Criminal justice majors visit local morgue for inside look at death investigation procedures

WILLIAMSPORT — A criminal investigation class from Commonwealth University-Lock Haven recently got a sneak peek at the new Lycoming County Coroner facility — set to open in January — for an inclusive lesson on autopsies and death investigations.

“It was a wonderful, experiential learning experience for our students,” said Dwayne Marshall, professor of criminal justice. “They were able to apply the book content with real-life experiences.”

In addition to learning about the facility’s new state-of-the-art equipment, such as a new CT scan room that will better help determine cause of death, the students met with deputy coroners Alexis Martin and Kassandra Houseknecht ’21, a Lock Haven alumnus. 

“One big takeaway for me would be there is currently no local forensic pathologists in the surrounding areas; I believe the closest one is Allentown,” said Taylor Garrison, senior criminal justice major. “There are pathologists in the area; however, they’re not able to work on crime-related autopsies.”

She added, “We asked questions about certain crime scenes our tour guides were a part of. They were defiantly shocking. Something I didn't realize was the conditions they work in. Sometimes they’re called to a scene where there are rat infestations or spiders everywhere, and they still have to do their job and stay focused.”

Houseknecht, who joined the coroner's office following a visit to the facility as a student herself enrolled in Marshall’s criminal investigation class, lectured on the processes and procedures associated with death investigations.  

"Being in a face-to-face classroom is extremely beneficial," Garrison said. "Dr. Marshall really wants his students to succeed and has gone out of his way to make sure we understand how serious some situations are, as well as arranging for us to get into the field." 

She added, "I'm also a part of the CJ club on campus, and we just recently went on a trip to the Allenwood prison where I was thinking about working after I graduate. We got to see how day-to-day schedules work not only for the inmates but for the officers themselves, as well as all the different job opportunities."