Officially Partners in Crime

The UCF Department of Sociology and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office have been partners in crime for the past three years. Together, they have undertaken a number of projects that have served both the university and the community.

On April 8, the sociology department and BCSO celebrated their three-year partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding to further cement their efforts. In the past, the projects created from the partnership have been done so on an ad-hoc basis; this new MOU will further provide support to BCSO and will give sociology students the opportunity to gain research experience.

The collaboration between the sociology department and BCSO began in 2012 with the development and assessment of a BCSO program in which a therapy dog was used to help comfort sexually abused children during interviews. Sociology students and faculty, including Elizabeth Mustaine, Ph.D., Lin Huff-Corzine, Ph.D., and Jay Corzine, Ph.D., have also evaluated BCSO programs that are designed to decrease crime and increase convictions in Brevard County.

Current collaborations are also underway in the areas of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual offenders. The sociology department is also evaluating the “Turn ‘em in Tuesday” program in which social media is used to enhance the community’s cooperation with law enforcement.