College Holds Winter 2014 Commencement

Three new Ph.D. graduates, 28 master’s students and dozens of undergraduates earned degrees in the criminal justice field during the December 2014 Commencement.

National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Meeting

Wed Dec 10, 2014
4:00pm
Lowman Student Center, Room 302

Crime and Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mon, Nov 24, 2014
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

One of the leading young scholars in crime and justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will offer a special presentation on recent developments and issues in his country at the College of Criminal Justice.

National Organization of Hispanics in Criminal Justice

Wed, Nov 20, 2015
5:00pm - 8:00pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

The College of Criminal Justice is debuting the first student chapter of the National Organization of Hispanics in Criminal Justice (NOHCJ) in the country.

Liberty & Security Lecture Series: Dr. Scott Radnitz, "Conspiracy Theories"

Thu, Nov 20, 2014
1:00pm - 2:00pm
LEMIT, Room 202

Dr. Scott RadnitzDr. Scott Radnitz, Associate Professor in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies and Director of the Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies at the University of Washington, will discuss “’Birthers, Truthers, and Soros's Jackals:’ American and Post-Soviet Conspiracy Theories.”

Celebrating 50 Years of Service: Military Police Advance Their Careers at SHSU

Brigadier General Daniel Doherty

Following the Vietnam War, when college campuses were hotbeds of protest and unrest, Sam Houston State University opened its doors to military police for an intensive master’s program to guide their future careers.

“During the Vietnam Conflict, those in the military who wanted to go to graduate school were not welcome on college campuses,” said Larry Raab, one of the graduates of the master’s program in Criminal Justice. “Most campuses were protesting the war and most didn’t want military on campus. Three universities welcomed us with open arms, and Sam Houston State University (SHSU) specialized in the correctional aspects of policing. Dr. (George) Killinger, Dr. (George) Beto and the entire faculty welcomed us with open arms and made us feel welcome.”

Alumni Updates

Dr. Peter KraskaHere is the latest news from graduates of Sam Houston State University, College of Criminal Justice!

Dr. Peter Kraska (Ph.D. '89), Professor and Chair of Graduate Studies and Research at the School of Justice Studies in Eastern Kentucky University, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on “The Oversight of Federal Programs for the Acquisition of Military-Grade Equipment by State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.” Dr. Kraska has participated in extensive and long-running research on the militarization of civilian police in the U.S.

Dr. Victor KappelerDr. Victor Kappeler (Ph.D. ’88), Foundation Professor and Associate Dean at the School of Justice Studies in EKU’s College of Justice and Safety, was invited to the White House to participate in a “policy review listening session” and to discuss federal programs and policies related to equipping state and local law enforcement agencies.

Real Talk w/CJ: Karen Martin, Victim Assistance Coordinator, Texas Attorney General’s Office

Tue, Nov 18, 2014
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

As Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Texas Attorney General’s Office, Karen Martin’s job is to aid victims in criminal cases, focusing mainly on surviving family members in capital murder cases. Occasionally, that means accompanying the victim’s family to the execution.

SHSU Eyewitness ID Study Earns Gold for Houston Police Department

The Houston Police Department took home the Gold Award in Research from the International Association of Chiefs of Police for an experiment conducted in collaboration with Sam Houston State University on eyewitness identification procedures.

CMIT Focuses on Mental Health Issues in Criminal Justice

More than 300 people attended the inaugural Mental Health Conference offered by the Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT), where counties and professionals presented and discussed best practices in serving the mental health needs of offenders in the various components of our criminal justice system.

National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Meeting

Wed, Nov 12, 2014
4:00pm
Lowman Student Center, Room 302

Voices Lecture Series: Charmin White, SANE Nurse

Wed, Nov 12, 2014
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

For years, Charmin White helped guide victims of sexual assault through the medical and legal process as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) at Ben Taub, Lyndon B. Johnson General and Quentin Mease Community hospitals in Houston.

Charmin WhiteNow, White shares her skills with nursing students at Sam Houston State University School of Nursing and is addressing problems like sexual violence. Using evidence-based models of practice, White will define the problem, identify risk and protective factors, discuss prevention strategies and offer several ways to attempt widespread adoption using awareness, education and training. The goal said White is “to stop sexual violence before it begins.” She will be discussing the role of SANE nurses and the Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) in communities as part of the Voices Lecture Series.

Carmella Jones Joins CMIT Team

Carmella Jones

Carmella Jones recently joined the staff at the Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT), assisting with programs for jail administrators, the Texas Jail Association (TJA), Women in Criminal Justice, and a new mental health conference that was held Oct 27-30 in Conroe. The program was designed for correctional officers, jail staff, probation officers, parole officers, law enforcement, and judicial personnel to address mental health issues in the system. It focused on the assessments for mental health, first line responders, collaborative programs, effective services, veterans and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, medication and reentry.

