History
To recognize the popularity and prosperity of the Justice and Law Administration curriculum, the program changed its name in 1995 to the Division of Justice and Law Administration. Prior to that change, it was called the Department of Criminal Justice from 1976 to 1981, and the Department of Justice and Law Administration from 1981 to 1995. In 1997, the JLA Division maintains 350+ majors in its Bachelor of Science degree program and teaches 2000+ students per year in total. It offers five specialty options in its BS program including "Corrections, Probation, Parole, and Offender Rehabilitation," "Law Enforcement," and "Legal Studies" (including our Paralegal Preparation Course Sequence) and Criminology. "The topic of crime is of vital interest to our society and many young people come to Western to study its causes and the ways in which society responds," says Dr. David F. Machell, Chair of the JLA Division.
WCSU's Department of Criminal Justice was founded in 1976 by Professor Solomon Gross. Dr. Francis J. Muska was hired as a fulltime instructor in 1976 to assist Prof. Gross in that activity. Instructor Rodney Varney was added in 1978. Dr. Muska served as Department Chair from 1978 until 1982. During this time Dr. Jean Jester, a specialist in Corrections, was hired in 1980 to replace Dr. Gross and in 1981 Dr. David Machell, a specialist in community-based treatment of offenders, was added to the faculty to replace Prof. Varney. Prof. Martin Miller of the NYC Police Dept. joined the faculty as a temporary instructor in 1981, but left that same year. In 1982, Dr. Harold Schramm, who had been teaching half time in the CJ Dept. and half time in the English Dept. joined the department fulltime. Dr. Schramm possessed a law degree plus a Ph.D. in English and was a valuable addition to the department teaching courses in law, legal writing, legal research, etc. During Dr. Muska's Chairmanship the Department of Criminal Justice changed its name and broadened its academic focus to become the Department of Justice and Law Administration. Dr. Muska was to leave the department in 1982 to begin an administrative career at WCSU and Dr. Schramm became the JLA Chair in 1982.
Dr. Schramm served as department chair from 1982-1991. During his time, the department's curriculum evolved into its present fully functioning state, with three very distinct and strong specialty options. During these years, there were more faculty additions and departures. Professor Edwin Pearson (Law), Professor Charles Mullaney (Law), Professor Caleb Nichols (Law), Dr. Dennis Kenney (Law Enforcement) and Dr. David Whelan (Law Enforcement). Dr. Whelan became Chair in 1991 and the Department continued to prosper in its enrollments of majors with minors and students taught through its service courses to the Ancell School of Business and the University. Also during Dr. Whelan's term, another department member, Professor Kathleen Jordan (Criminology) was hired.
Dr. David Machell became Chair in August 1993, and Professor Nichols resigned in 1993 and was replaced in Fall 1994 by Professor George Kain of the Connecticut Judicial Department and the Connecticut Office of Alternative Sanctions. In 1995, Dr. Whelan resigned to accept a position in Massachusetts and was replaced by Dr. Michael Foley of the New York City Police Department. The JLA curriculum continued to evolve with a paralegal course preparation sequence begun in 1995 under the coordination of Dr. Schramm. In 1997, Professor Anthony Markert left his position with the New Fairfield Police Dept. and accepted a fulltime faculty position in JLA. In 1999, Dr. Frank Muska left the WCSU Administration and returned to the unit he helped start in 1976. In August 2003, Dr. David Machell stepped down as Chair and Dr. Michael O. Foley became Chair. In 2007, Dr. Harold B. Schramm retired and was awarded Emeritus status. Professor Terrence P. Dwyer, J.D. of the New York State Police Department was hired as Dr. Schramm’s replacement. At present the Division of Justice and Law Administration has ten full-time professors (Terrence P. Dwyer, Michael O. Foley, K. Casey Jordan, George F. Kain, David F. Machell, Anthony Markert, Charles P. Mullaney, Frank J. Muska) and twelve other part-time instructors collectively offering 45 courses, plus eight graduate level courses for its MSJA degree.
The Division of Justice and Law Administration (JLA) has grown enormously and is currently the second largest major at WCSU. As a result of this growth the University awarded the Division of Justice and Law Administration two additional faculty lines. A survey of the JLA students and graduates indicate 70% of our present students are employed in the workplace thirty or more hours weekly. Forty-seven percent of JLA students are from Greater Danbury, 13% from Hartford County, 12% from Litchfield County, 7% from New Haven County, and 8% from out-of-state. Fifty-one percent are transfer students, 44% are women, 56% are men, and 80% are full-time students. Of all the students who take JLA courses, 30% are majors, 5% are minors, and 70% are non-majors. Of our majors, 49% are specializing in the Law Enforcement option, 23% in Legal Studies, 10% Paralegal Studies, and 18% in Corrections; with 18% of our students currently holding Criminal Justice or related positions.
The Division of Justice and Law Administration’s 1,353 graduates have taken their places in the various professions of the criminal justice system and related professions. Surveys reflect graduates in legal studies (6%), paralegal studies (6%), law enforcement (44%), private security management, federal agencies, corrections (14%), rehabilitative services, probation, arson investigation, emergency services, psychotherapy/counseling, special education and many others. Fifty-eight percent of graduates reported continuing formal education post-JLA.
