Sociology and criminology practicum sheds light on Winnipeg criminal justice organizations.
Students in sociology and criminology often ask how the things they learn in class show up in the city in which we live. Taking the Practicum in Criminological/ Sociological Research course (SOC 3100) gave me a chance to find out firsthand. Through an agency placement, I connected classroom theory with real people, real stories and real impact.
This advanced course offers students a placement with a local criminal justice or social services agency, where they develop a research or evaluation project around the agency they are partnered with. After hearing about the course from a friend, I was eager to take it myself and work with an agency making a positive impact on Winnipeg and in our wider community.
Once accepted, my classmates and I were paired up and matched with agencies such as the RCMP, Winnipeg Police Service, John Howard Society or The Link. My partner and I were placed with Initiatives for Just Communities, a Winnipeg non-profit that is committed to restorative justice practices and, among other services, supports individuals who were previously incarcerated to integrate back into the community.
My project explores a program called Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), which offers a caring community for people with offending histories who are at high risk of harming themselves and others. The research focuses on the specific demographic of sex offenders. At first, I felt somewhat uneasy studying this group, but I approached the project with an open mind. After connecting with agency staff and learning more about the program—and the tremendous benefits it provides to the people it supports—I grew to appreciate the value of these initiatives and embraced the concept of constructive integration.
The CoSA program utilizes a strength-based approach and follows a mantra of “no more victims”. It builds circles of supports around the Core Member that include volunteers, coordinators and professionals. The program connects the Core Member to medical, social, employment and housing services, provides emotional support and creates a safe community, while ensuring healthy boundaries, transparency and community and personal safety. For our project, my partner and I conducted interviews with staff, volunteers and the psychologists who train them. We also evaluated quantitative and qualitative data on the Core Members and the success rates of the program. We learned that a key factor in a Core Member’s success is their level of engagement and accountability. When Core Members consistently attend Circle meetings, they are more likely to participate in meaningful conversations, communicate more transparently and take responsibility for the harm caused by their offence. This accountability is also associated with a lower risk of reoffending.
While the study is still ongoing, some of our initial findings are that CoSA is effective at lowering recidivism and faces three main challenges: stigma, limited funding and the need for increased professional support from psychologists and social workers. If these challenges are resolved to some extent, CoSA will be able to increase their outreach and impact, due to limited staffing and long waitlists. These findings were presented to the organization in an evaluation report.
“To some students, the university can seem to be a “closed loop.” That is, they don't see a connection between the teaching and research we do here and what is going on outside. Students in the practicum get to take part in the process of ‘enacting’ sociology and ‘embodying’ criminology, applying theories, lectures and skills into action,” says course instructor Frank Cormier. “The course allows students to be involved in real action to improve our social institutions and (if we're lucky) the larger society itself.”
Through this practicum, I gained an understanding that there are real people behind the theories we study, as well as communities dedicated to helping them heal. I came to appreciate how important organizations such as Initiatives for Just Communities truly are, and I hope my small contribution will help them continue to support more individuals in the future. As I prepare for law school, this course has left a sense of fulfillment and a lasting impact—one that will guide my future work in the justice system.
SOC 3100 Practicum in Criminological/Sociological Research is scheduled to run again in the 2027–2028 academic year. To learn more about its prerequisites visit Aurora.
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