Florida State College Of Criminology & Criminal Justice

College of Criminology and Criminal Justice ranked #1 among criminology and criminal justice programs

College of Criminology and Criminal Justice ranked #1 among all criminology and criminal justice program faculties for faculty research.  A recent article in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education by Professor Gary Kleck and recent College Ph.D. graduate, J.C. Barnes, shows that the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University has the most productive faculty in the United States.

The study counted articles published in refereed scholarly journals from 2005 through 2009 inclusive, for all U.S. criminology and criminal justice programs offering the doctorate. FSU ranked first in the number of articles published, whether the journals were weighted by prestige or not, and ranked first even when the most productive “superstar” was excluded from each program’s article counts. The research is a replication of research covering the 2000-2005 period, and indicates that FSU increased from 7th position in that earlier ranking to first in the most recent ranking. The FSU faculty published 227 refereed articles in 2005-2009 inclusive, compared to just 193 by their nearest competitor. The article was published in March 2011.

 Select Online Courses Available During Summer Term to Campus Students for Credit

The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice is excited to share that we are offering a new pilot program during the summer 2013 semester. Starting with the Summer C term, campus students can choose to take elective classes online that will count toward criminology major requirements!

CJL 4038: Law, Society and the Administration of Justice, CCJ 4938: Criminal Justice Policy, and CCJ 4614: Criminal and Delinquent Behavior will be available for the Summer C term and will count toward the Criminology major elective requirement.

It is important to highlight, though, that if you’ve been enrolled in these classes on campus you cannot receive dual credit for them. To receive credit, this must be the FIRST time students have taken the course unless they are re-enrolling because they failed the class in a prior semester. Also, please note that online courses have technology fees associated with them; therefore the cost of these courses will be slightly higher than the cost of campus courses.

We are very excited about offering this opportunity to our students and hope many will take full advantage of it. We wish you all the best and look forward to seeing you online this summer!

Summer C Term Registration Windows:

Continuing students: 6/20 8:00 AM and 6/21 11:59 PM

Add/drop for all students: 6/22 8:00 AM and 6/27 11:59 PM

First day of Summer C Classes: 6/24

 First Relgalf Scholar Shares Experience with Alma Mater

“I would absolutely recommend the Relgalf Scholarship program to other students. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity that helped me achieve my goals in life, and it is something that I know can help others to do the same thing.” - Corey Casey

The FSU College of Criminology & Criminal Justice is thrilled to introduce Corey Casey, the College’s first Florida State University Relgalf Scholar. The Relgalf Charitable Foundation provides four years of full tuition and living expenses for undergraduate students who are interested in becoming a police officer in a small department.

One of the many benefits of becoming a Relgalf Scholar is assistance from the College in securing summer internships with small, large and foreign police departments. This opportunity in particular, said Corey, “helped me to better understand … procedures used by the Rockledge Police Department,” where he is now employed.

Another benefit of receiving the award is its prestige. In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree, Corey was able to share his award and what it represented to those with whom he interviewed. This award-winning combination, says Corey, “led to me receiving a job with the Rockledge Police Department.”

If your small police department is interested in participating in the program, contact us at 850-644-4050 or visit www.criminology.fsu.edu for more information on recruiting a high school senior or urging a current officer to apply for the scholarship. Upon completion of the program, the graduate would return to contribute new ideas and research to the development of the police department.

 Criminology & Criminal Justice Students Honored with Prestigious Research Awards

The College of Criminology & Criminal Justice is happy to announce that Colin Jacobsen is one of two students to win the Edward H. and Marie C. Kingsbury Undergraduate Writing Award and $2,000 cash prize for the Outstanding Honors Thesis at FSU! This is the second time in three years one of our students has won this award, given annually to recognize outstanding writing at the undergraduate level as reflected in an Honors in the Major thesis.

In the same time period, our students have also won four $1,000 Bess H. Ward Honors Thesis Awards for outstanding Honors Thesis Proposals and three $4000 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Awards (URCAA) which have provided opportunities to conduct research in Spain, Holland and Norway. The Bess H. Ward Honors Thesis Award offers several awards of up to $1,000 each to students who are int eh Honors in teh Major program. The award supports research or creative activity leading to an Honors thesis. The grants are intended to pay for travel to perform the research or expenditures for expense items, or small equipment items directly related to the thesis research. The URCAAs offer $4,000 awards which support students conducting summer research or creative activity under the direction of a supervising faculty mentor. Recipients present their findings at a symposium held in the fall semester following their summer of research.

 The Great Give Begins TODAY!

