship in the Fall
of 2001. Michelle White was the first recipient of the Sherry
Lyons-Williams Scholarship. The scholarship was established in
memory of the first female Atlanta police officer to be killed
in the line of duty and is designated for a criminal justice major
planning a career in law enforcement. The first award was in the
amount of $2000 and was made possible through a special donation to
insure the scholarship could be awarded in its first year. Recipient
Michelle White, along with the Director and Internship Coordinator,
participated in a ceremony at City Hall in Atlanta to award the scholarship.
To date over $42,000 has been donated to honor Ms. Lyons-Williams.
With the
death of criminal justice major William Christopher Bush III, a memorial
fund was set up as he had requested. Will had asked that any funds
collected be used to promote student professional development in general
and, in particular, professional travel for criminal justice students.
To date over $6000 has been contributed toward our initial goal of $10,000.
As noted
in last year’s report, the need for computers for criminal justice majors’
use (particularly in research methods classes) has been an urgent.
With the recent approval for funding by the Technology Task Force, Criminal
Justice Studies will obtain laptops for student instructional use. Classroom
use of laptops will provide the necessary computer applications and
improve instruction in the required Pols/Soci 3700 (Research Methods
in Criminal Justice). These laptops will be available for Fall
2002 or Spring 2003 classes. This is a major accomplishment
for the program, as access to computers for data analysis is a critical
component of our student’s education. The addition of these computers
will enable criminal justice graduates to compete and succeed
in today’s electronic environment.
During the
2001-02 academic year, Criminal Justice Studies continued its association
with the national Criminal Justice Honor Society, Alpha Phi Sigma.
The UGA chapter, Upsilon Gamma Alpha, completed its sixth full
year of operation in 2001-02 and a total of 16 Criminal Justice majors
were recognized at the Spring Graduation and Awards Banquet. Members
recognized achieved eligibility through the Fall term of 2001.
(See Table 2 for information on eligibility and enrollment.)
CJSP also continued to support the undergraduate student organization,
CJ Society.
In 2002,
the Criminal Justice Studies Program continued the annual Graduation
and Awards Banquet inaugurated in the Spring, 1997 term. The guest
speaker at this function was Ms. Terri Everett, Chief Public Defender,
Houston Judicial District in Perry, Georgia. The families
of graduates and honorees were invited, various awards were presented,
and the honor society induction ceremony was conducted. Trent
Shuping was recognized with the 2002 Awards for Outstanding Senior,
while Sharon Nicole Hancock won the 2002 Outstanding Paper Award.
Service certificates were presented to Elinor Huff, Julie Derrick and
Trent Shuping for their work with the Criminal Justice Society. Thirteen
students were recognized for academic excellence (3.5 or higher overall
gpa). In addition to these exemplary student distinctions, Alison
Hoeh, Philip Pilgrim and Daniel Swaja were selected for inclusion in
Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Criminal justice
major, John Stofer was recognized for his service on the Dean’s Student
Advisory Board.
During the
past year, Criminal Justice Studies continued its broad range of program
events and student services. In addition to the orientation
seminar for new majors, library research seminars for new majors, a
guest lecture series, an annual alumni panel, workshops on career planning
and graduate education, and a variety of student-faculty socials, a
group of parents working in the criminal justice field were invited
to speak to cj majors. Additionally, the program worked
with the undergraduate Criminal Justice Society and helped to provide
tours of criminal justice offices and institutions. Students toured
the GBI Crime Lab facility in Atlanta during the Fall 2001 term.
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and the Georgia State Maximum
Security Correctional Facility were both toured in the Spring 2002 term.
The Program also worked with the CJ Society on community service projects.
The Society sponsored a food drive in the Fall 2001 term and a work
day with a local Habitat for Humanity project. Criminal Justice
Studies also published a newsletter in the Fall term, an alumni newsletter,
a handbook for majors, and an internship manual. For the fourth
year, CJSP sponsored the Federal Law Enforcement Seminar and Employment
Workshop. Funding for this was provided by the Franklin College
of Arts and Sciences. Guest speakers for 2001-2002 included C.
