By Amanda Willborn
Pulse Staff Reporter

Criminal Justice is one of the hottest majors at Palo Ato. This Fall, there are 202 students who have declared Criminal Justice as their major.

Currently, Palo Alto College offers four CriminalJustice classes: Introduction to Criminal Justice, Crime in America, Courts and Criminal Procedures and Fundamentals of Criminal Law. Dr. Dorothy Haecker, Chair of the Behavioral Sciences and Humanities, described the four Criminal Justice courses as ground-level criminology courses required for the students who are pursuing a four-year degree in Criminal Justice.

In addition, the Juvenile Justice System and Criminal Investigations are two new courses being added in Spring of 2000.

Judge Sid Harle, Judge Alfred Tavera, former prosecutor Ed Fallis, attorney John Quinlan and Steven Mardock who has experience in the Juvenile Justice and Probation Parole system, all are adjuncts professors for Palo Alto and have more than 85 years of experience between them.

"These are incredible hands-on professors that Palo Alto brings," said Haecker. "They are people from the outside who address students to a first-hand experience in the Criminal Justice field."

"Those in the Criminal Justice field work to enforce and administer the laws serving San Antonio," said San Antonio Police Department Detective Donna Willborn. Not only does the City of San Antonio have more money budgeted for the Criminal Justice field, but more resources are available nationally, too.

A first year San Antonio Police Officer makes an annual salary of $30,060. With an associate's degree, your pay increases $150 a month. In a year, it would add $1,800 to your annual salary. All bachelor's degrees are worth $3,000 more a year.

With a bachelor's degree and F.L.E.T.C. (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center) training, Criminal Justice majors can apply to the Border Patrol, Alcohol Tobacco Firearm (ATF), Federal Marshall and Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), to name a few.

"Palo Alto is probably going to add a Criminal Justice Associate's program. We don't currently have one," said Yolanda Reyna, counselor and instructor at Palo Alto.

The Texas Coordinating Board recently finished revamping the Criminal Justice core curriculum. The Coordinating Board created a field of study which allows freshman and sophomore college students to begin working on their majors before their junior year, said Haecker.

Freshman Palo Alto Criminal Justice major, Veronica Torres plans on becoming an investigator. She said that television and an aunt who is in the FBI influenced her decision. Torres said, "N.Y.P.D. Blue made me want to go in this field."

Mimi Hages, a freshman Criminal Justice Major, said her grandfather served in the Military Security Police. This inspired her to look into the Criminal Justice field. "I've always wanted to go into this field," said Hages, who wants to go into the CIA so that she can help people.

Sophomore Palo Alto Criminal Justice major Cheryl Black said, "I love to watch the Forensic Science on A&E Discovery Channel. I like the lawyer side too, finding all the holes in the system." After getting her basics at Palo Alto, she plans to transfer to Texas A&M at Corpus Christi.

"The crime that we have in our society made me want to be a part in helping other people in our city," said sophomore Criminal Justice major, Mario Espinoso. "I'm pretty interested in joining the FBI. I want to go out there and solve the crime."
If criminal Justice sounds like the major for you,contact Dr.Dorothy Haecker, Chair of Behavioral Sciences and Humanities at 921-5055 pr Prof.Karen Marcotte, Criminal Justice course coordinator,at 921-5035.