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Welcome to the Comparative Justice Institute!
May 17 - June 4, 2009
Presented by
The American University and hosted by
The Kennemerland Regional Police, The Netherlands
The London Metropolitan Police, England
The Essex Police, England
The purpose of the tenth COMPARATIVE JUSTICE INSTITUTE (CJI) is to foster an in-depth understanding of legal and justice systems which substantively differ from that of the United States. CJI participants will see first-hand how other cultures and legal systems address problems similar to ours, such as drugs, civil disorder, terrorism and crime as well as how the police, court, and correctional systems respond. By seeing and understanding how other societies deal with their problems of justice, we can better assess whether our own is effective, efficient, and just.
To this end, leading Dutch and English experts from government, academia, police, courts and corrections will provide detailed analyses of crime and justice issues. Students will make numerous field trips to police stations, courtrooms, treatment centers and prisons for discussions and tours.
The Institute is directed by American University Professor Richard R. Bennett, a criminologist and author of numerous articles on comparative crime and justice systems, and Commissioner Nol van den Hurk, Haarlem Police Department (retired), an expert on the Dutch and English criminal justice systems. The Program Coordinator, Andrew Bennett (no relation to Professor Bennett), is a master’s student at American University studying Justice, Law & Society. The Institute draws its faculty from experts in the Dutch and English governments and numerous social service and criminal justice agencies.
Lectures in England will be held on-site in London and Chelmsford, Essex and the Institute's host will be the London Metropolitan police and the Essex police. In the Netherlands, lectures will be held on-site in major Dutch cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem, and The Hague. While in the Netherlands, the Institute will be hosted by the Kennemerland Police in Haarlem. Evenings and occasional afternoons will be free for students to enjoy a multitude of local cultural and tourist attractions. On weekends, Paris, Berlin and other European cities are convenient and exciting travel destinations.
Although the national language of the Netherlands is Dutch, most people speak English and all presentations, lectures and discussions will be conducted in English.
Contact: Dr. Richard Bennett at 202-885-2956 or Andrew Bennett at 202-885-6329 or via email to cji@american.edu
Space is limited. Early enrollment is encouraged.
Credits: 6 credits for graduate, law and undergraduate students.
The cost of the Institute is $2,300 in addition to the regular tuition for six University course credit hours for undergraduate, graduate and Washington College of Law students.
This fee includes:
Lodging for 14 nights
Breakfast in London
Breakfast daily and most lunches in the Netherlands
Farewell reception in London
Formal opening reception in the Netherlands
Famous Dutch barbeque
Farewell banquet in the Netherlands
All transportation to CJI events
Non-degree students pay the same rate as Undergraduates (UG) or Graduate students, depending on their course of study.
Consortium: Students from consortium universities are welcome to register at AU as non-degree students for this course and transfer the credits back to their home institution according to applicable rules.
Trans-Atlantic travel and travel between London and Haarlem are the responsibility of the student
Students are also responsible for books and school supplies.
FINANCIAL AID/ SCHOLARSHIPS
Since the CJI is a fully-accredited academic course, university and non-university scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships may be used to defray the cost of tuition. In addition, the Institute is offering three university-based scholarships. Each scholarship is worth $1000 and will be applied toward the payment of tuition. To apply for these scholarships, the student should include the following material with his/her CJI application:
- A one-page resume
- A one-page statement concerning how participation in the CJI would further your academic and career aspirations
- A brief description of past and present sources of financial aid
- A current transcript indicating GPA and courses taken.
The deadline for application for these scholarships is March 6, 2009. Notification of awards will be made by March 20, 2009.
Important Deadlines
Since CJI is an intense, hands-on educational experience the course is limited to 20 students. Space is available on a first come, first served basis. Space may be reserved now through April 10, 2009 by the payment of a $500 deposit. The reservation deposit is not applied toward tuition and fee charges. Deposit checks will be held by CJI staff until its conclusion and will be returned in accordance with the policy described below.
I. A deposit of $500 must be made by April 10, 2009 to reserve a place in the Institute.
II. A "go/no go" decision will be made by April 10, 2009 based on the number of enrollments. If, for any reason, American University cancels the program, all payments, including reservation deposits, will be refunded in full.
III. Participants must complete registration and payment of all tuition and fees by April 24, 2009.
IV. A participant who withdraws by May 1, 2009 will receive a 100% refund of tuition, fees, and reservation deposit, except for a $25 processing fee.
V. A participant who withdraws seventy-two hours before the arrival date of Sunday, May 17, 2009 (i.e., by 9:00 AM Thursday, May 14, 2009) will receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees, but will forfeit the reservation deposit.
VI. A participant who withdraws less than seventy-two hours before the day of arrival (i.e., after 9:00 AM Thursday, May 14, 2009 and before 9:00 AM Sunday, May 17, 2009) will receive a 50% refund of tuition and fees, and will forfeit the reservation deposit.
VII. A participant who withdraws after 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 17, 2009 will receive no refund at all.