Ronald Huff, President of the American Society of Criminology; Richard
Felson of Penn State University; Marcus Felson of Rutgers
University; Robert Friedmann, immediate past head of the Criminal Justice
Department at Georgia State University; and several local, state, and
federal law enforcement authorities.
As noted
in previous annual reports, Criminal Justice Studies has developed a
student exchange program with two universities in the United Kingdom,
the University of Leicester and Lancaster University. At the University
of Leicester, this exchange program was developed with the Departments
of Law and Sociology. Three UGA students spent the Fall Semester
at Leicester, while several British students from each of the universities
studied at UGA for part or all of the 2001-02 academic year.
II.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
The Criminal
Justice Studies Program's primary efforts in the area of strategic planning
focused on the role of the program in the School of Public and International
Affairs. As of the 2001-02 academic year, Criminal Justice Studies
is jointly housed in the School of Public and International Affairs
and the College of Arts and Sciences. As SPIA has become
a reality, the organizational and programmatic implications of
this placement will continue to dominate CJSP strategic planning.
Other strategic
planning activities of the 2001-2002 year include continued efforts
to implement the recommendations offered by the 2000 University Program
Review Committee, the consideration and passage of new policies by the
Executive Committee (changes in hours required and semesters remaining)
for application, change in summer internship to include Maymester),
the development and refinement of the CJSP web site, the operation of
the program’s invaluable student listserv, and the construction of two
program databases. A cj student database has been compiled which enables
the program staff to conduct more extensive assessments and analyses
as well as to access information more efficiently. This database
is used to track enrollment statistics as predictors for degree completion/academic
performance and to measure the effectiveness of various courses, especially
with regard to student performance (academic and agency) in the
internship. The data base will eventually be enlarged to include all
students who have graduated from the Criminal Justice Studies
Program since 1977. The program offices in Baldwin Hall have been
networked to provide input and retrieval access to all staff members
of the program.
One of the
Executive Committee’s aforementioned policy changes requires some elaboration.
As noted previously, the Criminal Justice Executive Committee voted
to include the Maymester along with the Through Summer Session for summer
internships. With this change, criminal justice students who intern
in the summer will have a ten and not seven week term. This change
was implemented at the recommendation of cooperating agencies who indicated
in periodic assessments that the summer term was too short. This
change in policy, then, will enable the program to utilize the
summer term more fully for the benefit of our students and will be
more equivalent to the fifteen week fall and spring term internships
The establishment
of a scholarship expressly designated for a criminal justice student
(Lyons-Williams Scholarship) and the memorial fund for cj major William
Bush necessitated the construction of donor databases that are used
for both scholarship information and future solicitations. These
databases will be used with our alumni records to solicit support for
Criminal Justice Studies Program services and activities.
III
ASSESSMENT
CJSP assessment
outcomes are unchanged from 2001 and include:
1.
general background knowledge of criminal justice administration, criminology,
related law and legal processes, and the particular sectors of the criminaljustice
system (law enforcement, criminal courts, and corrections;
2. an ability to use various analytical tools, including the
scientific method, to think critically about problems and issues in
criminal justice;
3. competence
in using, synthesizing, and reporting information about crime, criminal
justice, and related governmental functions;
4.
refinement of all communication skills so that the aforementioned skills
can be effectively applied and the aforementioned knowledge effectively
shared.
Criminal
Justice Studies relies on several assessment tools to gauge instructional
effectiveness. These include:
1.
student course performance;
2.
faculty evaluation of student completion of the two major academic
requirements that constitute the program’s
capstone courses;
3.
student evaluation of mandatory internship;
4.
agency evaluation of student intern performance and preparation;
5.
exit survey of all program graduates;
6.
alumni focus groups;
7.
post-graduation placement.
Individual student course performance is tracked by the program’s
academic advisor. As we continue to add student data, CJSP will be able
to conduct more extensive assessments of course performance.
Each criminal
justice student is required to complete a full semester internship.
This requirement includes several, different assessment tools.
UGA faculty supervising individual interns provide evaluations of the
research project and analytical essays that are required of each student.
