Last Day of Seminar Class (Washington Semester Program)

So guys, today was the last day of the Justice Program seminar classes for this Spring semester. This is indeed a bittersweet moment. I am truly going to miss going to outside seminars almost everyday with Dr. Siman. I am genuinely going to miss out heated class discussion that we had almost every week to recap our visits. I am from the bottom of my heart going to miss getting business cards from prominent people in the Criminal Justice and Political society. This semester was indeed one of the best semesters in my undergraduate career. The Washington Semester Program has definitely helped me to make that transition from a girl to woman. I say this because being in this program taught and introduced me to so many new things. It also made me go through things that helped me to learn life long lessons. Like I have told some of my professors throughout the semester, the biggest character trait that I have acquired is communication skills. Before the Washington Semester Program, I thought that I was the best communicator in the world. After facing many difficulties, it was proven that I wasn't. I learned so many new things while I was here in Washington, DC that will stay with me for a lifetime.

However, what I am NOT going to miss is paying the Metro Station $20 a week to get to class and to other outside activities. Other than this, I will definitely miss everything else. If you, or anyone that you know have thoughts about doing the Washington Semester Program, you should definitely go for it. This is a once in a lifetime chance. It will enable you to meet new people that you can be friends with for a long time. These will be bonds that will never be broken. You will also be able to meet people from all over the world with whom you will be able to learn new things from. The Washington Semester Program is a MUST DO!

Final Opinion on Capital Punishment Issue

"The profound moral question is not, Do they deserve to die? but Do we deserve to kill them?"

- Helen Prejean

Capital punishment is a very controversial topic. Different people have different views whether they derive from a moral standpoint or from a constitutional standpoint. Personally, I don't support capital punishment. I think that it is a waste of time, money and any other resources that may be used in preparation to administer the death penalty. Capital punishment has countlessly proven that it is not a deterrent to capital crimes and offenses. It has also been proven to be extremely costly. I also feel that the death penalty is extremely pointless because murdering that person whether by lethal injection, the gas chamber or by the firing squad will not resurrect the person or reverse anything that has already happened. Families of the victim often think that justice is served if the death penalty is administered, but that is not true. How can justice for a murder be served by committing another murder? How can the law of no killing be followed if the law makers break it by applying capital punishment? Isn't that a bit contradicting? If everyone were to honor the saying, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth", the world would be toothless and blind.

After visiting the Maryland Transition Center in Baltimore, Maryland and viewing the table that the lethal injection cocktail is given on, I then leaned towards capital punishment being exceptionally cruel. I was also able to sit in the gas chamber which was one of the scariest things ever because I know that someone was once executed there. Just being in the area made me feel a sense of criminality because regardless of the circumstances, no on deserves to die. While at the prison, I was also able to interact with some of the prisoners who gave their standpoint on the issue of capital punishment. For the most part, they all agreed that they were against it. What was most shocking to me was the fact that most of them said that a life sentence in prison is far worse than getting the death penalty. Capital punishment in my opinion is wrong and should be abolished in every state within the United States!

Montgomery Transition Center (JAIL)

Today, the Justice Seminar class visited the Montgomery Transition Center which is basically a prison for people that have a sentence of under 3 years left. However, when we got there, they told us differently. This experience is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity. I say this because there is no way that you or anyone can just tour am entire prison. When I first entered, I saw that it was extremely old and it also smelled weird. I guess the smell can be justified with the fact that there is no air conditioning in the institution. The first place that we toured was the area that had the tier cells. That was the scariest part because inmates were yelling and screaming. One of the inmates told one of my classmates that he owed him money. It was also terrifying because when I looked at one of the inmates, he gave me this piercing look that forced me to break eye contact with him. The thing that I noticed however is that everyone had their own personal things like CD players, game devices, etc. One inmate even had a mirror in which he used to look around the area because of the fact that he couldn't see out. We were also able to walk through the cafeteria while they were eating. This was where they were shouting out comments to us, I guess with hopes of scaring us. One of the inmates even called me a beautiful plaid butterfly. I knew he was talking to me because I was the only person wearing plaid -_-. The Correction Officers also gave us a tour of the dorm style cells. This I know was very uncomfortable for the inmates because we were able to see all their things and basically see them at their worst.

