On December 19, 2009, SHSU honored its most recent graduates during the annual Fall Commencement. The College of Criminal Justice graduated a total of 205 students, including 193 undergraduates, six masters of science, four masters of arts, and two doctorates.
CCJ Commencement Ceremony
Sat Dec 19, 2009
10:00 A.M.
Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum
Arrival time: 9:00 a.m. at the Health and Kinesiology Center (HKC). Family and friends may be seated in the coliseum at 9:00 a.m.
Bring: Cap, gown and tassel.
Master’s and doctoral candidates must also bring their respective hoods.
Last Class Day
Fri Dec 11, 2009
Last Class Day. Last day to resign. Last day to drop Fall Semester courses without grade of F.
Alumni Update: Leland Chance Oliver
Chance Oliver is running for Judge of Denton County Court at Law #1. For the past nine years, he has worked as an attorney in private practice in juvenile, criminal, real estate and civil litigation. He currently serves as a Managing Attorney for Baxter, Schwartz & Shapiro. Prior to entering private practice, he worked as an Assistant District Attorney with the Denton County District Attorney's Office where he prosecuted both juvenile and adult criminal cases. He has also served as a Municipal Prosecutor for the Town of Trophy Club, The Colony, Argyle, Oak Point and Ponder. Chance earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University in 1992 and his Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law, 1997. He and his wife, Blanca, have four beautiful children: Angel, Micah, Max and Gabriela. More information about Chance and his campaign can be found here.
Alumni Update: Textbook By Ronald J. Waldron and Chester Quarles
Ronald J. Waldron and Chester Quarles, both graduates of the Sam Houston Doctoral Program in Criminal Justice, recently co-authored a textbook entitled The Criminal Justice System: An Introduction, 5th ed. Other co-authors include Dr. Waldron's daughter, Michelle Waldron, MSFS F-ABC, a criminalist for the Missouri Highway Patrol, and his son-in-law, David Milstein, JD, who works in the federal court system.
More information about the textbook and the authors can be found here.
Alumni Update: Georgen Guerrero
Georgen Guerrero, a 2007 SHSU graduate, was recently selected to receive the SAGE Junior Faculty Professional Development Teaching Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) for his work at Texas State University in San Marcos. Only a very select group of those who apply receive the award. This is Georgen's third ACJS award in three years.
Alumni Update: Ron DeLord
Ron DeLord (SHSU M.A. 1982) served 30 years as the President of the 17,000 member Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT). He served as Executive Director for two years before assuming his current position of Special Counsel to the union. He is the editor and co-author of two books (Navigating Dangerous Waters: The Real World of Police Labor Management Relations, Vol. I, and Working Together: A Police Labor-Management Practitioner's Guide to Implementing Change, Making Reforms and Handling Crisis, Vol. II), both published by the Department of Justice, Office of Community Policing in 2006. He is also the co-author of Police Union Power, Politics and Confrontation in the 21st Century: New Challenges, New Issues (2nd Ed.), published by Charles C. Thomas Publishing in 2008. In addition, Ron is a lecturer at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations and the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. He is also a guest faculty member at the Harvard Trade Union Program and at the Police Union Leadership Seminar sponsored by the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School. His wife is a retired educator and they live in Georgetown, Texas.
Alumni Update: Marc Glasser
Marc Glasser (B.S. "85) is a U.S. Department of Transportation/FAA Special Agent assigned to the Southern Nevada Counter-Terrorism (Fusion) Center in Las Vegas, NV, where he directs risk management programs to combat international (e.g., terrorism, espionage, sabotage, theft, arson), natural (e.g., floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes) or technical (e.g., utility, technology disruptions, hazardous materials) risks for U.S. National Airspace System Critical Infrastructure/Key Resources assets in multiple states and U.S. territories. Previously he was Special Agent for the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, assigned to the American Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, Los Angeles, CA, and Washington, D.C. In 2008 he graduated with a Master of Science in Crisis and Emergency Management from University of Nevada (UNLV). He is an Adjunct Professor at UNLV, Regis University, National University, and Henley-Putnam University. Recent publications include "Do FEMA's, HSEEP's, and Green's Progressively Difficult Emergency Exercise Training Concepts Ultimately Lead to Increased Emergency Preparedness?" Journal of Emergency Management, Vol. 7, No. 5, September/October 2009 and the book chapter "The Growing Competition for Water: An Emerging Global Flashpoint?" in the Strategizing Resilience and Reducing Vulnerability book published by Nova Science. Marc can be contacted at marc@marcglasser.com.
Alumni Update: Gregory Mohr
Gregory Mohr, a 1982 SHSU B.S. graduate, recently retired as a Senior Special Agent for the U.S. Department of Defense. During his federal career, Greg completed a M.A. from George Washington University and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia Southern University. Greg had a wide variety of tours and assignments including 5 years as a full-time Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA (1991 – 1996). Since 2002, he has served as an Adjunct Faculty member for several universities, and has developed courses in such fields as terrorism and computer security. In April 2009, he opened The Mohr Investigative Group in Scottsdale, AZ. The company specializes in major case investigations for law firms and corporations throughout the Southwestern United States.
