Dear Spartan,
The SCJ e-News is our online networking and informational newsletter for our alumni, students and friends. In addition to enjoying our newsletter, we invite you to visit online to get updated information about alumni, academic and certificate programs, research and outreach/professional development opportunities.
Please take time to visit our new Graduate Scholarship Giving site and have a Great Summer!
Banner Photo - 2008 Professor Hawkins Retirement: Left to Right: Jesenia Pizarro, Steve Chermak, Mahesh Nalla, Chris Maxwell, Bill Terrill, Carole Gibbs, Homer Hawkins, Tim Bynum, Ed McGarrell, Charles Corley, Merry Morash, Chris Smith and David Foran
Message from the Director
Banner Photo - 2008 Workshop, Cluj-Napoca, Romania: Ed McGarrell, Carol Zimmermann with delegation from the Romanian National Police and Ministry of the Interior, along with Dr. Calin Hintea (2nd from the left), Department of Public Administration at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca
 The first week in May witnessed another commencement weekend whereby the School was pleased to recognize our new group of graduates. Sterling Raehtz, the outstanding senior led 89 students receiving their bachelor’s degree. Additionally, 17 students received their masters degree and Onder Karakus and Amanda Burgess-Proctor earned their Ph.D.
Around this same time, several of our students received prestigious awards. The College of Social Science awarded Sarah Fitzgerald the Undergraduate Distinguished Scholarship. This award is to recognize distinguished, well-rounded undergraduate achievement in academic work and career preparation. Jeff Gruenewald, doctoral student, was selected as a Fellow of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) for the 2008-09 academic year. The fellowship will provide support for Jeff’s doctoral research on far-right homicide.
The School’s international and professional engagement was also evident during the last few months. Building on a long-standing relationship that MSU has with Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, I traveled to Romania and provided a two-day workshop on democratic and community policing to approximately 130 officials from the Romanian National Police. I was accompanied and assisted in the workshop by Dr. Carol Zimmermann, a Ph.D. alum of the School who will be joining the faculty of the Department of Criminal Justice at Saginaw Valley State University in the fall. We also began discussions with faculty at Babes-Bolyai University about collaborative research that could support the organizational transformation of the Romanian National Police as they move toward a model of democratic and community policing.
Dr. Michael Rip, who directs MSU’s new public health program, joined the School through a joint appointment that will involve teaching and conducting research in the area of law enforcement intelligence. Dr. Rip spent a week at the DEA Training Academy in Quantico where he offered the “Critical Thinking and Intelligence Analysis” course, one of the new course offerings as part of the masters degree in Law Enforcement Intelligence and Analysis. Dr. Rip utilized a hybrid model of instruction whereby the intense week-long session is complemented by internet based instruction and research projects. All reports are that the course was excellent. As an example, one federal law enforcement participant sent a note indicating that “The class was terrific and I have already recommended to my boss that the rest of my squad also attend.”
The School’s Outreach Unit also initiated its new Staff and Command School. The School employs a cutting-edge problem-based learning model along with a hybrid model of instruction. This combines intensive classroom interaction with periods in which the police leaders involved in the course return to their agencies to work on problem solving exercises. During this period the participants interact with team members and the instructor team through the internet.
Of course these reflect just examples of the research, education, and engagement activities occurring within the School. Please enjoy learning more about these activities in the pages that follow.
Above Photo - 2008 Commencement: Left to Right, Ed McGarrell and Onder Karakus
Spotlight
Faculty
 Chris Maxwell, Ph.D, Associate Professor will accept an appointment as Associate Dean for Research within the College of Social Science. In this role, Chris will lead College efforts to support faculty and student research and to build interdisciplinary research programs within the college and across the University.
His research focuses on intimate partner violence, sexual assault, policing, prosecution, and sentencing. Chris is a core faculty member of the Violence Against Women Research and Outreach Initiative as well as the Center for the Study of Women and Gender in Global Perspective. Dr. Maxwell is currently appointed as an Associate Research Scientist in the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan where he directs the National Criminal Justice Data Archive.
 Homer Hawkins, Ph.D retired after spring semester from the School of Criminal Justice as an Associate Professor. Homer served the School and the field of criminal justice in a variety of fashions. One of his key accomplishments was serving as a recruiter of graduate students from groups traditionally under-represented in graduate education and the criminal justice field. Indeed, Homer's efforts have resulted in well over 25 students coming to MSU and successfully completing their masters and doctoral degrees.
Dr. Hawkins areas of interest include juvenile delinquency with research focused on police use of deadly force, officer burnout, sentencing policy, and use of drugs by juveniles and its relationship to violent crime
Awards
 Beth Huebner, Ph.D, 03' an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri - St. Louis received the 2008 Tori Caeti Young Scholar Award from the Juvenile Justice Section of ACJS.
This award recognizes young scholars who have made significant contributions to the field of juvenile justice.
Marcus Robbins, has received the MSU Community Club Endowed Scholarship. He is majoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology and has served in the US Army with tours of duty in Korea and Iraq. Marcus was selected as Soldier of the Year in 2004.
