Intern Samantha Martinez looks for fingerprints on a temporary license plate.

At the Houston Forensic Science Center, Intern Samantha Martinez worked under the direct supervision and guidance from Certified Latent Print Examiner Brian O’Hare on the FBI’s Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), leading to “hits,” helping police get one step closer to solving crimes.

“I got to enhance fingerprints using Photoshop,” said Martinez, a senior and criminal justice major at Sam Houston State University. “My supervisor said a lot of the fingerprints were getting hits. We found a lot of fingerprints. I hoped they would have a match.”

One day, the Houston Forensic Science Center, which provides forensic sciences to the Houston Police Department, handled three cases, in which seven fingerprints were lifted from 14 objects taken from the scenes. Martinez observed and assisted with processing prints by applying the chemicals needed to illuminate the prints in the laser room. She watched the different processes used for porous, non-porous and semi-porous samples.

Martinez in the lab.During her three-month summer internship in the lab, Martinez got to witness the forensic investigation of a wide variety of cases, including homicides, aggravated robberies, aggravated sexual assaults, narcotics, unlawful carrying of weapons and criminal mischief. She had a “sponge-like thirst” for forensic knowledge, said her supervisor, Lt. Barry McDermott, Acting Training Director at the center.

“The internship is a mutually beneficial program to SHSU students and the Houston Forensic Science Center,” said McDermott. “The student is exposed to the duties and responsibilities of forensic practitioners in one or more forensic disciplines…The hands-on experience afforded the student will no doubt influence their future decisions with respect to solidifying a career in forensics and the discipline of choice. The Houston Forensic Science Center benefits from the assistance the interns provide in assisting our staff in accomplishing the daily functions in an effective and efficient manner.”

Martinez in the laser room.Martinez also got to see the wide array of equipment used by professionals in the field. For example, the fingerprint lab has two laser processing areas – one for small objects, like a bottle, and the other for large items, like a bicycle.

Martinez has always been fascinated with the work of a crime lab, but wanted to get hands-on experience to better identify a specialty she would like to pursue for her career. The internship at the Houston Forensic Science Center was just the ticket. She got to see in action labs that process DNA/Biology, firearms, controlled substances, toxicology, crime scene, audio-video, and digital forensic evidence.

“I got a feel for the different kinds of labs to see what they do.” said Martinez. “I really like the DNA and biology labs, and I really didn’t think I would.”

In the biology lab, she watched analysts conduct confirmatory tests on blood, semen and oral swabs, usually in aggravated sexual assault cases. In the toxicology lab, analysts identified drug and alcohol levels in suspects by testing blood samples using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry machines.

“It was very familiar,” said Martinez, a former chemistry major. “I used many of the same tests in my classes.”
In the controlled substances lab, Martinez examined cocaine and marijuana samples under the microscope.

“It has given me a lot of knowledge about the Houston Forensic Science Center,” Martinez said. “I got my foot in the door. It gave me the understanding about how evidence comes in the doors and how it is perceived from a lab analyst point of view, not the public point of view.”
Martinez said a class she took last semester, Crime Scene Investigations, helped get her ready for the internship.

That class reviewed every aspect of the crime lab, which she saw firsthand at the Houston Forensic Science Center.
The internship gave her more direction for her future career, which will include additional science classes and graduate level work. She plans to pursue a job at the center and continue her education.

“I went into criminal justice because I wanted to do more in the criminology field,” said Martinez. “Now I need to go back for more science.”
McDermott, too, was invested in the internship.

“We have a stake in encouraging and guiding their career aspirations, as they will someday be our colleagues and/or 'practitioners' of the future,” he said.

According to a 2010 survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1.4 million women in Texas experience stalking during their lifetimes. Despite recent laws adopted in the state to protect stalking victims, little information is available about the crime or policies and procedures to aid the criminal justice system, according to a report from the Crime Victims’ Institute (CVI).

According to CDC estimates, 15.6 percent of the female population in Texas will experience stalking, slightly less than the 16.2 percent national average of female victims. Little information is available in Texas for male victims of stalking, although nationally, 5.2 percent of men experience the crime. More data is needed to ensure that Texas laws and policies are addressing the issue, CVI said.

Nichole Wilkes, CVI“Little is known about the interventions and responses of health, mental health, law enforcement, social services and criminal justice professionals to stalking,” said Nicole Wilkes, co-author of the report. Few cases are prosecuted, and even more are dismissed in the criminal justice system, according to research.

“Stalking in Texas – 2014” is the first in a series of reports that will be issued by CVI on this crime. The next study will examine the perceptions of campus police on stalking cases, which are most prominent among college-aged women and are required to be reported under the new Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act of 2013 (Campus SaVE).

Stalking is generally defined as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that causes fear. It may include efforts to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse, torment or embarrass an individual by using obscene communication, threatening bodily harm, falsely reporting another person’s death or injury, or repeatedly calling by phone or sending electronic messages. These communications can be directed at the victims, their families or households, or partners.

Texas has laws against stalking, which makes it a second or third degree felony depending on the number of offenses. In 2011, the state passed laws allowing victims to file protective orders against perpetrators of the crime and, in 2012, Texas was one of 12 states to allow stalking charges to be processed through civil courts to compel financial compensation for victims.

According to research based on a national survey, nearly half of all stalking victims experience at least one unwanted contact per week, with nearly one-quarter reporting harassment on a daily basis. The majority of victims express that the stalking behaviors have occurred for more than six months, with more than one in ten victims reporting occurrences for more than five years. More than half of stalking victims express fear for themselves, their children or other family members, and victims frequently miss work for fear of being stalked.

Research also indicates that stalking victims experience various economic, social, physical and mental difficulties as a result of this crime, including increased anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares, suicidal ruminations, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

More than one out of every four victims report being stalked via electronic devices or through the Internet, including cordless and cell phones, email, GPS systems, online databases, and cameras. The most common forms of cyberstalking were email, video and digital cameras, listening devices/bugs, and instant messenger.

