A new student organization at Sam Houston State University is dedicated to assisting abused and neglected children in the local foster care system.

“Our motto is ‘For the Children,’” said Amanda Thurkettle, president of Kats for CASA, which raises funds and assists Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Walker, San Jacinto and Trinity counties. “It’s all about the children.”

CASA is a group of citizen volunteers who represent and advocate for children in foster care in courts. These highly trained volunteers become the “eyes and ears” for judges for children in the community. They visit children and research their needs to help judges find the best options for safe, permanent homes. CASA volunteers serve as the sole voice for the child in court proceedings.

While some of the students in Kats for CASA serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers are required to be 21 years old to be appointed to the position. Because of the overwhelming needs of the organization, students from criminal justice, education and psychology banded together to raise funds to support the local organization. Last year, they donated $500 to the agency through monthly activities, including Valentine’s Day cards, bake sales, and events held during Child Abuse Awareness Month.

“Last year, we started a Child Abuse Awareness Month,” said Thurkettle. “Working with Pay It Forward, in April we sponsored fundraising events, like a foursquare competition, a balloon release, a bake sale and penny wars.”
This year, the group hopes to expand its membership and efforts. It received a $500 startup award from SHSU to pay for tee-shirts and a banner to raise its visibility on campus. It hopes to parlay those actions into providing more money for CASA, perhaps even funding a full-time position at the agency.

Kats for CASA also participates in fundraising efforts sponsored by CASA, such as a 5K run and an upcoming Skeet Shoot. In addition, the student organization started an online resale shop, where they sell used furniture through the “Offer Up” phone app and donate most of the proceeds to CASA. The group was recognized by CASA for their involvement at the agency’s annual banquet.

The new student organization is the brainchild of several current and former admissions staff from SHSU, including Keith Ahee, April Cano, Clair Collins, Haley Riley and Rebecca Gay (now of Continuing Education). The staff group established the constitution and created the mission and vision for the student organization prior to soliciting members before the spring 2015 semester. Thirty-eight students signed up, and the organization now has its own student leadership team, which has taken over operations.

Ahee has served as a Board Member at CASA of Walker, San Jacinto and Trinity County for a year, assisting with fundraising efforts and on the personnel committee.

“One of the biggest things I enjoy with my job is working with student organizations,” said Ahee, a College of Criminal Justice graduate. “As a staff member at the University, it is important to enroll students, but it is just an important to keep them, and student organizations help do that. It is my way to reconnect with students after they get here.”

Ahee also serves as a student adviser to three other student groups at SHSU, including Colleges Against Cancer (Relay for Life), Theta Chi Fraternity and Ducks Unlimited.

The newest academic advisor at the College of Criminal Justice will never forget the day he graduated from Sam Houston State University – 12-13-14.

“I’ll probably remember that even after I’ve forgotten my name,” said Kevin Madden, who joined the Academic Advising Office at the College of Criminal Justice this spring.

Madden, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, is very familiar with the University and College, having joined at least 10 organizations on campus as an undergraduate as well as participating in the National Association of Eagle Scouts. He was a member of the Honors College, the Student Alumni Association, the Freshman Leadership Program, the Sam Houston Elite, the Student Government Association, Alpha Lambda Delta, Orange Keys University Ambassadors, the College of Criminal Justice Ambassadors, the Golden Key Society and a CJ Summer Camp Counselor.

His activities outside the classroom – and networking with key administrators -- is what Madden liked best about his college education. “I had the ability to do so much and to make meaningful connections,” Madden said.

Madden is hoping to help today’s students find their successful path through higher education and into the field of criminal justice.

“I like being in a college atmosphere,” he said. “I had a lot of experience with the department and my advisor, and I thought it would be an interesting opportunity.”

Madden believes in the University’s motto, “A Measure of a Life is Its Service” and contributed more than more than 300 hours of community service as an undergraduate. In addition, the native of the South Dallas area built a fence and lighting for Thompson Park, an underprivileged area in Waxahachie, as part of his Eagle Scout project. The playground was just 12 feet from the street, and he wanted to protect the neighborhood children from traffic.

As an outstanding scholar, Madden was selected twice for Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities in 2013 and 2014. But while he is committed to his studies, Madden also has a fun side. His hobbies include skydiving, scuba diving and cliff jumping.

Madden would like to take his education and experience to the next level in the spring by going to law school to eventually become a Judge Advocate General, preferably in the Air Force. A JAG officer is a military lawyer that practices a wide variety of cases in the legal field, such as criminal, contract, civil, and environmental law, on behalf of the U.S. military.

In the meantime, Madden is giving back to the university that put him on his path to success. Visit him in the Academic Advising Office to discover your unique talents and passion. He can be reached at (936) 294-1681 or at kevin.madden@shsu.edu.

Alumnus Lt. Jerry Philpott recently was named head of the Homicide Division for the third largest county in the country.

Lt. Philpott, who earned his bachelor (’91) and master’s degrees (’05) at Sam Houston State University, started his career with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office the day after graduating from the College of Criminal Justice in 1991. After being promoted to detective in 2003, he served in various divisions including Robbery, Burglary and Theft; Criminal Warrants; and the Crimes Against Children Unit. In May, Lt. Philpott was put in charge of the Homicide Unit, which also handles missing persons, runaways and cold cases.

“This unit is responsible for investigating homicides and includes infant deaths, murders, suicides, officer-involved shootings and kidnappings,” said Lt. Philpott. “I can say the investigators assigned to the unit are some of the most committed and dedicated individuals I have ever worked with…it is stated that being assigned to the Homicide Unit, ‘It’s not just a job, but rather a lifestyle.’”

There are 16 full time investigators assigned to the unit. In 2012, the unit responded to 403 scenes; in 2013 to 431 scenes; and in 2014 to 352 scenes. Most of the cases occur late at night and on the weekends, pulling these detectives away from home and family.

“The call-outs they are responsible for are often overwhelming,” Lt Philpott said. “The investigators are frequently pulled away from their families in the middle of the night to respond to a scene. Working a murder is a daunting task due to the nature that each scene is unique and often requires a great deal of time and resources. There are cases that are closed within a day, and other investigations remain ongoing for months and even years.”

The Homicide Unit works hand-in-hand with the Crime Scene Unit, which processes the scene. “The two units maintain a close working relationship; the Homicide Unit could not adequately perform investigations without their expertise,” Lt. Philpott said.

As supervisor of the unit, Lt. Philpott does not go out on every scene, but rather is assigned to officer-involved shootings, high profile deaths or those with multiple victims. His job involves reviewing statistical data and crime scene investigations, attending meetings, and responding to open records requests and the media.

“Being an administrator has always been part of my personal career path; however, I do miss the investigative aspect of law enforcement,” said Lt. Philpott. “Working cases and obtaining confessions from suspects is something I miss the most.”

Before joining the Homicide Unit, Lt. Philpott was in charge of the Special Victims Unit, which encompassed Crimes Against Children, Family Violence, Adult Sex Crime, Sex Offender Registrations and the Victim Assistance Unit. He also worked for a year in the Internal Affairs Division, which investigates complaints of officer misconduct and policy violations.

One of Lt. Philpott’s most rewarding assignments was working with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task (ICAC) Force, which tackled internet pornography involving children. A collaborative effort among the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Constable’s Office and the Pasadena Independent School District Police, the program produced more arrests than any other of the 61 ICACs across the country.

“The work I did with the task force was extremely rewarding, but also very challenging,” Lt. Philpott said. “Having to look at graphic images of child exploitation each and every day can take a toll on investigators.”

