About Amanda

Hometown:
Holland, PA

University Partner:
John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Degree:
Forensic Psychology, minor in Criminology

Grant Partner:
Center for Court Innovation

Senior Mentor:
Adam Mansky, Director of Operations

"The highlight of the summer had to be making ten new friends. It was incredible to be surrounded by passionate, dedicated, and intelligent students who were all very interested in getting to know me and learn about my field of work. I gained confidence in my ability to network, in my social skills, and especially in my ability to survive in the workplace. Being a Steamboat Scholar means that I have become part of a family; although the summer has ended, my involvement with Steamboat has only just begun."

Scholar Background

Committed to public service and dedicated to studying community safety issues, Amanda was a member of the Honors Program, the Distinguished Student Program, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Psi Chi, and President of Phi Eta Sigma. She was the recipient of John Jay College’s prestigious Justice Scholarship, established by Princeton University in memory of the firefighters and police officers who received their training at John Jay and perished on September 11, 2001. Amanda also received the Vera Fellowship, which is established by the Vera Institute of Justice in partnership with John Jay and gave her the opportunity to intern at Project Renewal’s Parole Support and Treatment Program. While Amanda is interested in virtually all aspects of the criminal justice system, she focused on studying alternatives to incarceration for mentally ill and juvenile offenders. She is also interested in the efficacy and unintended consequences of sex offender notification policies. In an era of mass incarceration, Amanda believes that proactive research is the first step towards lowering the prison population and preventing individuals from adopting a life of crime.

Internship Description

At Center for Court Innovation, Amanda conducted a needs assessment for a Newark Community Court. She attended and organized reports of focus groups held in Newark with members of the community. Each focus group targeted a specific population – ex-offenders, public housing residents, and community leaders – and aimed to identify the biggest public safety concerns, discuss perceptions of how the courts are currently handling criminal cases, and explore the potential start of a community court in Newark. Amanda also had the opportunity to meet with individuals from the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice, judges from the Newark Municipal Court, the Bronx Criminal Court, Brooklyn Treatment Center and Red Hook Community Court, various public defenders, and the Bronx District Attorney.

Where are they now?