The related courses (Pols/Soci 5500 and 5510) are the capstone
courses in the major. Faculty evaluation of the related course work
plays an important role in assessment, particularly the degree to which
students have acquired the aforementioned background knowledge, analytical
skills, and communication tools. Furthermore, agency
supervisors provide regular evaluations of intern agency performance
that help the program gauge its educational and professional effectiveness.
Each criminal
justice student submits an evaluation of his/her required internship
after its completion. This evaluation helps us to gauge the appropriateness
of the internship
placement, but more importantly the degree to which the student thought
that s/he was prepared for both the academic requirements and agency
responsibilities.
Criminal
Justice Studies mails an exit survey to every program graduate with
a letter of congratulations. This is sent within a month of graduation
and has been conducted since 1996. Of the graduates surveyed since
last year’s report thirteen have responded. Surveys for Spring 02 graduates
have been recently mailed out and we await those responses. Since
the inception of the exit survey, graduate response has been respectable
but insufficient for extensive data analysis. The exit surveys
that have been returned, however, indicate that students are generally
very satisfied with the administrative, advising, internship, and program
services provided by Criminal Justice Studies. More critical comments
have highlighted problems with course availability and limited computer
resources, particularly as they apply to classroom instruction. The
dearth of computer resources should be remedied by the upcoming acquisition
of laptops for classroom use by criminal justice majors.
Each year
Criminal Justice Studies conducts an Alumni Panel where returning graduates
are asked to advise current students on programs of study and
career development. This program was initiated in 1995 and is
held in conjunction with the University's annual homecoming activities.
The 2001 Alumni Panel was well attended with more than 12 alumni present.
In addition to the aforementioned interaction with current students,
alumni also participate in a focus group discussion led by the program
director. In past groups, alumni reinforced our emphasis on the
development of analytical and communication skills, and supported student
requests for computer labs in the teaching of the mandatory research
methods course.
Each year
Criminal Justice Studies issues an Alumni Newsletter which also contains
a short placement survey. This assessment effort is designed to
gauge the program's effectiveness in preparing students for careers
in criminal justice. Related information was included in
the self-study report that Criminal Justice Studies prepared for the
99-00 program review committee. This record is regularly
updated and available on request.
The most
obvious changes that have been made as a result of assessment
evidence can be found in the ongoing refinement of the semester curriculum
and major requirements, program efforts to coordinate course scheduling
across several departments and recently successful efforts to secure
a computer lab for the teaching of research methods. In drafting
the semester curriculum Criminal Justice Studies relied on evidence
from alumni focus groups and student exit surveys, among other sources.
Expansion of course options in Sections II and III of the curriculum
and the full semester length of the mandatory internship are examples.
As departments revised and redefined courses for the semester curricula,
Criminal Justice Studies took concerted efforts to see that offerings
were reasonably coordinated across departments. Political Science
and Sociology were especially helpful in this regard. As
the aforementioned School of Public and International Affairs is established
and CJSP situated in that and the College of Arts and Sciences, additional
curricular and programmatic refinements can be expected.
IV.
RETENTION AND GRADUATION
With the
partial completion of a student database, Criminal Justice Studies will
be able to conduct refined analyses of retention and graduation.
The database currently contains the records of all students now enrolled
in the major and those who were accepted since 1996. Since this
student database includes information on date of admission and graduation,
the program will be able to offer an initial report on retention and
graduation in our 2002 assessment study. One factor that complicates
the completion of these and other data analyses is the program’s limited
staff. The database has been compiled by our office manager, Dori
Porter, whose job description covers a wide range of tasks and obligations.
The demands on Mrs. Porter combine with the fact that Criminal Justice
Studies operates with no faculty lines to limit the number and frequency
of statistical analyses that can be conducted.
V.
OVERALL HEALTH OF UNIT
Criminal
Justice Studies is in sound, organizational health. Enrollments
are robust, student performance is excellent, the program’s very small
staff continues to provide and expand on a wide range of services for
its undergraduate students, and program graduates have distinguished
careers in varied criminal justice agencies at all levels of government.
This is particularly noteworthy given the fact that the program operates
with no faculty lines and a limited budget.
