April 27, 2019 – Utah Spring 2019 Biannual Crime, Justice, and Equity Conference

The Biannual Crime, Justice, and Equity Conference is a student-led educational forum promoting critical, innovative, inclusive, and equitable theoretical and practical presentations. We invite all to present especially undergraduate and graduate students in the field of criminology, justice studies, and criminal justice.

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10:00am – 11:30am – SESSION ONE
Room 114
Chair:
1. Restorative Justice in Salt Lake City, Utah to Reduce Recidivism Rates
Lucas Rivera
BIOGRAPHY: Lucas A. Rivera is currently an undergraduate student at Salt Lake Community College, majoring in criminal justice and criminology. Lucas hopes to obtain his bachelors degree in criminal justice so he can join the U.S. Secret Service. Currently, he is involved in the executive leadership of the Utah Criminology Student Association as a Coordinator of the Public Picnic of Pioneer Park. He has a full time job at Smiths Food and Drug store. His interests from personal experiences is dedicated to prevention of crime, minimize recidivism rates, equity, and volunteering at homeless shelters.
ABSTRACT: In this presentation, Lucas will be discussing the significance of restorative justice and how it can improve behaviors of offenders and form unity in the community. Lucas will present four different programs to help implement restorative justice including prevention, community service, mediation and family group conference. The purpose of this presentation is to help aid a solution to decrease incarceration and recidivism rates and empower and heal victims. Searching for better alternatives instead of incarceration (depending on the crime that is committed) helps and heals people.
2. Supporting Those with Mental Disabilities Through the Court Process
Ben Venegas
BIOGRAPHY: Benjamin Venegas is a father of three young children. He is attending Salt Lake Community College and pursuing his Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice to be able to acquire a career in the forensic science field. His hobbies include spending time with his three kids and going to the gym on his free time.
ABSTRACT: This presentation will be about how the criminal justice system can improve to introduce and implement more programs for the mentally ill. He will present how the justice system handles the current mentally disabled cases. He will discuss other alternatives on how the system could handle the cases that concerns the mentally ill.
3. Media’s Influence on the Criminal Justice System
Henry Mendes
BIOGRAPHY: Henry Mendes is currently a student at Salt Lake Community College. Henry is working towards a degree in criminal justice and criminology. He desires to become an effective, scholarly and compassionate member of society by aspiring to become a law enforcement officer. His interests include working out, reading and studying law. Born in Venezuela, he’s spent most of his life growing up in West Jordan, Utah.
ABSTRACT: Henry Mendes will be presenting on the effect social media has on society at large, but more specifically how media corporations like Facebook, Twitter and Reddit influence society’s perspective when issues relating to crime, punishment and justice are presented to the community. Corporations have their own socio-economic, religious and political agendas that influence policy through shaping media. In addition, this presentation will discuss the decentralizing of media by individuals use of technology such as smartphones and personal computers.
4. The Importance and Abuse of Searches and Seizures
Conrad Marchant
BIOGRAPHY: Conrad Marchant, Samoan-American male, grew up in Rose Park, Utah. He is currently a student at Salt Lake Community College where he is working on an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice. Conrad aims to be a police officer when he finishes his degree. His interests include working out, volunteering, and supporting his family.
ABSTRACT: This presentation will cover the reasons for a search and seizure, the proper procedure, and how it is abused. A part of that will go over the difference between probable cause and reasonable suspicion. It will focus on what is required for a search and seizure to be legal and how changes to them came about.
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Room 116
Chair:
1. Solitary Confinement Harmful or Helpful
Kevin Campos
BIOGRAPHY: Kevin Campos is currently an undergraduate student at Salt Lake Community College, majoring in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Kevin is going to continue his schooling at Weber State University, with a major in Criminal Justice while minoring in Psychology. On his free time, he enjoys running (mostly 5Ks), hiking, and spending time with family. He hopes to work in the Criminal Justice field shortly after receiving his bachelor’s degree while continuing his schooling to receive a Masters.
ABSTRACT: This presentation will be going over solitary confinement. I will start with a history of solitary confinement talking about the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, why), going over the pros and cons of this practice to see if it is helping or harming the inmates and society as a whole. Looking at the psychological aspects, physical, and emotional effects it has.