The most interesting thing was for us to see where hangings took place long ago. Funnily, it was outside in the open on the side of a wall. I never thought that it was this public. We were also able to see where the lethal injection is administered in the event that it has to. Just being in the room was very scary because it was a little strip that the person has to lay on in which they are strapped down to. I was also able to sit in the gas chamber which I think was thee most scariest thing. I say this for the mere thought that someone was once killed in that same chair that I sat in. One of the correction officers gave us a brief run through of exactly what happens with anyone who is scheduled to receive the death penalty.

All in all, this was a very fun experience and I NEVER want to go to jail or be incarcerated in any way.

My Thoughts on Information Sharing Initiative in The U.S.

My Monday night Issues in American Policing class had a big discussion on information sharing and I decided that I wanted to voice my opinion on this topic. Information Sharing is a very important issue. The intelligence community has gotten exceptionally serious about working together. Mike McConnell, head of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence wrote, "Information sharing must improve since it is central to our ability to anticipate and deter the ill intentions of our nation's adversaries" in a February 2008 report on the agency's plan to share information.. After speaking to police officer Williams of the Virgin Islands Police Department, I learned that there are no fusion centers placed in the Virgin Islands or within close proximity of it. She informed me that the closest on is in Tallahassee, Florida. I feel that this is extremely unfortunate because with everything that is happening in and around the nation, there should be a fusion center in every state along with every U.S. territory.

I do understand that the idea of a fusion center is relatively new and is still being worked on. Nevertheless, a lesson should have been understood since the September 11th attack which is to never take anything for granted. However, i strongly put confidence in the fact that with genuine support and constant enlightenment of state and local fusion center. I can effortlessly envision a time when the United States has a remarkably powerful situational consciousness within its borders than we currently have today. From the standpoint of state and local fusion center, significant steps are being constructed in generating a durable network across the nation through terrorism related threat intelligence can be successfully shared. The safety of the United States rely on information sharing.

Tenleytown Cafeteria

Well, here's the scoop about Tenleytown cafeteria. Listen closely as I will only say this once. Okay, I'm just playing. But seriously, if you live on Capitol Hill, Tenleytown cafeteria is a good place for you to occasionally eat. The first time I ate there, I thought it was pretty decent. All my friend who live on campus thought I was crazy because they didn't really like it. I remember the first day I went in the cafeteria, all my friends said I had a big smile on my face, but I don't remember that. However, I do remember tasting everything. Being the fact that I came from Clark Atlanta University, I am used to eating mostly soul and southern food.

I noticed that the Tenleytown cafeteria is really big on serving pasta and spaghetti. That was my only problem with it because I despise spaghetti and pasta. Other than that, the salad bar is really nice along with the pizza section. My favorite thing there is the wide selection of fruits that I have to choose from. Every time I leave the cafeteria, I usually take either two green apples or two red apples. Once again, all my friends laughed at me because they thought that I was hyping the cafeteria up way too much. I do recommend eating on the main campus too. Now thats bombbbb!!

Sasha Bruce Youthwork

Our seminar class was given the pleasure to visit the site of the Sasha Bruce Youthwork in Washington D.C where their main concern is to improve the lives of runaway, homeless, abused, neglected, and other at-risk youth and their families in the metropolitan D.C. area. I was able to tour the site/house where the runaway children are housed. I never pictured runaway kids being housed in an actual house. This house, which is the only one of it's kind in Washington, D.C. can unfortunately only house 10 children. This is exceptionally sad because what if there is an 11th runaway child who needs to be housed. That child will have no where to stay because of the shortage of beds. I feel that because the Sasha Bruce house is the only one of it's kind, it should be able to house more children. Another thing that I noticed was the fact that it is not government funded. All of their monies come from private entities. I feel that the government should be a huge part of this movement because this involves the welfare of the children, families and communities.

One of the biggest problem with the Sasha Bruce house is that they only house the children for up to two weeks. I feel that it is not enough time to try to work out the kinks within a household. Two weeks is definitely not enough time to try to solve long lasting problems in a family. But I do see why they can only stay for a short period of time which is because there isn't enough space when other children need to be housed for the same reasons. At the house, we were able to interact with the children and see their everyday schedule while there.

Washington Post

Today during my Critical Issues in American Policing class, we were welcomed to be joined by one of the Washington Post's crime scene reporters. One of the main things that stood out to me was the fact that he said that you will never see reporters with money. The most they have is a pocket full of change. I liked the fact that he stressed that he loves his job. Though it may cause a bit of a strain on his relationship with his fiance, she understands. He talked about how hectic his job may be at times and how he could be called out of his house at 3 in the morning to cover a crime.