Alumni Update: William P. Bloss
William P. Bloss, a 1996 SHSU Ph.D. graduate, recently published Under a Watchful Eye: Privacy Rights and Criminal Justice (Praeger, 2009) with Foreword by Dr. Rolando V. del Carmen, a Department faculty member. The impetus for the book was his doctoral dissertation research, which was supervised by Professor del Carmen who continues to contribute to his development as a scholar.
Ed Reyna Receives Distinguished Alumni Award
On October 9, Ed Reyna received an SHSU Distinguished Alumni Award. His favorite saying, "making a difference today for tomorrow," characterizes his personal life as well as his professional career. He has been a public servant for more than 35 years, working with the Texas Department of Corrections, Dallas Juvenile Department, and the U.S. Probation/Pretrial Services Office for the Northern District of Texas. He was one of the first federal probation officers to implement pretrial services for the Federal Court System. He helped create and implement many programs that are still use today, including a mobile Pretrial Services unit, education services for families of incarcerated individuals, and a guide used for setting bail.
Alumni Update: Edgar J. Hartung
Edgar J. Hartung, a 1981 M.A. graduate in Police Science and Administration, was recently granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. In the fall of 2008, he was the recipient of a U.S. Department of Justice's COPS program grant of over $222,000 for Alvernia University that was used to build a special Criminal Justice wing. The wing includes two new classrooms with up-to-date audiovisual equipment and new offices. Edgar received a J.D. from Cleveland-Marshal College of Law in 1992.
Alumni Update: Dwayne Wagner
Dwayne Wagner (SHSU M.A. 1987) retired in June 2008 as a Colonel in the United States Army. He is now a civilian Assistant Professor at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. A 1992 graduate of the FBI National Academy, he also served as the Senior Military Representative to the U.S. Customs Service from 2001-2003, and in the Drug Enforcement Administration from 2004-2008.
Alumni Update: Paul H. Brown
In November of 2008, Paul H. Brown was hired by the Montgomery County Alabama Commission as the Executive Director of the County Community Corrections program. Since becoming the Executive Director, the agency has received a major technical assistance grant to become a Model Community of Corrections in Alabama. The agency will work closely with state and local leaders to complete a comprehensive area-wide Community Corrections Plan to address all corrections, sentencing, and justice-related issues. Previously, Paul Brown served for 13 years as the State Director of Operations for the private, for-profit criminal justice services company, Community Education Centers, where he provided oversight for a number of in-prison Therapeutic Community Treatment Programs as well as consultation and training for staff in numerous states. He earned a B.S. from SHSU in 1976.
Beto Chair Lecture Series: Dr. Nicholas Lovrich
Thu Nov 19, 2009
9:30 - 11:00 A.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom
Dr. Nicholas Lovrich
"Mentoring Doctoral Students: Finding Synergies of Theory and Practice in Pasteur's Quadrant"
Alumni Update: Jake Nelson
Jake Nelson, an SHSU 2009 M.S. in Criminal Justice graduate, was recently hired by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. After training, he will move to Lubbock, TX, to start his new job. He is a former employee of the SHSU Department of Criminal Justice's Institute for the Study of Violent Groups.
Real Talk with CJ: Deborah Sibila
Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Facebook Event
Deborah Sibila retired from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in July 2009 with 26 years of military and federal law enforcement experience. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Law Enforcement/Police Science from Sam Houston State University in 1980 and her Masters in Public Administration from Jacksonville State University in 1984.
Alumni Update: Gerry Ramker
Gerard "Gerry" Ramker, a 1983 SHSU Ph.D. graduate, has been promoted to Associate Director of the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Dr. Ramker has been with BJS in Washington, D.C., for five years. Previously, he served the State of Illinois for twenty-two years working for the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
Real Talk with CJ: Rissie Owens
Tue Nov 10, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Ms. Rissie Owens currently serves as the Chair of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles where she has been a member since 1997. She was originally appointed to the Board by then Governor George W. Bush. She was appointed as Chair in 2003 and reappointed in 2009 to a 6-year term by Governor Rick Perry. Prior to her employment with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, she served 15 years in numerous positions in the field of Criminal Justice and Education, including Court Coordinator, Case Manager, Social Worker, Probation Officer, Drug Prevention Coordinator, Associate School Psychologist and several positions within the Texas Department of Corrections.
Real Talk with CJ: Mark Bull
Tue Nov 3, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Mark A. Bull is Senior Superintendent of Field Services, Public Safety & Technology Division, for the Houston Airport System. Since 2004, he has been responsible for planning and implementing programs related to safety, security, loss prevention, security management, and emergency planning operations at Bush Intercontinental Airport.
TDCJ Donates to the College of Criminal Justice
A group from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Correctional Training and Staff Development presented a check to Dr. Vincent Webb, Dean of the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University towards the Susan L. Canfield Memorial Scholarship Fund. Scholarship funds were raised from sales of a commemorative coin created in honor of Ms. Canfield. Coins may be purchased at the Texas Prison Museum for $15.00. Presenting the check to Dr. Webb (center) are Michael Upshaw - TDCJ Training Director and Warden Vernon Pittman -Wynne Unit.
Real Talk with CJ: Philip Dupuis
Tuesday Oct 27, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Facebook Event
Philip Dupuis is a 25-year veteran of the Conroe Police Department and was recently appointed Chief of Police. He graduated from Port Neches-Groves High School in 1981 and then moved to Huntsville, Texas, where he attended Sam Houston State University. While at SHSU he began working for the University Police Department as a dispatcher. In 1983 he went to work for the City of Panorama Village as police officer, and in 1984 moved to Conroe and joined the Conroe Police Department.
