photographs by Mark Schmidt
Drug Enforcement Administration head Thomas A. Constantine, an alumnus of the University at Albany's School of Criminal Justice, led 127 fellow graduates and other guests in commemorating the School's 30th anniversary at a dinner September 16.In his keynote speech, Constantine — who, in 1971, was among the first class of New York State troopers to receive master's degrees — correlated the nationwide rise of violent crime throughout the 1960s and the increased use of illegal drugs. During that time, he observed, the public came to view police officers "not as protectors and heroes, but as oppressors, thugs — or worse." Constantine credited his alma mater, the first in the United States to be designated a school of criminal justice, with changing that perception over the past three decades by educating police officers who are "honest, bright, well prepared, and rigorously tested." In addition, he commended faculty and students for furthering police work as a profession, noting, "I often wish that the School were closer [to DEA headquarters in Washington, D.C.] so that I could benefit more from your talents."
Constantine also acknowledged the School's impact on him, both personally and professionally. The year he spent at Albany "gave me a life I never thought possible and skills that, to this day, have carried me through some tough situations," he told his listeners.
A Buffalo native, Constantine began his law enforcement career as a deputy with the Erie County Sheriff's Department in 1960, entering the New York State Police two years later as a uniform trooper. During his 30-plus years with the latter agency, he served as a narcotics and major crime investigator, rising through the ranks to become superintendent in 1986. Tapped in March 1994 to head the U.S. government's lead drug law enforcement agency, Constantine currently oversees a workforce of more than 7,000 in all 50 states and in 50 other nations. In his role as administrator, he has promoted closer cooperation between the DEA and state and local law enforcement agencies, while directing DEA resources toward assisting foreign governments in their efforts to dismantle power drug trafficking organizations, including the Cali mafia in Colombia.
In his remarks, Dean David Bayley reflected on the excellence for which the School has become known, as well as on its remarkable growth. Albany's School "invented the criminal justice field, broadening it from the study of crime to the study of society's response to crime." Faculty developed the Albany model, which focuses on the study of crime, of the institutions that deal with it, of the legal and social contexts of crime, and of bringing about change in the criminal justice system. That model became the basis for the formal study of criminal justice issues in the U.S. — and paved the way for the creation of other institutions of higher learning dedicated to the subject. Today, Bayley said, there are 26 Ph.D. programs in criminal justice nationwide; an additional 150 institutions confer master's degrees, and more than twice that many grant bachelor's degrees.
Albany's School of Criminal Justice offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as a combined B.A./M.A.. Consistently ranked first in the nation in terms of faculty research productivity, the quality of its graduate students and alumni, and the prestige accorded it when professionals in the field are surveyed, the School has awarded 159 doctorates, 1,039 master's degrees, and 786 bachelor's degrees since its founding.
One initiative that will further strengthen the School's program is a $25,000 fundraising campaign now underway to create the Robert Hardt Computer Room. Hardt, now a professor emeritus, taught many of the School's graduate alumni and "is remembered for his great kindness and helpfulness in teaching the difficult subject of statistics," Bayley commented. "Bob also worked extensively with the New York State Police on several projects requiring surveys and statistical analysis."
To date, the drive has realized $19,580 toward its goal; Bayley hopes to raise the remaining $6,000 before the end of the School's anniversary year. Campaign monies will support renovation and updating of the existing graduate computer laboratory, located on the second floor of Draper Hall. Graduate students use the lab for analysis, paper preparation, and Internet study. Plans call for the Hardt Computer Room to be equipped with four additional first-class computers, two new printers, a zip drive, and new workstations; in addition, a fund will support upgraded software. The refurbished facility, Bayley contended, will enhance student analysis and research capabilities and serve as "a powerful tool for attracting top-flight graduate students."
University at Albany
State University of New York
