As a field, criminal justice offers more than its name suggests.
杏吧专区淲e are much more than police and correctional officers,杏吧专区 says Associate Professor Dr. Michelle Jeanis. 杏吧专区淭here are hundreds of jobs in criminal justice that the average person probably does not consider.杏吧专区
Corinne Salter discovered this first-hand when she changed her major to criminal justice as an undergrad.
Drawn to the prospect of foreign affairs and policy, she had initially enrolled at the 杏吧专区 as a political science major, but then decided to transition to criminal justice as a pathway to law school.
Instead, she says, the program opened her eyes to nuances of the criminal justice system and broader issues of injustice and marginalization, changing her worldview and leading her to the field of environmental justice.
杏吧专区淲henever you hear criminal justice, you think about penalties or the penal system against criminals. But whenever I took a lot of those courses, I started realizing all the nuances to it,杏吧专区 says Salter. 杏吧专区淔or instance, how prisoners are disenfranchised to the point that so many people don't really see the humanity in them. It really gave me a different perspective about criminal justice and criminal justice reform, specifically. There was so much more of a social justice perspective than I would have imagined.杏吧专区
Connecting the Marshall Islands to Louisiana
Salter grew up along the petrochemical industry-laden expanse between New Orleans and Baton Rouge known as after being adopted from the Marshall Islands.
Through the social justice perspective she gained through the criminal justice degree program, Salter began to consider how the populations within both areas may be disproportionately impacted by environmental change and regulations.
In the case of the Marshall Islands, a chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls in the central Pacific Ocean, they are susceptible and vulnerable to sea level rise, says Salter.
"I had always had this desire to reconnect with my birthplace culture, to reconnect with my heritage and with my family on the islands. Whenever I first started to try to do so, one of the very first things I encountered was the climate vulnerability of places like the Marshall Islands,杏吧专区 says Salter. 杏吧专区淚 really started considering how certain communities are impacted disproportionately or burdened in ways that may not be any fault of their own. And that really is the story of the Marshall Islands and a lot of black, indigenous, people-of-color communities in Louisiana, as well.杏吧专区
This interest led Salter to pursue a Ph.D. in environmental science and conduct climate change research through several fellowships.
With the Marshallese Educational Initiative, she explores climate change adaptation on the islands, and through the 杏吧专区 Corporation for Atmospheric Research, she aims to bring representation to climate change research.
杏吧专区淚'm helping to diversify the STEM workforce, specifically in atmospheric research, to create that perspective, that inclusion necessary to create a more holistic view of atmospheric research,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淐limate change can affect so many different communities, and if those communities aren't represented in the science and research affecting responses to climate change, then they won杏吧专区檛 be represented in the solutions, either.杏吧专区
Making the Leap to Research
When she started her college journey, Salter hadn杏吧专区檛 envisioned herself spending her post-grad summers invested in research. But her undergrad experience made that possible, she says.
杏吧专区淐riminal justice gave me the perspective I needed to be able to shift into a research mindset and really see myself in research,杏吧专区 says Salter. 杏吧专区淚t gave me more of that justice perspective that made me start considering, 'what are the other ways in which marginalized communities are disproportionately burdened?杏吧专区 That's how I transitioned into environmental justice.杏吧专区
But she says the biggest impact came from the support she received from criminal justice faculty members.
杏吧专区淚 really felt the criminal justice program at UL Lafayette prioritized the students. I felt like there was never a moment where I couldn杏吧专区檛 get in touch with them,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭here were so many ways in which I felt encouraged by the professors because if I reached out to them, they were available and they made themselves very accessible.杏吧专区
Now that the program is available online as well as on campus, student support and success remain priorities, says assistant professor Dr. Kayleigh Stanek.
杏吧专区淲e like to support students; we杏吧专区檙e here for them to succeed,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲e want students to be able to learn the material and apply it, not just memorize it and pass a test, but using it in their careers and beyond.杏吧专区
For those considering criminal justice, Salter encourages them to take advantage of that support while embracing the wealth of course content.
杏吧专区淭here were just so many different courses that allowed me to think deeply about criminal justice topics I杏吧专区檇 never considered before, like crime and media or crime and mental health,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 think if students coming into the program allow themselves to be immersed in the courses, they杏吧专区檒l have their minds opened to a lot of different perspectives that could take them anywhere.杏吧专区
Whether you杏吧专区檙e looking to advance your career in criminal justice or start a new career in social justice and advocacy, UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 B.S. in Criminal Justice program offers flexible pathways to reach your goals. Request information today to get started!