How Students Help

You don't have to wait until you're in the professional world to make a difference. Find out how the CIRC assists the community and provides Engaged Learning opportunities for Russell Sage College students.

Training and Professional Development

CIRC was developed to address this mounting problem in the criminal justice system. The CIRC provides training and experiences to students in unresolved case investigation and analysis while forming relationships with community agencies and contributing resources to local law enforcement to address their unresolved initiatives.

The CIRC is built upon other successful partnerships between victim’s families, community agencies, and law enforcement to tackle unresolved crimes and missing person cases. 

Students who are selected enroll in the center as an internship course and can earn 3 credits per semester. (Graduate students can earn externship credit.)

The CIRC offers cold case assistance to law enforcement through:

  • Research requests
  • Case organization/reorganization for more effective case detail access
  • Promoting media coverage of cases to revive community assistance
  • Generating funds to advance investigations

“Cold cases constitute a crisis situation, for all unsolved homicides potentially having offenders who have never been apprehended. History and research show that a violent offender will likely repeat.”

– Tom McAndrew, a former Pennsylvania State Trooper who served as one of 36 experts on the Cold Case Investigation Working Group, convened by the Office of Justice Programs’ National Institute of Justice.

Engaged Learning: Lizzie Borden Mock Trial


Areas of focus

Students who are accepted to the CIRC are assigned to one of five units:

  • Unresolved Homicide Unit
  • Unresolved Sex Crimes Unit
  • Missing Persons Investigation and Resource Unit
  • Crime Analysis Program
  • Continuing Education and Professional Training

Ready to get involved?

Learn more about how you can apply to become a member of the Criminal Investigation Resource Center.

Request More Info






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