High School Criminal Justice Instructors Training (HSCJIT) 2009 Annual Seminar
Teaching Resources in Criminal Justice
Thurs Oct 22 - 23, 2009
One of the many purposes of HSCJIT is to provide professional training for criminal justice instructors that is directly related to their subject field and special needs. With that in mind, Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice is pleased to announce the HSCJIT Annual Seminar titled Teaching Resources in Criminal Justice. For those who wish to participate, we are confident that the topics selected will be beneficial.
Real Talk with CJ: Dornell Crist Jr.
Tuesday Oct 20, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Facebook Event
Dornell Crist, Jr., grew up in Palestine, Texas, and graduated from Palestine High School in 1987. He attended Sam Houston State University on a football scholarship and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a minor in Criminal Justice.
Real Talk with CJ: Debi Smith-Edge
Tuesday Oct 13, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Facebook Event
Debi Smith-Edge is the Manager of Counseling and Sexual Assault Services for the Montgomery County Women's Center (MCWC). In managing the counseling staff, her goals are to promote best practices in the field and offer a continuum of advocacy services.
SHSU Homecoming 09
Samtastic Birthday Bash - Celebrating 50 years of Sammy Berakat!
Sat Oct 10, 2009
12:00 pm - 5:00pm
Facebook Event
CJ Tailgate starts at noon. Game against Nicholls State starts at 2:00 pm. Other activities: Parade Oct 8th, Distinguished Alumni Gala Oct 9th, Alumni Clubs Reception Oct 10th.
For more info and events go to: http://www.shsu.edu/homecoming
Real Talk with CJ:
Nancy H. Baird
Tuesday Oct 6, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Facebook Event
NANCY H. BAIRD, M.Ed., president of Training Strategies, Inc., began her career as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Houston, Texas. In 1990 she began a management consulting and training company. Nancy, a native Houstonian, attended the University of New Mexico and received her undergraduate degree in Cultural Anthropology and a Master of Education in Educational Psychology from the University of Houston. On a part-time basis, Nancy is the Coordinator for the Harris County Youth and Family Services Division and the Site Coordinator for Harris County’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), which is part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s national initiative.
Real Talk with CJ: Deputy U.S. Marshal Natalie Garza
Tuesday Sep 29, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Facebook Event
Deputy Garza is a 2007 graduate of Sam Houston State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. She completed her internship with the United States Marshals Service through the Centralized Student Career Experience Program in Houston, TX, her last semester as an undergraduate student.
CJ Awards Day
On April 23, the College recognized the service and leadership of its many alumni and honored those who have fallen in the line of duty. Student leaders of various criminal justice student organizations were recognized for their exceptional accomplishments and achievements during the 2008-09 academic year.
Free Flu Shots
Wed Sep 23 - Thurs Sep 24, 2009
9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
LSC Atrium
Flu shots will be available free to all students.
Real Talk with CJ: Special Agent Schanta C. Jones
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
Agent Jones is a 1992 graduate of Howard University in Washington, DC, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice. She completed her internship at the United States Attorney’s Office in Washington, DC, and later clerked for a short period at the United States Court for the District of Columbia.
Beto Chair Lecture Series: Dr. Doris MacKenzie
Fri Sep 18, 2009
9:30 - 11:00 A.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom
Dr. Doris MacKenzie
"What Works in Corrections: Implications for Reentry and Rehabilitation Planning in Corrections"
Real Talk with CJ: DA Brett Ligon
Tuesday Sep 15, 2009
2:00 pm - 3:00pm
CJ Cafe (CJava)
District Attorney Brett Ligon has spent his entire professional career in the area of law enforcement and criminal justice. If asked, he would say that he is most proud of having started at the very bottom entry level as an intern in college with the Brazos County District Attorney’s Office, and later as a jailer in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. From there, he continued working his way through the ranks as an Assistant District Attorney for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and Staff Counsel for the Houston Police Officers’ Union before finally being elected as the District Attorney of Montgomery County.
College of Criminal Justice Open House
Sat Sep 12, 2009
1:00 - 3:00 P.M.
Criminal Justice Center
Discover the College of Criminal Justice!
As part of Bearkat Family Weekend the College of Criminal Justice invites you to come by our Center for an Open House. You'll see exhibits and presentations from criminal justice training and research institutes as well as hands on experiences from our forensic science department. Student organizations will have tables, sell t-shirts, and other cj merchandise.
For more information on Family Weekend 2009 events or activities contact SHSU’s Dean of Students’ Office at (936)294-1785 or go to www.shsu.edu/weekend.
Bearkat Family Weekend
Fri Sep 11 - Sun Se13, 2009
SHSU Campus
Join us at Bearkat Family Weekend for fun activities with fellow Kats. Activities include: Coffee with the Administrators, Bearkat Family BBQ, Classic Car Show and Pre-game Tailgate. Football game against North Dakota State begins at 6pm.
For more information on Family Weekend 2009 events or activities contact SHSU’s Dean of Students’ Office at (936)294-1785 or go to www.shsu.edu/weekend.
Mandatory Graduate Student Meeting II
Fri Sep 11, 2009
2:00 - 3:30 P.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom
All College of Criminal Justice Center graduate students must attend either Meeting II or Meeting I (9/8 9:00 - 10:30 A.M.).
