Alumni Spotlight
Liz Scott
My name is Liz Scott and I graduated from the ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ in 2018 with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. During my sophomore year at the ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ, I was introduced to the field of Crime Analysis. Once I learned what Crime Analysis is and how helpful it can be for law enforcement, I knew I found my passion. With the guidance and support from professors in the Criminal Justice Department, I was able to build the skills and knowledge needed in order to pursue a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice. My dream was to become a Crime Analyst for a city department, and I am happy to say that I reached that goal.
I am currently a Crime Analyst for Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C.. As a crime analyst, I identify patterns and trends in crime that occur every day. I am responsible for knowing when, where, and how crime is occurring. My specialty is hot spot policing, therefore I help Commanders, Captains, and other law enforcement personnel create crime plans to reduce crime in the city. I do this by creating hot spot maps, crime reports, and recommendations on how to stop emerging patterns in violent crimes. I love my job and believe that my work helps the people who live and visit Washington D.C. stay safe.
Without the opportunity to work in the Center for the Analysis and Prevention of Crime in the Criminal Justice Department, I would not have learned the analytical skills needed to perform my job. My time at the ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ helped shape my career and made me a competitive candidate for the position I have now.
Jailene Panarella
My name is Jailene Panarella and I graduated from the ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ in 2017 with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. After I graduated I moved back to New York City, where I was born and raised, to pursue my career. I worked as a Crime Victim Advocate for the NYPD in Manhattan for a little over a year before I started my current position.I now serve as the Senior Special Victims Division Advocate in the Bronx. I work for Safe Horizon, which is the largest non-profit organization in the U.S. that works with thousands of children, adults, and families that have been affected by crime and abuse. Safe Horizon collaborated with the NYPD to place Crime Victim and Domestic Violence Advocates in police precincts throughout New York City.
My role is to support victims of sex crimes who come forward during a criminal investigation.
New York state guarantees every crime victim has the right to have an advocate present during the criminal investigation, to sit in on interviews or observe crime scene re-enactments and suspect line-ups. Advocates can also connect the victim to counseling services or shelters.
It has been an honor to watch such brave individuals come forward and tell their stories. People typically think of an arrest or conviction as justice, but here, justice means so much more than that. I think of justice when I see someone share their story, use their voice and take back the control that was taken from them. And I, an advocate, am here to support these victims in reclaiming their lives.