Stalking presents unique challenges in the criminal justice system because there generally isn’t much evidence to investigate, law enforcement must rely heavily on the victim to investigate and collect evidence and, when stalking occurs after a romantic relationship, it often become a battle of “he said” vs. “she said.” As a result, a 2003 study found that most stalking cases are dismissed by authorities.

To address these issues, the Crime Victims’ Institute recommends that Texas needs to increase data collection and reporting on stalking and also to keep track of stalking protective orders.

“For the state criminal justice system to serve its role and for victims to received effective services, it is crucial for Texas to invest in understanding more about this crime and apply the information learned to develop efficacious policies and practices,” said Dr. Leana Bouffard, Director of CVI and co-author of the report.

The report include resources for victims, including the National Center for Victims of Crime. January is National Stalking Awareness Month and the Texas Attorney General’s Office maintains information on stalking. The Texas Family Violence Legal Hotline is available to victims at 1-800-274-4673. Oftentimes, local domestic violence programs and/or rape crisis centers will assist victims of stalking if individuals are seeking assistance in their community.

The full report is available at the Crime Victims' Institute

Here is a list of publications recently produced by faculty, students and alumni of Sam Houston State University, College of Criminal Justice.

Armstrong, T. A., Boutwell, B. B., **Flores, S., **Symonds, M., **Keller, S., &Gangitano, D. A. (2014). Monoamine Oxidase-A genotype, childhood adversity, and criminal behavior in an incarcerated sample. Psychiatric Genetics, 24(4), 164-171.

**Bahlman, S., Hughes-Stamm, S., & Gangitano, D. (2014). Development and evaluation of a rapid PCR method for the PowerPlex®S5 system for forensic DNA profiling. Legal Medicine, 16(4), 227-233.

Bishopp, S. A., Klinger, D. A., & **Morris, R. G. (2014). An examination of the effect of a policy change on police use of TASERs. Criminal Justice Police Review. Advance online publication.

Bouffard, J. A. (2014). Examining the direct and indirect effects of fear and anger on criminal decision making among known offenders. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. Advance online publication.

Boutwell, B. B., &Boisvert, D. (2014). Sexual promiscuity & self-control: A behavior genetic explanation to an evolutionary question. Personality and Individual Differences, 63, 112-116.

Byers, V. T., Smith, R. N., Hwang, E., Angrove, K. E., Chandler, J. I., Christian, K. M. Dickerson, S. H., McAllister-Shields, L., Thompson, S. P., &Denham, M. (2014). Survival strategies: Doctoral students’ perceptions of challenges and coping methods. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 9, 109-136.

Dawkins, M., & **Sorenson, J.R. (2014). The impact of residential placement on aggregate delinquency: A state-level panel study, 1997-2011. Criminal Justice Policy Review. Advance online publication.

DeLisi, M., Kosloski, A. E., Vaughn, M. G., Caudill, J. W., & **Trulson, C. R. (2014). Does childhood sexual abuse victimization translate into juvenile sexual offending? New evidence. Violence & Victims, 29(4), 620-635.

Drawve, G., Thomas, S. A., & **Walker, J. T. (2014). The likelihood of arrest: A routine activity theory approach. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 39(3), 450-470.

**Fallik, S., &Wells, W. (2014). Testing previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits: What are the investigative results? Criminal Justice Policy Review. Advance online publication.

Franklin, C. A., & **Menaker, T. A. (2014). Feminism, status inconsistency, and women's intimate partner victimization in heterosexual relationships. Violence Against Women. Advance online publication.

Gerber, J.,& *Hu, X. (2014). A transnational perspective on casino-based gambling and crime. In E. W. Plywaczewski (Ed.), Current problems of penal law and criminology. Bialystok, Poland: Temida.

Hoover, L., Wells, W., Zhang, Y., Ren, L., & Zhao, J. (2014). Houston Enhanced Action Patrol: Examining the effects of differential deployment lengths with a switched replication design. Justice Quarterly. Advance online publication.

**Jo, Y., &Bouffard, L. (2014). Stability of self-control and gender. Journal of Criminal Justice, 4(4), 356-365.

**Kim, B., Lin, A. W. C., & Lambert, E. (2014). Social bonds, traditional models and juvenile attitudes toward the police in China. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 37(3) 612-629.

Knight, K.E., Ellis, C., & *Simmons, S.B. (2014). Parental predictors of children’s animal abuse: Findings from a national and intergenerational sample. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication

**Matusiak, M. C., *Campbell, B. A., &King, W. R. (2014). The legacy of LEMAS: Effects on police scholarship of a federally administered, multi-wave establishment survey. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 37(3), 630-648.

Menard, S. , & **Pollock, W. (2014). Self reports of being falsely accused of criminal behavior. Deviant Behavior. Advance online publication.

Moon, B, & **Alarid, L.F. (2014). School bullying, low self-control, and opportunity. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication.

**Morris, R. G., & **Johnson, M.C. (2014). Sedentary activities, peer behavior, and delinquency among American youth. Crime & Delinquency, 60(6), 936-968.

Muftic, L. R., & Cruze, J. R. (2014). The laws have changed, but what about the police? Policing domestic violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Violence Against Women, 20(6), 695-715.

Muftic, L. R., Payne, B., & Maljevic, A. (2014) Bosnian and American students’ attitudes toward electronic monitoring: Is it about what we know or where we come from? International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. Advance online publication.

Nelson, M. S., Gabbidon, S. L., &Boisvert, D. (2014). Philadelphia area residents' views on the disproportionate representation of blacks and Hispanics in the criminal justice system. Journal of Crime and Justice. Advance online publication.