Because
Criminal Justice Studies operates with such a small staff, an organizational
chart is not necessary. The director of the program has a faculty
appointment in one of the cooperating departments and reports directly
to the deans of the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public
and International Affairs. There is, however, regular consultation
with the heads of the cooperating departments, especially political
science and sociology. Other staff include an internship coordinator,
an office manager, and academic advisor. Each reports to the director
although the internship coordinator also teaches selected courses in
sociology and in that capacity reports to the head of that department.
2000-2001
ANNUAL REPORT
CRIMINAL
JUSTICE STUDIES PROGRAM
I. MAJOR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Faculty serve
Criminal Justice Studies as administrators, members of the Executive
Committee, and instructors in our interdisciplinary program. Individual
faculty accomplishments are not provided here as Criminal Justice Studies
operates with no faculty lines. Individual faculty are recruited, evaluated,
and promoted within their respective departments. Their accomplishments,
then, are included in their respective departmental reports. It is important
to note, however, that faculty associated with Criminal Justice Studies
have distinguished records as scholars, teachers, and university citizens.
Included in the roster of CJSP-affiliated faculty are winners of the
Josiah Meigs Awards, Sandy Beaver Professorships, Special Sandy Beaver
Awards, Instructional Improvement Grants, Lilly Fellows, Senior Teaching
Fellows, and other internal and external distinctions. In the 2000-2001
academic year, for example, Stefanie Lindquist of the Political Science
Department participated in the University's selective Lilly Program
and Reuben May of the Sociology Department won one of two Russell Awards.
These faculty teach courses in Section II of the CJSP curriculum.
Students enrolled
as majors in Criminal Justice continue to distinguish themselves in
the classroom and on campus. As detailed in Table 1, a substantial number
of Criminal Justice students earned Presidential Scholar and Dean's
List distinctions during the 2000-01 academic year. From Summer, 2000
through Spring, 2001, 51 Criminal Justice majors were named Presidential
Scholars while 76 were named to the Dean's List. Of the 68 students
who graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice during the 2000-01 academic
year, 3 did so with summa cum laude distinction, 9 with magna
cum laude honors, and 6 with cum laude.
During the 2000-01
academic year, Criminal Justice Studies continued its association with
the national Criminal Justice Honor Society, Alpha Phi Sigma. The UGA
chapter, Upsilon Gamma Alpha, completed its fifth full year of operation
in 2000-01 and inducted a total of 15 Criminal Justice majors
through Fall 2000. (See Table 2 for information on eligibility and enrollment.)
CJSP also continued to support the undergraduate student organization,
CJ Society, and to help establish a UGA chapter of the National Association
of Blacks in Criminal Justice.
In 2001, the
Criminal Justice Studies Program continued the annual Graduation and
Awards Banquet inaugurated in the Spring, 1997 term. Guest speaker at
this function was John Andrejko, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement
Administration, Atlanta Office. The families of graduates and honorees
were invited, various awards were presented, and the honor society induction
ceremony was conducted. Kelly Fitzgerald and Nicole Andrejko were recognized
with 2001 Awards for Outstanding Senior, while Jennifer McMahon won
the 2001 Outstanding Paper Award. Service certificates were presented
to Natalie Block, Lindsay Fox, Heather Borst, Nicole Andrejko, and Kelly
Fitzgerald for their work with the Criminal Justice Society. Twelve
students received academic achievement certificates for grade point
averages of 3.5 or higher. One of these students, Jason Rozier, was
also recognized as the fifth First Honor Graduate in the program's history.
In addition to these exemplary student distinctions, Nicole Andrejko,
Nicole Hancock, Alison Hoeh, Stephen Kepper, and Natasha Morgan were
included in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities,
Kwadwo Agyei-Aye was selected for Leadership UGA, and Jessica Kingsley
was elected to the Blue Key National Honor Society. Furthermore, Stacey
Greene was recognized by the National Association of Blacks in Criminal
Justice at their national meeting in Atlanta. Finally, Nicole Andrejko
served on the Dean's Student Advisory Board and Jennifer McMahon won
the Patterson Scholarship. McMahon's distinction represents the second
year in a row that a criminal justice major has won one of the two major
Arts and Sciences scholarships.
