From carrying out crime scene investigations to issuing speeding tickets and everything in between, law enforcement and criminal justice professionals prioritize helping society reach its highest potential. Effingham County Probation Officer Taylor Davis, Laker Nation Class of 2014, followed his passion to help others transition to the next phase of their lives with the help of Lake Land College’s Criminal Justice transfer program.
As a native of Shelbyville with a U.S. Army background and several years of military police work at various military installations, Davis knew when returning home that Lake Land College was the best opportunity for him to gain an education in criminal justice.
“I chose Lake Land College because I had several friends that went through Lake Land who easily transitioned into successful careers in law enforcement,” Davis said. “It was a nice transition for me as a high school graduate that went straight to the Army. It wasn’t intimidating and I felt comfortable with my instructors and fellow classmates.”
Criminal Justice at Lake Land College provides students and current criminal justice professionals with several areas of concentration. Short-term certificates enhance current professionals’ skills for a promotion, while two-year degree programs prepare students to enter a career in law enforcement, corrections, probation or transfer to a four-year university.
“In this particular field, comparable to many others, any amount of college out of high school is better than none,” Academic Counselor Andrea Bright said. “What is great about Lake Land’s criminal justice programs specifically is the merging of certificates and associate degrees. If students are not able to complete the Criminal Justice associate degree at the time they begin, completing the Law Enforcement Operations certificate can go directly toward obtaining an associate degree when they are able to do so.”
As for Davis, earning a degree that would provide a foundation for a successful career in criminal justice was always the end goal. However, the narrowed focus of probation work did not come until a presentation in one particular Lake Land class.
“I knew becoming a probation officer was the right choice for me after a guest speaker came into class one day to speak about probation. I never truly understood what a probation officer was, and after listening to the speaker, I was hooked,” Davis said.
Currently, Davis manages an active case load of nearly 100 probationers. Within his three years as a probation officer in both Jasper and Effingham counties, he has worked with, and monitored, several hundred individuals.
“My career challenges me every day. I’m challenged by trying to understand probationers’ surroundings and day-to-day life. I work with individuals from all walks of life every day so it’s important that I have the ability to understand where they are coming from as best as I can,” Davis said. “Some individuals are more difficult to reach and working with them can be much more challenging. The goal is to help an individual become more pro-social and a productive member of society.
“Lake Land College opened my mind to the world of Criminal Justice. I currently have a job that I am truly passionate about, and it would not be possible without the education I received from Lake Land,” Davis said.
Criminal justice professionals interested in probation can expect to earn a median wage of $25.49 hourly or $53,020 annually according to O*Net OnLine.
For more information about criminal justice program options at Lake Land College, contact Criminal Justice Instructor David Chambers at 217-234-5328 or dchambers@lakelandcollege.edu.
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLUB
The Criminal Justice Club provides all students with an interest in criminal justice and law enforcement with several opportunities throughout the year to gain familiarity with the criminal justice sector.
Club experiences range from guest speakers providing career specifics and duties and lab opportunities including lifting latent fingerprints to experiences beyond the classroom such as trips to local prisons and coroners’ offices.
Sophomore club members Jessica Porter, Baylee Scott, Aisley Haythorne and Jacob Evans agree that their involvement in the club has provided them with experiences that would not be available in a normal classroom setting.
“Members of the club gain much more thorough, hands-on experience. It’s more in depth, because we’re not constrained to a classroom time limit,” Evans said.
“Even though we are all majoring in criminal justice, we are all planning to go into different fields. Last year we witnessed an autopsy and that was a cool experience for me, because I’d like to go into forensics,” Porter said.
The club is open to all students regardless of academic major and membership is $5 per semester.
For more information, contact Criminal Justice Instructor David Chambers at 217-234-5328 or dchambers@lakelandcollege.edu.