The Great Give, a 36-hour online fundraising event, officially kicks off TODAY! From 9 a.m. today until 9 p.m. tomorrow, April 19, 2013, you have a chance to show support for the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice and its programs by making a donation. 

In an effort to raise the bar for this year's campaign, several incentives are being offered for the colleges and units that receive the greatest number of unique gifts during specific times. The "Lunch Break," from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. today, April 18, a grant of $500 will be awarded to the college or unit that receives the most unique gifts during this time frame. The "Lunch Break" is generously sponsored by Yvonne Brown and Steve Brown ('68). The "Prime Time Passion" incentive, taking place between 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and also sponsored by Yvonne Brown and Steve Brown, will award a grant of $500 to the college or unit that receives the most unique gifts during that time frame. 

If you're a night owl and choose to "Wait 'til the Midnight Hour," a grant of $1,000 will be awarded to the college or unit that receives the most unique gifts on April 19 from midnight to 1 a.m. Thanks to Jane Morgan ('82) and George Morgan for sponsoring this time frame! Are you more of an early riser? Great! You can participate in the "Morning Sunshine" incentive on April 19 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., where a grant of $500 will be awarded to the college or unit that receives the most unique gifts during this time frame! Our early risers are sponsored by Jeanne Pecha ('84), Vice President of Advancement Services, FSU Foundation. 

Last, but definitely not least, on April 19, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. you can participate in "The Final Sunset" incentive hour, where a grant of $500 will be awarded to the college or unit that receives the most unique gifts during this time frame. Our thanks goes to Andy Jhanji, Executive Vice President, FSU Foundation, and Susan Savage, Director of Annual Giving, FSU Foundation. 

Click here to make a donation today!  And don't forget to choose "Criminology: Research Lounge!"

Call for Centennial Time Capsule Memorabilia!

Francis Eppes established his legacy as the pioneering leader and benefactor of Florida State University in 1856. As the oldest and most highly ranked criminology program in the nation, we strive to honor our past as we build toward the future. We look forward to the grand opening of the Eppes Building this fall, which will serve as the new home of hte College of Criminology & Criminal Justice.

To wrap up our 60th anniversary year and commemorate the beginning of this new chapter, we will inter the Centennial Time Capsule to be opened in 2052 on the 100th anniversary of the college. As an important member of the criminology family and our college's rich history, we welcome your pictures, stories, books, papers and memorabilia to place in the capsule or display in the Jesse C. Vance Family Alumni Suite in historic Eppes Hall. We hope you will choose to help us by leaving your legacy in this unique way. 

To learn more about the Centennial Time Capsule project, please contact Kevin Derryberry, Director of Development, at 850-645-7585 or kderryberry@foundation.fsu.edu.

Student Exam Week Reminder

Students, finals are just around the corner! Please make sure you double check your exam schedule now to avoid any end-of-semester conflicts - and stress - by visiting the University Registrar's website. Pay extra special attention to these policies concerning how to schedule a make-up exam and what circumstances are acceptable for rescheduling an exam. Study hard and good luck!

 Internship Fair Taking Place Next Week

Please join the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice at the Spring Internship Fair on Wednesday April 17th, from 2:00pm-4:00pm in the Broad Auditorium in the Claude Pepper Center. This is a good chance to meet with representatives from some of Tallahassee's top criminal justice agencies and enjoy some light refreshments. They can give you guidance about a career with their agency, provide insight about interning with their agency and explain their application process. Representatives from the Public Defender's Office, Department of Children and Families, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservatory, Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy, FSU Police Department, Tallahassee Police Department, CJIS Group and Department of Corrections: Security Threat are just a few agencies that will be present.

If you have any questions please contact the Internship Coordinator, Leslie Hill. Her phone number is 850-645-5691 and her email address is LBH08@my.fsu.edu. She has office hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30am-3:00pm in office #213 in the Hecht House. 

 Free Pizza for Students on April 18!

The Student Leadership Council at the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice will be handing out free pizza and drinks to students on April 18 at the Hecht House! Please mark your calendars to come out, enjoy lunch, and meet other Criminology & Criminal Justice students!

 Professor Gary Kleck Appointed to Committee on Priorities for a Public Health Research Agenda to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violence

The College of Criminology & Criminal Justice at FSU is pleased to announce that Dr. Gary Kleck, Professor, has been appointed to the Committee on Priorities for a Public Health Research Agenda to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violence. The project is a joint project of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the National Research Council Division of Behavioral Social Sciences and Education with the administrative leadership provided by the IOM Executive Office. The committee will develop a proposed public health research agenda to improve the knowledge of the causes of gun violence, the interventions that prevent gun violence and strategies to minimize the public health burden of gun violence. 

