LCC instructor John Delnero Explains to his students the details of the Oregon judicial system
Students seeking a broad understanding of the criminal justice system would do well to take Introduction to Criminal Justice II, LCC instructor John Delnero said.
“I’ve been in and out of the court system for my own personal things or family-related issues. What people don’t realize is that the law has rules and regulations, and I want to know about it. Even if this course isn’t a part of your core requirements, it’s fun,” said Jennifer Cataldo, an LCC student who plans to major in criminal justice.
“You can get in and learn about some really neat stuff and how the country and court system works.” she said.
Delnero is a retired county sheriff who has experience with both law enforcement and the federal courts.
When teaching Introduction to Criminal Justice, he has the idea of bringing his personal experiences to the class and sharing them with his students.
“We get a lot of students who think they want to go into public safety and a lot of people talk about law enforcement. The idea of this class is not to teach people how to be cop,” Delnero said. “It’s how to give an informed decision about how the process works.”
In the class, students learn what law enforcement does, and what corrections the courts do.
“I’m taking the course because it’s interesting,” said LCC student Jackson Meyer. “I think it’s important to learn about so you can learn how the system works a little more.”
Delnero said the topics are chosen so the students can understand not just going to court, but the whole implications and the historical implications.
“We bring in some guest lectures. The idea is to bring professionals in so we’re not just doing academic work. We will begin talking about probation, parole, the different sentencing options and the inability to place people in the jails because of the lack of room in the jails,” Delnero said. “There are all kinds of reasons why we do and do not have enough room.”
Delnero plans on having a background investigator and a probation parole officer come in and talk to the class to explain the nature of the backgrounds and what they are.
“I think it’s the most fun you can ever have in a career. Most people don’t know how the Supreme Court writes certain decisions and how important they can be,” Delnero said about his personal experience as a county sheriff.
