News
- August 17, 2009
New coordinators in Criminal Justice named
Two new coordinators have been named in Criminal Justice. Dr. Brenda Blackwell has been named undergraduate program coordinator. She will oversee activities related to the Bachelor's degree program and undergraduate courses. Dr. Timothy Brezina has been named doctoral program coordinator. He will lead the implementation and development of the PhD program in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Dr. Barbara Warner is continuing as the coordinator of the Master's program. For information about the undergraduate program, contact Dr. Blackwell at cribsb@langate.gsu.edu. For information about the Master's program, contact Dr. Warner at cribdw@langate.gsu.edu. For information about the PhD program, contact Dr. Brezina at critbjx@langate.gsu.edu. To speak with any of the coordinators, call 404-413-1020. - May 29, 2009
Faculty, staff, and students honored with various awards at the end of the Spring Semester
Wendy Guastaferro, assistant professor, received Georgia State University's Instructional Effectiveness Award. She was presented the award at an awards ceremony held by President Mark Becker. Anita Stewart, the Department's Business Manager, received the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) Staff Excellence Award. She was presented her award during the May meeting of the College. In addition, Dr. Derek Allen, a part-time instructor, received the Judge Andrew A. Mickle Outstanding Instructor Award. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams was selected for the 2009 Georgia State University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Community Service Award and Isaiah Mapp, Jr. received the Department's Distinguished Alumni Service Award. Also, several students who received scholarships or awards were recognized at the CHHS Honor's Day event in April. These included:- Larry E. Quinn Memorial Award - Lillian W. Robinson
- Undergraduate Academic Award - Karima A. Ibrahim
- Graduate Academic Award - Taneshia V. Sims and Erin L. Valentino
- James L. Maddex, Jr. Scholarship - Janay Nichelle Davis and Erinn Perry
- Phil Peters Scholarship - Miranda Bauman
- American Society of Industrial Security, Greater Atlanta Chapter Scholarship - Laura Ryan
- Bobby Joe Chancey Sr. Memorial Scholarship - Hung Tran
- Chris Perrin Memorial Scholarship - Tatum A. Dorsey and Alyssa Stewart
Pictures of the Honor's Day event are available here. Congratulations to all award recipients.
- February 25, 2009
Criminal Justice Students host Career Fair
Criminal Justice Student Association (CJSA) is sponsoring a Career Fair on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 from 11:00AM to 4:00PM in the House/Senate Salon Ballroom of the Student Center. Over twenty organizations/agencies from federal, state and local law levels are expected to be in attendance including: Allied Barton Private Security; the Atlanta Police Department; Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton County Police Departments; the Georgia State Patrol; Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Department of Criminal Justice will also distribute information on their master’s and Ph.D. programs. Please mark your calendar and make it a point to stop by this event. For additional information contact Laura Ryan, CJSA President, at lauranryan@bellsouth.net or Dr. Sue Carter Collins, Faculty Advisor, at collins@gsu.edu. - January 27, 2009
Scholarship and Internship Deadlines - The deadline for students to apply for criminal justice scholarships is Friday, February 27, 2009, at 5:15pm. Students may turn in their completed application packets to Dr. Sue Collins directly or leave them at the front desk in 1201 Urban Life. The Awards Committee will select scholarship and award recipients during the first two weeks of March. Information is available here. The deadline for students applying to intern in Fall 2009 is February 15, 2009. A general orientation meeting will be held on March 20, 2009. Attendance at the general meeting is mandatory. All students must meet with their criminal justice faculty advisor prior to attending the general meeting and obtain a signed advisor's form indicating they are eligible to intern in the Fall 2009 semester. - October 14, 2008
“Dead by 25, So Who Cares?”: CJ Faculty Explore the Roots of Youth Violence. Professors Timothy Brezina and Volkan Topalli recently completed a multi-methods study that explores the link between extreme fatalism and violent behavior among young people. Working with GSU economist Erdal Tekin, the team analyzed national survey data and conducted in-depth interviews with active offenders from the streets of Atlanta. Their findings highlight a troubling fact about some of our nation’s youth: many feel their future is uncertain and some do not believe they will live to see age 25. This sense of "futurelessness," in turn, is associated with an increased likelihood of criminal behavior, including theft, assault, and robbery. Due to the pervasive threat of violence that exists in their neighborhoods, including frequent shootings and stabbings, the young men they interviewed accepted the prospect of an early death. They believed they could die at any time. As a result, they thought it was "a waste" to think about the future and that it was important to "get mine now." The prospect of an early death also fostered the attitude that "there was little else to lose," making these young men fearless and unflinching in the face of danger and the potential consequences of a criminal lifestyle. In the future, Brezina and Topalli plan to study the origins of extreme fatalism in the hopes that such research will suggest ways to combat bleak perceptions among young people and, ultimately, reduce youth violence.