SHSU Hosts State High School Criminal Justice Competition
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| A student from Ben Barber High School
in Mansfield examines evidence at a mock crime scene in
a University Hotel room at Sam Houston State University.
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At first glance it appears that Sam Houston State University
is being overrun by chaos this week.
There are crime scenes taped off in the University Hotel,
a traffic accident is being investigated in one of the commuter
parking lots, cars are being stopped and searched, and rumor
has it that there will be a traffic search for two armed robber
suspects, a building will be searched and a criminal investigation
will take place involving a domestic dispute.
However, there is no need to be concerned. All of the incidents
are being handled by the university’s criminal justice
students as they help with a statewide competition sponsored
by the Texas Public Service Association for high school students
who are interested in the many areas of criminal justice.
The program model for the Texas Public Service Association
was taken from a similar organization in Florida, which has
been in existence since 1990. The Florida Public Service Association
has been the organization of choice for the Florida Department
of Education to provide leadership training, explore career
opportunities in the field of public service, and to host
regional and state conferences for student members of FPSA.
“We want to provide a venue through competitive events
at the regional, state and national levels for students to
demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have learned in
criminal justice, law, public safety, corrections, and security,”
said Kevin Jacobson, chairman of the board of the Texas Public
Service Association.
“This year is our first state competition anywhere,
and what better place to have it than at Sam Houston State,
which is well known for its College of Criminal Justice,”
he said.
Approximately 75 students are representing 11 Texas high schools
from the Rio Grande Valley to the Oklahoma border. Each of
the high schools has earned the right to complete in the state
event by virtue of winning their regional competitions.
“Students learn through demonstrating their skills in
competitive events designed by career professionals in public
service education,” Jacobson said.
“Here in Texas, one of our goals is to enhance student
self-confidence, self-respect and respect of others through
competition and leadership training,” he said. “We
also want to keep the legacy of public service alive through
dedication to the ideals of integrity, loyalty, courage, honesty,
and compassion for the public they will serve. We stress ethics
very much in these activities.”
Undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled
in Sam Houston State’s College of Criminal Justice are
serving as coordinators, judges, moderators, actors and timers
for the competition. Organizers hope that the event will provide
an opportunity for the college students to mentor the participating
high school students during their visit to the SHSU campus.
One of the members of the TPSA board is Sam Houston alumnus
Guy Taylor. Taylor, a former police officer who now teaches
criminal justice and law at Burnet High School, received his
Bachelor of Science degree in law enforcement and police science
in 1983.
He highly recommended to the board that the competition be
held at SHSU. He said the exposure for both the high school
students and the university was a win-win situation.
“Coming to the college campus where our students can
become familiar with what the program offers is a great experience
for them,” he said. “And by helping us with events
like this, Sam Houston State is doing its part to help us
prepare these bright kids for coming to college.”
Taylor said that in addition to teaching them about criminal
justice, he tries to prepare them for college work as well.
“We use a college text book in our courses,” he
said. “I definitely stress academics in my program.”
He must be doing something right. He said he often gets e-mails
from his former students who have come to SHSU to major in
criminal justice.
“They tell me I was exactly right,” he said. “They
say that everything I told them about being prepared for college
was accurate. They are glad they had acquired “college
skills” in my classroom.”
—END—
SHSU Media Contact: Julia May
May 4, 2007
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.
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