Newsome, J., Boisvert, D., & Wright, J.P. (2014). Genetic and environmental influences on the co-occurrence of early academic achievement and externalizing behavior. Journal of Criminal Justice, 42(1), 45-53.

Onwuegbuzie, A.J., &Denham, M. (2014). Qualitative data analysis techniques. Oxford Bibliographies. http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199756810/obo-9780199756810-0078.xml

Orrick, E. A., & Piquero, A. R. (2014). Assessing the impact of Mexican nativity on sentence length. Criminal Justice Policy Review. Advance online publication.

**Petkovsek, M. A., & Boutwell, B. B. (2014). Childhood intelligence and the emergence of self-control. Criminal Justice & Behavior. Advance online publication.

Pyrooz, D. C., Decker, S. H., &Webb, V. J. (2014). The ties that bind: Desistance from gangs. Crime & Delinquency, 60(4), 491-516.

Randa, R., & Reyns, B. (2013) Cyberbullying victimization and adaptive avoidance behaviors at school. Victims & Offenders, 9(3), 255-275.

Roth, M. P. (2014). An eye for an eye: A global history of crime and punishment. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Saunders, J., Lundberg, R., Braga, A. A., Ridgeway, G. & Miles, J. (2014). A synthetic control approach to evaluating place-based crime interventions. Journal of Quantitative Criminology. Advanced online publication.

Smith, J., Boisvert, D., Sumner, J., & **Sims, B. (2014). Intergenerational patterns of offending: An analysis of families in jails. Journal of Crime and Justice. Advance online publication.

**Zhang, H., Zhao, R., Zhao, J. S., & Ren, L. (2014). Social attachment and juvenile attitudes toward the police in China: Bridging eastern and western wisdom. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. Advance online publication.

**Zhang, H., Zhao, J. S., Ren, L. & Zhao, R. (2014). Social bonds, traditional models and juvenile attitudes toward the police in China. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 37(3), 596-611.

Zhang, Y., Hoover, L., & Zhao, J. (2014). Geographic Information Systems Effects on police efficacy: An evaluation of empirical assessments. International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research, 5(2), 30-43.

By: Trey Cawley

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the new field of Homeland Security, which now includes the public and private sectors and addresses all threats against the United States, emerged and began to interact with criminal justice.

In response to the growing needs of organizations and companies in the field, the College of Criminal Justice will launch a retooled Master’s degree and certificate programs this fall. As a program within the Department of Security Studies, the new Master of Science in Homeland Security examines all facets of the discipline, including such areas as emergency management, national security, and cybersecurity as well as ethical and legal issues for the public and private sectors.

“This new ‘all-hazards’ approach we are taking with our programs will help students prepare to deal with any type of threat that they may encounter,” said Dr. Phillip Lyons, Interim Dean of the College of Criminal Justice.
This approach has been taking shape throughout the Homeland Security field and is evidenced by the inclusion of government agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a traditionally natural disaster oriented response organization, into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

By attending to the needs of both the public and private sector, the new degree seeks to graduate better informed practitioners who, among other activities, will help protect critical infrastructure that is essential to everyday lives.

“Protecting critical infrastructure such as transportation and the phone companies is difficult because most of it is not owned by the government, but rather it is owned by various private enterprises,” Dr. Lyons explained. “The restructuring of our degree will help better prepare students to manage various events including terrorist attacks, natural disasters and pandemics.”

In addition to the Master’s degree, the program also will offer two certificates for professionals in the field – Emergency Management and Critical Infrastructure Protection. These two certificate programs will result in quick starts for professionals and, hopefully, early successes in the field.

“These additions were developed to appeal to practitioners as well as traditional Master’s students,” Dr. Lyons said. “We are hopeful that many of these certificate students will choose to go on to pursue the Master’s in Homeland Security.”

Among some of the classes that will be offered in the new program are:

• Foundations of Homeland Security
• Unconventional Threats
• Critical Infrastructure Protection
• Cybersecurity
• Crisis Management Integration I & II

Students and recent graduates looking for a new route into federal careers may find their dream job through the Pathways program.

In addition to hundreds of internship offered through the College of Criminal Justice – many at the federal level -- the U.S. Office of Personnel Management recently introduced a new program to open the door to federal jobs for students and recent graduates. Called Pathways, the year-round recruiting effort offers paid internships, hiring programs for recent graduates, and fellowship opportunities for graduate students, which can be converted into full-time jobs with government agencies. The offerings can be found at https://www.usajobs.gov/StudentsAndGrads.

“The reason it was created was because students and recent graduates couldn’t be competitive in the application process because they lacked experience,” said Rachel Dorman, program analyst in Student Programs at the federal Office of Personnel Management. “With Pathways, they are competing among their peers. It is a great way to test the waters for federal jobs.”

The program was created in 2012, and applications for all but the fellowship program are handled by the individual agency or department. While the program has been delayed by furloughs and the sequester, more positions are expected to be added across federal agencies in the near future. For example, the Department of Justice recently advertised an internship for a criminal investigator and the federal Bureau of Prison was looking for clerical assistance. Many departments, including those in the criminal justice field, may participate, although jobs in the intelligence field are not included in the program.

“It is pretty competitive,” Dorman said. “We do hear that our agencies are getting lots of interest.”

To keep on top of job openings, Dorman suggests setting up “saved searches” on usajob.gov, which will provide job postings via email. She also recommends reviewing the State of the Union address to help identify those issues that are expected to be funded in the next budget.

Under Pathways, the paid internship program replaces previous initiatives, such as cooperative programs, the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) and the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP). The program provides opportunities for students in high schools, colleges, trade schools and other recognized educational institutions. The internship can last up to a year, and can be done on a part-time or full-time basis. The pay is based on the number of courses completed, and the position may be converted into a regular job after completion of the internship.