Lt. Philpott said that law enforcement is in his blood.

“I’m not sure if I chose law enforcement or if itchose me,” said Philpott “My great grandfather and grandfather were both police officers. As a young boy I admired both, especially my grandfather. He was my friend, father and role model. I knew at a very young age I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

Lt. Philpott said that his education at Sam Houston State University provided a “solid foundation” for his career and offered him many tools that he builds upon each and every day. For students who want to work in the homicide field, he suggests getting as much experience in patrol and investigations as possible.

“Even more importantly would be to refine their interpersonal skills,” said Lt. Philpott. “Interviewing both witnesses and suspects is critical to the job. Asking the right questions and having persistence in order to obtain a confession is often time consuming and demanding.”

Lt. Philpott said there is a huge difference between what you see on TV and what occurs in real life. “Crimes are not generally solved within an hour; it takes a great deal of patience, persistence and dedication to properly solve most murders.”

As a Homeland Security Planner for Harris County, Alumna Stevee Franks (MS ’14) is always ready for a disaster -- it’s literally her job.

Franks, a graduate of the Master of Science in Security Studies program, is responsible for developing, organizing, documenting and maintaining emergency response plans for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HCOHSEM).

“Harris County is such a large and diverse community of individuals, businesses, and critical infrastructure so it is important to plan for any and all hazards that may affect our community,” said Franks.

Working closely with stakeholders throughout communities in Harris County, she handles multiple projects evaluating, developing, updating, and maintaining plans for threats and hazards as well as understanding relevant policies for each situation. She represents the office at meetings and provides assistance and coordination among the county and other partners, and during an emergency, she may be called upon to perform specific emergency response activities at the Harris County Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Franks began her career in Harris County following an internship with the office, where she served in the planning section. That section is charged with creating plans for all types of disasters focusing on how to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from each situation.

“An internship is a great way to see how much potential a student or recent graduate has in the field,” said Harris County Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Sloan. “Stevee worked hard and developed a good work ethic while she was here, so we decided to bring her on as a paid employee.”

During her internship and subsequent tenure, Franks has come to understand and value the benefits of teamwork as well as utilizing every emergency situation as a learning experience as well as a way to grow both personally and as an employee.

“You have to make yourself available,” said Franks. “You have to be there to do something that needs to be done. I know it sounds simple, but it’s true! You would be surprised how often being available and willing to tackle a project or issue, no matter how small, will help you in life and your career. It shows that you are a team player, you take initiative, and you care about what is going on.”

The Emergency Operations Center is located at Houston TranStar, which manages transportation corridors in the region. TranStar is one of only five centers in the nation that houses transportation and emergency management under the same roof. It is a partnership that allows the EOC to monitor closely the impact of emergencies on traffic throughout the area.

By volunteering during emergencies – and getting hands-on experience in her graduate program – Franks landed a job as a Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) Coordinator in the office following her graduation. Soon after, in November of 2014, she became a Urban Area Security Initiatives Homeland Security Planner, and she absolutely loves her job. She said the HCOHSEM offers many opportunities in the security studies field, including training/exercises, planning, logistics and administration/finance. The office coordinates with partners in order to aid in the response to a wide variety of emergencies, including fires, hazmat situations, special events, health epidemics, transportation issues and bad weather.

“Harris County has 34 cities including: Houston, Pasadena, Deer Park, Humble and LaPorte,” said Franks. “It includes 54 fire departments, 125 law enforcement agencies and the largest export port in the U.S. It is also a major hub for the energy and medical communities. It is a very large and complex environment”

Franks said Sam Houston State University prepared her well for her career, including professors who cared about her future, networking opportunities that linked her with professionals in the field, and hands-on experience in fields like emergency management by utilizing resources such as the Incident Command Simulation Training Suite at Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. The program stages mock disaster drills, allowing students to understand the terminology and activities involved in a real life emergency.

“It helped me with networking, and the professors let you know they cared about your future,” Franks said. “They taught us what we really needed to know not only through reading and research, but with applied programs and hands-on experience.”

Jessica Cervantes hit the streets this summer with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) Houston District Office, which is the state’s juvenile parole agency. She monitored and helped youthful offenders in the communities where they live, work, and go to school.

As an intern with the TJJD Houston, Cervantes traveled throughout the region – from Galveston to Lufkin -- to visit juveniles released from state juvenile facilities. Mirroring six parole officers, Cervantes went to homes to visit juveniles and their parents, checked in on them at work, or visited their schools during their initial 90-day parole period. She talked with juveniles to make sure they were complying with rules, but also to help them develop plans to succeed in the future and to help identify programs and services the families may need.

“It reassured me that I want to work in this field,” said Cervantes. “I feel they are young and a lot of them made mistakes because they were lacking a positive role model. I want to be that positive role model. I’m graduating from college, and it’s possible for them to do it too.”

During the first 90-days on parole, juveniles are assessed to see if they are meeting discharge requirements, such as providing 60 hours of community services; participating in 40 hours a week of productive activity such as work or school; and adhering to curfews, ranging from 7 to 10 p.m. Juveniles also are subject to random drug testing, and some are required to wear ankle monitors. The system is set up with graduated rewards or disciplinary hearings for those who fail to comply with their conditions of parole.

For Cervantes, the most important part of the visit is talking with juveniles about how to stay away from criminal activity and to assist them in finding a road to success. Sherrell Kivumbi, the Houston District Office family and community relations coordinator, said that, fortunately, Cervantes is Spanish speaking and has spoken to family members who were limited in English; she says the families appreciated an opportunity to really explain themselves in their colloquial.

“Most of the officers try to help,” Cervantes said. “We don’t want to see them fail. We ask them about their week and what they did. We ask them to identify their goals, which may be getting a car, a driver’s license or their GED. We have a work force specialist that helps them look for jobs, helps them with resumes, and interviewing skills. Parole officers and family liaisons also identify resources for families, which may include Medicaid, counseling, drug counseling and rental assistance, mentors, and more."

“Most of the kids follow the rules,” said Cervantes. “We had more positive discharges.”

Before juveniles are released from state facilities, parole officers are required to make home assessments to determine if parents want their children to return or if the home environment is appropriate. The juvenile offenders come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from elaborate homes to one bedroom crowded apartments housing families with seven children. The offenses that the youth were adjudicated for are all felonies, ranging from aggravated burglary to capital murder.

“For the most part, parents are very supportive and they really love their kids,” said Cervantes. “For many kids, this is a mistake that they have made, but most people hear felon and they don’t want anything to do with them.”

Cervantes said the internship taught her to be tough but fair.

“I like the firmness, but not being too firm,” Cervantes said. “You want to care for the kids, but you are not their friend. They are really good at manipulation. But you talk to them about their day and some of them want to go to college.”

As part of her internship, Cervantes went to local juvenile detention centers to read juveniles their rights before their parole was revoked. Although the office was in Houston, Cervantes traveled all over Southeast Texas to visit her clientele, including Lufkin, Huntsville, The Woodlands, and Galveston.

Cervantes frequently used lessons she learned at Sam Houston State University during her internship. Some courses she took showed the differences in handling adult and juvenile offenders and that many of these juveniles had suffered abuse and neglect. A course in interviewing and counseling taught her how to talk to juveniles by understanding who they were and their backgrounds. She also was able to tell juveniles about the difference between detention center and adult prisons based on the tours she took in her corrections class.
Cervantes graduated in August and already has applications out to work in the field.