Crime Victims’ Institute Investigates Human Trafficking

Human sex trafficking is a serious problem both domestically and internationally and enhanced education is necessary to address the risk factors for entry into the sex trade, the physical and mental health consequences of victimization, and institutional responses to victims, according to a new series published by the Crime Victims’ Institute at Sam Houston State University.

Tracing the Origins of Marijuana

Plant DNA

David Gangitano uses forensic botany to help aid criminal investigations.

Dr. Chi-Chung Jorn Yu is leading the study to trace the origins of marijuana samples.The Department of Forensic Science is testing a cost-effective analytical tool that can trace the geographic origins of marijuana samples for criminal investigations.

Criminal Justice -- Graduate Student Organization General Meeting

Tue, Nov 11, 2014
3:30 P.M.
Texas Room, Criminal Justice Center

Graduate students at the College of Criminal Justice are invited to a Thanksgiving and end-of-semester celebration and discussion.

Recent Publications -- Winter 2014

Here is a list of publications recently produced by faculty, students and alumni of Sam Houston State University, College of Criminal Justice.

Officer Champions Environmental Enforcement

Stephen Dicker of the Houston Police Department’s Major Offenders Division spends his days chasing down polluters who mar the land, water and air throughout the region.

"What's Your Story?": Public & Governmental Services Panel

Wed, Nov 5, 2014
Business and Community Relations Panel
2:00pm - 3:20pm
LSC Room 315

Public & Governmental Services Panel
3:00pm - 4:20pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

Thu, Nov 6, 2014
Education & Social Services Panel
11:00am - 12:20pm
Garrett Teacher Education Center, Room 279

STEM & Health Sciences Panel
2:00pm - 3:20pm
LSC Room 315

November is National Career Development Month and What's Your Story is designed to help you make confident decisions about your major and the career you want to pursue.

Join Career Services as we sit down with ordinary people and hear their extraordinary stories about how they found the profession they love and the lessons they learned along the way.

Graduate Admissions Open House

Wed, Nov 5, 2014
8:30am - 3:30pm
Estill Building, Room 105

Enjoy free refreshments. Drop by anytime.

History of the Walls Unit

Wed, Nov 5, 2014
3:00pm
Gresham Library, Thomason Room (Fourth Floor)

The Newton Gresham Library will hold a special presentation on the history of the Walls Unit, which houses the execution chamber for death penalty cases in the state of Texas.

The presentation will feature Jim Willett, former Warden of the Huntsville Unit (Walls Unit) and author of Warden: Texas Prison Life and Death from the Inside Out. He currently serves as Director of the Prison Museum in Huntsville.

Following the lecture, there will be a presentation featuring items from SHSU Special Collections. The Thomason Room includes collections about the history of criminal justice in Texas.

Space is limited to the first 40 attendees. To RSVP or for more information, call (936) 294-1619.

STAFS Collaborates on Decomposition Standards

Decomposition

The Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility is investigating standards for decomposition.

The Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility (STAFS) will collaborate with two other research centers across the country to develop a standard quantitative method describing the human decomposition process.

Celebrating 50 Years of Service: HIDTA Program Bridges War on Drugs

Mike McDaniel (foreground) and Bryan Smith lead Houston HIDTA.

When Mike McDaniel started as a DEA Agent in 1987, it would take him two months to gather data and call his contacts at local, state and federal agencies to get a narcotics investigation underway.

Now, as Director of the Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), McDaniel and the investigators of the HIDTA task forces have 36 law enforcement agencies in 18 counties at their disposal to accomplish the same task in about 30 minutes. As part of a unique partnership with Sam Houston State University, the program also trains and employs 24 intelligence analysts to gather information to guide the coordinated attack against drug trafficking organizations.

College Studies New Prostitution Court

Press conference announcing Project SAFE.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office recently launched a prostitution prevention program for young adults, and Sam Houston State University will help evaluate the success of the new initiative.

Alumna Is Making a Difference for Victims

Michelle “Deaneé” Moran always knew what she wanted to do with her criminal justice degree from Sam Houston State University: to make a difference in her community.

Webinar: Taking on the Challenges of Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits

Fri, Oct 31, 2014
10:00am - 12:00pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

The College of Criminal Justice will offer a chance to view a national webinar for law enforcement professionals and criminal justice students on how to meet the challenges posed by untested rape kits in police evidence rooms.

