On April 1 and 16, the Criminal Justice classes visited the Clark County Detention Center (CCDC) to gain firsthand experience on the daily activities of a functioning jail.
Following last semester’s field trip to the courthouse, students will now get a deeper understanding of the criminal justice system, and how certain punishments are carried out. This tour of the jail was also an eye-opening experience for students showing the difference of life inside and outside the jail.
To begin the day, students visited the courthouse to observe a homicide trial and meet civil judge, Jessica Goodey. Judge Goodey gave a brief overview of her caseload and then explained her journey to becoming a civil judge. She then invited a student to participate in a mock trial to show students what a real court case looks like. The visit concluded with a tour of Judge Goodey’s chambers.
Students’ next stop was to the oldest Catholic Church in Las Vegas, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. Students were able to get insight from staff members who frequently visit the jail to meet with inmates and make sure they are connected with their faith. The staff explained how inmates are supported in practicing their religion, including access to bibles and other religious texts.
Finally, the moment students had been anticipating all day arrived, the jail tour. From the moment students stepped onto the jail premises, there was a shift in tone knowing what they were about to witness would be a serious matter. “I was kind of nervous when we approached the building. It looked super serious, and just knowing it was a place of consequence filled with violent people made the whole vibe feel heavy. Everything was really strict and quiet, and you could tell it wasn’t a place where people had freedom,” Izabella Slyman ‘26 said.
During the visit, students got a tour of the booking area which is where inmates’ information is being taken and they are officially put into jail. Just a few feet away, students stood face-to-face with inmates. Down the hall from booking was the “horseshoe” which had detox cells and male and female cells.
Different parts of the jail had more of an emotional effect than others, such as seeing inmates struggling with serious mental health issues. “The psych ward had the most emotional impact because they were saying crazy things when we walked into the place where they are locked up such things as slurs or satanic things, or Jesus is going to come down,” Colin Mount ‘27 said.
After seeing inmates in the jail, as well as the conditions of the jail, students realized that it could be anyone that can end up in jail. “It will definitely be very eye opening for the youth. As they could see what kind of trajectory their life will go if they make some bad decisions and see that life CCDC is not all that great,” Robert Engel ‘25 said.
Overall, the jail tour was an unforgettable experience for the students. It offered a rare, firsthand look into the realities of the criminal justice system and left a lasting effect.