Internship Meetings
Wed Sep 9, 2009 / Thur Sept 10, 2009
3:00 P.M. / 11:00 A.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom
Attention Criminal Justice Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Internships Are Here!
Mandatory Graduate Student Meeting I
Tues Sep 8, 2009
9:00 - 10:30 A.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom
All College of Criminal Justice Center graduate students must attend either Meeting I or Meeting II (9/11 2:00 - 3:30 P.M.).
CJ Faculty/Staff Meeting
Tues Sep 1, 2009
2:30 P.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom
All Criminal Justice Center faculty and staff are encouraged to attend. There will be an Ice Cream Social for faculty, staff, and doctoral students afterwards from 3:30-5:00 P.M. in the CJ Concourse.
University Faculty/Staff Meeting
Thurs Aug 27, 2009
2:00 pm
George G. Killinger Auditorium
All University faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.
CJ College Faculty Meeting
Tues Aug 25, 2009
3:30 pm
Bates Room
All College of Criminal Justice faculty are required to attend.
CJ Graduate Orientation
Fri Aug 21, 2009
10:00 am - 2:00pm
New Criminal Justice Graduate Student Orientation is August 21 from 10 am to 2 pm.
Forensic Science Educational Conference
Mon Aug 10-12, 2009
8:00 am - 5:00pm
Facebook Event
The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and Sam Houston State University (SHSU) will present a Forensic Science Educational Conference on the campus of SHSU August 10-12, 2009.
Online Master's Degree
The SHSU College of Criminal Justice now offers our Master of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management as a 100% Online Degree. You can enter the program at any time so we are still accepting applications! Check out our CJ Online website for more information.
Professor Souryal Named FDD Academic Fellow
In March 2009, Dr. Sam Souryal was named an "Academic Fellow" for 2009-2010 by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), a non-partisan policy institute headquartered in Washington, D.C. The FDD believes that by providing teaching professionals with access to the best information available on terrorism, it will be able to better inform the future leaders of our country about this issue. In addition, the FDD hopes that Dr. Souryal will then be able to serve as an expert resource on terrorism issues on campus and in the community. Dr. Souryal also believes that this fellowship will expose him to a unique view on the threat of terrorism to global democracy, on the chances of resolving the Arab-Israeli tension, and on presenting the United States' role as a more peace-loving country that can make the world a better place to live in.
Upon his return, Dr. Souryal will make a brief presentation to interested faculty, staff, and students on the lessons he learned during the course of his fellowship. Dr. Souryal stated that he is so thrilled to be selected to receive this honor, and he will faithfully apply what he has learned in his classes, in his neighborhood, and in society at large.
Public Housing Safety Initiative
Victoria Titterington
Victoria Titterington recently completed service as the Program Evaluator for a two-year Public Housing Safety Initiative (PHSI) grant from the Community Capacity Development Office of the USDOJ Office of Justice Programs. Houston (as the major city within the U.S. Attorney's Southern District of Texas Office) was one of 19 sites nationwide that received these grants, aimed at "providing funding for the investigation, prosecution, and prevention of violent crime and drug offense activities in public, federally-assisted, and Indian housing." The Urban Institute also worked with grantees to develop performance measures that could be used to track progress toward their stated goals and to document the long-term impact of the PHSI.
The Houston Public Housing Safety Initiative focused on three public housing developments (Kelly Village, Cuney Homes, and Kennedy Place), located in Houston's Fifth Ward, northeast and south of downtown. During the one-year period preceding the grant, the rates of violent Part I crime for the targeted public housing developments ranged from 3.2 to 6.3 times the citywide rate; during the same period the rates of non-violent Part I crime for the targeted developments ranged from 1.3 to 2.2 times the citywide rate. Also, the rate of calls for service for these areas ranged from 2.4 to 4.0 times the citywide rate.
The approach of this initiative was uniquely comprehensive in that it included both targeted law enforcement as well as community development activities and outcomes. Among the numerous activities within this effort were: (1)"high visibility" patrols focused particularly on prostitution and narcotics in and around the three public housing complexes, (2) domestic abuse prevention classes for resident juvenile females, (3) DEA sponsored classes on prescription drug abuse among juveniles, for grandparents raising their grandchildren within these housing units, and (4) tours of university campuses (including Sam Houston State University and our College of Criminal Justice) by high-risk juveniles, with the hope of prolonging their education through high school and beyond.
Both violent and non-violent crime rates decreased at two of the housing developments (Kelly Village and Kennedy Place) during the major law enforcement period of the grant, with an 11 percent decrease in violent crime and a 30 percent decrease in property crime. The Cuney Homes crime data showed an overall increase in officially reported crime during the major law enforcement period, thought to be accounted for by increased citizen reports of crime to the police, a positive rather than negative outcome. Over the course of ongoing law enforcement/housing residents meetings, residents reported that they are now more willing to speak to police because they actually know some of them individually and believe that law enforcement will respond more quickly to reports from residents.
Dr. Titterington's observations are that "this has been one of the most positive projects with which I've been involved, because of its broad scope and the grassroots citizen, service provider, law enforcement collaboration. I was continually struck by how much, given the resources, each of these stakeholders invested in improving the immediate and long-term conditions of living for the residents of Kennedy, Kelly, and Cuney."