“Students should be open minded when seeking federal positions,” said Dr. Jim Dozier, Internship Coordinator at Sam Houston State University, College of Criminal Justice. “Getting a foot in the door of federal employment is the first of other pathways that may developed. I personally did that having been hired by The Treasury Department and later moving to the Justice Department.”

The newest element of Pathways is the Recent Graduates Program, which offer opportunities to those who graduated college in the last two years. The program allows graduates to work in federal jobs for a year and provides 40 hours of training, mentors and development plans to help them succeed. These jobs also may be converted into full-time employment at the end of the one-year period.

“It comes with a lot of development opportunities,” said Dorman.
The recent graduate program also has provisions for active duty military personnel, which will allow them to enter the program up to six years after graduation if they are serving in the military.

Finally, Pathways encompasses the existing Presidential Management Fellows Program, which provides leadership development for graduate students. The two year program allows Master and Ph.D. level students to work in the federal government and receive 80 hours of training, a mentor and development plan. It also requires the fellow to work four to six months in a different area of government to broaden their experiences.

“This is a great experience,” said Dorman, who completed her internship at the Office of Personnel Management before getting hired there. “Interns have the opportunity to do some interesting work. In the end, it is nice to know you’re making a difference and providing public service to your country.”

Dr. Bill Wells discussed sexaul assault kit research on NIJ video.

Dr. Bill Wells of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Sam Houston State University was recently featured in a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) video series on lessons learned from research into the nationwide problem of untested sexual assaults kits in police evidence rooms.

The videos, highlighting research projects funded by NIJ, report on findings of studies in Houston and Detroit which examined the causes of the problem and offered solutions to improve sexual assault investigations. Dr. Wells discussed the need for a holistic approach to the issue, which includes victims, police, prosecutors, victim advocates, and health care professionals. The creation of a new victim advocate position at the Houston Police Department is helping to provide high-quality services for victims and seeks to increase the chances victims will want to cooperate with investigators.

“When you talk about a response to this, you need to think holistically and what’s going to happen in terms of a system response,” said Dr. Wells, who collaborated with several stakeholders on the Houston project. “This is what we were able to do in Houston.”

An important lesson to come out of the project is that testing large numbers of previously untested sexual assault kits leads to significant workloads for investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates. Jurisdictions must prepare to handle this workload.

The newly created victim advocate position in the Houston Police Department provides services for victims early on in new cases and works with victims in older cases, which is intended to result in better participation in the process. Over the last year, the advocate has contacted 250 sexual assault victims, many who were unlikely to receive similar services in the past. Investigators have reported “very positive results.”

In addition to Dr. Wells’ interview, the series includes three additional videos, including:

• Dr. Noel Busch-Armendariz of the University of Texas at Austin on how to notify sexual assault survivors when their sexual assault kits are tested and the establish- ment of a victim hotline at the Houston Police Department.
• Caitlin Sully of the University of Texas at Austin on how the action-research team in Houston went about making the action-research project in Houston as victim-oriented as possible.
• Dr. Rebecca Campbell of Michigan State University on the five common factors that led to unprocessed sexual assault kits in Detroit.

John Wesley Hardin

Dr. Mitchel Roth is taking on a legend in the Wild West in “Gunslingers,” an American Heroes Channel series that tells the tales of the villains and heroes of a bygone era.

On the Aug. 17 episode, Dr. Roth shares stories from the life of John Wesley Hardin, dubbed the “Dark Heart of Texas.” A ruthless outlaw, Hardin was once the most wanted man in the country after he gunned down Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Charles Webb. He later was captured in Pensacola, Florida and served time at the Huntsville (Walls) Unit in Huntsville.

Dr. Mitchel RothIn the Old West, Hardin left a trail of victims along cattle drive routes from Texas to Kansas and became one the most well-known and feared of the gunslingers of the Reconstruction era. He had a hair-trigger temper and settled disputes with his gun. He bragged of killing more than 40 men during his career.

Hardin was affiliated with the Taylor Boys, a group of cattle rustlers that targeted herds moving across the Texas plain. When Native Americans in the area tried to “tax” cattle on their lands, Hardin shot the leader of the tribe as a message to others. He also shot Mexican cowboys he believes were trying to skim the herds.

The colt pistol was the weapon of choice for gunslingers in the Wild West.“I leave you as a warning to others that this what awaits you,” said Dr. Roth, explaining Hardin’s method. “This is the way he saw things in the strange world of John Wesley Hardin.”

Hardin also turned his sights on legendary lawman Wild Bill Hickok, Marshal in Abilene, Kansas. As the story goes, the two men had at least one encounter in the city and developed a mutual respect for one another.

Hardin served 18 years in the Huntsville Unit (commonly known as "The Walls") for murder, before getting out to become a lawyer in El Paso, where he would meet his own demise from a bullet.

Dr. Roth has written about Texas outlaw tradition, which was published in the East Texas Historical Quarterly and recently reprinted in book edited by Bruce Glasrud. During the “Gunslinger” docudramas, Dr. Roth lends insight into the life and crimes of John Wesley Hardin.

The Gunslinger series can be seen on the American Heroes Channel. “Gunslingers captures all the edge-of-your-seat drama of a classic Hollywood Western, but layers in all of the true facts from these legends that echo throughout history," said Kevin Bennett, General Manager of the American Heroes Channel.

Wed, Oct 16, 2014
1pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

John Bickel of Texas Children's Hospital will discuss Child Abuse and Neglect.

Charles Andrews

Alumnus Charles Andrews was appointed to the advisory board of Secure Strategy Group, a New York based banking and advisory firm that backs emerging growth companies in the security, IT and communications sectors.

Andrews, center, is past president of ASIS Houston."During his 30 year career, Andrews has worked Sam Houston State University’s Computer Science Department and is the founding board member for the SHSU -- Center of Excellence in Digital Forensics.