2. The Rise of and Most Common Crimes by Women
Cheyenne Pia
BIOGRAPHY: Cheyenne Pia is a sophomore in Salt Lake Community College. She is pursuing a Criminal Justice/ Criminology Degree to then pursue Law Enforcement. Will obtain a Bachelor’s Degree from Utah Valley University. She is interested in many things; especially how women are involved in crime. Cheyenne works for a gun range and that takes up much of her time! Cheyenne enjoys cooking and being with her family. Her interests are derived from her family also being apart of military and law enforcement. She wants to make a difference in crime to help people.
ABSTRACT: In this presentation, Cheyenne wants to show if the rates are rising of women committing crime as well as what type of crimes women are being involved in. Her biggest question is why women commit crimes at a lower rate than man (or if this is still true). She also hopes to discover what it takes for women to commit a crime or how often mental issues or the women being abused has occurred. Then to evaluate how often women who are career criminal occur. This will be helpful for understand why women seem to be at a lesser risk to be in prison.
3. Converse Effects of Label Theory
Clarissa Minson
BIOGRAPHY: Clarissa Minson was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is studying criminology at Salt Lake Community College to get her Associates were she will then continue on to get her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Weber State University. Clarissa has spent most of her adult career in the education system, most currently working as an elementary school P.E. teacher. Although she has been doing little law enforcement for the moment with her degree she hopes to move to Montana and become a Big Game Warden in Yellowstone National Park, were she will start working big law enforcement. She love loves the outdoors like hiking and horseback riding, she enjoys sharing her cooking with those around her, and she loves spending time with people and hearing their stories.
ABSTRACT: The presentation ‘Converse Effects of Labeling Theory’ will explore the impact on children’s lives as they grow and develop with labels others have placed on them. Labeling takes different forms through childhood and it can cause struggles as adults and lead to incarceration in the future. Please come join the Criminology Department to learn of Labeling Theories.
4. The Missing Fathers and the Rise of Crime with Youth
Shaun Lyman
BIOGRAPHY: Shaun Lyman grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He is currently a student at Salt Lake Community College, where he is completing his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice.  Shaun has been working as a security officer for the LDS Church Security Department for the past twenty three years.  He plans on transferring to Weber State University to complete his Bachelors in Criminal Justice.  His interests includes cooking and baking, and spending time with his wife and five sons.
ABSTRACT: This presentation will discuss the relationship between fathers and youth, and how the absence of a father figure in a family affects the rise of a crime with the youth in society.  This presentation will also present input and ideas to assist with reversing this trend of criminal activity among the youth within the United States of America.
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11:30am – 12:45pm – SESSION TWO
Room 114
Chair:
1. Teens and Drug Use in America
Cole Byram
BIOGRAPHY: Cole Byram was born and raised in Arizona, but recently relocated to the Salt Lake area to pursue college. This is his last semester at Salt Lake Community College before transferring to Weber State University. He hopes to earn a bachelors degree in criminal justice by the age of twenty-one. After college, he plans on joining the DEA. His interests include skiing, traveling, and fly fishing.
ABSTRACT: This presentation will cover the broad topic of drug use among American teens. It will narrow in on the specific points of peer pressure and social media, and how these factors influence teens to participate. Additionally, common myths and misconceptions will be broken down and explained with facts. To conclude, possible solutions to the drug epidemic will be presented and discussed.
2. Children that have Sociopathic Like Behaviors: What We can do to Help Them
Hector Madrigal
BIOGRAPHY: Hector Madrigal, is a Mexican-American male who was born in California but grew up most of his life here in Utah. He is currently a student at Salt Lake Community College where he is working on getting his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology. He enjoys learning about different profiling and investigation techniques. During his free time, he enjoys reading comic books, watching crime movies, and T.V. shows. He hopes that one day he could use the skills he learned at SLCC to become a good investigator.
ABSTRACT: Hector Madrigal will be presenting on child sociopath and conduct disorder. This presentation is going to cover some of the ways you can spot sociopathic traits, characteristics, and behaviors that a kid with conduct disorder might have. It will also go over some of the treatments that experts have tried and explain why some of those treatments are better than others. Hector will then finish the presentation by telling you what experts believe is the best thing you should do if you think your child shows signs of sociopathic behavior.
3. Video Games and Violence
Gibson Higgs
BIOGRAPHY: Gibson Higgs is a file clerk for a property law firm in Salt Lake City, Utah. Gibson is currently a student at SLCC in order to obtain an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. Gibson has spent many hours studying and researching the possibility of whether or not video games, movies, and other media plays any key roles in causing violent behaviors from youth. Gibson has spent the vast majority playing violent video games in order to see if he has become even the least bit violent.
