Psychology and Treatment of the Juvenile Offender is geared toward psychology and forensic psychology majors who plan to work in human service, counseling, social work or occupational therapy. The course helps prepare students for work with at-risk children and teens, and those who already are involved in the criminal justice system.

Assistant Professor of Psychology Julie Jenks Kettmann has built in experiential learning as a way for students to deepen their understanding of course material. Students have the opportunity to meet with a juvenile court judge, observe juvenile criminal court cases and interact with SAU alumni who are working as juvenile court officers. 

All students in the course must also complete a service-learning experience with at-risk or adjudicated teens at one of four community sites. Here are the stories of two students.

Stephanie Pietig
"You would have thought they won the lottery for how excited they were! I could clearly see how foreign success felt to them." Read more about Pietig's experience at the Annie Wittenmyer Complex.

Laura Robinson
"The first night ... I was apprehensive, because I had never had the chance to talk to kids in their situations before." Find out what compelled Robinson to continue attending the youth social skills group, long after her requirement was fulfilled.