 Senior Michael Mitrani Recipient of 2013 Humanitarian Award for College of Criminology & Criminal Justice

The College of Criminology & Criminal Justice at FSU is proud to announce that senior Michael Mitrani has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Humanitarian Award for the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice. Michael’s commitment to service and giving back to the community is evident in everything he does. When he's on campus, you can find Michael volunteering at events like the Big Event and Relay for Life or working with various organizations he's involved in, such as Lambda Alpha Epsilon or Hillel. 

Around town, Michael served as a student volunteer for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) at their Resident Office in Tallahassee; an opportunity that allowed him to further his career aspirations of working in law enforcement while also helping make society a safer and better place. 

Today, though, Michael isn't on campus or at the DEA. Today Michael is expanding his sphere of influence in Netanya, Israel, where he accepted a fellowship position to volunteer with the Israel Teaching Fellows program for 10 months. Michael spends most of his time teaching English in a local elementary school comprised of chidlren who come from difficult family situations in low socioeconomic neighborhoods. When he's not in the classroom, he's on the court, assisting with basketball clinics in local after-school rograms for at-risk children with Hoops For Kids.

What's even more impressive is Michael postponed graduating this spring to pursue this fellowship program. For nearly an entire year, Michael has sacrificed memory-making with his friends at school and his family to give back to people in need. It is quite clear there is no one more deserving for the Humanitarian Award than Michael Mitrani. We are so proud of you!

 Criminology Career Panel a Huge Success

Yesterday afternoon, nearly 100 students attended the Criminology & Criminal Justice Career Panel Discussion. Dr. Patricia Warren facilitated a discussion between students and Melinda Miguel, Chief Inspector General at the Executive Office of the Governor; Eric Daniel, Special Agent Supervisor for the FDLE; David Perry, Chief of Police at FSU Police; and Jennifer Kajzer, Territory Vice President of Loss Prevention for Kohl's Department Stores. The panelists offered great career advice to students seeking a more practical application to a career in Criminal Justice, covering topics such as how to dress, what kind of skills are required from the next generation of job-seekers, how to handle social media and what to expect from your first job. 

In case you missed the panel, here are a few take-aways you can use:

• Remember to arrive on time for an interview. Your timeliness proves you respect the interviewers and the importance of the organization.
• Spell check your interview materials for grammatical or spelling errors.
• Act professionally and demonstrate good interpersonal skills. It's very important to potential employers that you can work with their employees.
• Have a good attitude and show your employer that you want to be there. You can prove this by networking with others in the office, assuming responsibility for a project that no one else will take, or being willing to work a little bit longer than usual to finish something important.
• Demonstrate good writing and communication skills
• Be mindful of your social network presence! It is unattractive to future employers to find snapshots of job candidates in compromising situations.
• Get involved in activities around campus or in the community.
• Treat every day like an interview. Remember that your professors and advisors are great resources to tap into. If they don't see you taking your education seriously, they may not take you seriously.

For more information about the panelists or how to reach out to them, contact Bernard Shuford at bshuford@admin.fsu.edu or 850-644-0684.

 Career Panel Tomorrow at Claude Pepper Center

Navigating through some of life's biggest decisions, like what career path to follow, can be daunting at times. Isn't it great to know you have a staff of advisors at the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice who are available to help you figure things out? If you're struggling to determine what areas of Criminology or Criminal Justice interest you or are a good fit for your life's aspirations, then take advantage of tomorrow's Career Panel Discussion for Criminology and Criminal Justice careers. From 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Claude Pepper Center Auditorium, students are welcome to learn how to prepare for a career in the field and what it takes to be succesful. 

An impressive panel has been put together for you to ask questions, learn from and build connections, including:

• Eric W. Daniel, Special Agent, FDLE

• Jennifer Kajzer, Territory Vice President / Loss Prevention, Kohl's Department Stores

• Melinda M. Miguel, Chief Inspector General

• David L. Perry, Chief of Police, FSU Police

Dr. Warren-Hightower, Associate Professor and Director of the Undergraduate Program at the College, will be moderating the event. Please mark your calendars now for this exciting opportunity!

 

 Tips for Navigating the new FSU Course Registration Portal

 Registration is stressful for everyone, especially Criminology & Criminal Justice Students! Because the University has introduced a new program for course registration, we thought we'd provide a few helpful tips to make the process a little easier. 

Tip #1: Make sure you're searching for the correct term (Fall 2013)

Tip #2: Choose your course career (Graduate or Undergraduate)

Tip #3: Uncheck "Show open classes only." You may have to sort through a few classes that are full, but you'll be able to find out if a class you want or need to take becomes available on a day or time that better fits your schedule.

