February 1, 2016 – This month’s featured JRC Law Academy is William Cullen Bryant HS of Astoria, Queens. At William Cullen Bryant, students are offered three different JRC law programs: Law Academy, Law Enforcement Academy, and Computer Forensics-Cyber Security (CF-CS).
Computer forensics is the process of identifying, preserving, analyzing and presenting digital evidence in accordance with what is legally accepted in a court of law. Students are exposed to experts in the field of computer forensics and cyber security, attend field related visits and/or work in internships, and participate in a student-centered culminating activity. Many of the students participating in CF-CS are also involved in the law classes through the Law and Law Enforcement Academy. Through these programs, students are exposed to careers in law-related professions and post-secondary education.
Students shared their experiences with the CF-CS program at William Cullen Bryant, and how the course has opened up new post-secondary pathways.
Student Perspective #1: I enrolled into the law program as I was applying to this high school. I chose the law program because I have always been fascinated by the rules and regulations and how we apply them to run our government. In chapter three, “Fundamentals of Cyber Law”, it begins to show the many different ways that law and technology interact. This is an extremely hot topic because today’s youth is always on the internet and somehow manages to get into mischief. This chapter displays the complications of technology, jurisdictions, and our right to privacy. It is always important to know the protection we are guaranteed. Many people do not know their rights and get taken advantage of. I intend to attend college and then expand my career path by attending law school. I would like to major in Political Science and minor in Psychology. I want to go into family court in the future, in order to help families as much as I possibly can. This program is important because it creates a foundation for young minds such as myself. This gives people an idea of what they could possibly be doing in the future. If people decide not to pursue law in their future that is perfectly fine, as long as students are more educated about law and hopefully make smart decisions and think before they act. –Nicole Duran, senior
Student Perspective #2: I enrolled in the law program because it is a field that I am passionate about. Also, William Cullen Bryant High School’s Law and Forensics Academy is designed for students to be exposed to various types of law. The Computer Forensics – Cyber Security Program is an extensive rigorous program that is intended to educate an individual on how computer forensics plays a crucial role in criminal proceeding. Computer forensics intertwines with the Criminal Justice System in a compelling manner. Learning computer forensics illustrates how important this career is in tracking fraud incidents, theft of intellectual property, negligence and other illegal acts. Throughout the course, there are a plethora of thought-provoking activities that I take part in with my peers. One lesson, in particular, is the fundamental of cyber laws in which we focused on prosecuting under the law with reference to the Fourth and Fifth Amendments and Cyber Civil and Criminal Laws. At the moment, I’m learning the laws and how to apply computer forensics to the law. For instance, I learned about the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act which is a federal law. I also learned the NY Personal Privacy Protection Law, which is a state law. Lastly, I learned about civil liabilities, copyright, and hacktivism. The “Solving the case” collaborative teamwork lesson gets my attention. This is because based on the law and technology; we were given circumstances in which we had to utilize our knowledge of computer forensics to give the correct investigation to the brief scenarios. I also enjoy reading different cases that involve computer forensics such as George Zimmerman’s trial in which his attorney’s utilized social media and text message evidence to build their case.
In the future, it is my aspiration to attend a four year college and major in either political science or sociology, as well as minor in forensic science or African American studies/ Literature. After graduating college, it is my goal to attend law school and retrieve my JD and become a prosecutor. Computer forensics is imperative because it will assist me in my career goals. This is because computer crimes occur in the world constantly, and with experience in computer forensics, I can use the skills I’ve learned to solve crimes and gather evidence. – Shaquille Profitt, sophomore
Article written by Valerie Kornitchouk and student perspectives provided by William Cullen Bryant HS law teacher, Jonathan Luke Young.