Athens, Ga. – With nationwide and statewide data projecting an increase in job opportunities for individuals with a background in criminal justice, the University of Georgia Griffin campus will present an information day on careers and emerging issues in the field on Nov. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Griffin Campus Student Learning Center.
Known as CJ Day @ UGA, the event will feature presenters from all areas of law enforcement, including a keynote address by Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Brian Owens. Registration is free, but seating is limited.
The CJ Day @ UGA program is designed for those working in or interested in beginning a career in criminal justice, with a session on careers in criminal justice featuring a range of speakers from law enforcement, pardons and paroles, victim advocacy and corrections. Topics for the session on emerging issues in criminal justice include gender-specific mental health issues, juvenile offender management, re-entry services and prison privatization.
“Law enforcement and especially corrections are an important and expanding sector of our economy both locally here in Georgia as well as nationwide,” said Perry Buffington, a lecturer in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of psychology on the UGA-Griffin campus. “We want to be a resource for individuals to learn about a wide variety of issues-and for what steps one can take to enter these careers.”
On UGA’s Griffin campus, the interdisciplinary studies bachelor’s degree with concentrations in sociology or psychology prepares graduates for a range of careers, including many fields within criminal justice. The day’s program will conclude with the optional session, “A Path to a Career in Criminal Justice,” which will outline options, requirements and details for students interested in transferring to UGA-Griffin to pursue these opportunities.
“This new interdisciplinary degree program will allow students to get the background, education and experience they will need to then pursue a career in criminal justice,” said Faye Chatman, program coordinator for the Franklin College at UGA-Griffin. “This is a great opportunity for people—from those already working in criminal justice fields to prospective students—to come to our campus to learn about these issues and career paths.”
Registration information and a full list of event speakers are available at http://www.ugacjday.com. For more information on UGA-Griffin, see http://uga.edu/griffin.