September 30, 2014

One of the hottest programs across college campuses these days is Criminal Justice.  However, it may be time to institute those program's metrics directly into higher education institutions themselves.

In an appalling story out of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, this week, it has been revealed that UMass helped a student conceal his drug addiction so that he could be used as an informant against other drug sellers and users on the campus.  And as you can probably guess, it backfired horribly.  The student died of an overdose.

Higher Ed. should be glad we aren't the NFL right now.  This story would be front page news everywhere, for the same legitimate reasons Ray Rice is now a household name even for people who couldn't give a rat's ass about the Baltimore Ravens or football.

Tell me, which of the following statements from the The Boston Globe most makes you want to get out of academia and go live in a cave:

• "They [UMass] offered him a chance to keep the offense secret, and to stay in school, by becoming a campus police informant."  By the university's own student code of conduct, the penalty was expulsion.  However, I guess this solution allowed the university to apply some new math:  2 wrongs could make a right.

• "In December 2012, Logan led [campus] police to another dealer  — who was immediately arrested and suspended — while Logan remained a student in good standing."  Among other things, wasn't anyone seriously worried about the kid's safety?  In the realm of serious drug sellers and users, murder of a snitch is not out of the question.  More importantly, the role of "campus police" is a very unclear one these days.  Our attention recently has been drawn more to rapes on campus and the role the college or university plays, or sometimes doesn't play, in following that process to its legal ends. Campus police often have law enforcement backgrounds, but the role of their authority versus the local police is a hazy one.

• "Police even refunded $700 they had seized from his room, which he immediately used to buy drugs, according to another text to a friend."  Uh, gee, you couldn't see that one coming?  Maybe they saw this as a pre-requisite act necessary to nab the next drug dealer.  The first time they caught him, they immediately gave him $70 to go buy drugs from a seller that they then arrested.  This decision was made despite the fact, stated several times through this story, that UMass claims it doesn't have a rampant drug culture.

• "Though UMass policy calls for parents to be notified the first time a student violates alcohol or drug rules, the confidential informant program creates a loophole to keep parents from finding out about drug charges." At least no one at UMass was citing FERPA!  Otherwise that might be supposed to stand for the Fatality Educational Rights and Privacy Act.  Furthermore, that's not a "loophole!"  That's a chasm when parents send their kids to colleges under the wrong assumption that the colleges will look out for them.

• "The program even allows police to use addicts as informers as long as they are 'carefully supervised and controlled,' though UMass officials say they wouldn’t allow it."  What the hell?  We know they allowed it at least in this instance.  Double-speak 101. Must have been taught in their higher education leadership classes.

• "Police said they never suspected Logan was a heroin user. Campus Police Chief John Horvath noted that officers found no heroin and that the needle they recovered could have been used for illegal drugs other than heroin."  Aren't we using a rather fine-toothed comb here?  Drug use, probable drug addiction, is the very reason the kid was first busted.

• "He said Logan declined an offer from officers to get him into drug treatment. In fact, Horvath recalled, 'His biggest concern was his parents finding out about his situation.'”  Duh!  What did you expect from a 19 year old?  The college doesn't kick him out?  Doesn't demand drug treatment or counseling?  Turns him into an informant?  It's the trifecta of criminal response.

The article goes on to cite how other colleges and universities use students as confidential informants.  If the psychology department wanted to use students as part of a study on social media, it would have to go through a lengthy Institutional Review Board request and study before they would get approval.  Apparently the campus police merely have to take some money out of petty cash and through a combination of fear and reward can get any kid they want.

The final disturbing element of this story: It is not news. It is old.  Almost all of this occurred a year or more ago, including the student's death.  So much for being transparent.  Especially for the parents.