Texas Regional Center for Policing Innovation
by Randa Embry
The Texas Regional Center for Policing Innovation (TRCPI) has been hard at work creating and establishing their new training structure, providing fee-based training to agencies requesting community policing training or related workshops. TRCPI was excited to begin this new endeavor through a partnership with the Southeast Weed and Seed Program in Ft. Worth with a Community Engagement Workshop, which brought community members and law enforcement officers together for a full day to begin building relationships and creating lasting partnerships between the police and local community members, which is crucial to effective community policing efforts. This program, while developed for the Southeast Ft. Worth community, can be tailored to meet the needs of any community group, and TRCPI is looking forward to conducting several more of these beneficial workshops.
In addition to developing new, tailored training deliverables, TRCPI has been privileged with the opportunity to support Human Trafficking training, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. As a result, Human Trafficking Awareness training has been provided in several states and continues to be offered in Texas. This training provides a range of participants from law enforcement backgrounds to victim services information regarding this most atrocious crime-modern day slavery. TRCPI has also partnered with the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance of Harris County, a human trafficking task force comprised of agencies such as the Harris County Sheriff 's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the YMCA of Houston to provide a week-long immersion training for human trafficking task forces from around the country. Immersion learning not only gives visiting task forces the opportunity to learn more about human trafficking and effective investigations and prosecutions, but also provides crucial contacts and partnerships for future assistance or collaboration. Thus far, TRCPI has hosted task forces from Utah, Missouri, and Wisconsin, and is currently in the planning stages for future trainings.
In February, TRCPI conducted a DNA Seminar which reached over 100 participants and addressed DNA issues in effective prosecutions. Participants included law enforcement officers, attorneys, emergency service technicians, and crime lab technicians, among others. Additionally, TRCPI continues to provide community policing training, maintaining the basic mission and direction of community policing principles regardless of new partnerships or directions.
Speaking of new partnerships, TRCPI has recently joined the Rights Consortium, a human rights group of partners funded by the United States Agency for International Development, which includes Freedom House, a human rights organization, the American Bar Association, and the National Democratic Institute. The focus of projects resulting from this new partnership is rule of law, with a more specific target of order and security internationally. This partnership opens new doors, with the potential of participating in multiple international projects. We have certainly been busy, and we look forward to continuing to provide new and innovative community policing training and technical assistance not only in Texas, but abroad.
The Texas Forensic Science Commission Investigates Crime Lab Practices
by Leigh Tomlin
In 2007, the Texas Forensic Science Commission received funding to establish a central office and begin making decisions regarding the investigation of several pending complaints regarding forensic negligence. HB 15 appropriated the Commission's allotted funds to Sam Houston State University, under the Correctional Management Institute of Texas, where the Commission office was set up. Sam Houston State University and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas are pleased to be a part of this groundbreaking project.
Several complaint forms were received by the Commission this year and last year, and the Commission has made decisions to proceed on two independent, residential fire incidents that involved the loss of life and subsequent criminal proceedings, including trials, convictions, and in one case the execution of a man convicted on the basis of forensic methods that have since been proven scientifically invalid. The Commission has also undertaken an investigation involving a case where an individual was convicted and subsequently exonerated through the use of DNA analysis.
The Texas Forensic Science Commission is focused on establishing a foundation for developing its independent oversight of forensic labs in Texas. The Commission has found that Texas is unique in its commitment to ensuring the integrity of forensic labs and that all forensic science elements of the criminal justice system are operating at the highest possible level. For the future, the Commission hopes to strengthen the communications between itself and accredited laboratories in Texas as well as to continue to work with DPS to make sure that proper oversight is a priority in the Forensic Science community in Texas.
For more information on the Texas Forensic Science Commission, please visit the website at www.fsc.state.tx.us or contact the Commission Coordinator, Leigh Tomlin, at 1(888) 296-4232.
CVI Continues Research Series on Victims' Issues
The Crime Victims' Institute publishes reports that bring important victim issues to the forefront. The following is a brief look at the most recent victim issues researched by the CVI.
Victimization of Immigrants
There is little published research on the victimization experiences of Asian and Hispanic immigrants to this country. That which does exist often is based on the impressions of police officers and district attorneys. There are some studies which look at a particular immigrant group, but few of these focus on one geographical area and the different ethnicities residing there. Because Houston has an ever increasing number of foreign-born residents, learning about their experiences is important to ensuring their safety and providing needed services. This report not only presents information on victimization experiences, but also on what influences whether victims seek assistance.
Personal Victimization of College Students
This report is based on the victimization experiences of a sample of college students at seven Texas universities. Students were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences during the past two years. This study was conducted because previous research has shown that persons between 16 and 30 years of age are at the highest risk for personal victimization. Of particular importance was the information given about victimization in dating, co-habiting, and marital relationships. Because the sample was drawn from Texas college students, the results have specific relevance for policymakers and victim assistance efforts at the state and local levels, and at college campuses across the state. It is our hope that the findings reported here will increase understanding of the conditions and situations that contribute to personal victimization among college students and lead to constructive ways to both prevent it and assist those who are victimized.