“That day I fell in love with firefighting,” said Christensen.

Assistant Chief Christensen, who received her master’s degree in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management from Sam Houston State University and graduated from the Leadership Inventory for Female Executives and Public Information Officer programs at the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, now serves as the second in command of the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office, which offers a unique blend of firefighting and law enforcement skills in many aspects of the job, especially in suspected arson cases. Those who investigate these crimes are required to have both fire investigator and peace officer licenses to help get to the bottom of suspicious fires.

Harris County, the third largest in the United States, has its own Fire Marshal’s Agency, which is responsible for coordination of fire prevention, fire investigation, education, and hazardous materials/weapons of mass destruction emergency response for the 53 fire departments of Harris County. The office is comprised of five branches, including Emergency Operations, Arson, Fire Prevention, Operational Support and Training. Christensen’s job is to ensure that the office complies with all federal, state, and county rules and regulations related to law enforcement and fire safety.

Employees from the Fire Marshal’s Office come from diverse backgrounds, such as law enforcement, architecture, the corporate world, industry and volunteer and career fire departments, to name a few. While the Arson Division is the only one that requires a peace officer license, several employees have come from law enforcement and serve in various branches, including inspections and hazmat.

The office is responsible for fire and life safety inspections of all new commercial construction as well as ongoing inspections at businesses that host the public, particularly nightclubs, restaurants, assisted living facilities and day cares. During these inspections, licensed peace officers may witness illegal activities, such as the presence of drugs, human trafficking, or other felonious activity, and they are authorized to make arrests or begin investigations of those crimes.

The office also responds to emergencies involving hazardous materials/weapons of mass destruction in the county, including those that involve chemical, biological, radiological, explosive, or terrorist threats. Those incidents also have included environmental crimes and illegal drug interdiction on multiple occasions. Those with peace officer licenses can immediately begin investigations of any illegal activity.

Assistant Chief Christensen began her career in the Simpson Paper Mill, where she joined the company’s emergency response team, which handled incidents involving worker injuries, fires and chemical leaks. The company sent her to college to get her associate’s degree to become a safety specialist at the plant. While working at the plant, Christensen had the opportunity to meet other safety personnel from other nearby industries, who would ask for her assistance whenever there was an incident at their site.

She joined the Pasadena Fire Department, which remains the largest all-volunteer department in the country. It was then she decided to pursue a career in the fire marshal’s service, earning a peace officer’s license after a nine-month academy. She served as a Deputy Fire Marshal in Pasadena and Fire Marshal in LaPorte before joining the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office in November 2004. Ten months later, as a new inspector with the agency, she found herself in the middle of one of the biggest recent disasters in the Houston region – the evacuees from Hurricane Katrina.

Christensen walked into the Astrodome to help with thousands of evacuees from Louisiana and soon found herself as the Logistics Section Chief for the mission to feed, clothe, protect and serve 72,000 people who came through the doors of the Astrodome. “We ensured that their needs were met,” Christensen said. “They were no longer evacuees, they were part of our family now.”

Joseph J. Leonard Jr., who served as Area Commander of the Houston Megashelter Operation, selected Christensen for the operation because of her “can-do attitude” and her ability “to overcome adversity.”

“When I said I needed a capable Logistics Section Chief, she offered to try,” Leonard recalled. “She not only tried, she succeeded where no one else could have. Over 23 days, she ensured adequate shelter services for over 72,000 residents, provided support for 8,000 responders and 60,000 volunteers, and readily transitioned to evacuation operations with the pending landfall of Hurricane Rita. An enviable feat! Did I mention she never served in logistics prior to this? Laurie is also a highly accomplished instructor and administrator--the kind of person I want with me in any type or kind of incident I have to manage.”

For her efforts in Hurricane Katrina, Christensen received a “Certificate of Recognition” from Texas Gov. Rick Perry. She has also received several other awards recognizing her outstanding service to others.

Christensen credits a wide array of contacts for her success in that position, which helped escalate her career. She knew Leonard from a class at Texas A & M and many of the corporate leaders from her time working at the paper mill and at the fire department.

“Don’t ever take for granted the people from your past and the relationships you have formed,” Assistant Chief Christensen said.

Nearly 200 students graduated from the College of Criminal Justice in August, including five new Ph.D.s and approximately 46 with masters’ degrees.

Among the new Ph.D. graduates are Drs. Seth Wyatt Fallik, Yi-Fen Lu, Narin Phetthong, Hee Sub Shim, and Jeanne Marie Subjack. The masters’ graduates included 26 Masters of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management, both from the online and the intensive weekend programs; seven Masters of Science in Victim Services Management, five Masters of Arts in Criminal Justice and Criminology, and three Masters of Science in Criminal Justice.

Dr. Fallik’s dissertation was “Criminal Investigations: If, When, and to What Extent does Detective Effort Impact Case Outcomes?” The chair of his committee was Dr. Larry T. Hoover with committee members Drs. William Wells and William R. King. Dr. Fallik is an Assistant Professor at Florida Atlantic University.

Dr. Lu’s dissertation was “The Interplay of Genes and Age-Graded Social Control in Predicting Offending Behavior: A Molecular Genetic Approach.” Dr. Lu’s committee was chaired by Dr. Scott W. Menard, with committee members Drs. Dennis R. Longmire, Danielle Boisvert, and Brian Boutwell.

Dr. Phetthong did his dissertation on “A Study of Personality, Organizational Factors and Job Satisfaction among Thailand Immigration Police Officer,” guided by his chair, Dr. Hoover and committee members Dr. Jihong (Solomon) Zhao and Yan Zhang.

Dr. Shim’s dissertation was “A Longitudinal Study on Juvenile Attitudes toward the Police: Instrumental and Expressive Perspectives,” His committee also was composed of Dr. Hoover as chair with committee members Drs. Jihong (Solomon) Zhao and Yan Zhang.

Dr. Subjack wrote her dissertation on “Social Construction of Child Sexual Abuse: Age Proximity of Victims and Offenders and the Relationship to Offending.” Her committee was chaired by Dr. Raymond H.C. Teske, Jr. and included members Drs. Menard and Victoria B. Titterington.

The Department of Security Studies will rip the news from the headlines in its latest course to explore Contemporary Issues in Homeland Security.

Taught by Dr. Russell Lundberg, the undergraduate class will explore the latest trends emerging in the homeland security enterprise, which addresses all forms of threats to the United States, such as terrorism, natural disasters, epidemics, immigration and citizenship issues. One of the emerging issues that will top the agenda will be ISIS and whether it poses a greater threat than Al Qaeda.

“While terrorism is an important issue, the Department of Homeland Security has so many more things to consider,” said Dr. Lundberg. “This will be a great opportunity to get information on the Homeland Security Enterprise and more direct experience with the issues they are dealing with today.”

The class, CRIJ 4377: Special Topics in Criminal Justice, Contemporary Issues in Homeland Security, meets Mondays and Wednesday from 3pm to 4:20pm.

Due to its popularity, the Department recently added a new section on Global Terrorism and Homeland Security, which will be taught by Laurie Christensen, Assistant Chief of the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office. The course will provide an overview of the war on terrorism such as the research and analytical skills needed to combat threats from both a public and private perspective. In this Post 9/11 world, the United States and other western interests continue to live under the constant threat of a potential terrorist attack.

Christensen will ask students to explore how law enforcement and emergency response work forces are making strides in the ever-changing threat perspective that includes how they themselves are becoming targets within the United States. Discussions will include the national response framework, cyber Security and those agencies who diligently track risk factors abroad and in the United State. The class, CRIJ 3394, is offered online.

