Elizabethtown College Students enrolled in the Criminal Justice program’s Corrections course expanded their learning outside the classroom this semester, attending the Dauphin County RALLY Recovery Court Graduation in late September to experience the justice system working in action.
“Attending Drug Court showed students that corrections can create pathways to recovery and change,” Ashey Yinger, Elizabethtown College Assistant Teaching Professor of Criminal Justice said. “Watching program graduates share their stories of recovery and perseverance made a powerful impression. My hope is that students are left inspired to be future professionals who lead with both integrity and empathy.”
Dauphin County RALLY Recovery Court, or Drug Court, is designed to promote public safety by keeping participants with substance use disorders and/or co-occurring disorders safe and accountable as they engage in necessary treatment. The court offers offenders with substance use disorders the opportunity for treatment, combined with probation and other community conditions, in lieu of jail time.
Etown students were in attendance to witness six program participants graduate from the court program, which can vary between 18 to 24 months.
“Visiting RALLY Recovery Court showed me how compassion and accountability coexist in corrections work,” Legal Studies Major, Emory Barton ’27 said “Seeing firsthand how the system supports recovery rather than punishment broadened my understanding of justice. Hands-on learning like this makes the classroom come alive. It’s the difference between studying policy and witnessing its impact on our local communities.”
Students heard from Judge Ed Marsico, who oversees the court, along with a keynote speaker, who was a previous graduate of the RALLY Recovery Court. Then, current graduates of the program received graduation certificates and shared their experience with the audience.
The 25 Blue Jays in attendance enjoyed the hands-on learning experience and took away a greater understanding and empathy for participants of specialized courts.
About Etown’s Criminal Justice Program
Students majoring in Criminal Justice at Elizabethtown College gain a strong ability to conduct research, analyze information, and think critically about topics like relationship building and community interactions. This major prepares students to be employed in Criminal Justice-related fields with skills that set them apart from graduates of other programs or to enter a graduate degree program in a related field. Learn more.
