Criminal Justice Course Analysis

If I was required to determine just one theme that has been exhibited and exemplified throughout my entire undergraduate career at the University of South Carolina, I would be able to say that it would be community. From my coursework, to the community service that I have been a part of, to the research that I have conducted, I have had a concentrated interest in aiding the Carolina, the South Carolina, and the national and global community when I can. Over the four years that I have been here my dedication to my community has transformed, drastically in certain ways. In the beginning I gave swaths of my time to taking part in volunteer projects across Columbia and the state, but over time and through my experiences I came to the realization

One of the first criminal justice courses, and the significantly influential one, that I took part in was during my freshman year and was the Sociology of Crime. This course examined the various theories behind why crime is committed and our professor pushed us to critically analyze each one. The information I learned in this course has continued to guide and shape the research that I conducted during my undergraduate career. There were two theories that I took and eventually based my first research project upon. The first was the Broken Windows Theory, which posits that if a neighborhood appears to be run down and appears to be generally uncared for by the residents, criminals reach the reasonable assumption that it will not be noticed if they commit a crime since the neighborhood is already in disarray. The second theory was Differential Association Theory, which explains that criminal behavior is the result of learning processes, meaning that a child learns positive attitudes towards criminal behavior from parents, close family members, and their close

I could observe the Broken Windows Theory in the restoration projects I took part in, cleaning up neighborhoods and helping to plant greenery to support a cleaner environment. I observed the presence of Differential Association Theory in the afterschool involvement programs, the academic tutoring groups, and the mentorship programs where I witnessed elementary through high school students learn important skills from both undergraduate and graduate students. I participated in these community service initiatives since I have served as a Service Saturday Site Leader beginning the second semester of my freshman year and additionally spent three semesters as an Impact Weekly Site Leader. Additionally, during my sophomore year I served as a Community Service Ambassador. During my tenure in this position I assisted both organizations and students find and form research projects for themselves and others to take part in. I served as a Tunnel of Awareness liaison and assisted a student taking part in the event to create an exhibit on homelessness that aimed to educate through one-on-one interviews. Currently, I serve on the Leadership and Service Team where I have the opportunity to work with Women’s Programs on the campus and coordinate innovative programs for female leaders on