CMIT Upcoming Events
The Correctional Management Institute of Texas will host the Emergency Preparedness Program for Corrections from May 11-15 in the Criminal Justice Center. This program, produced in conjunction with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), represents a significant national collaboration to provide critical training to a national market. Participants are highranking officials responsible for emergency preparedness and crisis management from more than 10 states.
From July 20-24, CMIT will conduct its second Media and Public Relations class for criminal justice practitioners. The first class, held in 2008, met with resounding success and provided CMIT with tremendous job-related performance feedback. Many of the participants put their newlyacquired knowledge into practice in front of television cameras and radio microphones within days of course completion. For more information on upcoming CMIT training opportunities, please visit http://www.cmitonline.org/cal/.
CMIT Women's Conference Goes National
Nearly 300 women gathered in San Antonio from April 13-16 for CMIT's annual Women in Criminal Justice Conference. The three-day program, which has grown from 88 participants in 2007, attracted practitioners from agencies and organizations in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. Probation and parole agencies, institutional corrections, law enforcement, and judges' and district attorneys' offices were represented at the gathering.
Under the guidance of Natalie Payne, Project Coordinator at CMIT, the conference addressed a wide range of professional and personal topics to assist women in facing the daily challenges of pursuing professional goals and raising a family. The keynote speaker, Luella Burke, chair of the board of directors of the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents (NAAWS), led off the program with words of inspiration and encouragement that the highest heights can be attained by women working together for personal and professional accomplishment. Participants had a unique opportunity to learn of the career path traveled by women in top leadership, including Harris County Judge Beverly Malazzo, Carey Welebob, Assistant Director of the Criminal Justice Assistance Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), and Raven Kazen, former Director of the Victim Services Division of TDCJ.
Jo Ann Jones-Burbridge, Associate Director of the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center, and Charlotte Stallings, former National Spokesperson for American Express, offered invaluable advice on the importance of professional image, including making a positive impression and improving public speaking ability. Other conference sessions included personal financial management, managing difficult people, and a demonstration of defensive tactics for self protection.
In Memoriam: John A. Cocoros
John A. Cocoros, 82, a former College of Criminal Justice professor, a well known state and national leader in the field of juvenile justice, and a tireless advocate for troubled and at-risk youth died on April 1 in Lakeway, Texas, following a series of strokes.
An experienced administrator and consultant to governments and correctional agencies in the U.S. and abroad, Cocoros began his career in law enforcement, but soon the primary focus of his career became the field of juvenile corrections with an emphasis on systemic reform and delinquency prevention.
Survey on Citizen Perception of Police
Dennis Longmire
During the summer and fall of 2008, the Survey Research Program completed a Citizen Impression Survey for the Houston Police Department (HPD). Drs. Longmire, Zhao, and Lawton worked closely with the Houston Police Department's Executive Assistant Chief Timothy Oettmeier to construct a survey instrument designed to provide the HPD leadership with information on the citizens' impressions of police services. The instrument included 70 items focusing on citizens' general impressions of the Department's officers and their satisfaction with the Departments' delivery of a variety of services ranging from traffic law enforcement to the response to mental health consumers. Also included were questions focusing on a series of topics of special concern to the HPD such as the use of "red light cameras," "Homeland Security cameras," and Conducted Energy Devices (Tasers).
The sample included 1,250 Houston-area residents 18 years of age or older between May 1 and June 3, 2008, who agreed to participate in the survey. All respondents were selected for inclusion in the study through the use of random digit dialing (RDD) methodologies, and data were collected via computer- assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) technology. Additionally, respondents within bilingual or Spanish-only speaking households were provided with the opportunity to complete the interview in Spanish, thus ensuring that respondents from this population subgroup were provided with ample opportunity to respond.
Houston residents have an overwhelmingly positive image of the Houston Police Department's officers. Over 70% of the respondents either "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that HPD officers are honest (70.6%) and fair (70.2%) in their interactions with citizens. The great majority of the respondents to the survey either strongly agreed or agreed that the Houston Police officers are hard working (80.3%) and well trained (71%). The most persistent statistically significant sub-group differences are found across the different age and ethnic groups examined. Women were also more likely than men to report favorable attitudes about HPD's services.
In addition to submitting the Final Report to HPD, Longmire, Zhao, and Lawton are working on several publications for submission to scholarly journals and are currently in the process of designing a second survey for HPD that will employ stratified sampling techniques to better represent Hispanic respondents.
Alcohol and Caffeine in Energy Drinks
In a recent publication, Dr. Sarah Kerrigan published a study to determine whether "nonalcoholic" energy drinks produce detectable alcohol concentration in human subjects. The study involved a commercial transdermal alcohol detection system that is being used in criminal justice settings. The device consists of an ankle bracelet that measures alcohol electrochemically via the skin in a continuous manner. Remote monitoring of the transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) via modem identifies alcohol use in the subject by generating an "alcohol alert." The purpose of the study was to determine the scientific validity of the "energy drink defense" whereby subjects wearing the device claim that consumption of non-alcoholic energy drinks produces a "false positive" alcohol alert. The FDA considers beverages containing less than 0.5% alcohol to be "non-alcoholic," and these do not need to contain the government warning statement or list ethanol as an ingredient. Eleven energy drinks were investigated in total. Ethanol ranged in concentration from 0.03 to 0.230% (w/v), and caffeine content per 8-oz serving ranged from 65 to 126 mg. A total of 15 human subjects participating in the study consumed between 6 and 8 energy drinks (180 Red Energy) over an 8-hour period. Although alcohol was detected in some subjects, none produced elevations in transdermal alcohol concentration sufficient to produce an "alcohol alert" (<0 .02="">Journal of Analytical Toxicology.