The College of Criminal Justice will welcome students back to the fall semester with a series of events from Aug. 31-Sept. 3.

The program will introduce students to the many opportunities offered in the College of Criminal Justice, one of the largest and oldest programs of its kind in the country. On Monday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the CJ Lobby, students can mingle with faculty members from the Departments of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Forensic Science and Security Studies who will guide them through their academic programs.

On Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the CJ Courtroom, Dr. Jim Dozier will highlight the internship program, which provides more than 300 opportunities in local, state, federal and international agencies as well as private companies and non-profits. Although the internship generally is taken during the senior year, it is essential to prepare early for premium positions and to fit one’s schedule. The internship requires an entire semester working full-time and earns nine credits toward a Criminal Justice degree. The internship session will be available live on the web at www.cjcenter.org/live.

On Wednesday, students can learn more about Mexican drug cartels by viewing the movie Traffic (2000) and discussing real life experiences with Dr. Nathan Jones, a professor in the Department of Security Studies, who spent a year in Mexico studying the issue. The movie begins at 3 p.m. in the CJ Courtroom.

Finally, students can learn more about eight undergraduate student organizations within the College of Criminal Justice and find one that meets their goals and interests. The student organization fair will be held Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the CJ Lobby. Among the organizations represented are:

• Alpha Phi Sigma, National Criminal Justice Honor Society
• Lambda Alpha Epsilon, American Criminal Justice Association
• National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice
• The Society of Forensic Science
• Phi Alpha Delta, Pre-Law
• Crime Victim Services Alliance
• National Organization of Hispanics in Criminal Justice
• Kats for CASA

Join fellow students, faculty and staff for a great kickoff to the 2014-15 Academic Year!

Five faculty members from the College of Criminal Justice spent their summer conducting research to explore up-and-coming issues in the field.

Among those funded through Enhancement Grants from Sam Houston State University and the College of Criminal Justice were Drs. Melinda Tasca, Jasmine Drake, Brittany Hayes, Erin Orrick and Sheree Hughes-Stamm. The researchers are studying topics as diverse as solitary confinement in a state prison system, chemical profiling of marijuana, online interventions for cyberstalking, factors that impact offender reentry initiatives, and the use of “next generation” DNA profiling systems for degraded biological samples.

“The goal of enhancement grants is to obtain preliminary results that strengthen your proposal for federal funding,” said Dr. Tasca.

Solitary Confinement

Dr. Melinda Tasca will study the racial and ethnic disparities among offenders placed in solitary confinement using data on all released inmates from one state in 2011-13. Studies have found that solitary confinement has harmful effects on inmates and remains a hot rod for litigation. Between 5 and 10 percent of all inmates in state and federal prisons serve time in solitary confinement.

Inmates in solitary confinement are not always assigned to these segregation units because of disruptive behavior. Solitary confinement is also used to manage those with mental health issues, gang members and to segregate other vulnerable groups. Dr. Tasca will investigate the racial makeup of those assigned to segregation units and, in the future, she plans to evaluate the impact of solitary confinement on recidivism and mental health status.

Profiling Marijuana

Dr. Drake will investigate the efficacy of using chemical profiling of marijuana in identifying its geographical origin. Although two states, Colorado and Washington, have legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes and others permit its medical use under state law, the drug is still illegal federally in most states. The goal of the chemical profiling project is to help law enforcement officials and forensic practitioners identify the origin of samples to determine if laws were broken by smuggling samples from legal jurisdictions to illegal outside markets.

Dr. Drake will analyze marijuana samples from a minimum of 20 cases from the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Southwest Regional Center, to determine whether chemical profiles for these materials can be developed using traditional chemical methods, such as Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Many of these samples would include suspected contraband coming across the Mexico border and through the airports from South America, Canada, Europe and Asia.

“Due to the legalization of marijuana in the states of Colorado and Washington and the absence of an extensive tracking database or registry for legal marijuana products, the need for an analytical tool for identification of marijuana samples is relevant to prevent diversion and illegal distribution,” Dr. Drake said. “This method will not only assist law enforcement agencies to authenticate legal cannabis products but also will help to link cases and eventually link and identify illegal growers/distributers.”

Online Intervention of Cyberstalking

Dr. Hayes will examine whether social networking sites provide the ability for individuals to intervene in instances of cyberstalking. With the growth of the internet and social media, many cases of stalking are moving online and are posted on public forums for all to see. Dr. Hayes will explore whether individuals are willing to report these behaviors to authorities when they are observed.

The study is an extension of research into bystander intervention in the cases of sexual assault or intimate partner violence. In addition to measuring interventions, the study will examine whether attitudes held by individuals affect their willingness to get involved in stopping the behavior. The goal of the proposed study is to determine at what point individuals are willing to intervene when exposed to stalking behaviors in an online environment. Findings from the study can be used to tailor bystander intervention programs and broaden their focus to prevent other criminal behavior.

Factors That Affect Recidivism

Dr. Orrick will examine a new approach for examining time-to-reoffending-after-release by looking at variations in recidivism pattern among cohorts of serious and violent offenders. She will analyze how recidivism operates both within and between groups and how offender profiles differ across offending categories, such as violent crime, property crime and drug crime.

The study is based on nearly 2,400 participants in the Serious Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, a National Institute of Justice effort to develop programs before and after an offender’s release to improve outcomes. Dr. Orrick seeks to pinpoint the factors that lead to recidivism in hopes of focusing funding and efforts to address those offenders’ needs.

“The purpose of the study to look at whom to target, when, and for what,” said Dr. Orrick. “It will help to identify the needs of specific groups of offenders.”

Next Generation Forensic DNA Tools

Finally, Dr. Hughes-Stamm plans to investigate “next generation” DNA kits to test their potential to provide more information from degraded or challenging biological samples, and to increase the power to discriminate and triage samples compared to earlier versions. Dr. Hughes-Stamm will use various tissue samples from cadavers at the Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility to test expanded DNA quantification and profiling kits in addition to new Next Generation Sequencing panels specifically designed for human identification purposes.

Crime labs are currently transitioning into some of these new kits, but the full utility of NGS panels for human identification and forensic investigation using severely decomposed human remains has not been clearly demonstrated. Dr. Hughes-Stamm is interested in the new technology as part of her ongoing research into identification methods for highly degraded human samples from mass disasters.

In 2013, Dr. Hughes-Stamm received a National Institute of Justice grant to explore a new method for room temperature storing and processing of degraded DNA samples from mass disasters in an effort to identify victims. These new methods may provide a better way to quantify and genotype these very difficult DNA samples.

A Post-it note can go a long way to getting colleagues and students to respond to a survey, according to a recent study at Sam Houston State University.

Dr. Randy Garner, a professor in the College of Criminal Justice, tested the theory on faculty and graduate students to find effective ways to get responses for completing research surveys. He sent the survey with no notes, with a note written on a cover sheet, with a blank Post-it note and with a handwritten message on a Post-it note. The handwritten Post-it note elicited the most responses.

“A more personalized Post-it appeal increased returns when the survey was long and time consuming but was no more effective than a non-personalized Post-it when the survey was easy to complete,” Dr. Garner found in a study published in Social Science Research Network. “Results suggest that the Post-it leads the request to be interpreted as a solicitation for a personal favor, facilitating a normative compliance response. “

Garner tested his theory using four different studies. First, he sent out a survey on campus climate to 150 faculty members. The survey was distributed equally among faculty, with some receiving no note, some receiving a handwritten note on the cover page, and some receiving the identical message written on Post-it note. Dr. Garner found those with the handwritten Post-it note were more likely to respond.

