Alex Scranton

I believe that the most significant takeaway during my time at the Tow Youth Justice Institute is that you should never close the door to new opportunities. Having been primarily interested in financial crime investigations, I was not quite sure how I would like the world of juvenile justice. The staff at Tow and working with people around the state showed me how dedicated this small, but important part of the criminal justice system truly is. My experience at TYJI will without a doubt help me in the future. I have learned to manage my time effectively to accomplish a variety of equally important, but unrelated tasks. I have also learned what it truly means to work as a team with those around me. Lastly, it has given me an abundance of personal and professional connections that I can now potentially use as I grow in my own career. I co-authored an academic article with UNH Professor Giovanni Circo. The title was “Did Connecticut’s ‘Raise the Age’ Increase Motor Vehicle Thefts”. The topic was something that I learned of through my time at TYJI. I can proudly announce the article was published with the Criminal Justice Policy Review. I am also happy to announce I have obtained my first job post-graduation. I will be working at People’s Bank corporate office in Bridgeport as an OFAC Analyst. I am truly grateful for my time at the University of New Haven. It is hard to believe that it was 6 years ago when I started my journey as an Undergraduate. I was able to meet some amazing people along the way, especially folks within the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences and the Tow Youth Justice Institute. As I graduate with my M.S. in Criminal Justice this month, I can safely look back and say I would do it all over again.