Tag: criminal justice online programs

Guest Post: Perspective from a Masters in Higher Ed Student

Guest Post: Perspective from a Masters in Higher Ed Student

As a first generation college student, going to college was never a “given.” When I graduated high school, I began working full-time, just as everyone else in my family did. After working for several years, I realized that my family’s path was not my path, and that I wanted to further my education. So at the age of 25, I enrolled in classes comprised mostly of 18-year-olds. While this experience was terrifying in many ways, it made me realize how important education was to me, and it ultimately motivated me to continue on to graduate school after completing my bachelor’s degree in English.

After finishing a master’s in English, I found myself in a job that I was not fully satisfied with. I wanted to advance my career, but I needed to continue to work full-time. The University of Louisville’s Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration (MAHEA) program was the perfect fit for both of my needs. All of the jobs that I wanted to apply for required this degree, and the ability to take it online allowed me to juggle graduate school with a full-time job. Since enrolling, I have moved into a position that better suits my interests, and I know that my career prospects will only continue to grow from here.

Having completed a “traditional” face-to-face master’s degree, I was curious about the differences that I would experience with the online format – would the classes be more challenging? Less challenging? Would I really be able to engage with my classmates and professors? Fortunately, all of my fears were dispelled during my first semester in UofL’s online MAHEA program. I have found the coursework to be rigorous, the professors to be responsive, and my classmates to be both diverse and inspiring.

One of my favorite aspects of the MAHEA program is that I can tailor the coursework to my goals and work environment and apply it to real-world scenarios. Each course has a culminating assignment, and for most of the classes, it is possible to focus this project on my specific area of interest. For example, I am interested in tutoring services, so for my final project for the Research Methodology course, I designed a writing-center-specific research study. Similarly, for the History of the American University’s final project, I researched an artifact I selected from the earliest American writing centers.

The quality of the courses is due in large part to the applied expertise and dedication of the professors who teach them. They are the same professors that teach on campus, and they put forth the extra effort to make sure the virtual environment feels as much like a community as a traditional classroom does. Many of the professors provide weekly feedback on discussion board posts, and they are all very happy to answer questions via email. While online classes are certainly more self-taught than traditional classes, I know there is always someone that I can reach out to for guidance and assistance if I need it.

Weekly discussion board posts also help me connect and stay engaged with my classmates, and making these connections has been the most surprising benefit of the online program. When I was considering enrolling, I only thought about the courses and the professors–not who would be learning in these courses with me. Yet, because the classes are so diverse–and include people of widely different professional and academic backgrounds from all over the country–the weekly conversations are rich and complex and aid significantly in my overall understanding of the material.

Ultimately, the online Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration has helped me grow both professionally and personally. I have enjoyed the program so much, that I am planning on applying for the PhD in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development after I graduate in 2017. Although I am not yet sure what position I will end up in when I finish the PhD, I know that the MAHEA program has given me the foundation necessary to pursue a wide variety of career paths. If you are looking for a way to advance (or start) your career in higher ed, I can’t recommend this program strongly enough.

Filling the Empty Frame: Virginia Braden and the “Perfect Fit” of Online Education

Filling the Empty Frame: Virginia Braden and the “Perfect Fit” of Online Education

Virginia Braden
Virginia Braden

Selecting the perfect degree program is an age-old rite of passage for students. Historically, 18-19-year-olds would go straight from high school through college before taking on careers and starting families. Students today often detour from that traditional path and blaze their own trails back to the classroom, sometimes later in life, and usually with diverse sets of needs, concerns, and expectations. Cutting edge online degree programs provide the perfect blend of fit and flexibility for the frenetic pace of today’s modern students. For University of Louisville Criminal Justice graduate and non-traditional student, Virginia Braden, online learning was not just simply the right fit for her busy lifestyle; it was the perfect fit.

Virginia Braden completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Justice Administration (now called Criminal Justice) at the University of Louisville, and credits the flexibility of online learning for allowing her to accomplish her long-held dream of collegiate success. Though local to the region, the divorced working mother of five children said that traveling to campus each day was, “simply not an option,” given the demands of her personal and professional life.