The second experiment targeted 150 graduate students with a similar five page survey on campus climate, with an equal distribution of those who received no note, a blank Post-it note, and a handwritten Post-it note.

Students who received packages with handwritten Post-it notes returned significantly more surveys.
The third study of 100 faculty members from two major urban universities provided a survey on campus climate, using no note, a handwritten note on the cover page and a handwritten note on a Post-it. The research also solicited comments, and as a follow-up, a letter was sent two weeks later asking how to make the process more efficient and productive. Dr. Garner found the use of a handwritten Post-it note did boost the rate and speed of returns as well as the number of additional comments on the initial survey.

Finally, in a fourth experiment, 180 graduates were asked to respond to one of two surveys on campus life, campus climate and instructional issues – a short five page questionnaire and a 24 page document with open-ended responses. Each survey included the three scenarios used in the earlier student experiment: no note, a Post-it note, or a handwritten Post-it note. Some students received the short survey, while others received the longer version, with both including a handwritten Post-it note. The survey was followed up by a phone call to students, which asked them for factors that contributed to their decision to answer the survey. None mentioned the Post-it note. Following their response, the caller asked about specific factors that led to their participation, including the Post-it note.

The students receiving the short survey were more likely to return the questionnaire than those who received the longer survey. For the short form, the Post-it note generally did not enhance participation in the survey, whereas with the longer survey, students were more likely to respond if a personalized Post-it note was attached. In the follow-up interview, few students said they initially noticed the Post-it note, but when prompted, there was greater recall about the presence of the handwritten note. However, only 12 percent of the 37 student reached said the Post-it note was a factor in returning the survey.

“The present findings suggest that the use of something as seemingly insignificant as a Post-it can indeed possess the potential for eliciting a sticky influence,” Dr. Garner said.

Dr. Blasko spent seven years as a clinician in the assessment and treatment of sex and violent offenders in the Pennsylvania state prison system, even while attending graduate school in pursuit of her Ph.D. in an effort to impact the policy level in corrections. Dr. Buzzini received his education at the oldest forensic science school in the world before coming to the U.S. to teach students and train practitioners at West Virginia University. Dr. Veasey, former Director of Quality Assurance and Special Programs for Montgomery County Forensic Services, served as a medical examiner, a prosecutor and a civil and criminal defense attorney.

Dr. Buzzini’s areas of interest include trace evidence and questioned documents, where he has had the unique opportunity to serve as teacher, researcher and case worker in his discipline. “Casework is the fuel for research and in teaching,” said Dr. Buzzini. “The key research questions are what is pertinent to the field, and we expose students to the problems you see in cases, which makes everything even more real.”

Dr. Buzzini has worked with many kinds of trace evidence, including textile fibers, paint, glass, and gunshot residue. In questioned documents, he examines inks used on documents in criminal cases, such as a threat letter or suicide note, to determine the source. These examinations also may involve handwriting analysis, sources of paper, fingerprints, or microscopic debris and dust left behind on paper.

The tools of his trade include microscopy and spectroscopy, which examine materials in minute detail.

“I really like microscopy because it is instrumental in forensic analysis,” said Dr. Buzzini. “The problem with evidence is the interpretation. What does the evidence mean?”

Dr. Buzzini’s interest in forensic science began, ironically, in an English class while reading Sherlock Holmes and The Hounds of Baskerville. He enjoyed the scientific investigation involved in criminal cases and chose a forensic science major in high school. He was trained at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, which awarded the first forensic science degree in 1909. There, he got to practice forensic science in all disciplines in the field and, upon graduation, he worked at West Virginia University for eight years.

Dr. Buzzini currently is working with the U.S. Secret Service to analyze counterfeit bills created on inkjet printers. He provided workshops for the West Virginia State Police and South African Police Services on analyzing hair samples as well as offered presentations to forensic science labs across the country on fiber and paint evidence. He also trains and mentors forensic scientists in Algeria as part of the U.S. Department of State International Criminal and Investigative Training Assistance Program and presents classes for defense and prosecution attorneys and judges on trace evidence and evidence interpretation.

Dr. Buzzini joined the Department of Forensic Science this summer, getting his first trainings underway at the Forensic Science Educators Training offered for high school and middle school teachers in July. Dr. Blasko joined the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice in August.

Dr. Veasey has a long and varied career in the criminal justice field. He previously served as the medical examiner for Montgomery and five surrounding counties in Southeast Texas as well as for Galveston County. He went to law school and worked as a prosecutor in Brazoria County and as a defense and civil attorney in Brazoria and Galveston County. He also served as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Air Force and traveled around the world investigating military plane crashes.

“I am delighted to be coming back,” said Dr. Veasey. “I am delighted that the College will have the opportunity to have me back.”

Dr. Veasey will teach courses in the fundamentals of criminal law and professionalism and ethics in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and work with the Institute of Forensic Research, Training and Innovation to create quality training programs for professionals in the field. He will also teach Law and Forensic Science in the Spring.

Dr. Blasko said her passion lies at the intersection of criminal justice and psychology. In her research endeavors, she focuses broadly on how custodial environments shape interactions and outcomes. She is the co-principal investigator of The Prison Project, a long-term study of the prison experience from the viewpoints of prisoners, prison staff, and administrators. She also is involved in research on the exercise of discretion in decision-making by prison staff and wardens; prisoner suicide; procedural justice within prisons; and the therapeutic alliance in the context of sexual offender treatment.

“A lot of scholars study the front end of the criminal justice system, such as sentencing, and others study the back end, such as reentry,” said Dr. Blasko. “But prisons are a black box in the middle; we can’t assume prisoners go in one way and come out the same way.”

Dr. Blasko will teach undergraduate research methods in the fall and corrections at the graduate and undergraduate levels in the spring. Dr. Blasko actively mentors students at all levels and is eager to involve Sam Houston State University (SHSU) students in her research.

Before joining SHSU, Dr. Blasko was an interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellow in the Departments of Criminology, Law & Society and Psychology at George Mason University, where she worked with mentors in both criminology and psychology. While she is a trained criminologist, she also is interested in the interrelationship of human interactions, particularly in prison settings where these relationships and interactions are mandated. A common theme in her studies is criminal justice decision-making and how the process influences equity of outcomes.

Her dissertation, “The Uncharted Influence of Prison Staff Decision-making,” demonstrates this unique approach in the field. The study was based on how release decisions were made in a prison setting and examined the discretion used by prison staff, how the decision-making process impacts prisoners’ perception of the system, and the contributions prison staff make in discretionary release decision.

Dr. Blasko hopes to bring attention back to the prison system to examine such issues as procedural justice, relationships, and issues of fairness and trust. She also wants to shed light on the efficacy of the day-to-day prison environment as a rehabilitative tool. During her time as a prison clinician, she spent only two hours a week with offenders, an infinitesimal time in daily lives of prisoners and the overall period of incarceration.

Dr. Blasko received her Ph.D. from Temple University and a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her undergraduate work was in psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.

As a retired military veteran with 20 years of experience, Josh Lynch came to Sam Houston State University for a college degree to open doors to federal law enforcement positions. Lynch earned his bachelor’s degree in just 20 months, which included an internship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) in Houston, Texas.

In August 2014, Lynch was accepted in the Master’s program within the Department of Security Studies and obtained the college’s first Pathways Internship with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Flagstaff, Arizona.