“Chuck Andrews is a well-known leader in the security industry and a passionate advocate for security technology and best practices,” said Scott Greiper, president of SSG. “We are honored to have him join our advisory board and believe he will bring real value to our current and future clients.”

Officers from corrections, parole, probation and law enforcement gathered at the Correctional Management Institute (CMIT) at Sam Houston State University in July to get the latest information on violent gangs and other extremist groups operating in rural regions of Texas.

The event, the Texas Violent Gang Task Force Rural Training Initiative, was sponsored by the Texas Violence Gang Task Force (TVGTF) and co-sponsored by CMIT, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the Texas Gang Investigators Association. More than 200 attended the all-day session.

Special Agent Travis Gates of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) provided an overview of the most criminally active gangs operating in East Texas, providing profiles on gang leadership and activities in different areas of the state.

Nick Vaughn, Investigator for the Office of Inspector General and member of the Joint Terrorism Task Force for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, discussed the recruitment of offenders in the state’s prisons and jails by members of terrorist or extremist organizations. Vaughn helped familiarize participants with the radicalization process and indicators they could use to identify potential members both behind bars and in the community.

In an effort to provide better information on gangs and extremist groups, Assistant Attorney General Sharon N. Pruitt of the Juvenile Crime Intervention Unit addressed statues governing “gang databases” and the criteria for inclusion. To be legally included on a database, gangs must meet at least two standards, including self-admission on the Internet; identification by a reliable or corroborated informant; the use of gang dress, hand signals, tattoos or symbols; prison visits or frequent visits to gang areas; internet recruitment; or arrested or detained with gang member on a gang-related offense.

The training also explored violence and the Southwest Border. Special Agent Johnnie Green of ATF looked at one of the latest tactics being employed by the Mexican cartels against rival cartels and the government: the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The presentations discussed the use of vehicle-borne IEDs and their firing systems and the types of weapons, explosives and munitions being seized in the Mexico and the United States.

Created in statute by the Texas legislature in 1999, the mission of the Texas Violent Gang Task Force is to form strategic partnerships among local, state and federal criminal justice, juvenile justice, and correctional agencies in order to take a proactive approach toward tracking gang activities and to promote networking for the collection and dissemination of gang intelligence among criminal justice agencies.

Wed, Oct 16, 2014
10:00am - 2:00pm
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

The College of Criminal Justice will offer a Victim Services Career Fair, linking students to career opportunities in various agencies in the field.

The College of Criminal Justice will welcome five new faculty members in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and the Department of Security Studies this fall.

Among the new faculty in Criminal Justice and Criminology are Drs. Brittany Hayes from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Melinda Tasca from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University, and Dr. Mary Breaux from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The additions to the Department of Security Studies include Drs. Russell Lundberg of the Rand Corporation and Nathan Jones of the Baker Institute of Public Policy. The new faculty bring expertise in corrections, victim studies, homeland security and drug enforcement to the College’s offerings.

Interim Dean Dr. Phillip Lyons”Our incoming faculty are solid scholars whose expertise in their respective disciplines will enrich the learning experiences of our students and enhance the research portfolio of the college,” said Dr. Phillip Lyons, Interim Dean for the College of Criminal Justice.

The College of Criminal Justice has one of the oldest and largest programs in the country, with more than 40 faculty members who specialize in criminal justice, criminology, forensic science, and security studies. The College recently retooled its Department of Security Studies to offer a new Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies, which focuses on all facets of the discipline, including such areas as emergency management, national security and cybersecurity, as well at ethical and legal issues in both the public and private security sectors. The department also will offer two certificates in Emergency Management and Critical Infrastructure Protection.

“We are confident that the changes we’ve made to the curriculum and the certificate programs we’ve added will better equip our students to make our communities safer and better protect our assets,” Dr. Lyons said.

Along with revamping the curriculum, the College hired two new faculty to expand in the reach of the program.

Dr. Russell LundbergDr. Lundberg was an assistant policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision making through research and analysis. He worked on projects on the links between crime and drugs, aviation and postal security, law enforcement intelligence, and corrections. Before joining RAND, Dr. Lundberg was with the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, where he contributed to several reports, including the Hurricane Katrina review that won an Award for Excellence from the President's Council for Integrity and Efficiency.

Inside the Houston Astrodome during Hurricane Katrina.Photo by Andrea Boohar, FEMAIn 2011-12, Dr. Lundberg was awarded the Harold Brown Fellowship from RAND's Center for Global Risk and Security, and he serves as the managing editor of the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis. He received his Ph.D. in policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, where he completed a dissertation related to the ranking of homeland security risks.

Dr. Nathan JonesDr. Jones is the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy at the Baker Institute at Rice University, where his research focuses on drug violence in Mexico. Dr. Jones has published with numerous think tanks, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and InSight Crime. While teaching at the University of San Diego in 2011-2012, Jones worked closely with the school’s Trans-Border Institute on grant proposals and research projects. He has been a trusted source on issues of violence in Mexico with media outlets such as the Houston Chronicle, Texas Public Radio, the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune, and KPBS San Diego radio and television.

A DEA drug bust in Houston.Dr. Jones received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine, where he won the Institute for Global Conflict and Cooperation Dissertation Fellowship to conduct fieldwork in Mexico. He spent a year in Tijuana and Mexico City assessing the resilience and illicit network structure of the Tijuana cartel. He also was a leader in an international relations graduate student group and received a Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies affiliate/research award and the James Danziger Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dr. Gaylene ArmstrongThe Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology also will add three new faculty members.

“The rising interest in criminal justice and criminology by students at SHSU in addition to requests for research partnerships from state and local agencies has demanded our Department's growth,” said Dr. Gaylene Armstrong, Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. “We have been fortunate to receive support from our administration enabling the addition of these highly skilled individuals to our already strong faculty. It is a win-win for our students and criminal justice agencies that serve our communities.”