Tip #4: Click on the green "Additional Search Criteria" box and choose your location ("Online" or "Main Tallahassee"). Also type "CR" in the Academic Organization box. (We do NOT recommend searching by course subject! Not only will you have to perform this search several times using CCJ, CJE, CJC, etc., but you will have to filter out classes that may not count toward your degree.)

Tip #5: Click on the “View All” text in the blue box below each course title. This allows you to view every section of the course.

Tip #6: Click on the section number to get more details about the course. This is where you can find the title of the special topics course, book information, whether the course is approved for Criminology & Criminal Justice majors, etc.

Tip #7: Call the Advising Office at 850-644-4052 if you have any questions! 

Doctoral Student Joshua Cochran receives the 2013 "ACJS Michael C. Braswell/Anderson Publishing Outstanding Student Paper Award"

Doctoral Student Joshua Cochran received the "ACJS Michael C. Braswell/Anderson Publishing Outstanding Student Paper Award" for 2013. This award is for the most outstanding student paper presented at the 2012 Annual ACJS Meeting. The title of Joshua's paper is "The Ties that Bind or the Ties that Break: Examining the Relationship between Visitation and Prisoner Misconduct". Joshua will be accepting the award at the annual Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Meeting in Dallas, Texas.

Two College of Criminology & Criminal Justice Faculty Promoted

Two of the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice faculty members were recently promoted to Professor, beginning next fall. Dr. Carter Hay and Dr. Kevin Beaver are two outstanding faculty members that work hard to promote the research capacity of the College and its Distance Learning program. Visit Dr. Hay's and Dr. Beaver's faculty pages to learn more about their research interests or how to get in touch to congratulate them personally.

Congratulations, Dr. Hay and Dr. Beaver!

Career Panel Discussion Planned for March 28

On Thursday, March 28, FSU's College of Criminology and Criminal Justice will hold the 2013 Career Connections: A Panel Discussion.  From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Broad Auditorium at the Claude Pepper Center, students will have the opportunity to question and converse with a panel of professionals in the fields of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

All students are encouraged to attend and get information about how to prepare for a career, what to expect in the field and what it takes to be successful in the field. Mark it in your calendar today!

The College of Criminology & Criminal Justice Welcomes Ashley Rubin

Faculty, staff and students are pleased to announce Ashley Rubin will be joining the number one criminology faculty in the country! Ashely Rubin, a doctoral candidate from the University of California, Berkeley, examines criminal punishment from historical and sociological perspectives. Some of her other research interests include methodology (qualitative and quantitative) and research design, organizational theory and law and society. Welcome, Ashley!

BS to MS Informational Session Coming Up Soon

Wednesday, March 27 at 2 p.m., the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice at FSU will hold an informational session about participating in the Bachelor's to Master's degree program at the Hecht House. During this session, attendees will not only learn how to get a jump start on their graduate coursework as an undergraduate student, but also gain a little insight into what graduate courses are like. In addition to the benefit of accelerating through the program, tuition assistance is available to qualified students.

Please take some time to attend this important event and enjoy some light refreshments!

Czajkoski Scholarship Deadline Extended to March 15

The Eugene and Rosalind Czajkoski Scholarship Fund deadline has been extended to March 15, 2013. Any student - undergraduate or graduate - interested in seeking additional financial assistance is eligible to apply. To be considered, the applicant must submit a 1,500-2,000 word essay demonstrating his or her interest in exploring, within criminology, issues involving the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and a completed scholarship application. The final deadline is March 15, 2013. Submissions received after that date will not be considered.

For questions, please contact Claire Knox.

Five College of Criminology & Criminal Justice Faculty Nominated for Excellence in Teaching and Undergraduate Advising Awards

The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University is proud to announce that five of its distinguished faculty have been nominated for University Teaching and Advising Awards. Dr. Kevin Beaver, Dr. Carter Hay, Dr. Gary Kleck and Dr. Brian Stults have been nominated for Teaching Awards and Dr. Billy Close has been nominated for a Distinguished Teacher Award.

To become eligible for a University Teaching Award, nominees must be outstanding in the many aspects of teaching which contribute to successful teaching and learning. This is a student-oriented award with nominations submitted by students and alumni. If selected, the recipient receives a $2000 award.

The Distinguished Teacher Award is awarded to a faculty member that has received a University Teaching Award at least five years prior to being nominated for the Distinguished Teacher Award. Successful nominees are those that show continued excellence in teaching for the five years since receipt of the original University Teaching Award. This honor includes a $7500 award funded by Florida State University.

