Chargers Reflect on ‘Amazing’ Opportunity to Visit Courthouse in Boston

Members of the University’s American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) chapter hosted a trip to the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston, inviting students of all majors to attend. The trip included a tour of the courthouse and offered them the opportunity to observe court proceedings. They also met with several professionals, including judges and probation officers.

Below, several Chargers reflect on the experience.

Noah DiNallo ’24

As the vice president of the Psi Omega chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association for the 2023-2024 academic year, I was dedicated to creating an opportunity for our organization to provide a unique experience as a way to help replace what we would normally take part in during the annual national conference. The executive board worked hard to plan a trip to the John J. Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts, and it was great to see a positive response from those who attended the trip.

We started the day with a tour of the courthouse from Discovering Justice, a nonprofit organization that helps students and teachers engage in civic education. We were educated on the history of the courthouse, learned about some famous cases that have passed through the courthouse, and got to see some magnificent views of the Boston harbor!

We then met with Chief Judge David J. Barron and Judge Julie Rikelman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, as well as Senior Probation Officers Taylor Wertz and Martha Victoria of the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office for the District of Massachusetts. Each of these professionals talked about their stories and how each of them ended up in their current positions. I personally found great interest in learning about how state and federal probation differ from each other, as I have interned in a state probation office previously.

After lunch, students had the option to stay in the courthouse and watch some court proceedings or leave and explore the City of Boston for the afternoon. I chose to sit in on a sentencing hearing before seeing the sights of Boston. It was very interesting listening in on the sentencing and hearing both parties argue their case from a different perspective. The judge also took time to talk to the defendant to create a plan for housing and employment, amongst other aspects of life, post-incarceration. Overall, my entire experience on this trip was incredibly positive, as it was both educational and recreational.

It was great to see students who are not currently active members of the American Criminal Justice Association take advantage of opportunities that are presented to them and join us for this trip. Trips and events that the American Criminal Justice Association host are open to students of all class levels and majors, and we always enjoy seeing new faces and university-wide engagement!

Colin S. Graham ’23, ’24 M.S.

Since joining the Psi Omega chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association – Lambda Alpha Epsilon in the Fall 2021 semester, I have been a general member, I’ve served as a committee head, and I now serve as the conference preparation chair on the executive board. When students join the national organization, they are entitled to attend the regional conference in the fall and the national conference in the spring. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, the Psi Omega Chapter voted to not attend the 2024 National Conference in Southlake, Texas. Instead, members expressed an interest in attending smaller off-campus trips to further their criminal justice knowledge.

The executive board had meetings during the summer to begin planning for some of our events for the 2023-2024 academic year. During these meetings, we had discussed the possibility of organizing off-campus trips related to the criminal justice field. In addition to being a graduate student at the University, I am also employed by the U.S. Office of Probation and Pretrial Services for the District of Massachusetts.

After talking with my supervisor, I found out that, through Discovering Justice, the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse offers public tours of the building and opportunities to meet with legal professionals. While most of the programing Discovering Justice offers is geared toward primary and secondary students, I had reached out to Discovering Justice in early January to book a college student courthouse visit for March 21, 2024. In addition, I had asked my supervisor if U.S. Probation would be interested in speaking to students about the agency.

While I planned this event with American Criminal Justice Association members in mind, this event was open to all undergraduate students with an interest in criminal justice. In total, 24 students from the University attended the event, and the executive board was very impressed with the amount of student engagement. This sentiment was also reflected by Prof. Daniel Maxwell, our chapter adviser, as well as by Discovering Justice and U.S. Probation.

The American Criminal Justice Association is always looking to expand our membership. While our events are open to all undergraduate students, our members are the first to receive sign-up links. I would encourage any student who has an interest in criminal justice in join the American Criminal Justice Association.

Abbi Griggs ’25

I got the amazing opportunity to take a trip to Boston to see the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse with the ACJA. This was a great learning experience and it allowed me to see another side of the justice field. At first, we got a tour of the courthouse and got to hear about the story behind it being built. They wanted to show that there was equality within the courthouse and how anyone is welcomed. Its meaning is to show the truth behind the justice system.

We then got to speak with two federal appellate judges in the En Banc courtroom where they sit to listen and decide on appeals. They talked to us about their experience being a judge and what got them there. I have never spoken to a judge before. To hear how one started as a journalist and ended up being a judge was inspiring. You can start somewhere small and work your way up the line to become what you desire to be.

After that two senior probation officers came into the room to tell us about their jobs. One was a supervision officer who dealt more with helping inmates after release while the other was on the investigation side of probation. I always thought that probation officers just helped inmates get on their feet after being released and making sure they did not commit more crimes. That is not all they do. I got to learn that they are there for the whole time from the arrest. The investigation officer takes the time to put together a plan for the arrested person that helps with sentencing. After the sentence has been served the supervising officer helps them get back into society. These two women seemed to love what they do and honestly made me want to look more into probation due to how passionate they were.

We also had the time to sit in on a sentencing hearing which was amazing to watch. We got to see how the judge worked and how the attorneys and probation officer added their input to the sentence given to the defendant. Overall, this was a great learning experience, and I am glad to be a part of ACJA since it gave me this opportunity. This trip also was not just about the learning experience; it allowed me to get closer with the organization. I got to spend time with other members in the group through mini golfing and walking around Boston for the remainder of the day.

Maria Paula Montoya Mayorga ’25

As a criminal justice major with a concentration in crime analysis and a national security minor, I am hoping to become an FBI special agent or a Secret Service agent in the future. The John Joseph Moakley U.S Courthouse trip was an amazing opportunity, and I feel very grateful to have experienced it. We got to learn more in depth about the court system, and this specific courthouse that handles trials and appeals.

First, we had the opportunity to take a tour around the courthouse and were informed of its history. We learned about the different high-profile cases that were decided there and also got to see the U.S Marshals’ Most Wanted wall. Second, we met with two appellate judges, Chief Judge Barron and Judge Rikelman, and two probation officers, and we asked them questions about their paths and careers. Lastly, we had the opportunity to witness a sentencing hearing.

This trip was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am forever grateful to have been a part of it. I learned so much in a day and got to consider another career choice. I became interested in the U.S. Marshals as a possible career. I got to hear about the justice system from different individuals who are so knowledgeable and passionate about their careers, and it was truly moving.

I am sure that when I have the opportunity to be in my career in the future, I will look back on the days that helped shape me into a respectable agent, and I am positive that this will be one of them.

Noah DiNallo ’24, Abbi Griggs ’25, and Maria Paula Montoya Mayorga ’25 are criminal justice majors at the University of New Haven. Colin S. Graham ’23, ’24 M.S., is a candidate in the University’s graduate program in investigations and a graduate of the University’s B.S. Criminal Justice program.