“I work hand in hand with HSI special agents in the field,” said Lynch. “When they get a call, I get a call. I’ve gotten to observe search warrants, document cases, collect evidence, and go on searches of homes and cars.”

The Department of Homeland Security is composed of 22 different federal agencies, but there is only one investigation division, HSI. As a critical asset in the ICE mission, HSI is responsible for investigating a wide range of domestic and international activities arising from the illegal movement of people and goods into, within and out of the United States. HSI special agents also conduct investigations aimed at protecting critical infrastructure industries that are vulnerable to sabotage, attack or exploitation.

HSI investigations cover a broad range of areas, including national security threats, financial and smuggling violations (including illegal arms exports), financial crimes, commercial fraud, human trafficking, narcotics smuggling, child pornography/exploitation, and immigration fraud.

“It is the second largest federal law enforcement agency in size only to the FBI,” said Lynch.

As a result, Lynch has been involved in a wide variety of cases since he joined HSI in October.

A few cases he has been involved in include drugs, money, cars, underage prostitution rings, and child pornography. But the most unusual part of his internship has been assisting in investigations involving cultural antiquities.

Lynch was able to assist in an investigation involving dinosaur eggs and meteorites smuggled out of Burma (it is illegal to remove any artifacts from certain parts of Argentina, Germany, China and the U.S.). No artifacts are allowed to leave China.

Before joining Sam Houston State University, Lynch served in the Navy at bases in the U.S. and Japan. He began his career as a Navy medic and later joined the military police, where he was a K-9 handler searching for bombs and drugs. Lynch ended his military career as a command investigator.

Lynch is the first College of Criminal Justice student to get a paid internship through the Pathways program, which is a new federal initiative to open the doors to federal jobs for students and recent graduates. 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. For additional information, please visit https://www.usajobs.gov/StudentsAndGrads.

With controversial suspect deaths and public protests in Ferguson, MO. and New York fresh in their minds, Texas Police Chiefs representing municipal, school, and college/university law enforcement set a biennial training agenda for top law enforcement officers for Texas agencies.

About 1,000 police chiefs from across Texas will attend the Texas Police Chief Leadership Series (TPCLS) at the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) every two years. Beginning in September, the program will touch on several emerging issues in law enforcement, such as credibility with the community, body cameras, data management, riots and demonstrations, department image, public relations and human resources.

“I feel that with the recent events nationally, policing is at a real crossroads, similar to the way policing changed after 9/11,” said Chief Eric Buske of the Bryan Police Department. “The topics we covered and the agenda we developed in the focus group are going to help prepare Texas chiefs for this upcoming change. It is my belief that community credibility, preparation for demonstrations or disorder, department image, and public relations are going to be key issues that chiefs will need to be on top of in order to successfully lead their departments and provide quality service to their communities.”

“Twenty-three chiefs from across the state helped build the agenda for the week long training program, which will be provided to chiefs from small and medium-sized law enforcement agencies in Texas between Sept. 1, 2015 – Aug. 31, 2017,” says Donna Garcia, Program Coordinator.

Chief Robert MacDonald of the Jasper Police Department said the recommended training will lead chief throughout the state to provide “transparency, accountability and professionalism” in their departments.

The chiefs identified six key issues, including:

• Building credibility and reputations of police departments through policies, supervision and accountability
• Examining the use of body cameras, including the pros and cons of these systems
• Managing data and sharing information from new technology, particularly body cameras, including the hardware and software needs, open records requests, and transparency
• Developing public relations for departments to improve image, such as disseminating messages from the department to provide factual information and utilizing Facebook to present a positive image
• Handling demonstrations and riots, including the use of de-escalation techniques and reducing militarization
• Addressing human resource matters, such as retaining chiefs and recruiting, hiring, retaining, and disciplining.

The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas recently held its first training to help certify court security specialists who protect courtrooms and courthouses as well as high security or high profile trials.

The three-day course, which is required biennially for court security specialists, is designed to introduce participants to court security and the functions of bailiffs, provide basic hands-on experience in the screening process, and raise awareness about explosives and courtroom security technology. In addition to classroom instructions at LEMIT, court security specialists had to pass a tactical and weapons test at another facility to receive their certification from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).

The course was taught by Constable Randy Davis of Tom Green County Precinct 4. He has more than 24 years of experience in court security operations at both the federal and state levels and helped write the curriculum for the TCOLE course. Constable Davis holds a Master Peace Officer and Instructors Certificate with TCOLE and is a graduate of LEMIT’s Texas Constables Leadership College.

This is one of a series of new courses offered by LEMIT to enhance training for Texas law enforcement professionals. Among the other offerings are the New Supervisor’s Course on Sept. 14-17; a Property and Evidence Management Course on Sept. 21; Reset the Clock: Replacing Liability with Credibility on Sept. 23-24, Cultural Perspectives for Law Enforcement on Sept. 30; and Individual and Group Crisis Intervention on Dec. 2-4.

For more information on LEMIT’s new offerings, visit http://www.lemitonline.org/programs/special/.

During a homicide epidemic in Trinidad and Tobago driven mainly by guns, the developing country had forensic ballistics imaging technology, but faced problems effectively using it to solve crimes, according to a study at Sam Houston State University.

“The homicide epidemic involved the repeated use of a limited number of firearms, conditions that are ideal for the ballistic imaging technology,” said Dr. William King, who co-authored “Impediments to the Effective Use of Ballistics Imaging Information in Criminal Investigations: Lessons from the Use of IBIS in a Developing Nation” with Dr. William Wells, both faculty at the College of Criminal Justice’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. “This nation also possessed a professionalized forensic crime lab and advanced ballistic imaging technology. The analysis reveals that the effective use of ballistic imaging was impeded by inefficient processes and backlogs at the national crime lab, time delays in identifying ballistic hits, and an inefficient system of transmitting hits report to police.”

Although the U.S. experiences relatively high rates of violent and gun crimes, Caribbean nations have among the highest homicide rates in the world, mainly due to gun violence. Trinidad and Tobago experienced a significant increase in homicides, with a 418 percent rise between 1993 and 2008. In 2008, 42.8 people per 100,000 were murdered in this two-island nation, compared to 5.6 people per 100,000 killed in the U.S. in 2007. Trinidad and Tobago has strict gun ownership laws.

In 2004, the country adopted the Integrated Ballistics Information System (IBIS), an advanced computerized technology used in the U.S. and Europe to capture high resolution images of ballistic evidence, which documents unique tool marks from fired bullet and cartridge cases. These marks can be used to link weapons to different cases. It took Trinidad and Tobago two years to generate its first hit from the system, mainly due to a delay in populating the database with firearms evidence, the research found.

The country also suffered from a backlog in cases because the nationwide crime lab only hired three examiners to handle more than 2,000 firearm related cases. With assistance from foreign experts from the U.K. and U.S., more firearms evidence was input into the system, which led to more hits that linked guns to crimes. Over time, the lab’s firearms section became extremely proficient at identifying ballistics imaging hits.

But a successful ballistic imaging program also relies on effective processes and handling of evidence. Among the issues faced in Trinidad and Tobago were the timely production and transfer of information to police agencies. The average time between submission of evidence and a gun crime hit report was 863 days.

The study also found that hit reports were inadequately transferred to investigators in the case. By tracking information from 19 gun hit reports, only six were delivered to the appropriate investigator. “This crude analysis shows the ineffective transmission of ballistics reports can prevent information from getting to investigators in at least one-third of cases and perhaps up to two-thirds of cases,” Dr. King said.

