Maurice B. Cohill Jr. Young Investigator Award Application
Download the 2012 Cohill Student Packet.
Overview and History
The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) is now accepting entries for the third annual Maurice B. Cohill, Jr. Young Investigator Award, a college scholarship for high school juniors and seniors as well as youth in placement facilities who are interested in juvenile justice issues/studies. The Cohill award is named after NCJJ’s Founder, the Honorable Maurice B.
Cohill, Jr. a former juvenile court judge who currently serves as a senior
judge in the U.S. Federal Court for the Western District of
Pennsylvania. Judge Cohill has dedicated his life to the pursuit of
justice for young people in the juvenile justice system. He aided in
developing the NCJJ into the nation’s preeminent juvenile justice
research organization. In honor of Judge Cohill’s decades of dedication
and service to the field of juvenile justice research, NCJJ created this
scholarship to look for the next generation of young law, justice
researcher, and scholars who can demonstrate the curiosity, passion,
insight, and creativity that underscores NCJJ’s mission of "effective justice for children and families through research and technical assistance." Criteria
Q: Who can apply? A: High school juniors and seniors (public, private, tribal) or youth in placement facilities who will be attending a college, university, or trade school after graduation or completion of a G.E.D. Only students living within the United States are eligible to apply. Q: When are entries due? A: Please submit all of the paperwork by May 1, 2012. If selected you will receive notification in June 2012. Q: What are the research paper topic areas? A: 1. Juvenile Law and Public Policy;
2. Juvenile Courts and Probation;
3. Juvenile Delinquency and Dependency; and
4. Juvenile Crime and Law Data Analysis and Interpretation. Judging
All entries will be judged based on the content of their essays and the applicant’s ability to follow the given outline. Minor points will be deducted for grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. All entries will be read and judged by NCJJ's Board of Fellows. The applicant with the highest average score is awarded the Maurice B. Cohill, Jr. Young Investigator Award. Prizes
1st Place: Student will receive the Maurice B. Cohill Young Investigator Award which includes:
- $500 Scholarship to College of their Choice
- Plaque of Honor and Plaque installed at NCJJ Headquarters in Pittsburgh
- Letter of commendation from the national NCJFCJ Board of Trustees Judge from student’s state
- Spotlight article in NCJFCJ’s nationally distributed Today Magazine
2nd Place: Student will receive 1st Runner Up Award which includes:
- $250 Scholarship to College of their Choice
- Letter of commendation from national NCJFCJ Board of Trustees Judge from student’s state
- Spotlight article in NCJFCJ’s nationally distributed Today Magazine
3rd Place: Student will receive 2nd Runner Up Award which includes
- $100 Gift Card
- Letter of commendation from national NCJFCJ Board of Trustees Judge from student’s state
- Spotlight article in NCJFCJ’s nationally distributed Today Magazine
4th Place: Student will receive Honorable Mention Award which includes
- $50 Gift Card
- Letter of commendation from national NCJFCJ Board of Trustees Judge from student’s state
- Spotlight article in NCJFCJ’s nationally distributed Today Magazine
Meet the 2010-2011 Winners ...
In July, Ms. Maria De Jesus Campos, from Houston, Texas, was named the 2011 Cohill Young Investigator for her paper, “Destroying Our Future,” an investigation of the causes and consequences of child abuse and neglect. Maria received her award at the NCJFCJ Annual Meeting in New York on July 23rd. Maria was inspired to write her paper by several high school teachers and a Community College professor, Miss Karen Cruse, who supported Maria as she also completed her Associates Degree while dually enrolled in high school and college. Maria is currently attending West Texas A & M University where she will study social work in the hopes of becoming a child protection professional. 
Ms. Iriss Gonzalez, from Mission, Texas, was awarded first runner-up in the scholarship competition for her paper “Effective Use of Consequences,” which examines the use and efficacy of Teen Courts as an alternative to traditional justice system processing. Iriss’ life dream is to become an attorney whose practice would support the needs of underserved populations. Iriss is also involved in civic activity in her own community, the Rio Grande Valley, where she is leading a campaign to ban texting while driving. Iriss was encouraged to apply for the scholarship by her mentors at the Boys and Girls Club. Iriss is currently attending the University of Texas-Pan American and credits her mother, Mrs. Blanca Gonzalez for inspiring her daughter to always reach for her dreams. Mr. Kaleb Luther, from Lincoln Nebraska, was chosen as the 2nd runner up, for his paper ““The Rights of a Student Versus School Security”, a look at search and seizure practices conducted in schools by school resource officers or other staff acting as proxies for law enforcement personnel. Kaleb has always wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement and was encouraged to submit his paper by his basic education teacher, Mrs. Hanson who supported Kaleb throughout the writing process. Kaleb hopes to attend the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in fall 2012. |
 How to Apply 1. Download the application 2. Follow the instructions 3. Write the research paper 4. Mail/Fax/Submit your application to NCJJ
Contact Information National Center for Juvenile Justice Attn: Nina Hyland 3700 South Water Street, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15203 412-246-0820 (Phone) 412-227-6955 (Fax) |