PW_2_2024

Professional Development

Penn State Study Experience in London, with help from IPA Hakan Can , professor of criminal justice at Penn State University Aris Karagiorgakis, associate professor of psychology, and Hakan Can, professor of criminal justice at Penn State University, led students on a journey through London, as part of the Serial Killers and European Criminal Justice course. T he seven-week course offered students an immersive experience into the heart of English criminal justice history and modern practices. The program explored key British sites to gain insight into the English criminal justice system. Students participated in a walking tour, taking in the sights of Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Parliament Street, Millennium Bridge and Tower Bridge.

Students at London’s Tower Bridge

At the Central Criminal Courts, the students had a particularly impactful experience. Thanks to Communications Manager Jay Patel, they sat through a murder and an arson trial, took a tour of the Old Bailey, and even had a Q&A session with Senior Circuit Judge, Judy Khan. Khan fielded questions and inspired a discussion about death penalty attitudes across cultures, offering the students a deep dive into the complexities of judicial perspectives and cultural differences in law. Throughout their journey, the students explored how legal and cultural contexts in the United Kingdom shape human behaviour. Through hands on experiences and engaging dialogue, they examined the psychological underpinnings of law and culture, and how these elements influence thoughts, feelings and daily actions. Reflecting on the experience “Visiting historical sites provided a vivid understanding of how much has changed throughout history, like seeing where the last public execution took place, to the modern legal practices at places like the Old Bailey. It’s one thing to read about history, but it’s another to stand where it all happened,” said Roger Myers, a student from Pennsylvania. “Walking through spaces like medieval prisons and courthouses, allowed me to connect with the conditions and processes prevalent during those times. Studying the architecture and design of historical courthouses and prisons, revealed shifts in attitudes toward justice and punishment,” said Bailey Dunn, a criminal justice and psychology student from Pennsylvania. “You hear a lot of stories about serial killers and the psychology behind their motives. But whenever you have absolutely no idea who does the killing, it becomes a lot more complex. One thing that I really appreciated during our Jack the Ripper walking tour, was how our guide humanized the victims. They were sex workers, and there’s a tendency to victim-blame sex workers when they are assaulted or murdered. The guide was wonderful, talking about these women’s lives, and why they ended up where they did, how they ended up doing sex work. There was no stigmatization at all,” said Kenadi Erdely, a business accounting major. “From my perspective, the way the prosecutors were cross-examining each other felt more respectful in the United Kingdom than the United States. Everything was so respectful in the courtroom,” said Nicholas Cutler, a student pursuing a major in psychology and minor in crime, law and psychology from Idaho.

In addition to these historical explorations, the students engaged directly with the modern criminal justice system. They received a lecture aimed at reducing discriminatory practices in “stop and search” from Inspector David Porter, at New Scotland Yard, accompanied by a tour from Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeant Ozan Bagatirlar and Detective Helena S. At Islington Police Station, the students were lectured on gun violence and approaches to crime prevention, punishment and justice by Special Constable George Nahlis and Roula Nahlis, from Sir George Monoux College. These experiences were coordinated by Detective Sergeant Alex Williams, from Metropolitan Police, an IPA member. The itinerary also included a visit to the Tower of London, the Clink Prison Museum, and a uniquely engaging London Dungeon Experience. The students delved into the darker chapters of London’s history with a Jack the Ripper walking tour.

Students at London’s Big Ben

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POLICE WORLD Vol 69 No.2, 2024