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Legal Studies/Criminal Justice

Our Legal Studies programs are designed to prepare you for immediate careers in law enforcement or as a paralegal, or for transfer to a four-year institution to pursue bachelors and advanced degrees. Our graduates have become police officers in active duty with Boston Police Department, have earned bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice from area universities such as Suffolk University, Boston University, and Framingham State University, and others have chosen to pursue advanced degrees in law.

 

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Mission Statement

MassBay’s Criminal Justice Program provides an education that gives students a comprehensive academic background in the workings of the criminal justice system. The Program is dedicated to educating students committed to serving justice, improving American society, and also recognizing and eradicating the systemic inequalities in the criminal justice system. Our learning community fosters the skills and ethics necessary for successful careers in policing, courtroom advocacy, corrections, probation, parole, criminology, investigations, and cybercrime. The Program prepares students for positions in those and other public and private sector criminal justice areas, and also for transfers to four-year institutions.

What students and alumni say about us

“Every professor I have had really, really cares about me and my success as a student. I also appreciate the real-world experience that so many of them bring to the classroom.”
– Christopher Foremny, U.S. Veteran, AS Criminal Justice, 2019

Meet Our Talented Faculty

Heather DeVincent-Cook, J.D. 
Heather DeVincent-Cook, J.D. was a corporate attorney for National Health Services, a medical conglomerate which specialized in addictive medicine. She headed the risk analysis team for evaluating various office procedures to ensure proper procedure according to federal and state laws. Now, she acts as a consultant offering legal advice to healthcare professionals regarding potential liability and compliance issues. She has 16 years of teaching experience at several colleges and universities. She has been teaching for MassBay since 2007. 
JD, New England School of Law
BS, Mount Ida College

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Heidi Getchell- Bastien, J.D.
Professor of Legal Studies and Government 
Professor Bastien teaches criminal justice and political science at MassBay and serves as our Civic Engagement Coordinator. She earned her Associate in Liberal Arts from Northern Essex Community College, her Bachelor of Arts from Bradford College, and her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School.  After passing the bar exam she spent over a decade litigating cases in Massachusetts courtrooms while teaching part-time at Northern Essex and for several youth programs. She eventually transitioned to teaching full-time and now serves on several committees and learning communities at the college and for the Department of Higher Education.  She also teaches Employment Law at Framingham State University.

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Kara Lucciola, J.D.
Professor of Legal Studies and Criminal Justice
Courses include: Business Law, Cybercrime, Criminal Evidence, Criminal Law and Family Law. Coordinator, Cyber Innovation Initiative; Faculty, Center for Cybersecurity Education; Member, MassCyberCenter’s Cybersecurity Training and Education Working Group. Experience includes: Civil Litigator, Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General, and Bristol County Assistant District Attorney/Special Victims Unit Prosecutor. MassBay Recipient: Distinguished Faculty Scholarship Award, Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. Education: J.D., Suffolk University Law School; B.A. magna cum laude, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Certificates: Cybersecurity Strategy and Data Privacy Law, Boston College Continuing Education in collaboration with Boston College Law School.

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Jason Mazaik, M.A.
Department Chair and Professor of Legal Studies
Professor Jason Mazaik is Chair of the Legal Studies department at MassBay and one the College’s three full-time faculty members of that department, teaching Criminal Justice and Sociology. Professor Mazaik is a first generation college student and earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield Connecticut and his master’s degree in Sociology from Boston’s own Northeastern University. Professor Mazaik is married with two children who compete as ninja warriors and also play softball, soccer, and track and field. Prof. Mazaik would gladly trade the other three seasons for a continuous winter and a 365 day ski season.

Jason Mazaik, M.A.
Professor and Department Chair
jmazaik@massbay.edu

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What You Can Study

Legal Studies Academy Viewbook

Learn About MassBay's Legal Studies Academy