While the study was limited to Trinidad and Tobago, it may provide insight to assist other developing countries in the Caribbean and around the world, which suffer from escalating gun violence. The study concluded that the ballistic information systems can provide a wealth of tactical and strategic information to combat gun crime, but only when there are efficient and coordinated organization and communication networks in place to deliver the information. For example, a better system is needed to transmit hit reports to police, and police must communicate the relative importance of particular items of evidence. “Lapses or breakdowns in the system of organizations and networks, such as evidence backlogs, lapses in processing evidence and identifying hits, and problems in transmitted hit information to investigators will blunt the impact of the technology,” said Dr. Wells.

The study, which was funded by the Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago, was published in Forensic Science Policy and Management: An International Journal. The full study is available at http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19409044.2015.1051673#abstract.

After nearly 20 years of processing hundreds of crime scenes across Oklahoma and in parts of Texas, Alumnus Jim Stokes and his former colleague wondered if there were more efficient and effective ways to collect evidence at a crime scene and to document the process for the criminal justice system.

Stokes, who serves as the Criminalist Administrator for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and his partner, Forensic Specialist Eric Richardson of the League City Police Department, turned these musings into two mobile apps – CSI Connect, a checklist for officers for collecting all types of evidence at the scene, and SmartScene, a device to document all actions at a crime scene, right down to notes and reports.

“The idea was we wanted to see what we could do to make crime scene investigations more efficient and more standard, while producing a thorough document that can be used by law enforcement, prosecutors and the defense,” said Stokes.

Stokes and Richardson had plenty of experience in the field. After graduating from Sam Houston State University in 1991, Stokes began his career as a fingerprint examiner at the Houston Police Department, where he worked in classification at the jail, identifying suspects coming into the system. In 1995, he joined the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, where he was assigned to the Latent Evidence Unit, which processed crime scenes for fingerprints as well as shoe and tire impressions. After a short stint in Missouri City, Texas, Stokes returned to Oklahoma and, in 2002, he became supervisor of the Latent Evidence Unit. In 2010, he was named the criminalist administrator, overseeing latent evidence, firearms and tool marks, DNA, and the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

The state police system in Oklahoma is quite different from that in Texas. Separate from the Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is a request agency, and only has original jurisdiction in a handful of crimes. The agency provides investigative and laboratory services for agencies that don’t have resources to perform their own work. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation covers the state and may be requested by any law enforcement agency for assistance in processing crime scenes or conducting investigations. Over the last 20 years, Stokes has assisted in processing many crime scenes, serving as a lynchpin in several high profile cases.

One involved an elder Native American couple who were brutally stabbed to death in their home, leaving behind a very gruesome scene. It was the first time that the bureau was able to bring a chemical blood reagent out of the lab and onto a scene, and Stokes tested a bloody area on the wall above the victim. While invisible to the naked eye, Stokes was able to develop a fingerprint, which led to two potential suspects, with the prime suspect identified after

Stokes studied the prints in the lab.
In the second case, which occurred years before he joined the bureau, a peeping Tom broke into a home to sexually assault the woman inside, but was confronted by a man in the home, who was stabbed to death. After the murder, the suspect repeatedly sexually assaulted the woman, who was legally blind without her glasses and could not provide a description of the suspect, stating only that the suspect was naked when he came in the house. However, the suspect stepped in the victim’s blood, and a bloody footprint was retrieved from the linoleum floor.

Eighteen years later, a homeowner in the same neighborhood reported a peeping Tom to police. After an initial report by his children, the homeowner set up a surveillance camera and caught the man in the act. He chased him down and turned him over to an officer, who happened to be the first responder in the previous murder case. After the officer relayed the similarities with the previous crime and the fact that the suspect was barefoot, Stokes decided to compare the footprints and got a match. The suspect is now serving time in prison for the murder of the first victim 18 years ago.

In addition to his job with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, Stokes serves an assessor for the American Society of Crime Lab Directors, where he analyzes labs across the country for the organization. He frequently noted a lack of standardization in the field and different ways of documenting cases in these audits, even with the same agency.

He and Richardson founded Prime Forensics. Richardson is a forensic specialist with the League City Police Department and a retired Master Sergeant from the Oklahoma City Police Department, with more than 16 years as a crime scene investigator. After teaming up with programmer Brian Abston, they developed two phone applications to provide a uniform procedure for crime scene investigations.

“It is solving the problem by bring more efficiency to the process,” said Stokes. “In the past, an investigator had to take down all the information and put it into a report. Now you fill out a form and record everything, including mixing of chemicals, controls and presumptive tests, so it provides more information to law enforcement, prosecutors and defense attorneys.”

SmartScene also can be adapted to train the next generation of criminal justice professional and stress the importance of documentation. It is also being marketed to high schools and colleges for use in forensic science programs. In addition to Smart Scene, the trio developed CSI Connect, a mobile field guide to collecting trace evidence in the field. Both products can be found at http://primeforensics.com/.

“When I was working crime scenes, I would love to have had it,” said Stokes. “It helps teach students to document. We teach them how to collect the evidence, but we don’t teach how to document it properly. These days, it all about documentation.”

Stokes credits the College of Criminal Justice with lighting his passion for forensic work and for providing a foundation for analyzing information.

“During my last semester in the CJ program, I took a Criminal Investigation class,” said Stokes. “It was taught by a professor that was new to the program and had just retired from the Dallas Police Department. The materials he presented in our coursework on print evidence, blood pattern interpretation, etc. is what got me interested in technical investigations and forensic work.

“I also took a legal class with Dr. del Carmen in which we performed a lot of legal reading and briefing cases. This class taught me how to read things in an analytical manner and be able to quickly identify pertinent information. That has stayed with me and has served me well in my career in law enforcement/forensic science writing and reviewing technical reports.”

This year, Justin Lopez will create new memories for the date his mother was murdered It will be the day he learns the sex of his firstborn child. “It sent chills up my spine,” said Lopez.

On Sept. 15, 2012, Angela Renee Fontenot Lopez, was killed by her ex-boyfriend in front of his then 12-year old sister, Porsha. In the wake of his mother’s death, Lopez founded Angie’s Awareness Angels to raise awareness about domestic violence and funds for women’s shelters to prevent this horrible tragedy from happening again.

“Our main goal is we want to let people know that there are options out there that are available to them, such as counseling, career advocacy, and shelters,” said Lopez, a kinesiology student at Sam Houston State University. “I would love to continue to speak out about domestic violence in memory of Mom.”

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, Justin Lopez is frequently called upon as a speaker to educate law enforcement officers and high school students about intimate partner violence. In addition to sharing his mother’s story, he discusses teen dating with students and advocacy for victims with officers.

To enhance education about this violent crime, the Lopez case recently was featured in a new textbook, Victimology, by Leah E. Daigle and SHSU Professor Lisa Muftic, which will educate students around the country about victim issues, including intimate partner violence. Justin Lopez said his Mom will serve as a beacon for future generations to help fight this often hidden crime.

“We were so honored and excited to be a part of the book so Mom’s story could be heard,” Justin Lopez said. “Mom will continue to be a lasting educator from heaven.”

According to the Texas Council on Family Violence, in the year 2012, 114 women were killed by a current or former intimate partner in Texas.

