Criminal Justice Professions and the Value of a College Education

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Chaplain Tina Chery, left, and Elaina DeStefano, both from the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute in Boston, presented at Harcum College last spring.

By Jaclyn M. Mason, Director, Harcum College Criminal Justice Program

Recently, a national newspaper detailed the benefits of having a college-educated police force, noting that the broad and deep levels of education that colleges and universities provide yields officers who receive fewer citizen complaints, demonstrate better problem-solving, and show an increased receptivity to best practices.

Our Criminal Justice program at Harcum is designed to teach students wide-ranging, community-based perspectives, to impact each and every part of the criminal justice system, including policing.

Our faculty are currently working in the criminal justice field, in varying capacities, to give our students real-time accounts of criminal justice in action, along with internship and employment opportunities. For instance, Leo Doyle is an active duty officer in Ridley Township, and he teaches Policing and Community Relations and Policing and Police Practices. He hosted a roundtable discussion for students via Zoom after the events of summer 2020, George Floyd, and the BLM protests.

Judge Todd Eisenberg sits on the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas and recently completed a rotation on the criminal court bench, offering our students perspectives as a jurist and former practitioner.

Niashia Maza is pursuing her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and is the former assistant director of the Center for Returning Citizens. She also has a particular expertise and focus on juvenile justice and domestic violence issues.

Kendra Van de Water, from the Anti-Violence Partnership in Philadelphia, helped lead a training for Harcum students.

In addition to faculty with invaluable practical experiences, Harcum has also arranged for special trainings, bringing in guest speakers. One recent training, held in concert with National Criminal Justice month, raised awareness about the effects of homicide on communities while providing our students with unique regional and national perspectives.

Speakers included Tina Chery from the Massachusetts-based LDB Peace Institute, Kendra Van De Water from the Anti-Violence Partnership (AVP) in Philadelphia, Kevin Mincey, Esq. of Mincey Fitzpatrick (defense attorneys); the Domestic Violence Awareness Project of Delco; and Jondhi Harrell, executive director of The Center for Returning Citizens.

These experts shared powerful, firsthand accounts of gun violence and their efforts to support victims and survivors. The students were deeply engaged on an emotional level. Nearly all of them commented on how moved they were to make a difference.

Introducing our students to unique educational experiences such as the AVP and the Peace Institute trainings will be key to reducing gun violence in Philadelphia and wherever our students choose to protect and serve.

In efforts to extend our reach, we not only offer a Criminal Justice major at the Bryn Mawr Campus but also at three Partnership Sites located in the heart of Philadelphia.

Associate’s degree-granting programs like Harcum and the resources we offer can provide the problem-solving skills and training that the criminal justice profession needs to help ensure officers have the preparation to best serve our communities.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaclyn M. Mason, J.D., is the program director of the Bryn Mawr Campus Criminal Justice program. She holds an undergraduate degree from Brown University in Biology, an Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Nursing from Harcum College, a law degree from Villanova University, and a law office in Philadelphia.

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