He told us of this one story where he helped with finding a neighborhood thief/rapist. The thief was apparently going around raping women and stealing their things. One of the victims managed to somehow cut him under his eye. That cut was then used as a way to identify the assailant. The reporter went around to a couple houses and then finally knocked on the right door. He was then able to call the authorities to get the man arrested because he was planning to flee to another state. The reporter also told the story of when he was in Tuscan, Arizona and managed to be there the same time of the Tuscan shooting. He was merely there on vacation with his fiance but was able to get a hold of all the details from the shooting first hand. He told of how hard it is to get police officers to give reporters information that could be helpful in a case. All in all, he recommends his job to anyone that loves justice and journalism. So if you love any of the two, this field may be just right for you.

Capital Punishment

What do you think about the death penalty? Do you think that the government should decide who lives and who dies? Do you think that someone who has committed a series of deadly crimes should just simply be killed without suffering? Do you think that the death penalty is really needed? 


Capital punishment in the United States only applies for aggravated murder and more rarely for felony murder. The methods of execution and the crimes subject to the penalty vary by jurisdiction and have varied widely throughout time. Thirty-two jurisdictions have banned it by law, others have suspended its use, and others are trying to expand its applicability. In 201o, there were 46 executions in the United States; 44 by lethal injection, 1 by the electric chair in Virginia, and 1 by the firing squad in Utah. The issue of capital punishment has been an important issue socially in the United States. I personally feel that the government shouldn't be the one who decides who lives or dies. Though someone may have committed a serious crime, he/she should not be put to death. I think that they need to be incarcerated in the worst prison there is. They shouldn't just be put out of their miseries by simply killing them because in most cases, these people want to die. I just feel like the death penalty isn't going to solve any or be of any help because people are still out here committing mass murders and still not getting adequately punished. Well that's my view on it. What's yours?

National Juvenile Defender Center

In the District of Colombia, juvenile crime and violence is a huge issue. The National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) was created in 1999 to respond to the critical need to build the capacity of the juvenile defense bar and to improve access to counsel and quality of representation for children in the justice system. Hats off to this organization because they are for the children; they want to help them. They work diligently to create an environment in which children are treated with respect, dignity and fairness. It is evident that they want to create surroundings where juvenile courts are knowledgable, sensitive and responsive to the needs of children. They want to make sure that juvenile defenders have the capacity to fully protect children’s rights, including adequate resources and compensation, manageable caseloads, and sufficient access to investigation, expert and other ancillary and administrative support. Most importantly, the NJDC wants to be sure that the juvenile defenders have resources and compensation on par with juvenile prosecutors and adult defenders.

The thing that interested me the most was the fact that there are so many Supreme Court cases that gave and took away the rights of juveniles. Twenty years ago, juveniles did not have some of the rights that they have today. Back in the day, juveniles were treated the same as adults. They were considered adults at any age once they committed a crime. They didn’t have miranda rights and didn’t have the right to an attorney. Can you believe how much things have changed? In this day and age, juveniles are only treated as adults if they are 16 years old or older and that’s only in some states for specific crimes. 

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

Today was one of the hottest days of the entire semester. The heat felt as though I was back in the Virgin Islands minus the wind. There was absolutely no breeze blowing. I couldn't believe that the weather went from thirty degrees straight up to a little over 80 degrees. I went outside in the morning and it felt like sixty degrees and I was happy because I haven't felt weather like this from since Spring Break in the Virgin Islands. I later heard one of my housemates verifying with everyone for the air conditioning to be turned on. I wondered why. So I then stepped out the front door and it felt close to ninety degrees with no breeze at all blowing. I immediately said, "Sam, we do need to turn on the air conditioner".

That day, everyone came home with their blazers off, faces shiny, and extremely tired. I looked at them and laughed because they definitely underestimated the power of Washington DC's bipolar weather. They didn't know that it would get so high so fast. In the afternoon, I had am American Policing class at 5:30. After seeing the weather, I didn't want to go, but the semester is almost over so I knew that I had to. Luckily, I checked my student email a couple minutes before I began to get ready because my teacher cancelled class. I jumped for joy because he made it possible for me not to have to deal with the DC heat.