During the past
year, Criminal Justice Studies continued its broad range of program
events and student services. These include the orientation seminar for
new majors, library research seminars for new majors, a guest lecture
series, an annual alumni panel, workshops on career planning and graduate
education, and a variety of student-faculty socials. Additionally, the
program worked with the undergraduate Criminal Justice Society and helped
to provide tours of criminal justice offices and institutions. Criminal
Justice Studies also published a newsletter in the Fall and Spring terms,
an alumni newsletter, a handbook for majors, and an internship manual.
For the fourth year, CJSP sponsored the Federal Law Enforcement Seminar
and Employment Workshop. Funding for this was provided by the Franklin
College of Arts and Sciences. Guest speakers for 2000-2001 included
James Fyfe, professor of criminal justice at Temple University and an
internationally recognized expert on police use of force; George F.
Cole, emeritus professor of political science at the University of Connecticut
and author of The American System of Criminal Justice, a text
often used in Pols 3600, a central course in the CJSP curriculum; and
several local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities.
As noted in
previous annual reports, Criminal Justice Studies has developed a student
exchange program with two universities in the United Kingdom, the University
of Leicester and Lancaster University. At the University of Leicester,
this exchange program was developed with the Departments of Law and
Sociology. CJ and Sociology major, Ramsey Knowles, spent the Fall Semester
at Leicester. At Lancaster, the exchange program extends to Law, Applied
Social Science, and other disciplines. During the 2000-01 academic year,
Criminal Justice major, Diedre Hampton, studied at Lancaster University
for the entire 2000-2001 academic year.
II. STRATEGIC
PLANNING
The Criminal
Justice Studies Program's primary efforts in the area of strategic planning
focused on the possible role of the program in the School of Public
and International Affairs. In the 2000-2001 academic year, a proposal
to change the Department of Political Science into a School of Public
and International Affairs was approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate,
the University Council, and the Board of Regents. In this proposal,
Criminal Justice Studies was identified as jointly housed in the School
of Public and International Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences.
As this proposal is implemented in 2001-2002 and subsequent academic
years, the organizational and programmatic implications of this placement
will dominate CJSP strategic planning.
Other strategic
planning activities of the 2000-2001 year include continued efforts
to implement the recommendations offered by the 2000 University Program
Review Committee, the consideration and passage of new policies for
double majors, the development and refinement of the CJSP web site,
the operation of the program's invaluable student listserv, and the
construction of two program databases. With the technical expertise
of CJSP Office Manager, Dori Porter, a student database is being compiled
that will enable the program staff to conduct more extensive assessments
and analyses. This database will be used to track enrollment statistics
as predictors for degree completion/academic performance and to measure
the effectiveness of various courses, especially with regard to student
performance (academic and agency) in the internship. The data base will
eventually be enlarged to include all students who have graduated from
the Criminal Justice Studies Program. The program offices in Baldwin
Hall are in the process of being networked to provide input and retrieval
access to all staff members of the program.
Finally, the
establishment of a scholarship expressly designated for a criminal justice
student (Lyons-Williams Scholarship) necessitated the construction of
a donor database that could be used for both scholarship information
and future solicitations.
III ASSESSMENT
CJSP assessment
outcomes are unchanged from 2000 and include:
1. general background
knowledge of criminal justice administration, criminology, related law
and legal processes, and the particular sectors of the criminal justice
system (law enforcement, criminal courts, and corrections;
2. an ability
to use various analytical tools, including the scientific method, to
think critically about problems and issues in criminal justice;
3. competence
in using, synthesizing, and reporting information about crime, criminal
justice, and related governmental functions;
4. refinement
of all communication skills so that the aforementioned skills can be
effectively applied and the aforementioned knowledge effectively
shared.
Criminal Justice
Studies relies on several assessment tools to gauge instructional
effectiveness. These include:
- student course performance;
- faculty evaluation
of student completion of the two major academic
requirements that constitute
the program's capstone courses;
- student evaluation
of mandatory internship;
- agency evaluation
of student intern performance and preparation;
- exit survey of all
program graduates;
- alumni focus groups;
- post-graduation placement.
