Doing time to solve the crime

In late July, Rider University had a crime scene on its hands. Fortunately, it was just a staged camp activity for high school juniors and seniors aspiring to work in the field of criminal justice, and possibly to pursue their studies at the University. Over the course of the week, students in the Criminal Justice Summer Camp were able to get a taste of a day-in-the-life of from several perspectives by participating in numerous activities designed to stimulate their curiosity. Students had the opportunity to explore topics such as crime scene evidence and criminal prosecution. Law enforcement agents, judges and prosecutors treated students to lectures about their backgrounds and work experience, and allowed them to explore things first hand. More specifically, they were able to apply their newly found knowledge by participating in a mock trial, learning the basics of DNA testing and tour a working crime lab. “The camp provided a great balance of practical and conceptual approaches to criminal justice. Even more, the participants were able to interact with a wide array of criminal justice professionals, many of whom are Rider alumni,” says Dr. Jonathan Millen, professor of communication and associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts, Education and Sciences at Rider. This camp experience provided a valuable preview for those considering Rider’s new criminal justice major. Affiliated with the Law and Justice Program, students can choose from a variety of courses, such as Hate Crimes in the United States, Philosophy of Law, and Cyberspace Law and Policy. “We received a lot of positive feedback from the campers, many of whom indicated that their interest in both the field of study and the major at Rider have grown after their stay on campus,” Millen says.