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Responding to calls for change in American policing, Curry’s Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice faculty have updated and revised the Criminal Justice curriculum, including a new Law Enforcement (LE) concentration for students interested in pursuing policing, as well as offering engaging programming in and out of the classroom.
The Law Enforcement concentration adds some brand new coursework to make the program responsive to shifts in the discipline of policing: focusing more on community policing, the mental health needs of the community and police, and by empowering future police to be active bystanders in creating more humane and compassionate police forces. These revisions are meant to capture the changes in policing, to be responsive to communities and their needs, and to prioritize shifting from warrior to guardian roles whenever possible. New courses include “Law Enforcement Bystander, Ethics and Wellness,” and “Policing and Mental Health,” as well as revised courses on ethics in the justice system. These courses offer students the opportunity to practice their approach through role plays and interactive exercises, so students prepare for their career through real, hands-on exercises.
Toward this initiative, faculty have also brought in diverse and vibrant guest speakers to complement the curriculum over the last year—several of whom are our own alumni! These guest speakers represent some of the most innovative and cutting-edge approaches in the field today. While several of our faculty have expertise in policing, the speakers bring in additional perspectives from the field, and offer students the opportunity to network about internships and future jobs:
In these and other events, students were encouraged to ask questions and engage with the speakers.
Devine, a retired law enforcement officer, commented on the program: "What I love most about being with 香港马会开奖结果 is the concerted effort among practitioners and academics. The entire department strives to make improvements in policing through sociological and psychological lenses when creating curriculum. The end product is an empathetic approach to better serve everyone, including underserved and diverse communities."
Through the new course offerings, Law Enforcement concentration, and the extra-curricular programming, faculty are preparing students to be part of the change students want to see in the field.