It is an honor that students and the FSU family have taken note of the fastest growing College on campus and its distinguished faculty. Check back with the College of Criminology's news feed to learn which nominees are awarded!

Criminology Student Spotlight: Austin Groover, Sophomore

Austin Groover is a Criminology major and a work study student at the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.  When he is not in class, often times he can be found working at the front desk of the Hecht House, assisting other Criminology students.  He also works as a SAFE CONNECTION bus driver on campus, and he has ridden with the FSU Police Department as a passenger with their RIDE ALONG program.  Austin hopes to get an internship with the Police Academy, FBI, or U.S. Marshall’s Office in his senior year, and ultimately would like to be employed as an FBI agent or a U.S. Marshall. 

Austin has had some valuable experiences while working and volunteering on campus. Although most of the evening that he spent on a typical FSUPD “Ride Along” last semester was spent watching the roads and clocking motorists’ speeds as they drove down Tennessee Street, he did have the opportunity to witness a drug arrest and two different DUI arrests.   

While working one of his shifts at SAFE CONNECTION, Austin also was able to witness a criminal offense.  During one of his shifts last fall, he had to report an incident to the FSUPD over the SAFE radio.  According to Groover,  “ It happened around 2:00 am as I was dropping off a student in front of Landis Hall.  As I approached Landis, I saw a taxi sitting at the entrance dropping off a couple who looked like they had come from the bar.  I sat behind the taxi for about ten seconds before I started to pull around him, but as I started to go around I saw the gentleman of the couple start lunging into the driver’s side window where the driver was sitting. I waited about five seconds and then the next thing I knew the guy had the taxi driver out of the taxi and in a headlock.  Surrounding guys tried to break up the fight and also an intoxicated senior jumped out of my van to get in the middle (even though I had told him to stay in the van).  As all of this broke out, I radioed to base with the code ’10-33’.  This code means contact FSUPD.  I gave a description of the suspect and the victim and described what was happening.  About three to five minutes after I called it in, FSUPD finally arrived and took care of the situation.  The suspect was finally arrested for assault. Given that I am interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement, this incident was fascinating to me, as I watched FSUPD take charge and handle a potentially dangerous situation.”

Dr. Kecia Johnson Joins FSU's College of Criminology & Criminal Justice

The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice is pleased to welcome a new faculty member, Dr. Kecia Johnson.  Dr. Johnson is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University at Albany, State University of New York.  Her research interests and expertise are in the area of crime and deviance, race/ethnicity, and gender and labor markets.  In addition to Dr. Johnson’s laudable research, she also has extensive teaching experience, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  Welcome, Dr. Johnson!

Eppes Hall Will Become Home to College of Criminology & Criminal Justice

The College of Criminology & Criminal Justice is excited to announce it will be moving to its new home during the summer of 2013! Historic Eppes Hall, originally known as the Education Building, first opened its doors to Florida State College for Women students in 1918 and was the first building on campus devoted entirely to classroom use. The handsome building’s exterior is adorned with a stonework owl, frogs, and Florida’s state seal, which complement its great tradition on campus and the legend after which the building was named: Francis W. Eppes, the founder of Florida State University.

It is with great pride that the Criminology family has adopted historic Eppes Hall. The College has made a significant investment to preserve the building and to add accommodations that will enhance the learning environment for one of the University’s highest ranked academic programs. As Eppes Hall nears its second century of service to the University, the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice looks forward to calling it home and to continuing the legacy of bringing research to life. For more information about the history of Eppes Hall, click here.

Fall Internship Fair a Success

The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice held its second Internship Fair last October in the Broad Auditorium at the Claude Pepper Center.  There were ten agencies present and over seventy students were in attendance. There was a large showing of different agencies and companies, including representatives from the following groups:  the Public Defender’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Florida Supreme Court, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and the Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy.  The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice has decided to make the Internship Fair a bi-annual event, so another fair has been scheduled tentatively for the end of April.  Additionally, we plan to invite more agencies in order to give our students even more internship options!  Students who did not have the opportunity to attend the Internship Fair in the Fall, please look for the email invite for the Spring Internship Fair.  It is a great way to meet with local internship supervisors and to learn about all of the possible internship options.  The Internship Coordinator, Leslie Hill, is present throughout the event to offer guidance about how to receive academic credit for an internship.  Please direct any questions about the upcoming Internship Fair or other general questions about internships to Leslie via email or by phone (850-645-5691).  Her office hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30am-3:00pm (Hecht House, #213).  For more information, please click here.