Nearly 60 fourth-year students in the Bachelor of Criminal Justice program at Lethbridge Polytechnic are tackling a variety of research projects for the first time since the program was established in 2023.
Course-based applied research projects led by students will not only make them more employable within public safety, but further cement Lethbridge Polytechnic’s community and industry connections.
Student Zane Johnson sees the benefits of applied research in his chosen career path, as a parole or probation officer.
“On the parole side of things, you’re dealing with a lot of programming to help the individual,” he says. “Through research, you can see what has and hasn’t worked for others, so you’re not just throwing a dart at a board and saying, ‘hey, this program probably works. Let’s have you try it.’”
Johnson’s research project is titled “Boomers to Zoomers, generational variances in perceptions of police legitimacy.” After reviewing existing data, he solicited perceptions from the appropriate demographics on whether police exercise their power in alignment with public interests. The students presented their research proposals to peers in the fall semester and will share their finished work at a symposium in March.
Research skills are more important than ever in the public safety sector, with a shift to agencies hiring those who can make evidence-based decisions, notes Dr. Kirsten Fantazir, a Criminal Justice instructor.
“There is a need to be able to problem solve with a systematic approach – and that’s really all research is – instead of implementing so many different initiatives and never evaluating them,” she says.
There’s also a growing demand in public safety for those who can review literature to seek insight and guidance on current challenges, issues, opportunities and for those who can solve real-world problems with innovative solutions.
Students learn the fundamentals of research in the program. They’ve been matched with a volunteer project mentor in their final year, the majority of whom are community- and industry-based partners who are alumni, collaborators or public safety professionals looking to give back.
Johnson has been paired with a recruiting officer with the Lethbridge Police Service.
Const. Mike Darby was not only happy to give back to the institution that helped him land a job upon graduation, but he also realizes how helpful it would have been to have had a mentor back when he was a student.
“I didn’t have any family in law enforcement or anyone else I knew. I was flying blind when it came to a lot of things,” Darby says. “Back then, the Internet wasn’t even really a thing yet and researching and finding information – correct information – was challenging. I had multiple applications before I was hired and I failed exams. It would have been nice to have someone encourage you to think big picture and not so in-the-moment.”
A winter open house will be held Mar. 15 to learn more about programs offered in Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Centre for Justice and Human Services.