Individual student course
performance is tracked by the program's academic advisor. Once the student
database is completed, CJSP will be able to conduct more extensive assessments
of course performance.
Each criminal
justice student is required to complete a full semester internship.
This requirement includes several, different assessment tools. UGA faculty
supervising individual interns provide evaluations of the research project
and analytical essays that are required of each student. The related
courses (Pols/Soci 5500 and 5510) are the capstone courses in the major.
Faculty evaluation of the related coursework plays an important role
in assessment, particularly the degree to which students have acquired
the aforementioned background knowledge, analytical skills, and communication
tools. Furthermore, agency supervisors provide regular evaluations of
intern agency performance that help the program gauge its educational
and professional effectiveness.
Each criminal
justice student submits an evaluation of his/her required internship
after its completion. This evaluation helps us to gauge the appropriateness
of the internship
placement, but
more importantly the degree to which the student thought that s/he was
prepared for both the academic requirements and agency responsibilities.
Criminal Justice
Studies mails an exit survey to every program graduate with a letter
of congratulations. This is sent within a month of graduation and has
been conducted since 1996. Of the 38 graduates surveyed in Summer and
Fall 2000, 19 have responded. Spring 01 surveys are only beginning to
come in. Since the inception of the exit survey, graduate response has
been respectable but insufficient for extensive data analysis. The exit
surveys that have been returned, however, indicate that students are
generally very satisfied with the administrative, advising, internship,
and program services provided by Criminal Justice Studies. More critical
comments have highlighted problems with course availability and limited
computer resources, particularly as they apply to classroom instruction.
Each year Criminal
Justice Studies conducts an Alumni Panel where returning graduates are
asked to advise current students on programs of study and career development.
This program was initiated in 1995 and is held in conjunction with the
University's annual homecoming activities. The 2000 Alumni Panel was
well attended with more than fifteen alumni and over fifty students
present. In addition to the aforementioned interaction with current
students, alumni also participate in a focus group discussion led by
the program director. In past groups, alumni reinforced our emphasis
on the development of analytical and communication skills, and supported
student requests for computer labs in the teaching of the mandatory
research methods course.
Each year Criminal
Justice Studies issues an Alumni Newsletter which also contains a short
placement survey. This assessment effort is designed to gauge the program's
effectiveness in preparing students for careers in criminal justice.
Related information was included in the self-study report that Criminal
Justice Studies prepared for the 99-00 program review committee. This
record is regularly updated and available on request.
The most obvious
changes that have been made as a result of assessment evidence
can be found in the ongoing refinement of the semester curriculum and
major requirements, program efforts to coordinate course scheduling
across several departments, and continuing (but as yet unsuccessful)
efforts to secure a computer lab for the teaching of research methods.
In drafting the semester curriculum Criminal Justice Studies relied
on evidence from alumni focus groups and student exit surveys, among
other sources. Expansion of course options in Sections II and III of
the curriculum and the full semester length of the mandatory internship
are examples. As departments revised and redefined courses for the semester
curricula, Criminal Justice Studies took concerted efforts to see that
offerings were reasonably coordinated across departments. Political
Science and Sociology were especially helpful in this regard. As the
aforementioned School of Public and International Affairs is established
and CJSP situated in that and the College of Arts and Sciences, additional
curricular and programmatic refinements can be expected.
IV. OVERALL
HEALTH OF UNIT
Criminal Justice
Studies is in sound, organizational health. Enrollments are robust,
student performance is excellent, the staff continues to provide and
expand on a wide range of services for its undergraduate students, and
program graduates have distinguished careers in varied criminal justice
agencies at all levels of government. This is particularly noteworthy
given the fact that the program operates with no faculty lines and a
limited budget.
Because Criminal
Justice Studies operates with such a small staff, an organizational
chart is not necessary. The director of the program has a faculty appointment
in one of the cooperating departments and reports directly to the dean
of Arts and Sciences. There is, however, regular consultation with the
heads of the cooperating departments, especially political science and
sociology. Other staff include an internship coordinator, an office
manager, and academic advisor. Each reports to the director although
the internship coordinator also teaches selected courses in sociology
and in that capacity reports to the head of that department.
Table 1
