By Ashley Antonini

BLOOMINGTON – Some Illinois State University students found themselves at the Bloomington Police Department. Luckily, it was for a class project.

Students in Dr. Shelley Clevenger’s victimology class worked closely with members of the Bloomington Polce Department to create brochures about child sexual assault.

Clevenger says getting students out of the classroom and into the community is highly beneficial.

“They get to see their work implemented in a real way,” said Clevenger.

So, hopefully, Bloomington uses the brochures that they made, and so they feel like they get to impact the community as opposed to writing a paper that only I read,” she added.

Clevenger hopes the Victimology course will teach her students the importance of empathy in a world that lacks just that.

“These students are going to be the future caretakers of the criminal justice system, and I need them to do better,” Clevenger said.

“I need them to be more responsive to victims. I need them not to blame victims, and I also need them to be very sensitive to the issues that victims have.”

Other students worked with local organizations such as Stepping Stones, Humane Society, and Home Sweet Home Ministries.

Ashley Antonini can be reached at [email protected]