CSI and Pre-Law camps for high school juniors and seniors

May 16, 2006 -- Two camps will be offered this summer at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro exclusively for high school students interested in Pre-Law or Crime Scene Investigation (CSI).

The camps will be held June 19 through June 30.

The CSI Camp will provide “hands-on” experience at reconstructed crime scenes, and in the lab and classroom. Students will learn how to create an investigative plan and understand the connections between crime scenes, the lab, interrogation, and the courtroom according to Dr. Gloria Gibson, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Crime scene processing, lab analysis (forensic biology and chemistry), investigative strategies, and psychological profiling will also be covered. Lecturers include ASU faculty, law enforcement personnel, professional investigators and laboratory scientists.

The CSI Camp features quality instruction, inquiry-based learning, field trips, hands-on experience and group activities.

“The CSI camp at ASU is awesome. I met some really neat people and I am excited to attend the advanced camp this summer. The camp helped me decide that crime scene investigation is the career I want to pursue,” said high school senior Brad Hughes of Springfield, Mo.

“The camp also helped me make a decision about which college to go to. I will be attending ASU in the fall and majoring in Forensic Science. The camp is great and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the field of crime scene investigation,” he also said.

Pre-Law Camp is designed for students interested in learning more about law or for those who are considering a career in law. The week’s activities are designed to introduce students to legal thinking and effective argument. Students will also experience a simulated law school class, by putting their new skills into practice and participating as lawyers and judges in a simulation of a Supreme Court case. Instruction will be provided by ASU faculty and practitioners in the field.

The Pre-Law Camp features quality instruction, interaction with lawyers, interactive legal games, field trips and an LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) preview and an exploration of career options in the legal field.

Each camp will also include movie night, swimming, campus tours, interactive games and cookouts. The fee for each camp is $300, which covers instructional materials, room and meals for five days and four nights in one of ASU’s residence halls with around the clock adult supervision (students must bring linens, pillows and towels).

The CSI Camp will have two sessions: Session I will be held Monday, June 19, through Friday, June 23; and Session II will be held Monday, June 26, through Friday, June 30, and will only be offered to those students who have attended Session I or attended last summer. The Pre-Law Camp will have only one session, Monday, June 26, through Friday, June 30.

“CSI camp helped me decide that I want to work in the criminal justice field,” said high school senior Jessica Johnston of Sparkman. “It was so much fun meeting new people.”

ASU has received approval for new degree programs in the field of criminal justice. One is a bachelor of science in forensic science and the other is a master of arts in criminal justice.

Both the CSI Camp and the Pre-Law Camp are initiatives of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences with a goal to give high school students an academically-based residential summer experience. ASU faculty working on these camps include: Dr. Dave England, Department of Political Science, and Dr. Charles Carr from the Department of English and Philosophy; Dr. Greg Russell and Dr. Ellen Lemley from the Department of Criminology, Sociology, and Geography; Dr. Maureen Dolan, Arkansas Biosciences Institute; and Dr. Robyn Hannigan from the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

For more details, please contact: Dr. Gibson at (870)-972-3973 or via email at hss@astate.edu. Application forms may be found online at http://chss.astate.edu.

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