Graduates of the major could work on police departments, in courts, as counselors, in probation and in other careers.
The new science building will be attached with an indoor walkway to the existing Berchman's Hall at Elms College.CHICOPEE — Elms College will offer a new bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice starting in September.
The backbone of the program will be in forensic science and technology used by law enforcement. Fitting with the socially conscious tradition of the Catholic college, it will also have a strong focus on rehabilitation, ethics and integrity, said Alice Perry, a 20-year prosecutor for Massachusetts superior courts, who will serve as program director.
The new program was announced in a reception attended by a large number of law-enforcement officials including Hampden Sheriff Michael J. Ashe, Chicopee District Court Judge Mary E. Hurley, a variety of defense and prosecuting lawyers and representatives from the State Police, FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan praised the program and talked about the importance of having classes that focus on science and the latest technology.
“They have to understand the cutting edge,” he said. “Without a modern program, they are not going to keep up with the bad guys.”
He said he appreciates the fact that the college has a strong ethical mission, saying law enforcement officers must have integrity to do their jobs well. Its strong foreign language program also helps because professionals who speak Spanish and other languages are needed in courts and on police forces.
Sullivan and others pledged to work with the college by offering internships to students.
Plans to begin construct a new $13.5 million science building is one of the things that attracted Perry to the program. She said she has been promised the program will be able to use the laboratories for forensic science classes.
The new major is one of several moves college officials have taken in the recent past to expand. In September it added a master’s degree in business administration and earlier entered into partnerships with Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical College to offer several bachelor’s degrees on the two campuses. The science building should also allow the popular nursing program to expand and add the first doctorate degree for those who want to become a nurse practitioner.
The criminal justice program was started in part at the request of students and the need for people to be trained for criminal justice professions, said Katherine Currier, chairwoman of the joint criminal justice and legal studies department.
Students did get a preview of the program since two classes, “Introduction to Criminal Justice” and “The American Legal System” were offered this semester, she said.
Starting in the fall, about 20 of the approximately 814 undergraduates at the college will be in the major. Some will be those who transfer from different academic programs, Currier said.
The criminal justice major will prepare students for a wide variety of careers such as police officers, probation officers and victim counselors. Since the program will be closely tied with legal studies, students can also focus more on careers in the courts, Perry said.
Perry holds a juris doctor from Washburn University School of Law, and a doctoral degree from Northeastern University. She has a varied career that includes work with district attorneys, state police and federal law enforcement. She represented police and correctional officers as a labor lawyer with the International Brotherhood of Police Officers and also served as an assistant city solicitor for Worcester.