Texas State University Cold Case Internship

• In Event: The Texas State University Cold Case Investigations Project: Research, Training, and Operational Support

Abstract

The State of Texas currently has more than 20,000 unsolved homicide cases. In 2021, the Texas Attorney General’s Office established a Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit (CCMPU) to assist local law enforcement agencies with these types of investigations. Texas State University’s School of Criminal Justice and Criminology has partnered with the CCMPU to create an internship for students to process unsolved homicide cases under the guidance of experienced investigators – the first program of its type in the State. Through the Office of the Attorney General, student members of the TxSt Cold Case Team will spend a year training in investigative procedures and processing real unsolved homicide cases, while simultaneously earning college credit. This initiative provides a unique opportunity for innovative experiential learning. Moreover, the prospect for university students to give back to crime victims and their families, while learning firsthand the skills needed for an investigative career, is invaluable.

Author

• H. Jaymi Elsass, Texas State University