 Sarah Fitzgerald has been awarded the College of Social Science Undergraduate Distinguished Scholarship Award.
This award recognizes distinguished, well-rounded undergraduate achievement in academic work and career preparation.
Research
 Tim Bynum, Ph.D is a Professor and Senior Research Associate for the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University. His current research focuses on gun, gang, and drug crime as well as prisoner re-entry to the community. Bynum, working with Dr. Bill Davidson from Psychology, leads an evaluation of the Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative. He is the Co-Director of MSU’s research team involved with Project Safe Neighborhoods. In addition, Tim is the Director of the Michigan Justice Statistics Center, a position he has held since 1993.
Learn More >>
Criminal Justice Scholarships
Graduate Scholarship Giving
Since 1935, MSU has been a leader in criminal justice scholarship with its pioneering research, undergraduate and graduate education and collaboration with criminal justice agencies, private firms, and communities.
Today the school focuses on the future by focusing attention on issues of crime and security including identity theft and computer security, DNA technology, international crime and security, school safety, domestic violence and the challenges facing an increasingly diverse society.
The school is a leader in innovative teaching in master’s degree and certificate programs offered online and a revised Ph.D. program that better addresses doctoral scholarship in the new century. However, to continue to grow and enjoy the excellence that we have all come to know, our graduate scholarships need the support of our alum and friends.
Please join us by contributing to the Arthur F. Brandstatter, Criminal Justice Alumni, Louis A. Radelet Diversity or the Zolton Ferency Graduate Scholarships. Your gift to any of these scholarships significantly enhances our ability to stay a leader in the criminal justice field.
To Contribute >>
Scholarship Recipients
 The School of Criminal Justice is proud of the students whom applied for and received scholarship awards for the 2008-09 academic year.
Congratulations to all of our scholarship recipients.
- Daniel Ross - Bothe Memorial Scholarship
- Mallory DePetro - DiPonio Memorial Scholarship
- Fadi Hanna - Ferency Endowed Scholarship
- Megan Almendinger - Private & Industrial Security Endowed Scholarship
- Ryan Cummins - Rutherford Endowed Scholarship
- Jealisha Calvert & Ryan Flint - Tournament of Friendship Scholarship
- Katelyn Brookshire - Trojanowicz Juvenile Justice Scholarship
Critical Incident Protocol
CIP Workshop - Arlington County, Virginia
Does your organization have a plan in place on how to protect employees, customers, facilities, equipment, information, and reputation when struck by a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, violence, or other man-made or natural disaster? Often, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and public agencies have existing plans and procedures. However, does your organization test or evaluate these processes through exercises or drills? Typically, organizations develop preparedness and response procedures, but there is another step that a business or agency can take to further enhance organizational resiliency.
MSU works with public and private sector agencies and businesses on a community-wide level to enhance organizational and community preparedness. This program is offered at no cost and has been delivered to 38 communities in 22 states with over 3,000 public and private sector stakeholders.
We are currently seeking new agencies, businesses, and non-governmental organizations interested in creating public/private partnerships on a community level. E-mail Brit Weber, Program Director or call 517.355.2227.
Learn More >>
Alumni
Alumni Association Board
President Update
Photo - April 2008, Alumni Board Meeting: Front Row, Left to Right: Dr. Bill Donohue, Coach Sok, Mike Oltersdorf and Bill Wilson. Back Row, Left to Right: Bill Nash, Tom Brennan, Mike Thompson, Ed McGarrell, Gene Pawlik and Candy Curtis.
Greetings Fellow CJ Spartans!
I trust that this finds you ready to enjoy a real summer after what seemed like a never-ending winter for those of us in the Great Lakes Basin. Unfortunately, there is no updated news to share regarding our efforts to secure a dedicated facility to house the School of Criminal Justice and its outreach programs at this time.
I hope that there will be better news to share after our October 3rd Alumni Advisory Board Meeting.
Your Alumni Board met on April 12th in a full day strategic planning session with Dr. Bill Donohue from the College of Communication serving as our facilitator to produce a draft Joint Advisory Committee/Faculty Vision Statement. Everyone suffered from brain stem meltdown by meetings end but we did accomplish the first component of our mission!
Our "Draft" Common Vision Includes:
- A School built upon an Action Science framework in which researchers and practitioners collaborate to strengthen the discipline by promoting more interdisciplinary synergy.
- Creation of a Forensic Institute.
- A dedicated facility to end the diaspora of the School’s faculty and staff across the campus and create a Criminal Justice Center of Excellence combining research, teaching and outreach.
The meeting results will be distilled into a working document to share with the School’s faculty and a follow-up meeting later this summer.
Dr. Ed McGarrell brought us up-to-speed on the School’s financial picture, which is currently budgeted at about $2.8 million. Unfortunately, the University allocates only $2 million, so the additional $800,000 must be raised through outside resources. It is always disquieting to see how close to the bone the School operates.