Later in the night, I remember that in 2 weeks I have a research paper due for my American Policing class. So I immediately started searching for topics because I intend to get an A in the class and without a good grade on this research paper, I won't be able to get that A. I then decided to do my research paper on Information Sharing Initiatives. I think that topic good because currently, police do not have the adequate tools to share information between different states and jurisdictions.

Crime and Punishment Museum

“They are dead; but they live in each patriot’s breast, and their names are engraven on Honor’s Bright Crest.”

                                                                                                            -  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

                                                                                                        American Poet (1807 - 1882) 


The National Museum of Crime and Punishment is an interactive museum devoted to the history of criminology and penology in the United States. It primarily focuses on forensic science, crime scene investigation, law enforcement and most importantly, the harsh consequences of committing crime. The Crime museum provides an unforgettable insight into the issues of crime and crime fighting through a fascinating, interactive, scholastic and entertaining experience. The layout and organization of the exhibits in the museum captivates the audience, forcing them to be more inquisitive about crime and their repercussions.  

           
On Saturday, I visited the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. I heard so much about it, but I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I thought that it was merely a museum full of nothing but facts and stories about crimes that happened decades ago. Surprisingly, it wasn’t any of the little that I did expect. Instead of decades, the information went back centuries. I was able to learn about crimes and punishments that dated back to the year 1656 when Captain Kemble was forced against his will to sit in the Stocks for two hours where he was charged with “lewd and unseemly behavior” on the Sabbath. I found this weird because all Captain Kemble did was kiss his wife upon returning home after three long years at sea. I was correct however with the expectation of crime stories being present. One of the most interesting stories was the story of Bonnie and Clyde. The museum showcased their getaway car along with the guns that the couple used during their robberies. The fascinating thing about displaying the getaway car was the fact that it was the same one that the both were murdered in. The car was riddled with over 30 bullets. The story of Bonnie and Clyde relates to justice because they were criminals who needed to be severely punished for all the dozen or more robberies that he committed. Though they were murdered and justice wasn’t completely served in that they didn’t get incarcerated, they did get taken off of the streets.

            
I was extremely surprised when I found out that the museum is co-owned by America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh. The entire downstairs of the museum is the production area where is there is a live set. There was an entire forensic lab along with recordings of some of the interviews that John Walsh did. One of the most important things about the whole America’s Most Wanted ensemble was actually getting to see who is actually America’s most wanted. There were posters with pictures that explained what the person is being charged for along with the reward if captured. America’s Most Wanted relates to justice because. Another attraction that I enjoyed was the CSI lab where I learned about fingerprints, footprints, DNA and eyewitness evidence. There was also a showcase of the different tools and chemicals that are used to process evidence.

The above quote is basically about the many heroes, soldiers and crime fighters who died. It is basically saying that tho these people have died, their name still lives on in the heart of all citizens. This quote caught my attention because this a true fact even in this day and age. I enjoyed my visit to the museum especially because it helped me with deciding the career path of an FBI agent. I was able to see the weapons, safety equipment and also play interactive games that made learning about the Federal Bureau of Investigation easier. I was also able to learn about the requirements to become and agent. The National Museum of Crime and Punishments is one of the most interesting museums that I have been to and I think that everyone should visit it. It’s one of the best experiences that a Criminal Justice major can ever have!

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Today I visited the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This was one of the saddest places that I’ve visited for the entire semester. I think it’s sad because this is where parents have to go when their kids run away or just mysteriously end up missing. It was extremely sad when I learned that in some cases the kids either are found dead or somethings they aren’t found at all. It made me happy when Kevin O’Brien of the Exploited Child Devision said that sometimes they are able to track down the children and return them safely to their families. This made me feel like there is hope for some families who may have lost their children. He even mentioned an incident where a young woman who was stolen while she was months old found her biological parents when she was in her 30s. This shows that anything is possible.

The most interesting thing that I saw while I was at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children was the fact that they could predict the age progression to see how these kids look as teenagers and maybe even as adults. They are able to take a picture of a missing toddler and predict how that child looks 10 years after that picture was originally taken. The people at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children can even use bone structure to determine the race and possibly even some of the facial features of a dead child.

What bothered me the most was watching an interview of a child molester. The man who was in his 50s or 60s was on video explaining to the interview just how much he loves young girls. He went ahead to say how gullible they are and that all he had to do was show them that he cared. I feel that this is a problem that parents and families cause because if they teach their children how to avoid these predators, fewer of these situations will occur.