Students were tasked with processing and analyzing a mock crime scene within ten minutes and asked to produce a typed report, indicating the facts, motives and possible causes of the crime, according to Dr. Kimberly DeTardo-Bora, interim chair of the criminal justice department.
“It is important for students to attend these events to practice their critical thinking skills via competitions, to network with other schools and student groups, and to understand the current issues that plague our justice system,” DeTardo-Bora said. “We are incredibly proud of our students.”
Katy Bowles, a 22 year-old from Sissonville, West Virginia, serves as president of Marshall’s student chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, which currently has 38 active members. Bowles said they were pleasantly surprised to receive their 2nd place award.
“We were able to successfully apply our knowledge from criminal justice classes to an actual, hands-on investigation,” Bowles said. “Marshall’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology offers classes pertaining to various aspects of the field including corrections, law enforcement and legal studies. In addition, the department is now a part of the School of Forensic and Criminal Justice Sciences, which allows students to learn more in the areas of digital forensics, computer crime and forensic science.”
To learn more about the opportunities for students in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, visit http://www.marshall.edu/criminal-justice/student-organizations/.
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Photo: Marshall University criminal justice honor students won second place in the national Alpha Phi Sigma crime scene competition held March 22-24 in Kansas City, Missouri. Pictured with John McLaughlin who oversees the national crime scene competition (third from left) are, from left to right, Courtney Clayton, Meaghan Spielvogel, Katy Bowles, Eleanor Coggins, Kirsten McCracken and Zach Gill.