Criminal Justice-related Opportunities

There are numerous opportunities for students at Castleton State College to become involved in the college and town communities, as well as to gain experience that can help students once they graduate from Castleton.

COLLEGE COURT
College Court is a part of the Student Association. The Court is responsible for conducting student disciplinary hearings, conducting student elections, and hearing issues relating to the constitutionality of college policies. This is a valuable opportunity for any student. College court gives students practice in decision-making, collaborating with one another, and in critical thinking. Employers look highly on membership in this college organization.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
The Department of Public Safety operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The Department hires student public safety officers to supplement full and part-time staff officers. Shifts vary depending on the student's schedule. Students working patrol are responsible for responding to a variety of complaints, writing incident reports, enforcing traffic regulations, and maintaining positive relations with the college community. Students working dispatch are responsible for answering the College's main switchboard, as well as serving as the dispatch radio operator for public safety. Many students use this job as a stepping stone for a career in law enforcement, and many criminal justice agencies look highly on students who have chosen to take on a job in public safety as such a job shows responsibility and a commitment to enforcing rules and regulations, as well as working in a multitask environment.

There are also a variety of clubs and organizations on campus that students are involved with. Many criminal justice students also participate in the Criminal Justice Club.

Field Experience (CRJ 2810) is a 3-credit required course offered every semester. The prerequisite for this course is sophomore class standing. The course requires completion of 20 hours of primarily observational experience in each of the following: law enforcement, courts, and corrections. The student must be able to receive a "pass" grade after completing not only the requisite hours, but also mandatory attendance at all group meetings and the completion of a day log and a final written report regarding the experience.

Criminal Justice Internship and Seminar (CRJ 4810) is a 5-credit field course which combines 110 hours in a host criminal justice agency with a pre-set number of seminar meetings. The course is designed to provide responsible, pre-professional work experience in criminal justice, as well as an advanced seminar learning opportunity regarding this experience.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLUB
The Criminal Justice Club is recognized and funded by the Student Association. We encourage students to join and be active in it, for many reasons. It's a good way of meeting other students interested in Criminal Justice. It allows students to have input into the Criminal Justice Program, it gives students a chance to plan program-related activities that might not be offered otherwise, and it's fun.

Activities
In recent years, club members helped the Vermont Criminal Justiced Training Council (police academy) by participating in role-playing exercises for the training of recruits. They also held holiday food, clothing, and gift drives for needy families and cooked dinners at Dismas House, a home for former offenders. They sponsored Criminal Justice Day, during which representatives of law enforcement, courts, and corrections visited campus. This gave students the opportunity to speak with professionals working in a wide variety of fields. Other activities the Club is active in include the Take Back the Night March, prison trips, charity drives, bake sales, guest speakers, and other field trips and activities that club members request.

Meetings
The Club has a bulletin board in Leavenworth, 2nd floor. The officers post notices, minutes of meetings, and other helpful information. Monthly meetings are held.

Being active in the club gives students the opportunity to make friends and learn and practice leadership skills that will be extremely valuable in the future.

2006-2007 officers:
President: Jeremy Gibbons - '07
Vice President: Tasha Turner - '07
Treasurer: Justin Brown - '07
Secretary: Joseph Wissler - '08
Public Relations: Jodi Strodel - '07
Public Relations Assistant: Perri McPhee - '09