Welcome to the Justice Program!

The Justice Semester Program has consistently been one of the most popular programs of the Washington Semester. Students are exposed to a variety of criminal justice professionals who are at the cutting edge of their fields. The most compelling issues in law enforcement, courts and the adjudicatory process, corrections, capital punishment, and a vast array of civil liberties related issues such as: first amendment, second amendment, fourth and eighth amendments are presented to students utilizing both sides of the arguments. Students engage each other and the seminar speakers in provocative and lively discussions and debates.

Whether they hear from the director of the Federal Witness Protection Program, the Director of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Cold Case Analysis Unit, The U.S. Capitol Police Chief, the crime scene investigator of the Mobile Crime Lab, the topics are always timely, lively and exciting. Oftentimes, a trip is planned to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia where the students hear from a lead behavioral profiler who also writes for the television program, Criminal Minds.

The Courts segment is spent court watching at Superior Court, U.S .District Court, and observing oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court. One semester, students observed the sentencing of presidential advisor, Gordon (Scooter) Libby. At each of these venues students hear from U.S. Attorneys,, public defenders., judges, victims’ rights advocates, culminating with a seminar with one of the Supreme Court Justices.

The Corrections and Capital Punishment unit are spent on site visits to various correctional institutions, culminating in the visit to the death chamber and death row the Penitentiary in Baltimore, Maryland. Subsequently, the death penalty debate between experts who are proponents and opponents of capital punishment leaves little doubt to the student to formulate their own positions on the subject.

As the semester draws to a close, the gun control issue is examined at length with a planned visit to the National Rifle Association in Virginia, and the Sarah Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. The first amendment religion clause is also marked by a lively debate between representatives of the ACLU and the religious right. Time permitting, juvenile justice, trafficking in women and children, and restorative justice bring the semester to a close.

Furthermore, during the remaining two days of the week, students intern at a variety of sites. Some of these are: Department of Justice, Office of Homeland Security, the courts, the public defender, the U.S. Attorney, Metropolitan Police Department, cold case analysis. Students also intern at a variety of law firms, Office of the Attorney General, the Anti-Defamation League, the Innocence Project, and a whole host of NGOs.

Hope to see you in Washington!