Course Description
This six credit course is intended to engage the participants in an in-depth study of two different justice systems and the approach they each take to deal with such problems as civil disorder, crime, drugs, and delinquency. First, the similarities and differences among the U.S., Netherlands, and England’s legal systems will be explored. Second, the Institute's students will investigate how these differences shape the organization and activities of their justice systems. Finally, they will inquire as to how the operations of the justice system affect the nations' level of crime and social disorder. More specifically, the course will examine the workings of both Dutch and English police, courts, and corrections.
CJI participants will learn about Dutch and English police in such cities as Haarlem, Rotterdam, London and Chelmsford. Tours and demonstrations of police facilities and police tactics will be given. The students will observe how the community is policed and they will learn how crimes are investigated. The students will see how the police employ dogs to search for suspects, and how they train in the use of firearms. Students will also be given the opportunity to experience routine police work by participation in a police ride-along or walk-along.
In learning about the Dutch and English court systems, the students will attend lectures by judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. The majority of these lectures will be held on site in courtrooms and judges' chambers. The students will have an opportunity to observe actual court trials and receive a running commentary by court officials. The purpose of court lectures and visits is to understand the application of procedural law in relation to the substantive criminal code. The course will also address both institutional and community-oriented corrections. While in the Netherlands and England, the participants will visit jails and prisons. In addition, lectures and tours of community-based corrections programs addressing drugs and delinquency will be given. The purpose of this segment of the CJI is to understand how different cultures punish and/or rehabilitate their deviant members.
Request an Application
Please fill out the following information and e-mail it to CJI@American.edu. We will send you out an application and information packet immediately.
Name
Mailing Address
E-mail Address
Phone number
Travel Information
Round-trip travel to the UK and the Netherlands is the responsibility of the student. Travel to all Institute lectures and tours will be provided by the Institute. Students will travel on chartered buses, Netherlands rail service, London Underground and local buses/tours. Weekend travel and non-site visit travel is the responsibility of the student.
Students are advised to secure airline tickets to UK with return from the Netherlands as soon as possible after deciding to participate in the Institute. Inexpensive tickets are usually sold-out early in the spring for summer travel. Here are some web sites which might be helpful in your search for travel arrangements.
• This site is a list of top rated little known travel sites. Some are good for trip planning, getting good airfare or finding airline and hotel ratings.
Accommodations
While in the Netherlands, the Institute will be hosted by the Kennemerland Police Force in Haarlem. The participants will be lodged at the Lion d'Or, a 4-star Benelux rated hotel near police headquarters. The rooms are double occupancy and have a private bath. Breakfast will be served to the participants each morning. Room assignments can be made in advance to accommodate participants' preferences. In London, the participants will be lodged in a hotel on in London a few minutes from a Underground station. The rooms will be triple occupancy.
Note on accommodations:
Accommodations will be provided by the Institute in London from May 17, 2009 to the morning of May 22, 2009. Upon arrival in Haarlem, accommodations will be provided from Sunday May 24, 2009 through the morning of Friday May 29, 2009 and then from Monday evening June 1, 2009 to Friday morning June 5, 2009.
All interim weekends are free for travel. Hotel accommodations and meals are the responsibility of the individual student. For easy reference, the dates of the weekends are as follows:
Friday, May 22, 2009 (afternoon) through Saturday May 23
Friday, May 29, 2009 (afternoon) through Sunday, May 31, 2009
If you wish to stay in the Institutes’ hotels for all or part of the weekend, the Institute staff will gladly make arrangements for you. However, we need to know whether you will stay in the London or Haarlem hotels by April 10, 2009.
Meals
In the Netherlands, the Institute provides breakfast daily, a barbeque, a special dinner, an awards banquet, and most lunches. The remainder of lunches and dinners are the individual responsibility of the participant. In London, the Institute provides breakfast daily and a farewell reception.
Passport Information
A passport is required for travel to the Netherlands and the UK, and we suggest that you obtain one as soon as possible. If you currently have a passport, be sure to check its validity. It must not expire within six months of the time you plan to be abroad for some countries.
The United States Passport Agency advises that the peak demand for passports is between January and August. So don't delay!!! It customarily takes 6 weeks to process a passport request. To obtain one, you need to present:
I. Proof of U.S. citizenship, such as an expired passport or birth certificate
II. Two identical, official passport photos that may be taken at many convenient locations such as MotoPhoto or CVS in Tenleytown or the UPS Store on campus.
III. Proof of identity, such as a driver's license, that contains your signature and physical description/photo
IV. A fee of $100.00 for first-time passports, or $75.00 for renewals, and
V. A completed Passport Application Form DS-11 for new passports or a Passport Renewal Form DS-82 to renew a passport, that can be obtained at your local post office or downloaded from www.travel.state.gov/passport
When you have these items, you should bring them to a local post office, a clerk of the court, or any of the official passport agencies across the nation. You can find the closest facility to you by clicking here iafdb.travel.state.gov. From that point, you should be all set and on your way!
Should you need further information, visit the State Department Passport website at www.travel.state.gov/passport or call the automated hotline at the Passport Agency at (202) 647-0518. This office is located in downtown Washington, D.C. at 1111 19th Street, N.W.; however, visits are by appointment only, and only in an emergency situation in which a passport needs to be obtained within 14 calendar days. An additional $60.00 is required for this expedited service. Please do not rely on this!!! Do not procrastinate on this matter - get your passport early so you will not have to worry about it!!!