ABSTRACT: We live in a society full of many different forms of entertainment. One of the most popular forms of entertainment today is playing video games. However, just like many different pastimes, video games have gained a lot of negative controversies surrounding them. With the growth of the video game industry, there has been an increase in mass shootings, causing many to claim that there is a direct link between the rising of video games and mass shootings. From the tragic Columbine Massacre to the recent shooting in Christchurch, video games have been erroneously considered the main contributors to these senseless acts of violence.
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Room: 116
Chair:
1. Disproportional Punishments Toward People of Color
Taya Devroom
BIOGRAPHY: Taya DeVroom  is currently an undergraduate student at Salt Lake Community College, majoring in criminal justice and criminology. Taya wants to obtain her Bachelors in criminal justice and criminology so she can eventually join the FBI and become a detective. She is currently working at Amazing Lash Studio as a receptionists, helping people get their desired eyelash look. 
ABSTRACT: In this presentation, Taya will be discussing the unfair punishments of people in color. She will be informing us about the different unfair punishments that happened in the criminal justice system. How the justice system works when sentencing people to prison. She will also talk about different out comes to better help the unfair sentencing process, and what would happen if we took action as a community too to help this issue.
2. U.S. Modern Cults and the Warning Signs
Justice France
BIOGRAPHY: Justice Franco, as in Justice for all. Is a American student, hoping to graduate in this spring or summer semester to obtain his Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology. After doing so he will be taking a year off to train his puppy (who is a pug), work through the summer to earn the amount of money he will be needing for what he is doing, and to finally take a two-week vacation over at Japan with his two close friends. After he comes back he will be looking at either going to Weber State University for a bachelors in criminal justice or attend Police Officer Standard Training (POST).
3. Personal Life Changes Influence Crime
Arnold Martinez
BIOGRAPHY: Arnold Martinez is currently undergraduate at Salt Lake Community College pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice and criminology. Arnold is still concentrating on what future careers interest him the most but hopes to find one in the field of criminology, he has volunteered with feeding the homeless at pioneer park on different occasions. Interests from previous experience includes analyzing the trials at court, going to the Utah correctional facility and having open discussions with peers on various topics related to criminology.
ABSTRACT: This topic will discuss the affects change has on people on how it may influence criminal behavior for better or for worse. Arnold will discuss the negative and positive affect of change not only for individuals but also family groups. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the dynamics of change and collectively understand the why people make choices that have good or bad outcomes. The discussion will specifically focus on Utah’s culture as well as some of the well-known cultures in different parts of the world. This presentation will also address how to cope with change in so that it may heal individuals, families and communities.
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12:45pm – 1:30pm – LUNCH AND AWARDS
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1:30pm – 2:00pm – KEYNOTE PRESENTATION – David Durocher, Managing Director, The Other Side Academy
Introduction: Hazen Conlon

BIOGRAPHY: Dave Durocher was arrested for the first time at the age of thirteen. By the time he was 38, he had been to prison four times for a total of fifteen years. Dave was arrested yet again, and this time he was facing a twenty-nine year prison sentence. In what the Judge called “the chance of a lifetime” he afforded Dave the opportunity to go to Delancey Street instead of prison but reminded Dave in no uncertain terms that if he didn’t complete his commitment at Delancey Street he would be spending the rest of his life in prison. Not only did Dave complete his initial two year commitment, he stayed for a total of eight years and became the Managing Director of Delancey’s Los Angeles facility for five of those years, overseeing two hundred and fifty residents and a multitude of vocational training school businesses that funded the operation and provided the training ground for residents to learn how to live a constructive and meaningful life. Dave oversaw a 300% increase in revenue during his tenure over the facility. Dave is tenacious, interpersonally skilled, a good manager and an inspiring public speaker. He had helped countless others regain their dignity and their lives before he moved on to enjoy his own success as the person he had become. Now Dave has moved on to the next chapter in his life as the Managing Director of The Other Side Academy, in Salt Lake City, a two-year Life Skills Academy similar to Delancey Street, where men and women can come to learn about honesty, accountability, integrity hard work and self-respect. All the traits that will insulate them from a life like the one Dave had and enable them to become the kind of person Dave is today.