“Justin's Mom Angie was one of these women,” said Dr. Muftic. “Rather than remain a nameless statistic, Justin has put a face to intimate partner homicide that includes not only his mother’s but his family’s as secondary victims/survivors of this horrific crime. I was absolutely thrilled that he agreed to let me share their story in the textbook, and I am convinced that it will leave a lasting impression on so many students.”

Justin Lopez and his family are also active fundraisers for the Houston Area Women’s Shelter and Phoebe’s’s Home --Twin City Mission, which serves victim of domestic violence in the Bryan area. The Houston Area Women’s Shelter was where his mother could have turned to for help, and Phoebe’ Place serves his local community. He was among the top five fundraising teams for the Houston Area Women Shelter.

In honor of his mother, Angie’s Awareness Angels hosts an annual spaghetti dinner in October, which raised $2,500 and $1,500 respectively over the last two years. The organization also sponsors “Painting with a Purpose” events to raise funds to donate to the two shelters. They operate a Facebook page in his mother’s honor at https://www.facebook.com/AngiesAwarenessAngels.

Justin Lopez serves as the legal guardian for his sister, now a high school sophomore who just received her driver’s permit and is active in athletics in College Station. Porsha Lopez hopes one day to study veterinary medicine at Texas A & M.

Justin works as a property manager for KM Custom Homes in University Heights in College Station, managing 147 rental properties. He hopes one day to own his own real estate company and continue in the rental market. He also would like to turn his advocacy work into a full-time career.

Justin Lopez said his greatest achievement has been his family. One year after his mother’s death, Justin Lopez met his wife Autumn. They were married in April, and Justin included his mother in the ceremony by carrying a portrait of her down the aisle. Together, Justin and Autumn Lopez are raising a family, which includes Autumn’s two girls, ages 3 and 5, and Porsha. In February, the couple expect to add another child to their growing family.
Voices Le

Several new classes have been added to Project EnCriPT, a new initiative at the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) to help law enforcement officers, firefighters, code enforcers, and sanitarians fight environmental crime.

The program, funded by a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, offers free, online classes for environmental investigators on various aspects of environmental enforcement. Open to investigators at local, state and tribal agencies across the country, the courses provide up to eight hours of training credit through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). One course, How to Handle the Media, is offered under a cohort model, where participants can take classes together online and submit writing assignments and papers on topics of interest for up to 40 hours of TCOLE credit.

Among the online classes available are:

• An introduction to environmental enforcement
• Personal safety
• Illegal dumping of non-hazardous waste
• Environmental sampling
• Ethics
• Media relations

More than 400 investigators from throughout the U.S. and various countries have participated in these courses. A new live training is planned in Missoula, Montana on Nov. 18-19, which will provide instruction as well as hands-on demonstrations of skills and techniques that are used in environmental enforcement. This face-to-face course will cover tribal environmental pollution and wildlife enforcement investigation training.

The one-hour, online course on illegal dumping will cover one of the most invasive and prominent problems facing the nation and will show investigators the proper steps to combat the issue. The class will define non-hazardous waste, provide tips on processing illegal dumps, list proper safety equipment for retrieving and processing evidence, identify sampling techniques, describe how to apply this to environmental law, and demonstrate laboratory analysis reporting.

Environmental sampling will introduce participants to the different methods of sampling environmental waste, and the equipment needed to accomplish the job. It will provide a basic understanding of techniques used for future courses in water and soil sampling. In addition, it will include sampling plans; standard operating procedures; different techniques for solids or liquids; technical, laboratory and evidentiary considerations; documentation; and chain of custody. It will also address Quality Assurance Protection Plans, which document the planning, implementation and assessment process for a particular project.

Personal Safety will identify the dangers and threats facing environmental investigators and introduce health and safety plans to deal with different situations. It will help investigators identify risks and understand risk management and mitigation. It introduces health and safety plans, such as the common sense “Mindset to Personal Safety” and its three major components.

Introduction to Environmental Investigations will provide an overview of work in this field, including environmental crimes, history, the five elements of the environmental matrix, the recognition and identification of hazardous materials, the steps and techniques of evidence collection, the investigative resources inventory, technology available for investigations, interagency cooperation and jurisdiction and ethics.

For more information on these program, visit Project EnCriPT at http://www.lemitonline.org/environmental/.

The Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University offers a lifetime of learning opportunities for individuals who want to begin or advance in careers in criminal justice in the fields of law enforcement, victim services, forensic science and security studies.

“We start from the 18 years old just entering college to the highest levels in law enforcement and corrections in the state, providing opportunities for lifelong learning in the field,” said Dr. Phillip Lyons, Dean of the College of Criminal Justice and Director of the Criminal Justice Center. “Our university is unique in the depth and breadth of the programs we offer, which provide a unique advantage in putting theory into practice in criminal justice.”

The College was founded 50 years ago with a four-fold mission: to teach undergraduate and graduate students, to do research in criminal justice, to provide technical assistance to the field and to train professionals in the latest tools and best practices.

In addition to a broad array of bachelor, master and Ph.D. offerings, with options for online, weekend or face-to-face classes, the Criminal Justice Center has unique professional training and research institutes to assist in nearly all areas of criminal justice. The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) trains police chiefs, constables, and up-and-coming leaders in law enforcement in the latest tools and techniques for managing agencies. The Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT) also provides opportunities for supervisors and front line staff in prisons, jails, community corrections, probation and parole to advance in their careers and knowledge. Both programs are internationally recognized, attracting participants and interest from across the globe.

The Institute of Forensic Research, Training and Innovation is the newest addition to professional programs and will provide refresher training to crime lab employees to help them pass broad-based certification tests and to build partnerships that will allow labs to develop and use the latest techniques in such areas as toxicology, drug identification, DNA and more.

The Center also hosts several research institutes that addresses some of the most pressing issues in the field. The Police Research Center continues to work with major cities, such as Houston and Dallas, as well as smaller departments to identify evidence-based practices, such as hot-spot policing and information management systems. Through the College, LEMIT and CMIT assist agencies in the state by studying common issues, such as eyewitness identification, sex assault case backlogs, racial profiling, mental health issues, crisis intervention, women in policing, education programs in prison, specialty courts and many others.

The Center also assists other key professionals that aid victims in the criminal justice system, providing research on the latest developments and issues, such as intimate partner violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, human trafficking, juvenile offenders, stalking, and much more. The Crime Victims’ Institute is charged with making policy recommendations to the Texas legislature on these issues and keeping agencies informed about the latest victim-centered research.

Many of the advanced academic programs are designed specifically for working professionals in the field. The College recently introduced a Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies, which includes two, one-year certificate programs in Emergency Management and Critical Infrastructure Protection, to help agencies address natural and manmade disasters in their communities.

The masters of Criminal Justice Leadership and Management is designed for working law enforcement and corrections professionals who want to climb the career ladder. It provides practical studies on leading and managing today’s workforce. The masters of Victim Services Management teaches students to lead advocacy programs and develop policies to guide agencies.

In Forensic Science, the master’s program trains students to work in crime labs and other related fields upon graduation. The Department recently introduced the first multidisciplinary Ph.D. program in its discipline, which will help fill much needed supervisory positions and provide academic faculty for the burgeoning field.

To help develop the next generation of criminal justice professionals, the Centers and their institutes target middle and high school teachers and students with annual camps and summer courses to introduce them to the wide array of jobs available in the field and the latest techniques and technology being used. These teachers and students go back to their schools with new knowledge and passion about future careers.

The Criminal Justice Center continues to be a leader in criminal justice 50 years after it was founded, providing new and innovative ways to touch the lives of students and professional who serve the communities of this state and nation.