“The online degree program at UofL made it possible for me to capture a dream that otherwise would have remained forever out of reach,” Braden said. “Most important to me, is that it has communicated to my children the worth and value of a higher education – and that if you are willing to work for what you want, anything is possible.”

Though she’s gone on to complete a graduate degree and is a licensed private investigator and behavioral profiler, one memory still stands out from Braden’s time at UofL.

“The night I graduated with my bachelor’s degree all five of my children were present and as I went on to pursue my master’s degree online with UofL as well, they’ve been my biggest supporters,” she said. “Two of them are now college age and are themselves pursuing degrees.”

Braden said it was UofL’s reputation for educational excellence that first piqued her interest, but credited the quality of the instruction in the online Criminal Justice program for keeping her desire for continued education strong, while obtaining not only one, but two degrees via e-learning.

“The faculty at the University of Louisville are so completely dedicated to the success of their students,” she said. “They are remarkable in their personal attention to the students and though I had all online classes, I was able to develop and maintain relationships with them that have served me so well throughout the years – all without ever stepping foot in a brick and mortar classroom.”

“There is a real sense of community in the online classes and the professors are intentional in their commitment to forging and nurturing that sense of community,” she added.

Braden said that the strong sense of community was especially important as she and her children went through a traumatic divorce and spent time living in a hotel. During this time, Braden’s drive and determination to meet her dream and attain her degree pulled her through.

“Without question, the drive to complete my degree, the ability to continue on towards that goal via online classes in the midst of such a dark time provided me an anchor,” she said.

For Braden, success was not just an option, it was a requirement.

“I remember I had an empty frame hanging on my wall in my home office, a reminder of the goal I was after, and a promise to myself that I would one day have a degree to put in it,” she said. “When we became homeless for that period of time, I packed up the empty frame and brought it with me to the hotel and put it out, determined that though my life circumstances had changed, my goals and vision had not.”

Now Braden’s frame has been filled and although she encountered personal hardships during her journey as a student, she persevered, and ultimately found e-learning to be the best option for achieving her lifelong educational goals. Not only did Braden fill her original empty frame, she also filled a second one by earning her master’s degree online as well. Now her framed diplomas proudly serve as a reminder of the goals and dreams she achieved through online learning at the University of Louisville.

Visit our Criminal Justice online program page to learn more about the courses offered, and to find a program that is the perfect fit for you.

Corrections in America: Learning from those who wrote the book

Corrections in America: Learning from those who wrote the book

Rarely do students have an opportunity to learn from the textbook writers, but that’s the case at the University of CorrectionsinAmericaLouisville (UofL). Dr. Harry E. Allen and Bruce Ponder, faculty members teaching at UofL, along with colleague Dr. Edward J. Latessa at the University of Cincinnati, are now working on the 14th edition of the text for Corrections in America.

In the always-evolving field of corrections, it’s noteworthy that one thing has stayed the same since the 1970s – the textbook. In fact, Corrections in America is the longest continually published textbook in the field and continues to be the best-selling text in the study of corrections.

The 14th edition continues its established tradition of comprehensive, student-friendly instruction coverage with extensive supplemental study materials. It covers virtually all aspects of corrections, including the history of corrections system, prisons in the present, correctional ideologies, sentencing and legal issues, alternatives to imprisonment, institutional corrections, and correctional clients.

But it’s more than just the variety of subject matter that sets Corrections in America apart. The text has maintained its position in the market because of its adaptability. Like the field of corrections itself, the text has undergone numerous changes over the years, with some editions seeing more revisions than all of the previous editions combined, according to the authors.

The authors also take great pride in reviewing feedback from colleagues across the country and work to balance research and theory with practical and predictive examples included in the text. This helps to make the book both informative and interesting to eager to learn students.

The text is organized in sections ranging from historical perspectives and the justice process to correctional systems and functions and a link to the future, in which the authors offer a look at future trends, innovations and programs that could develop and be expanded. By looking forward, the authors challenge students to become thought leaders in their chosen field and think about the sustainability of the corrections environment.