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2:00pm – 3:30pm – SESSION THREE
Room 114
Chair:
1. Psychology of Serial Killers
Andrew Schow
BIOGRAPHY: Andrew Schow grew up in West Jordan, Utah, and is currently an undergraduate at Salt Lake Community College studying Criminal Justice and Criminology.  From here he hopes to go on to obtain his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and pursue a career as a forensic scientist.  Currently he is working his way through school as a custodian for Salt Lake County Library Services at the Viridian Event Center where he performs equipment maintenance and helps co-workers and clients to prepare for events.  ABSTRACT: In his presentation, Andrew will discuss the importance of studying serial killers and their psychology, including what motivates them, how they choose their targets, why they work the way they do, and what may drive them to begin killing.  This is important because knowing these factors may help criminal justice and medical professionals, as well as others who may give council or observe social behavior, to identify potential warning signs and allow those individuals who might become serial killers to receive the help necessary to prevent these behaviors from escalating, and reduce or prevent the occurrence of future serial murders.
2. A Life of an Offender, Breaking Stereotypes and Revealing Behaviors
Hazen Conlon
BIOGRAPHY: Hazen Conlon has just completed her freshman year at Salt Lake Community College. She is pursuing a Criminology and Criminal Justice degree and aspires to be a Juvenile Probation Officer so she can help youth stay out of the justice system before it transitions into adulthood. Hazen is involved in the executive leadership role with the Utah Criminology Student Association. Hazen is the coordinator and host of the Biannual Crime, Justice, and Equity Conference. She is currently directing a podcast about different aspects of the criminal justice system – www.soundcloud.com/hazen-conlon
ABSTRACT: In this presentation, you will experience something a little different. Hazen will be presenting a podcast she wrote, directed, and edited herself. This podcast, titled The Information Effect, is a personal interview done with one of the managing directors of The Other Side Academy, Alan Fahringer. In this podcast, you will here his personal story of how he entered the criminal justice system and got involved with drugs from a very young age. This is meant to be informational and has no bias towards the criminal justice system, but you will come to find out what the real issue is, in the hopes you will be inspired to take action for yourself (See Keynote speaker Dave Durocher).
3. Hate Crimes Toward the LGBTQ+ Community in the U.S.
Juanita Escareno
BIOGRAPHY: Juanita Escareno is currently a student at Salt Lake Community College majoring in criminal justice and criminology. After achieving an associates degree in criminal justice at Salt Lake Community College, she plans on graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a Juris Doctor degree. Juanita hopes to become an immigration lawyer in the future and defend those without citizenship or residency in the U.S. She has a full time job managing packaging at Fusion Imaging, which is an international company that provides marketing material to customers. In the summer of 2019, she plans on traveling to Germany to learn more about the developing culture and the influences that were left from past violent acts.
ABSTRACT: In this presentation, Juanita will be discussing the topic of discrimination and hate crimes acted upon the LGBTQ+ community. The presentation will be informing the audience of the multiple hate crimes aimed towards the LGBTQ+ and harm and violence toward the community. The purpose of this presentation is to inform the public of the violent attacks, policies, laws, and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. Finally, this presentation will mention solutions on better treatment from the law enforcement and the U.S. criminal justice system in being inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
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3:30pm – 5:00pm – SESSION FOUR
Room 114
Chair:
1. Edmund Kemper: How he Aided in the Development of Profiling
Daisha Schirle
Biography: Daisha Schirle is an undergraduate student studying at Salt Lake Community College, majoring in Criminal Justice/Criminology. Daisha hopes to obtain her master’s in Criminal Justice with a minor is Psychology. She is a full-time student, working two part time jobs. She is excited to focus more on why crimes happen and the mindset of the offender during the time of the crime. She is also an advocate for Criminal Justice reform.
Abstract: In her presentation she will discuss how Edmund Kemper assisted the FBI in creating the art of profiling. She will present a little on his background and why he was chosen to be the first serial murderer to be interviewed. She will also speak about how Mindhunter (Netflix original) is or is not an accurate representation to factual events surrounding Edmund Kemper’s interviews.
2. Drug Trafficking within the U.S.
KaiLeigh Archer
BIOGRAPHY: KaiLeigh A. Archer is currently an undergraduate student at Salt Lake Community College, majoring in criminal justice and criminology. KaiLeigh hopes to obtain her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice so she can become a Local Police Officer and eventually join the K9 Unit. She currently works as a Veterinarian Technician, working with animals in need of help.
Abstract: In this presentation, KaiLeigh will be discussing what drug trafficking is. She will be informing us about the different types of drugs that are trafficked throughout the U.S. How the drugs are smuggled and hidden from Customs and Border Protection and what ports of entry they come through. She will be talking about the new laws on drugs throughout the US. She will discuss the opioid epidemic and how legalization of marijuana is either helping it or not. She will talk about the danger of illicit drug use in our community and the challenge for law enforcement.