Wall of Remembrance Update
Dr. Dennis Jurczak, President of the U.S. Armed Forces Alumni Association of MSU joined us to expand upon the idea of including our School’s graduates killed in combat since World War II. The group’s consensus was this is an almost insurmountable task and we do not possess the resources to accomplish this, however, there is a memorial in the basement level of the Alumni Chapel on campus that honors MSU graduates killed in combat.
I would like to expand upon the component of the Wall of Remembrance, which IS in our grasp — the creation of a dedicated memorial for our graduates killed in the line of criminal justice duty.
 The idea of the Wall of Remembrance was born out of a discussion I had with Carver County, Minnesota Sheriff Bud Olson over two years ago when he shared a very personal story with me regarding his brother-in-law, Bruce Michael Russell. Bruce and Bud were classmates in the School of Criminal Justice at State, 76'. Both eventually found their way to Minnesota law enforcement after Bud did a three-year stint with the Detroit Police Department before a serious bout of homesickness brought him back to his Minnesota roots.
Bruce eventually hooked up with the Roseville, Minnesota Police Department on the northeast side of the Twin Cities in May of 1981 after working for the Security Division of International Harvester Corporation after graduating from State. Bruce died in action on May 16, 1982 just two weeks shy of his first anniversary date of hire with Roseville while executing a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle. Bruce’s vest stopped three of the four .32 caliber rounds but a fourth round entered through the vest’s side panel and lodged in his heart. Bruce was able to return fire, striking the assailant once.
The defendant only served a five-year sentence for this crime but has managed to serve a life-sentence-on-the-installment plan for subsequent crimes. A very sad story, indeed.
I made a promise to Bud Olson that Bruce Michael Russell’s death would serve as the impetus for a first class memorial for our graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities.
We have a lot of work to do. We need your active involvement in identifying these individuals so please, please e-mail me with any information that we can follow-up. Let us make this happen!
Diamond Jubilee School of Criminal Justice 1935 – 2010
Wow, time flies! Susan Trojanowicz reminded me that we are closing in on another milestone in our School’s history. The 1985 Golden Jubilee was quite an event and I can assure you that the Alumni Board will kick this in gear to coordinate with the School of Criminal Justice and the University in planning an appropriate and meaningful celebration. Would it not be nice to celebrate this with a rededicated corner stone across from the campus on Harrison Road with the main building of the Michigan State Police Headquarters designated as our new home?
In closing, I must reiterate how important it is for us to have an active School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association – that is YOU, so please, let us hear from you!
Coach Sok
Bruce A. Sokolove
Board President
Photo above: Officer Bruce Russell, 76', Minnesota Police Department
Member Highlights
 Bill Nash, BS 68', MS 72' began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Lansing Police Department. After serving with the Lansing Department Bill took the position of Chief of Police for the DeWitt Township Police Department.
Bill also served as Deputy Director of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards.
 Mike Thompson, 78' is the President and CEO of Joseph A. Young & Associates, Inc. He is a security specialist and designated as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) by the American Society for Industrial Security.
Mike has served in the Criminal Justice System as a Lansing Police and Probation Officer. He also served as Past-President of the National Guard Association of Michigan.
Class Notes
Photo: Lansing State Journal
Traci Ruiz, 92' welcomes the chance to be a role model. As a teenager, Ruiz joined a youth program run by Michigan State University's Department of Public Safety. Her experience at Michigan State University led to her desire to become a police officer.
Traci, who has worked for the Lansing Police Department for 15 years is the department's newest Sergeant, and the department's only Hispanic, female Command Officer. As a Detective, Traci took the lead to co-found Ingham County's Elder Death Review Team with Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Dean Sienko.
 Barri Flowers, BA 77’, MS 80’ edition of his criminology book, Female Crime, Criminals and Cellmates will be released in September 2008.
Also, his latest TV interview will air this coming September on the Investigation Discovery channel's new true crime series, Wicked Attraction. During his interview he will be talking about what makes serial killers tick.
Good Luck Barri with your new publication!
Learn More >>
Looking Back
Radio Communication, using latest equipment, is at the disposal of Ruedisueli and fellow students. Capt. C. J. Scavarda, of Michigan State Police, and A. F. Brandstatter, head of the Police Administration Department of MSC, check results. Graduates of the department receive Bachelor of Science Degrees in Police Administration. (Detroit Free Press, Sunday, March 21, 1948)
The Police Administration program at Michigan State University was designed to prepare students for management and administrative positions in the law enforcement field. Additionally, the program enabled students to relate principles and philosophies with new insights regarding their special field of interest and broaden their outlook for the future.
The photo above featuring Donald E. Ruedisueli, 49' with Cpt. C. J. Scavarda of the Michigan State Police and Art Brandstatter was taken from a series of photos that appeared in the Detroit Free Press on March 21, 1948. The School would like to thank his son Donald T. Ruedisueli for bringing these treasured news clippings to our attention and donating them to our archives.
Learn more about our rich history by purchasing Policing - The Formative Years of an Academic Discipline >>
Reminder
Send in your "Class Notes" for future publications to Candy Curtis. We look forward to hearing from you.
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