AO
Austin O'Neill
  • Modern Languages-Chinese
  • Class of 2018
  • Acworth, GA

Austin O'Neill presents research at Criminal Justice conference

2017 Jan 30

Two senior criminal justice majors presented their research as University of North Georgia (UNG) representatives at the annual meeting of the Criminal Justice Association of Georgia in October.

Austin O'Neill of Acworth, Georgia, presented his research paper titled "GED Programs in Prison - Trial and Error," which explored and analyzed the barriers that face inmates who try to obtain a General Education Diploma (GED) while incarcerated.

Ashley Rodriquez of Newnan, Georgia, presented her paper titled "Community Oriented Policing: Surrendering to Changing Political Priorities," which illustrated the benefits of community-oriented policing in counter-terrorism efforts and advocated for a coordination of efforts between local law-enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.

The student's faculty mentor, Dr. John Stuart Batchelder, professor of criminal justice, explained the perks of helping student researchers publish their work: "Directing undergraduate research is probably the most gratifying aspect of our profession. They are learning to conduct research as an advancement to their education, and they get the experience of presenting their findings in a professional setting."