The Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJS) Department has several undergraduate clubs/societies associated with the department:
Alpha Phi Sigma, The Criminal Justice Honor Society
Alpha Phi Sigma is the National Criminal Justice Honor Society founded in 1942. Alpha Phi Sigma recognizes academic excellence of Undergraduate and Graduate students of Criminal Justice, as well as Juris Doctorate students. The goals of Alpha Phi Sigma are to honor and promote academic excellence, community service, educational leadership and unity (http://www.alphaphisigma.org/). The CCJS staff advisor for Alpha Phi Sigma is Nicole Amonett.
Membership Requirements:
Membership is open to CCJS majors who have completed at least 45 total credits with at least 12 credits in CCJS courses. Applicants must have completed at least one semester at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) and have an established UMD grade point average. Undergraduate Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and a minimum CCJS major grade point average of a 3.30. Graduate student applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.40 to apply.
To Apply:
Applicants must fill out the application and submit the fee (we accept personal check made out to Alpha Phi Sigma, money order, and cash in exact change) of $90.00 ($85 of which goes to the National fee and $5 goes to the local chapter). Students can submit the completed application and fee to CCJS Advising or place in Nicole Amonett's mailbox inside Lefrak Hall, room 2220. Applications are processed once at the beginning of the fall semester (due: October 9) and once at the beginning of the spring semester (due: Feb 20) and it generally takes a few weeks to get official acceptance. Once a student has been accepted, he or she will receive a certificate and pin. Students are notified of their acceptance via Nicole Amonett.
The application can be found on the Alpha Phi Sigma national website, on the applications page. The name of the local chapter is Omega Iota.
Alpha Phi Sigma Student Leadership:
President:
Vice President:
Secretary:
The Petey Greene Program
The Petey Greene Program at UMD serves as the campus chapter for the national nonprofit organization, The Petey Greene Program. Their mission is to support the academic goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, while educating others on the injustice that manifests in our carceral system. This is done primarily through UMD students volunteering as tutors. We also hold bi-weekly meetings for students on a variety of topics related to mass incarceration, as well as campus-wide events to advocate for the humanity and the educational rights of incarcerated people.
Follow the Petey Greene UMD chapter's Instagram.
Reentry Redefined
Reentry Redefined is an organization committed to lowering the recidivism rates of formerly incarcerated individuals back into prisons by actively working to dismantle the systems that keep formerly convicted people in a perpetual cycle of re-offending. As a student organization, Reentry Redefined hopes to partner with government agencies and nonprofits to partake in meaningful community work to make reentry into society easier.
Follow the Reentry Redefined Instagram.
Students Interested in Crime
Students Interested in Crime (SIC) aims to grow a CCJS community that seeks to learn and make an impact in the field of crime and justice.
SIC is looking to recruit and develop any UMD student who is looking to develop and make an impact in the field of criminology and criminal justice. SIC would host various events such as guest speakers, field trips to correctional facilities, and fundraisers to donate money for good causes. Meetings would be set-up to hear out any members ideas and to build a great community setting to a group of students who are all interested in the same aspects of crime.
Follow the Students Interested in Crime Instagram.
The UnLocked Project
The UnLocked Project is a student-led organization supporting children of incarcerated parents through advocacy, education, and bi-weekly peer support sessions in collaboration with the U.S. Dream Academy. Sessions, held in-person at UMD and virtually, provide a welcoming space to connect, share, and build resilience.
The organization offers resources, leadership opportunities, and outreach efforts to foster community, raise awareness, and destigmatize parental incarceration. Join us to make an impact and support those affected by these challenges.
For more information, visit the Unlocked Project website. Follow the UnLocked Project Instagram.
Youth for Innocence
Youth for Innocence (Y4I) advances justice by researching wrongful convictions, conducting structured case work with innocence organizations, and supporting efforts to exonerate people who have been wrongfully convicted.
Members study how errors occur in the criminal legal system—such as mistaken eyewitness identification, false confessions, flawed forensics, and prosecutorial or defense failures—and then apply that knowledge to real cases. Working under the guidance of partner attorneys and innocence projects, we help review case files, organize records, identify potential issues, and support ongoing post-conviction efforts.
Beyond case work, Youth for Innocence hosts educational events, speaker panels, and discussions with practitioners and exonerees, creating a space for students and community members to engage thoughtfully with issues of justice and fairness. Through research, advocacy, and hands-on collaboration with professionals in the field, we strive to help correct past injustices and promote a more accurate and accountable criminal justice system.
Follow the Youth for Innocence Instagram.