Brown Bag: The Ph.D. Decision

Wed, Oct 29, 2014
3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
Texas Room, Criminal Justice Center

Presented by Dr. Gaylene Armstrong and Dr. Melinda Tasca.

Lawyer Serves SEAL Team in Afghanistan

Bearkats in Afghanistan include (l-r) Lt. Comm. Eric Pedersen, Lt. Morgan Luttrell, and Lt. Col. Dan Monsiveas.

As a Judge Advocate in the Navy, Alumnus Lt. Commander Eric Pedersen was embedded with Navy SEAL Team TEN in the waining days of American involvement in Afghanistan as the Team's sole legal advisor.

SHSU Alumna Heads National Institute of Justice

Dr. Nancy Rodriguez, NIJ Director. Photo Courtesy of Arizona State University.

Dr. Nancy Rodriguez, a Distinguished Alumna from Sam Houston State University’s College of Criminal Justice, was appointed by President Barack Obama as the new Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

Beto Chair Lecture: Dr. Marvin Krohn

Fri, Oct 24, 2014
9:30 - 11:00 A.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

Real Talk w/CJ: James Thomas, Texas Department of Public Safety

Thu, Oct 23, 2014
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

Dr. King Featured in NIJ Seminar on Firearms Evidence

Dr. William King

Dr. William King, Associate Dean of Research and Program Development in the College of Criminal Justice, is featured on a National Institute of Justice online seminar on how law enforcement agencies can better use the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) in criminal investigations involving firearms.

The seminar, Research for the Real World, is based on Dr. King’s study, “Opening the Black Box of NIBIN,” which discusses how NIBIN has been used by law enforcement agencies, the challenges faced by law enforcement in using the technology, and how NIBIN can be more valuable as an investigation tool. The seminar also features ATF Special Agent John Risenhoover.

National Association of Black in Criminal Justice Meeting

Wed Oct 22, 2014
4:00pm
Lowman Student Center, Room 302

Training Institute Debuts for Forensic Science Professionals

Training & Research

Sam Houston State University launches new institute for training and research in forensic science.

The Department of Forensic Science at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is launching a new institute to train professionals to meet the rigors of forensic certification programs and to advance practical research opportunities between academia and crime labs.

Voices Lecture Series: John Bickel, Texas Children's Hospital

Thu, Oct 16, 2014
2pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

As a community outreach coordinator at Texas Children’s Hospital, John Bickel’s mission is to educate doctors, nurses, police, fire and emergency medical personnel, teachers, child protective services and the public about the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect.

Victim Services Career Fair

Thu, Oct 16, 2014
10:00am - 2:00pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

The College of Criminal Justice will hold a Victim Services Career Fair to introduce students to the diverse job opportunities available in the field. The Career Fair, which will be held in the Criminal Justice Center Lobby, will feature agencies that serve victims in the field.

The College of Criminal Justice offers a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree to prepare students to work in various setting with victims of crime. The multi-disciplinary degree consists of courses in criminal justice, political science, business, and psychology. The difference between the two degrees is that the BA require foreign language, while the BS requires social science.

The Masters of Science in Victim Service Management is designed to prepare graduates to work in various areas of victim services, including direct service provisions, organizational management and social policy development. The 36-hour, online program is designed so that students can complete the degree in two years by enrolling in two, 15-week course per semester.

Criminal Justice -- Graduate Student Organization General Meeting

Tue, Oct 14, 2014
3:30 P.M.
Bates Room, Criminal Justice Center

Graduate students from the College of Criminal Justice are invited to a Halloween event, discussion and more(cupcakes will be provided.)

GCJD Fall 2014 Guest Speaker: Shyima Hall

Tue, Oct. 14, 2014
5:00 - 6:00pm
LSC Ballroom

Hidden Girl: The True Story of a Modern Day Child Slave

When Shyima Hall was eight years old her poverty-stricken Egyptian parents, overwhelmed with close to a dozen children, sold her into slavery. The price? Less than thirty dollars a month.

The wealthy Cairo couple who bought Hall moved to California two years later, and smuggled the little girl into the United States. As a child slave Hall had no friends or family, no emotional support whatsoever. She did not speak a word of English and, after moving to the United States, was thousands of miles and an ocean away from everything that was familiar to her.

. . . Read more . . .

Alumnus Climbs Ladders at ATF, Air National Guard

Ron Turk, Assistant Director, ATF.

Alumnus Ron Turk is soaring in his positions with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and in the U.S. Air National Guard.