Dr. Brittany HayesDr. Hayes was an adjunct professor at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, where she led courses in gender, crime and justice, and data analysis. A graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Dr. Hayes served as a research assistant with the Extremist Crime Database, where she analyzed financial crimes committed by extremists, and on domestic violence-related issues, which examined honor killings. Dr. Hayes also served as an intern for Women Aware, Inc., a N.J. based agency which provides domestic violence resources for men, women and children, including emergency shelter, legal advocacy, support and children’s therapy.

Dr. Hayes has published articles in such peer-reviewed journals as American Sociological Review, Journal of Family Violence and SAGE Open. Here dissertation was titled “The process of separation for victims of intimate partner violence: Evaluating risk of indirect and physical abuse relating to interpersonal events.”

Dr. Melissa TascaDr. Tasca specializes in the consequences of incarceration for prisoners, children and families, correctional policy, inmate adjustment and the intersection of race and gender within these contexts. Her work has been published in such peer reviewed journals as Criminal Justice and Behavior, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, the International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Violence Against Women, and Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice.

Dr. Tasca has worked on several research projects examining the needs of children with incarcerated parents and minorities in the juvenile justice system. Her dissertation, entitled “It’s not all cupcakes and lollipops: An investigation of the predictors and effects of prison visitation for children during maternal and paternal incarceration,” was funded by the National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Dr. Tasca also served on a prisoner reentry work group and as a mentor with the WINGS Program at Florence Crittenton, an Arizona agency for at-risk girls struggling with issues and challenges caused by poverty, abuse, neglect, crime and violence.

Dr. Mary BreauxDr. Breaux has worked in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services for nearly 20 years, both in child and adult protective services. Before joining the faculty, she was the Regional Community Relations Specialist for Adult Protective Services (APS), educating the community and agencies about the services available and fostering community and agency partnerships for research in the field.

Additionally, she collaborated with local colleges and universities and placed students in protective services internships. She continues to serve as Associate Director of Education with the Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Institute (TEAM Institute) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Community Partnership Resource Rooms are collaborative efforts to aid senior victims of abuse and neglect.Dr. Breaux has worked at nearly each level of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, including as a child sexual abuse investigator, as a training instructor and in Human Resources hiring new recruits. She received her Ph.D. from Prairie View A &M University, with her dissertation focusing on investigating child emotional abuse and the response by public school educators. She will teach graduate and undergraduate classes in victim studies.

The College of Criminal Justice added five new Ph.D. graduates, awarded more than 40 Masters’ degrees in Criminal Justice, Security Studies, and Criminal Justice Leadership and Management and bestowed diplomas to about 135 criminal justice undergraduate students during the summer commencement ceremony on Aug. 2.

Joining the ranks of Ph.D. graduates were Drs. Robin Jackson, Jeonglim Kim, Tatyana Menaker, Mai Naito, and Melissa Petkovsek. The College also awarded five Masters of Art and four Masters of Science in Criminal Justice; 15 Masters of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management in the online program and 17 in the weekend program; and a Master of Science in Security Studies.
Dr. Jackson’s dissertation was “Empirical Assessment of the Theory of African American Offending among a University Sample and a Partial Test of Gender Differences in African American Offending.” Her committee included Chair Dr. Leana Bouffard and Drs. Howard Henderson and Kelly Knight. She is a Policy Analyst with the Council of State Governments Justice Center in New York.

Dr. Kim’s dissertation was “Examination of Six Aspects of Police Officer Stress: Looking into Organizational Stressors for Police Occupational Stress in South Korea.” His committee was chaired by Dr. William Wells and included Drs. Jihong Solomon Zhao and William King. He is an Assistant Professor at Tarleton State University.

Dr. Menaker’s dissertation was “Characteristics of Commercially Sexually Exploited Girls: A Comparison of Girls with and Without a History of Involvement in the Sex Trade.” Her committee included Chair Dr. Courtney Franklin and Drs. Travis W. Franklin and Wells.

Dr. Naito’s dissertation was “Reliability of Eyewitness Evidence: An Analysis of State-Level Decisions Using Manson v. Brathwaite’s Criteria.” Her committee was chaired by Dr. Michael S. Vaughn and included Drs. Dennis Longmire and Phillip Lyons. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of West Georgia.

Dr. Petkovsek’s dissertation was “Molecular Genetic Scaffolding of Maladaptive Behaviors and Victimization.” Her committee included Chair Dr. Brian Boutwell and Drs. Danielle Boisvert and Scott Menard. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Missouri.

After serving as Dean of the College of Criminal Justice and Director of the Criminal Justice Center for eight years, Dr. Vincent J. Webb is stepping down to become a full-time faculty member. Dr. Phillip Lyons, a longtime professor at the College, will serve as Interim Dean during a nationwide search for a successor.

“It has been a real privilege to serve as Dean and Director since coming to Sam in 2006,” said Dr. Webb. “This faculty and staff have been great to work with -- they simply are the best! The criminal justice/center faculty, staff, and alumni can take pride in all that they have accomplished and they can look forward to a very bright future.”

Dr. Phillip Lyons(r) speaks at the Sundial Ceremony.Dr. Lyons joined the faculty of Sam Houston State University in 1995 and has served in several leadership positions at the College, most recently as Chair of the Department of Security Studies and as Director of Professional Justice Studies, which links professionals in the field with educational opportunities offered at the College. He also served as Executive Director for the Center for Policing Innovation, one of 17 Community Policing Institutes nationwide that provides training and technical assistance on a variety of community policing and other timely law enforcement topics to state, local and tribal agencies.