The University of Louisville is a research-based public institution for higher learning widely recognized for its contribution to exploration and innovation in various fields, and Allen and Ponder are a great example of dedication and participation to the progress of the correction field. In addition to their research, the duo will also teach their course online this coming spring, presenting an opportunity for students, both near and far, to gain valuable knowledge and skills in this area of interest.

Naturally, “Corrections in America” 14th edition is the textbook supporting the course JA 202 (Corrections in the U.S.) in the Justice Administration degree program at UofL. The online delivery method allows for students to learn at a time that’s convenient for their schedule and in the comfort of their own home.
The course JA 202 presents an introduction to the history, practices, and issues related to the correctional function in American criminal justice. As with the textbook, topics in the course range from the history of prisons to inmate subcultures and institutions to correctional issues such as overcrowding, stress, sexual violence, and administrative problems. Allen and Ponder note that both adult and juvenile corrections are covered in the course, just like the text.

Learn more about the Corrections in America by visiting http://louisville.edu/justice/about-us/faculty-research. To apply and enroll to the criminal justice degrees at bachelor’s and master’s levels offered online at the University of Louisville, please visit Louisville.edu/online.

Data tools credited for reducing pretrial crime

Data tools credited for reducing pretrial crime

There is much debate on the topic of pretrial bail and on which defendants should be detained and which handcuffsdefendants should be released safely prior to trial. According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), a suspect’s release pending trial is almost exclusively based on the charge and whether the suspect has enough money to bail himself or herself out of jail. The release decision is often not based on an informed assessment of whether he or she is a danger to society and/or is likely to return to court for trial.

“Research has shown that under our current system, half of the most dangerous or likely to flee arrestees/defendants are able to make a monetary bail amount and leave jail unsupervised,” claims IACP.

The IACP pretrial justice reform initiative was established in partnership with the Public Welfare Foundation and the Pretrial Justice Institute, with a goal of educating criminal justice leaders on how their local system can save and maximize their limited resources through pretrial reform.

“Reform” is also the buzzword around the implementation of the Public Safety Assessment – Court (PSA-Court) tool in Kentucky. This summer, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation released results from the first six months of PSA-Court. According to their website, IACP is “very pleased and supportive” of the Arnold Foundation’s findings.

Among other things, the PSA-Court report claimed that crime by defendants on pretrial release declined by 15% and the overall number of defendants on pretrial release increased by 70%.

At University of Louisville, the Department of Justice Administration closely follows the trends in public safety, including corrections policies and reforms implementation. Students in the justice administration degree programs (master’s and Ph.D. levels) often use their knowledge acquired in the classroom to create analytical models for scanning the corrections environment, assessing the contemporary issues and proposing solutions to local and state government officials.

“In our master’s program in justice administration, students work closely with local criminal justice agencies and assist these organizations in analyses that result in more effective and efficient operations. Also, as part of a required coursework, our students in the Ph.D. program collaborate closely with criminal justice agencies to develop and assess the implementation of various strategies such as victim/witness programs and day reporting centers” said Dr. Deborah Keeling, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Justice Department at the University of Louisville.

PSA-Court also uses a data driven risk assessment tool, developed by the Arnold Foundation, to help inform judicial decisions about which defendants should be detained and which defendants can most safely be released prior to trial. The report says that, “defendants flagged by the PSA-Court as being at an increased risk of violence are rearrested for violent acts at a rate of 17 times higher than that of defendants who are not flagged.

The full report from the Arnold Foundation on the Public Safety Assessment in Kentucky is available for viewing online.

The Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) is a private foundation with offices in Houston and New York City. The Foundation is currently focused on the three primary issue areas: Criminal Justice Reform, K-12 Public Education, and Public Accountability. The Foundation’s “core objective is to produce substantial, widespread and lasting national and community reforms that will maximize opportunities and minimize injustice in our society.”

If you’re interested in developing superior expertise in the field of criminal justice, join our elite education program at the bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. levels. To apply and enroll to the criminal justice degrees offered online at the University of Louisville, please visit our program page on Louisville.edu/online.