college of Extended learning
Susan Summers, interim dean
Spring 2004
Walking through America’s Criminal Justice System
by Jacques Benzakein
A seminar on criminal justice and anti-terrorism, offered
for the Anti-Smuggling and Patrol Bureau, State General Administration
of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, was prominent among
the many international training programs held last fall by the College
of Extended Learning’s International Extension Program (IEP).
A group of 25 bureau chiefs and deputy directors from across
China led by Li Xiaowu, deputy director general, attended the seminar
at CSUSB Nov. 24-Dec. 2. The group, invited to America by the U.S. Coast
Guard, visited Washington, D.C., and Coast Guard facilities in New York
before coming to California.
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences faculty conducted
the seminar. Political science and national security studies Professor
Ralph Salmi introduced the group to the various aspects of terrorism and
to U.S. and global anti-terrorism policies and practices. Professors Larry
Gaines, chair of the department of criminal justice, and his colleagues,
professors Gisela Bichler and Steve Tibbetts, exposed them to the U.S.
criminal justice system and practices with special emphasis on the psychological
analysis and research on criminal activity, crime prevention, drug enforcement
and anti-smuggling.
Putting Distance Between Man and Hate
The promise of distance learning technology is paying off
for law enforcement personnel across North America this year with two
unique on-line courses offered. The criminal justice department has teamed
with the College of Extended Learning (CEL) in delivering two undergraduate
level hate and bias crime courses, taught by Brian Levin, director of
CSUSB’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Through a partnership
with the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center and the Federal Law
Enforcement Training Center, which created the courses, students are learning
the characteristics of hate crimes, the philosophies and symbols of hate
groups, as well as investigative and institutional responses — all
in an interactive environment.
In the winter of 2004, more than 40 students took advantage
of the introductory and advanced courses. The impact of these offerings
is immediate for the professionals who participate.
“This course has provided me with the motivation
and knowledge to pursue organizational change in how we respond to hate
and bias crimes,” says Capt. Frank Johnson of the Fayetteville,
Ark., Police Department. Another participant, Cpl. Kathleen Pabis of Syracuse
University’s department of public safety, said, “I have to
say that I was able to gain a better perspective of all the different
hate and bias-related incidents that occur in our community and country.
Most importantly, it has taught me to recognize and respond…in a
manner that is most appropriate for the victims of these crimes.”
For more information on the hate/bias crime on-line courses,
contact the College of Extended Learning’s Dennis Robertson at (909)
537-5976, or e-mail him at denrob@csusb.edu.
WALKING THROUGH AMERICA’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM — Through its International Extension Program, extended
learning has enjoyed hosting many customized training programs for
foreign professionals, including this group from the People’s
Republic of China.
JOB WELL DONE — CSUSB’s Susan Summers
(center), dean for extended learning, awarded Eric Teitelbaum (left),
with the CEL 2003 Instructional Excellence Award, and Jim Kronenfeld
(right), the CEL 2003 Outstanding Service Award.