In 2012, Dr Lyons received the first Academic Community Engagement Award at SHSU.Before attending graduate school, Dr. Lyons spent several years as a law enforcement officer for the Alvin Police Department, the Alvin Community College Police Department, and the Hillcrest Village Marshals Office. When he left full-time law enforcement, he was a detective specializing in crimes involving children. His areas of expertise include forensic psychology, policing, law and psychology, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues in criminal justice. Dr. Lyons has written or coauthored dozens of scholarly and professional works, including books, book chapters, and journal articles.

In 2012, Dr. Lyons was named the first recipient of the David Payne Academic Community Engagement Award at SHSU, which recognizes excellence in community engagement through teaching, research and service.

“For my nearly 20 years here at Sam Houston, I’ve actively participated in our efforts toward advancing our research, teaching, and service endeavors at the Criminal Justice Center,” said Dr. Lyons. “Now, I’m really excited to have the opportunity to play an even bigger part in helping the wonderful people here do great things.”

Dr. Vincent Webb with a student the Sammy award.During his tenure, Dr. Webb ushered in many new changes and initiatives at one of the oldest and larger criminal justice programs in the country. To demonstrate the extensive specialties available in the criminal justice field, he created three distinct departments to guide students in their chosen fields, including Criminal Justice and Criminology, Forensic Science and Security Studies. He also recruited new faculty in diverse areas of research, including emerging disciplines in biosocial, victimology, homeland security, and forensic science.

Since 2006, Dr. Webb has led the College, one of the largest academic programs in criminal justice in the country with more than 40 faculty members, as well as the George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center, a highly integrated facility which incorporates a number of research and professional training institutes, including the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Training Institute of Texas, the Correctional Management Institute of Texas and the Crime Victims’ Institute, to name a few.

Dr. Webb poses with an international delegation at LEMIT.Dr. Webb also was successful at establishing new institutes in the field, including the Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility, one of only six “body farms” in the world for forensic anthropology research and an independent crime lab to assist jurisdictions in the area with toxicology and illegal substance testing. He also oversaw High Incident Drug Area (HIDTA) program for the Office of National Drug Control Polices as well as Project Safe Neighborhoods funding for police Department. Finally, he administered Impaired Driving Initiatives, a Department of Transportation funded program to get drunk and drugged drivers off the road by training law enforcement, school officials, employers and probation and parole officers to recognize the signs of impairment.

Here are some other programs established under Dr. Webb:

Dr. Webb congratulates students from ZPC.
• Initiated the Ph.D. in Forensic Science and Masters’ degrees in Security Studies, Forensic Science and Victim Services Management.
• Started online degree programs at the College, including bachelor degrees in Criminal Justice and Masters in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management
• Introduced the Criminal Justice Career Fair
• Established dual degree program with Zhejiang Police College in China
• Won Outstanding Book Award from Academy of Criminal Justice Science for co-authoring Policing Gangs in America
• Implemented programs to train and educate law enforcement and corrections officials from other countries.
• Began the Major Cities Research Initiative, which targets research and development programs to control crime in the state’s six largest cities.

As a full-time faculty member, Dr. Webb will be working on a wide variety of projects, including research and program development for the College’s institutes and centers.

Tue, Sep 16, 2014
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lowman Student Center, Mall Area

Wed, Sep 24, 2014
10:00am - 2:00pm
Johnson Coliseum

Thu, Oct 2, 2014
9:00am - 4:00pm
Career Services, AB-IV

Wed, Nov 5, 2014
3:00pm - 4:20p, P.M.
Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom

Career Services will host three to four professional panelists from various Criminal Justice fields to share with students about how they started out in field, the realities of their career path, and what key skills and strengths need to be developed in order to be successful in field.

This year, panelists are expected to include the following panelists: Special Agent from Federal Bureau of Investigations, Agent from Texas Department of Public Safety (Criminal Investigations Division), and a representative from the “No More Victims” non-profit organization from Houston

Anthony Graves turned his Death Row experience into a program for at risk youth.

After spending 18-1/2 years on Death Row for a crime he didn’t commit, Anthony Graves was exonerated and decided to dedicate the rest of his life to preventing the next generation from winding up in the criminal justice system.

Inspired by his story, Ja’Mira Alexander chose the Anthony Graves Foundation for her internship to assist at-risk children and to prevent injustices in the criminal justice system. Over the summer, she helped set up a mentoring program, laid the groundwork for a summer food project in 2015, wrote grants to fund initiatives for at-risk youth, and attended capital cases where Graves testified about solitary confinement.

Ja'Mira Alexander turned her internship into a career.“She was excellent,” said Graves. “She came in with the skills sets we needed…She was great!”

By the end of the summer, Alexander turned her passion into a job. She is now an executive assistant at the foundation and will continue with the important projects she started.

“I love it,” said Alexander. “This is one of the best internships I could have ever taken. I was going to school full-time, and I worked two part-time jobs, so I had to step out on faith into this unpaid internship. Now, they offered me a job.”

With steadfast focus on his innocence and the tireless work of the Innocence Network, Graves was released from Texas’s Death Row. Since then, he has spoken about his experience all over the world and established the foundation to “give children left behind by the criminal justice system a choice and a chance to live happy, productive lives and become the powerful, new foundations or our community.”

Graves also established Anthony Believes LLC to help others in the criminal justice system. He serves as a consultant at trial, particularly on the issue of solitary confinement. He spend 16 years of his sentence alone in his cell.

Graves said the internship benefits at-risk youth and criminal justice students alike. The kids in his program are more likely to connect with people closer to their own age, and the students get to make a difference in their lives. In addition, students can get hands-on experience in the criminal justice system working with attorneys in pro bono cases.

Alexander got to witness her first court case when she accompanied Graves to a capital murder trial in Dallas.

“It was definitely an experience,” said Alexander. “It was my first time sitting in a court, and I was one of the first people let into the courtroom. The people that testified had to stay outside. I got to see the lawyers – both the prosecution and defense. It was more like a debate. “

With her experience in the courtroom and her exposure to many attorneys at the foundation, Alexander sees law school in her future. In fact, she attended her first Continuing Legal Education Class sponsored by the Houston Urban League in July. The topic was on prosecutorial misconduct.