Hot Spots and Edge Effects: An Examination of Crime Patterns across Contiguous Suburban Police Agencies
Brian A. Lawton and Larry Hoover
Current innovations in policing require a more geographically-oriented focus on crime and places of interest. Unfortunately, these patterns are often limited to knowledge of crime only within the agency's jurisdiction. This has particular significance when identifying "hot spots" of criminal activity, as it is not confined to these same boundaries. This is particularly germane to contiguous suburban jurisdictions with "jigsaw puzzle" borders. The authors used data collected through the Criminal Research, Information Management and Evaluation System (CRIMES) to examine this issue and determine how these contiguous areas impact on the identification of "hot spots" of criminal activity. Data from Southlake, in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, were employed. Results demonstrate that the identification of the hot spots can be strongly impacted by crime from the surrounding jurisdictions.
Major Cities Research Data
Larry Hoover
Data from the Major Cities Research Initiative is focused upon assessing two related programs: Dallas' "Hot Spots" Program, involving assignment of officers to 21 designated high-crime areas during at-risk times, and Houston's Crime Reduction Unit. Four years of crime, arrest, and call-for-service data has been obtained and, with considerable effort by Drs. Lawton and Zhang, "cleaned" and transposed into SPSS. Faculty and research assistants assigned to the project are in the process of analysis and composition of publications addressing the effect of focused crime reduction from several perspectives. The data is also proving useful for other purposes. Cooperating with Dr. Terrence Dunworth of the Urban Institute, a portion of the Houston data will serve to document the potential effect of crime reduction efforts by Target in neighborhoods contiguous to their stores. Dee Warren is employing another element of the Houston data to assess the impact of the absorption of Katrina evacuees upon the city.
National Jail Leadership Command Academy
by Danny Downes
Sunday March 1, 2009, marked the beginning of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy (NJLCA), Class #1. Thirty-eight mid-level supervisors representing 13 states and 25 jurisdictions attended the academy held at the George G. Beto Criminal Justice Center. For the next five days the participants were exposed to a curriculum specifically designed to help prepare them for successful transition into leadership roles in our nation's jails.
Monday morning, Susan McCampbell opened the program with "Understanding Yourself-MBTI." All participants were tested on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) prior to arrival at the academy. Gaining a better understanding of themselves helped participants to personally apply concepts throughout the rest of the week. The remainder of the curriculum, delivered by Susan McCampbell, Dr. Randy Garner, Dr. Phillip Lyons, and Dr. Gary Christensen, concentrated on the skills and tools needed to hone leadership and management abilities.
Participants were engaged daily from the time they sat down for an early breakfast until they worked on their problem-solving projects at the end of the day. The networking opportunities continued into the evening with dinner and discussion groups to talk about required reading materials.
Throughout the week, it was evident the class as a whole recognized the value and significance of this long needed academic opportunity for tomorrow's leaders. One attendee said in a class evaluation, "I, too, attended the Police Supervision class many years ago. [I]t was very good, but so far I have already picked up more [here] in 1 1/2 days than four weeks [there]..."
The National Jail Leadership Command Academy (NJLCA) is a joint initiative of the Correctional Management Institute of Texas, the American Jail Association, and the National Association of Counties. The National Institute of Corrections also supports the academy by providing funds for travel to planning, curriculum review, and debriefing meetings. The purpose of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy is succession preparation for mid-level managers currently working in or supporting America's jails.
LEMIT - Where Academia and Practitioners Meet
by David Webb
Throughout the year thousands of law enforcement professionals attend training and personal development courses at the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT). Much of the course content is delivered by Sam Houston State University faculty from the College of Criminal Justice. But that is not where the interface stops.
- New courses, that address tomorrows issues, have to be designed, and this is where LEMIT leverages the academic excellence offered at the College by funding research programs such as the Major City Chiefs Initiative led by Dr. Larry Hoover. In this way, the results of meaningful research in the field are ploughed back into the content of newly designed courses.
- Evaluation is an important assessment component at LEMIT. Internally, LEMIT's research specialist, Dr. Hyeyoung Lim, recently undertook a major evaluation of the flagship Leadership Command College program. Additionally, Dr. Holly Hutchins of the University of Houston was contracted to undertake a study on learning transfer, utilizing the Learning Transfer Systems Inventory (LTSI).
- LEMIT is a great resource for researchers, with law enforcement officers of differing ranks passing through its portals, most of whom are very amenable to responding to survey instruments and being engaged in trials and experiments.
- LEMIT is also a great facility for student workers and researchers. LEMIT employs over twenty students at the undergraduate and graduate level who are afforded the opportunity to work and undertake research in a professional environment.
This summer there will be two new projects undertaken by doctoral candidates. Ms. Ling Wu will develop a model to identify salient factors to be considered by police departments when their cities annex new areas that considerably increase the policing requirement.
Ms. Ji Seun Sohn will be undertaking an audit of the data and resources held by LEMIT throughout its sixteen programs, and identify ways for these to be made available to faculty at the College for research purposes.
