Service Learning Trip to London - Final Recap
Our Service Learning group is back from London and is checking in one more time with their final recap. The trip may be over, but their work is not complete. The students will now document their research so other Bay State Criminal Justice students can learn from their studies overseas.
We arrived back safely from London last night and it was a really great experience. The students were sad to leave London but looking forward to some of the comforts of home that we had missed. On our final days we visited several places including the Haven, which is an intake unit for sexual assault and rape victims. They work very closely with the police and handle the forensic examinations. Our visit there provided a great deal of insight relative to what the experience is working at the front lines of victimization. We also toured the Clink Prison Museum and got a taste of what medieval torture was like. We study this in class but seeing the real instruments of torture added a whole new dimension to our understanding of this period. We finished with a tour of parliament and happened to fall upon a public demonstration that showed us how the police handle security for this type of event. They were impressive. We also enjoyed seeing the inside of Parliament. We have seen their spirited debates on television a great deal but to actually be in the chambers was an incredible experience. All the students were fantastic and I am very pleased with their representation of Bay State Criminal Justice in London. I hope they all received as much as I did from the trip. We will now move on to finish this service learning project by putting together our findings so that they can be utilized for research by other Bay State students. – Dr. William Morrissette
Our trip has come to an end, and we have had such a memorable time. From discussions with Criminologists to tours of the Parliament, I have learned so much in our ten days overseas. The last two days of our trip consisted of a tour of the historic Parliament, discussions at The Haven, and an informal tour of the Clink Prison Museum. This learning experience has changed my view on the criminal justice system and law enforcement in London. I would seriously recommend getting involved in Service Learning to any student. – Katherine I.
This is a trip I will remember forever. The last few days we went on some amazing tours, one of my favorite being the night time Jack the Ripper Tour. During the tour we had a very enthusiastic tour guide who knew all of the history of Jack the Ripper and his victims. Overall, this trip was very informative, and we were given a very good view of England's criminal justice system and how it differs from the United States’. If given the opportunity to participate in the trip all over again, there’s no doubt in my mind I would. -Kenisha C.
Unfortunately, our trip is now over. Our last few days the weather was really nice, and the sun was shining. We had an amazing time and learned a lot about the Criminal Justice System in London. The last two days, we were grateful to have the opportunity of visiting an old prison, which is now a Museum, and also visited Parliament. This was a great study abroad trip, and I would highly recommend a service learning trip to any student who would like to learn more about their program while traveling. –Elizanet
Our final days in London were great! Friday we had an opportunity to meet with the Havens Center for Trauma and rape. It was great to hear how the criminal justice system works closely with the Center, but also share the same struggles as the US and our non-profit organizations. Here in the States, we struggle with funding these programs to help our communities. United Kingdom also has funding issues within their organizations. Overall, London was a great experience. I recommend students study abroad in their time at Bay State to see how other countries are within their own programs. If I had the chance to do it again, I would! Thank you to Bay State College for giving me the opportunity to study in London and to Dr. Morrissette for making it possible. - Tiffany G.