Alexander admires Graves for turning his life around and investing in the children and community.

“He is definitely an exceptional person,” said Alexander. “To see him come out of solitary confinement in prison and to invest in the foundation for the community and its people, he is a great person with great integrity and skills. He wants to make sure that people can get fair trials. My experience has been amazing.”

Graves with students from his program. The Anthony Graves Foundation was created in February and is developing a mentoring program with Wallop which will provide after school programs for at risk children. The program is expected to have 15 mentors, including representatives from business, the legal community and the Houston Urban Debate League.

The foundation also is planning a summer food program for 2015 that will help feed children in the programs.
“The reason he wanted to try this is because many kids start stealing money and food to help feed their younger sibling,” said Alexander. “We want to give kids meals all day for free so they don’t have to go out and do crime. We want to get to youth through their stomachs.”

During her internship, Alexander attended a grant-writing seminar to learn how to get funding for their programs. She worked on two grant applications with the Vice President to help at-risk youth.
Alexander said she is starting to live her education.

“Now I get to experience reality,” said Alexander. “Before I was reading pages and pages of books and now I am actively experiencing it. I didn’t think this day would come when I was so young.”

Intern Andrea Marmorato with Gunner.

After graduating from the Houston Police Department Citizen Academy, Andrea Marmorato set her sights on an internship with the department’s K-9 Unit Program.

“I graduated from the Houston Citizen Academy two years ago,” said Marmorato. “We got to see SWAT, Mounted Patrol, and the helicopter unit called FOX, but the K-9 Unit Program, that was my favorite.”

During the summer, Marmorato worked side-by-side with K-9 units during training and actual operations in the field, sometimes serving as the “decoy” for the dogs to find. She also donned the bite sleeve and took a hit from the powerful jaws, but never once experienced fear.

“I can’t say I was ever scared,” said Marmorato. “I trusted my officers and the dogs that they would not put me in jeopardy.”

Courtesy of the Houston Police Department.Sgt. Andy Porras said the K-9 Unit Program is a good place for interns to train because they get to work throughout the city, and they get to ride along with officers on calls.

“Coming to K-9, they get a more well-rounded experience,” said Porras. “They see what we do with the dogs in training, and they can ride with the officers and see how we interact with other departments. We are a support unit, often called in when a suspect runs from officers, like during the burglary of a building. K-9 provides the feeling of what is involved in a police officer’s work throughout the entire city.”

Marmorato shadowed K-9 officers during all shifts, watching newly paired teams train and going on calls to help track suspects in the field – often in wooded areas.

Hero and Marmorato prepare to hit the street.“Most of the calls were burglary and theft where the suspects run,” Marmorato. “Police set up a perimeter and call up K-9 and Fox (helicopter). If the suspect is there, we will find them. It never ceases to amaze me. A suspect may have 10 officers with weapons pointed at them and they won’t surrender. But the moment they see the dog, they give up.”

There are 10 to 15 K-9 teams at the Houston Police Department, trained in various specialties, including drugs, bombs, SWAT and patrol. The department mainly uses German Shepherds and Belgium Malinois, each which requires 500 hours of training.

Marmorato witnessed two new teams in training, which included obedience, obstacles, shooting and tracking.

“A lot of them are puppies, and they just want to play,” said Marmorato. “They are great dogs at home. But when they get to work, they know what their job is. If there is a suspect, they will find them.”

Marmorato gears up to go in the field on a call.Marmorato got to play the suspect in several scenarios. At the old police property room, a large warehouse filled with cages and dark corners, she hid in the dark in the expansive venue, back press against the wall under a piece of plywood. In the heat, she began to sweat, a scent the dog can find in closed building. After a sweep of the building, the dog came to the area, barking and pawing at the cage, indicating a find.

“They searched the whole building,” Marmorato said. “Where there is one suspect, there could be two. Where there is two, it might be three.”

Because of the open air and winds, outside the dogs track using the scent of broken grass and vegetation. Dogs frequently will throw their nose in the air to pick up the trail and then put their head to the ground to follow it.
During training, the reward for the dog is to let them bite the decoy wearing the bite sleeve. Marmorato took one of those bites, which she described as “other than the dog tugging, you don’t feel anything else.”

Marmorato dons the vest used by the K-9 unit.On several calls, she also got to traipse through the woods in pursuit of suspects.

“I got poison ivy twice,” Marmorato said. “I found out my boots were not waterproof. I wore long tactical pants, which were really hot, but after walking through tall grass, I was thankful for the pants that made me sweat. I didn’t know if there were snakes and spiders out there. I’m kind of a girl that way.”

Sgt. Porras said that Marmorato has what it takes to be a good police officer. He said Houston officers can only join the K-9 unit, or other specialties after like homicide or SWAT, after five years on the streets.

“She’s very intelligent, and she has good sense in evaluating people,” said Sgt. Porras. “She is a well-rounded individual and she would make an excellent police officer.”
Marmorato said she plans to return to school to pursue her Master’s degree.

Mamorato worked beside K-9 teams in training.“It was a pretty amazing experience,” said Marmorato. “I learned patience. But to hear the calls coming in, it made me pretty emotional, like with the domestic violence calls. They get to you. There is not much you can do, even after you are called to the house three to four times and they are still getting beaten. You can’t make the victim leave.”

Marmorato also got frustrated by the public’s failure to yield to police officers with sirens. There were days when they missed suspects because of the delays.

“When you hear lights and siren, pull out of the way,” Marmorato said. “Don’t slam on your brakes; that causes accidents. It’s hard to get to a call safely when people won’t get out of the way. People’s lives are in danger.”