The Criminal Justice Club at Stanislaus State is a student-led organization that meets every Wednesday at 4 pm at Bizzini Hall in room 208. The club aims to educate its members about the criminal justice system and career opportunities by hosting guest speakers from various areas. 
Advisor of the club,  Dr. Gregory Morris shares his interest in environmental crime and how it led him to study sociology in college.
“My real interest is in environmental crime, but no one is interested in that around here,” Dr. Morris stated.
When Dr. Morris first applied to be a professor, the Criminal Justice department was splitting from the Sociology department to become its own. Prior to teaching Criminal Justice, he taught Criminology and Research Methods. 
Dr. Morris says that abrupt change won’t happen in a stable democracy. He emphasized the need for better hiring practices when it comes to police officers, stating that police officers should look like the community that they are serving.
Morris shares, “Police are put in an impossible position in society where we have so many inequalities, such broader issues of differences in class but also caste systems within race, gender, [and] sex.”
Dr. Morris described an event that the club held where they had the San Francisco Police Department come to campus to host the physical and written exam that is required to become a police officer for free.
This was also a way for the police department to recruit since few people are looking to work in criminal justice.
“Nobody wants a job in criminal justice right now,” said Dr. Morris. 
Dr. Morris believes that the club provides clarity on the criminal justice field through guest speakers who share their experiences. 
Morris states, “I’ve been at this for about 25 years, [and] I used to think I knew things; then you talk with people in the field and you think it’s one way, but it turns out you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” 
Event coordinator, Palmyrah Romero (Junior, Criminal Justice) highlights the networking opportunities that the club provides for its members. The club has a social aspect and it is a way for students to make friends with others who share similar interests.
 “Joining the Criminal Justice Club was definitely a way for me to try to be more social and also get to know more people within my major,” Romero said.
Romero spoke about how the guest speakers at the meetings are professionals in the field and can provide valuable insights and connections for students who are interested in pursuing careers in criminal justice.
Vice President, Meybiss Gonzalez (Senior, Criminal Justice) shares her thoughts towards the club and criminal justice in general.
“It’s 2023 and there need to be more women that have jobs in criminal justice,” Gonzalez stated. 
Gonzalez highlighted the wide range of career paths available that individuals can have with a Criminal Justice degree, such as law enforcement, corrections, social services, legal professions, private investigation, and more.

“It’s not just law enforcement. I feel like people need to realize that there’s so much you can do with a criminal justice degree,” she says. 

The Criminal Justice Club is a beneficial resource for students who are interested in pursuing careers in criminal justice. Through weekly meetings, guest speakers share their experiences and challenges faced in the field, giving students an idea of the day-to-day work in the field.