A 1988 graduate of the College of Criminal Justice, Turk is the Assistant Director of Operations in ATF in Washington, D.C., overseeing all field operations across the country for the federal law enforcement agency. In the U.S. Air National Guard, Col. Turk has been nominated as Brigadier General by the President and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and is actively seeking potential promotion positions. He previously led his troops in protecting the Baghdad Airport during the Iraq War.

Texas Campus Police Tackle Stalking Issue

In 2006, the Sam Houston State University community was significantly impacted by stalking when a 20-year old female student was shot to death by a fellow undergraduate who had stalked her with phone calls, texts and gifts following a brief dating relationship. The stalker, who attempted suicide twice, killed himself after shooting the young woman multiple times at her apartment.

Celebrating 50 Years of Service: David W. Crews: A Visionary on a Mission

Dr. David W. Crews sponsored the legislation creating the College.

In mid-1962, shortly after Dr. George J. Beto had become Director of the Texas Department of Corrections, Conroe legislator David W. Crews traveled to Huntsville to meet the new head of the prison system. During their meeting the two men lamented the lack of cooperation between the Texas Department of Corrections and Sam Houston State Teachers College. Dr. Beto recalled during that initial meeting Representative Crews said that he would prefer to see Sam Houston known for a criminology program.

Celebrating 50 Years of Service: Texas Legislature Approves Bill

House Resolution 469 was enacted on May 17, 1963 by the 58th Texas Legislature creating the Institute of Contemporary Corrections and Behavioral Science at Sam Houston State University. The bill was championed by Rep. David Crews of Montgomery.

National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Meeting

Wed Oct 8, 2014
4:00pm
Lowman Student Center, Room 302

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Several organizations on and off campus, including the Crime Victims' Institute, the Crime Victim Services Alliance, the Delta Kappa Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega, Angie's Awareness Angels and SAAFE House, will hold a series of events at Sam Houston State University in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Purple Ribbon Distribution
Oct 6-9 and Oct. 20-23
9:00am - 1:00pm
LSC Mall

Luminary Honoring Victims
Wed, Oct 15
6:00 p.m.
Clock Tower, LSC Mall

Shirt Decoration for Clothesline Project
Oct 20-23
10:00am - 2:00pm
LSC Mall

Domestic Violence Documentary
Wed, Oct 22
6:45pm
LSC Theater

Shirt Display for Clothesline Project
Oct 27-30
10:00am - 2:00pm
LSC Mall

Workshop: Thesis/Dissertation/Portfolio FAQS

Fri, Oct 3, 2014
12:00 - 3:00 P.M.
Bates Room, Criminal Justice Center

Presented by Dr. Danielle Boisvert & Friends

CJ Student Organization Ranks 4th in Nation

The SHSU NABCJ was recognized at the fourth largest student chapter in the country.

The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ) at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) offers one of the largest student chapters in the country for the organization that promote equal justice for all.

SHSU Alumnus Leads Jamaican Police

Alumnus Dr. Carl Williams was recently sworn in as Police Commissioner for Jamaica.

A recent headline in the Jamaican Observer captured the sentiment of nation: “Say What? A Jamaican commissioner of police with a PhD!”

Dr. Carl McKay Williams (Ph.D. ’14) was named Police Commissioner for the island nation beginning Sept. 14. He will command the Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF), which includes a staff of 15,000 to 16,000, including 12,000 sworn officers. The agency is responsible for law and order on the island, the prevention and detection of crime, the investigation of alleged crimes, the protection of life and property, and the enforcement of all criminal laws in the Jamaican penal code.

Career Services Mock Interview Day

Thu, Oct 2, 2014
9:00am - 4:00pm
Career Services, AB-IV

College Founder Prospered as Accidental Criminologist

George Beto was the Director of the Texas Department of Corrections.

George Beto, Ph.D., whose name is synonymous with the College of Criminal Justice, didn’t start out in a career in criminal justice.

The son of a Lutheran minister, Beto was a graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis when he received his call to come to Concordia College in Austin to teach, eventually serving as president of the institution. He was later appointed to the Texas Prison Board, which began his service in prisons and the criminal justice discipline that stretched from Texas to Illinois to Alabama.

Following the untimely death of O.B. Ellis, director of the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC), Beto was tapped to head the statewide agency.

College Bids Farewell to Former UPD Police Chief

Chief Charles Tackett poses with his bust, commissioned by Huntsville Artist Donnie Wyatt.

by the University Police Department

On September 23, 2014, after a lengthy illness, former Chief Charles W. Tackett passed away. Charles W. Tackett was the chief of police of the Sam Houston State University Police Department for 32 years beginning in August 6, 1973 and ending his tenure on November 1, 2005. Chief Tackett was an Alumnus of the University and a long-time supporter.