The Lindenwood - Fall 2020

6 7 FALL 2020 EDITION FALL 2020 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD THE LINDENWOOD RAINS Pouring The year 2020 will, with clearer hindsight, likely be known as one of the most tumultuous years in American history. With an unprecedented pandemic, economic shutdown, heightened racial tensions, and a heated presidential election, the year has been a constant source of frustration, confusion, and Internet memes. The year has also spotlighted an increasing distrust between the public and the police forces sworn to protect them. According to two of Lindenwood University’s leading criminal justice and criminology professors, this is the perfect time to increase our understanding of the criminal justice system and to have the tough conversations with one another about the complex issues facing the country. Drs. Billi Patzius and Pernell Witherspoon, professors of criminal justice, took different paths to Lindenwood. Patzius worked in juvenile justice with BJC behavioral health and the Family Court of St. Louis County; Witherspoon was a police officer for 15 years, working undercover in narcotics in St. Louis and Atlanta. But they agree that current issues are shaking the foundations and the faith in law enforcement professionals, and the remedy is better understanding through communication. “With professionals who have already been in the field a while, it’s more difficult to approach police brutality, dishonesty, and ethical issues within police departments or any agency in the criminal justice field,” Patzius said. “Because nobody goes into the field thinking, ‘I’m going to be an unethical person who’s not going to treat people fairly.’ So defenses go up right away, especially for those who have been in the field for a while and who feel strongly about their own beliefs and their own convictions.” FEATURED STORY FEATURED STORY “We want Lindenwood students to be armed with the knowledge to have intelligent conversations about these things,” Witherspoon added. So how do professors teach these sensitive issues? How do we explain the violent clashes between protesters and police? The racial tensions and distrust? What will future justice officers know about the chain of events leading to 2020? “We are exposing them to different ideas and history and why things are the way they are now,” Patzius said. “We have those difficult conversations in class, and my hope is they walk away with a different perspective.” Younger students come into the criminal justice and criminology program with beliefs from home and from their peers, Patzius said. Recognizing the biases we all hold as humans is important to thinking critically about current events. DR. BILLI PATZIUS We are exposing them to different ideas and history and why things are the way they are now…. We have those difficult conversations in class, and my hope is they walk away with a different perspective. Real experience in the field supports student success DEFENDING COMPASSION EDUCATING CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS TO PROTECT HUMANITY by Brian Vorce ‘20