My name is Christy Eckelberger and I am currently a senior at Texas State University-San Marcos. I will graduate in December 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Sociology with a minor in Psychology. During my final semester, I completed a 300 hour applied sociology internship with the San Marcos, TX Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Victim Services Unit.
My internship
My internship provided me the opportunity to work in the criminal justice field while helping citizens in the San Marcos community. I was able to experience many different aspects of the police department through completing ride alongs with officers and victim’s services volunteers, observing the investigative processes of detectives, and analyzing case files and dispositions. I also assisted the victim’s services coordinator, created presentations for use in officer domestic violence training classes, and accompanied victims of domestic violence crimes during court hearings and proceedings. I found working directly with the public to be a very fulfilling experience. My internship has truly strengthened my desire to work in a field that provides service to my community after graduation.
My Special Project
During my internship, I completed an analysis of assault family violence cases involving strangulation to determine the effects of evidence collection on sentences given to convicted offenders. To complete my analysis, I worked with officers and police computer systems to review evidence collection methods. Then I worked with the Hays County District Attorney’s office to determine the sentences given to convicted offenders. The information I gathered will be used in future police training sessions to educate officers about the impact of good evidence collection on case dispositions. It will also be used by the District Attorney’s office and the Hays County Adult Probation office in reviews of their court procedures and probation requirements. Completing this special project for the SMPD gave me a chance to make an impact during my time with the department, and allowed me to leave a legacy that will help the community as a whole in the future.
Contacts
Thank you for visiting my page. If you have any questions about me, my internship experience, or the agencies I worked with, please feel free to use the contact information below.
My
email: ceckelberger@hotmail.com
