2008 Woodie Awards
The final countdown
Criminal justice majors present senior projects
Holly Meyer
Issue date: 7/25/07 Section: News
Just weeks from graduating, senior Robert Osborne stood in front of his green and yellow tri-fold poster casually explaining what he learned from his criminal justice internship.
Osborne was one of 16 criminal justice majors presenting their senior assignments Monday in the Morris University Center's Goshen Lounge.
For his senior assignment, he observed the effectiveness of behavioral profiling while interning with the Illinois State Police.
Of those stopped because of behavioral profiling, "46 percent were taken into custody and 56 percent were issued citations," Osborne said.
Behavioral profiling is when police officers stop people based on the way they drive, if their car does not fit into the surroundings or other suspicious activity. The profiling continues on into the traffic stop, according to Osborne.
The behavioral profiling stops only made up a small percentage of the traffic stops he observed, Osborne said.
"91.5 percent were for violations," Osborne said. "8.5 percent were for behavioral reasons.
Pulling people over based on behavioral profiling began after the War on Drugs campaign, Osborne said.
Osborne's poster had a picture of a semi truck that resembled the Wal-Mart semis next to a real Wal-Mart semi. He said the criminals disguise vehicles as commercial vehicles to make drug trafficking easier.
Osborne said behavioral profiling seems to work; however, criminals often find a way to transport drugs more inconspicuously.
"For every time they correct one problem," Osborne said, "the criminals just adjust."
Putting the senior assignment display in the Goshen Lounge allowed passersby to ask the seniors about their projects.
Trisha Oberweis, sociology and criminal justice studies professor, said she wanted her students to display their senior assignments in the Goshen Lounge for publicity for the criminal justice program.
"I want students to see what our program is like," Oberweis said. "The students put a remarkable amount of time and effort into their projects."
Osborne was one of 16 criminal justice majors presenting their senior assignments Monday in the Morris University Center's Goshen Lounge.
For his senior assignment, he observed the effectiveness of behavioral profiling while interning with the Illinois State Police.
Of those stopped because of behavioral profiling, "46 percent were taken into custody and 56 percent were issued citations," Osborne said.
Behavioral profiling is when police officers stop people based on the way they drive, if their car does not fit into the surroundings or other suspicious activity. The profiling continues on into the traffic stop, according to Osborne.
The behavioral profiling stops only made up a small percentage of the traffic stops he observed, Osborne said.
"91.5 percent were for violations," Osborne said. "8.5 percent were for behavioral reasons.
Pulling people over based on behavioral profiling began after the War on Drugs campaign, Osborne said.
Osborne's poster had a picture of a semi truck that resembled the Wal-Mart semis next to a real Wal-Mart semi. He said the criminals disguise vehicles as commercial vehicles to make drug trafficking easier.
Osborne said behavioral profiling seems to work; however, criminals often find a way to transport drugs more inconspicuously.
"For every time they correct one problem," Osborne said, "the criminals just adjust."
Putting the senior assignment display in the Goshen Lounge allowed passersby to ask the seniors about their projects.
Trisha Oberweis, sociology and criminal justice studies professor, said she wanted her students to display their senior assignments in the Goshen Lounge for publicity for the criminal justice program.
"I want students to see what our program is like," Oberweis said. "The students put a remarkable amount of time and effort into their projects."
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