This past August, RWC Criminal Justice Professor Marilyn Simon and a group of Pre-Criminal Justice students visited the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio. The facility holds some of the most dangerous criminals in the system, with fifty percent of inmates locked down. This means they are constantly in their cells, except for one hour per day.
The visit included a view of the death house, the only such facility in Ohio. Students also toured the inside of a standard cell, which measures six feet by eight feet. Some inmates were seen in transit or at their jobs for the OPI (Ohio Penal Industries), where various products are assembled.
The tour introduces students to a place where they may one day be employed or at least have a chance to witness one aspect of the system in their chosen career. Professor Simon says it is an “intense place and a real eye opener, especially as doors slam both behind and in front of you”.
Trips such as this are offered each quarter. Professor Simon says they are great learning tools for students considering careers in criminal justice.