3. Profiling Satanic Murders
Marcela Martinez
BIOGRAPHY: Marcela D. Martinez, is a Hispanic Mexican Latina student, who was raised in West Wendover Nevada. She is currently an undergraduate student at Salt Lake Community College. Marcela has a passion for justice and equality, therefore she aims to become a lawyer. She believes in helping others no matter the race, religion, sexuality, etc. Family means the world to her as they have made her the person she is today. It is with their support that she is here, and she can continue to thrive and succeed.
ABSTRACT: In this presentation, Marcela will be discussing the profiling of satanic murders. With details and background of Satanism, Marcela will talk about groups that identify as satanic and groups that the government and media stereotype as satanic.   
ABSTRACT:  
4. Parole as Integration
Nicole Curtz
BIOGRAPHY: Nicole is currently and Undergrad student at Salt Lake Community College, majoring in Criminal Justice and criminology. She hopes to get her Bachelor’s degree up at the University of Utah after she gets her Associates degree at SLCC. In her spare time, Nicole likes to read, play video games, go for random drives, listen to music, hang out with friends. She one day hopes to work with people on parole. She currently works full time for a local grocery store.
ABSTRACT: In this presentation Nicole will be going over the use of using parole as a form of integration for adults in Utah. The purpose of this lecture is for Nicole to show how people on parole can be helped and integrated back into society and how the goal is in hopes to make it so that people don’t keep re-offending and returning back into the justice system.
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5:00pm – 6:00pm – CLOSING PLENARY
Chair:
Family Crimes and Intervention Coordinator/Child Advocate
Sandy Police Department
Jennifer Hamilton
BIOGRAPHY: Jennifer Hamilton is the Family Crimes and Intervention Coordinator and Child Advocate for the Sandy Police Department. Jennifer oversees the Victim Advocates for the police department as well as the various meetings/programs under the unit. Some of the programs she oversees is the Sandy Youth Court as well as the C.A.R.I. (Children at Risk Intervention) team. Jennifer’s previous experience includes working for the DCFS (Division of Child and Family Services) where she held different positions such as Juvenile Court Liaison, Lead Transition to Adult Living Caseworker, On Call CPS (Child Protective Services) and Permanency Caseworker. Other employment included CPS in Texas and Lead Court Clerk for the Third District Juvenile Court. Jennifer is a licensed Social Service Worker through the Utah DOPL (Department of Professional Licensing). Jennifer received a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from St. Edward’s University and a Master’s in Business Administration.
ABSTRACT: The Office for Victims of Crime shares on their webpage, “Every crime has a victim, but not every victim has a voice within the criminal justice system.” The many different facets of the criminal justice system can be very difficult to navigate for someone who has just experienced trauma. Victim Advocates are in place to perform various tasks to help victims understand their rights as well as give them a voice in each area of the criminal justice system. This presentation will focus on what it looks like to be a Victim Advocate, the trauma behind the crime and the criminal justice system and will illustrate what types of crime Victim Advocates mostly deal with.
Title: The Rise of Forensic Science as a Critical Public Safety Component
Jay Henry
BIOGRAPHY: Jay Henry is the Director for the Utah Department of Public Safety crime laboratory system with responsibilities that include operations, training, curriculum development and legislative advocacy.  He leads Utah’s only “full-service” forensic provider which is composed of three laboratories with 55 employees and serves 140+ law enforcement agencies with a population base of approximately 3.1 million people.  Mr. Henry worked cases and maintained proficiency in each of the following forensic disciplines: chemistry (controlled substances), serology (stain identification, ABO and polymorphic enzyme testing) DNA (RFLP-based typing) and crime scene response.  He has been accepted in court as an expert in each of these disciplines.  He also continues to train and maintain an active interest in casework which includes crime scene, firearms, ballistics and reconstructive aspects of criminal events.  He maintains casework proficiency in Firearms and Tool Mark analysis. 
ABSTRACT: In the early years of police work and at the beginning of this old Director’s career, the crime laboratory was used, in a practical sense, as an afterthought in the investigation of a crime scene (when all else failed) and/or as a prosecutorial tool (to prove a fact or point in court in cases that were already solved).  During the 1980’s and 1990’s, as forensic science providers adopted computer technology, developed databases and implemented advanced genetic testing, the laboratory found itself at the forefront of the criminal investigation.  Indeed, in modern day investigations, detectives routinely rely on the crime lab to solve their cases. Gone are the days that forensic science is relegated to shadows of the investigation.  The presentation will discuss forensic advancements and supplement with casework examples. 
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