College Features Student Research in the First Annual CJ Undergraduate Conference
On April 22, the College of Criminal Justice hosted its first annual CJ Undergraduate Conference, organized to give SHSU Criminal Justice students a chance to share their ideas on important criminal justice issues. "We're excited to initiate this opportunity for our students to showcase some of their writing, research and presentation skills," said Dr. Holly Miller in her opening remarks. Dr. Webb, Dean of the College, then gave the keynote address, which made a distinction between street gangs and other types of organized crime and detailed some of the stronger approaches to reducing gang membership and activity.
At the center of the conference were two student research contests-one for research papers, another for research posters. Several students submitted to the paper contest, with the $500 first prize going to Ashley Clark for her paper titled, "Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Texas Prisoner Reentry Initiative through Pre and Post Risk & Treatment Scores." Chad Cryer won $300 and second place for his paper, "Police Satisfaction of SHSU Students," and Detrick McAffey received third place and $200 for his paper, "Promoting Victim Assistance Awareness in the African American Community."
Some of the other topics submitted to the paper contest were:
- Sarah Bailey, "Sex Offenders Cheating You Out of Money"
- Sarah G. Broxson, "The West Memphis Murders: Was Justice Served?"
- Robert J. Ellis, Jr., "The Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana"
- Nicole M. Juarez, "Survival of the Fittest: True Life in Prison"
- Mary Arion McBride, "V for Vendetta"
- Chibuike K. Oparaji, "Prosecutor's Discretion"
- Rachel Schmid, "Opposition to the Legalization of Drugs"
Over the lunch hour, the College provided snacks and punch in the Friel Room while students presented their research posters in the lobby. The poster judges awarded the first place $500 prize to Nicole Larison for her poster on "The Effect of Water Salinity on Sodium Concentration in Bone." Second and third places went to Kristen Pelo for her poster, "Blood Spatter Variations Caused by Firearms," and Rachel Schmid for her poster, "Deterrence Theory of Capital Punishment."
All six student winners were recognized at the conference and then received their awards and checks the next evening at the College's annual Awards Convocation.
Research Portfolio Replaces Traditional Ph.D. Comprehensives
With the faculty action approving a dramatically revised process for doctoral qualifying examinations, the Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice doctoral program enters a new era. The traditional comprehensive examination process has been replaced with a qualifying examination in the form of a research portfolio. The goal is to provide a substantially enhanced research component to the Ph.D. curriculum. That concept will pervade the program, from the first semester's coursework to the initial years as an alumnus.
The College is justifiably proud of the quality and impact of the doctoral program, built over the forty-year history of the effort. Our graduates have excelled. Two College of Criminal Justice graduates-Dr. Janet Mullings and Leanne F. Alarid-were named "academic star" publishers in a recent article in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education. We have established a virtual lineage of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences presidents, with our alumni holding the office for three of the last five terms. Most "rankings" of Ph.D. programs in Criminology and Criminal Justice place SHSU in a highly competitive position. We have done well-particularly when we must compete with flagship state universities recognized more by the university name than the actual productivity of its criminal justice program.
But that is not good enough. Borrowing the title from Jim Collins' famous book, we intend to go from "Good to Great." And we are already great on a number of dynamics: a huge high-quality baccalaureate program; a reputation in Texas as the place to attend for criminal justice; a name that instantly opens doors; millions of dollars annually channeled to us from the Texas Legislature for CMIT, LEMIT, and CJC operations; an already strong and growing international exchange; a very substantial research effort; a presence in respected journals; and the list goes on.
Times nevertheless change. A gradual but cumulative shift among doctoral programs is occurring. Acknowledgement as a program of import in the next decade will not come from teaching quality, a strong field service component, or visibility in academic associations. It will come from sophisticated research with a strong statistical component-published in highly competitive journals. Our recent faculty hiring reflects this shift in emphasis, as does Dean Webb's tenure. Now the core structure of the doctoral program will also reflect the shift.
Portfolio Requirements
Doctoral students will no longer be tested "comprehensively." Instead the goal of what we formerly called "comprehensives" will be demonstrated research competence-a research portfolio. Passing "Quals" in the form of the portfolio will be a significant achievement.
The specified requisites for each student's Research Assessment Portfolio will be determined by program committees, constituted on a student by student basis. Competence is demonstrated by a combination of the following four core components:
- Manuscripts publishable (or published) in recognized refereed journals.
- Publication of applied research monographs and reports.
- A series of literature analyses in areas related to a proposed dissertation.
- Academic conference presentations (primarily ACJS and ASC), and related activities.
A student who has already established a record of publications in refereed journals is apt to have to do little else to demonstrate research competency. A "light" record of publications will likely require demonstration of research competence by a combination of the last three components.
Our goal is straightforward: we want doctoral graduates with a beginning record of research publication, a robust research agenda, and a commitment to contributing to the body of knowledge in Criminal Justice.
Forensic Science Graduate Program Earns Accreditation
This February the American Academy of Forensic Sciences met in Denver, Colorado, for its annual meeting. One order of business was a gathering of the Forensic Science Education Program accreditation Commission (FEPAC) to decide which university programs currently under review would be granted academic accreditation. Though the number of FEPAC accredited graduate programs was expected to jump dramatically this year, due to the many programs that applied for accreditation and were inspected, only one new program received full accreditation for the next five years--the Masters in Forensic Science Program at Sam Houston State University.
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