MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced a partnership with the UW-Madison Center for Law, Society, and Justice and the UW-Platteville Department of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences to provide the first female focused mentoring program at the two universities for students interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice.

“Women are underrepresented in criminal justice careers, and one way we can help change that is by ensuring that meaningful mentorship opportunities are available,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Having people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences working in the criminal justice system leads to better policies and safer communities. Thank you to the members of our team at DOJ and those at UW-Madison and UW-Platteville who are participating in this program.”

The program, titled UW Women in Criminal Justice, is a semester long virtual mentorship program that pairs students with mentors from a variety of agencies at the local, state, and federal level. Wisconsin DOJ is proud to have 14 mentors from the Division of Legal Services, the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Division of Forensic Sciences, the Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center, and the Office of Crime Victim Services participating in the program.

“Entering the criminal justice field can be incredibly daunting for women,” said DOJ Crime Response Specialist Lisa Seidel. “I was very fortunate to have found great mentors who guided me through my journey and encouraged me to lean in and grab my seat at the table. I would not be where I am today without their wisdom and support. I am honored to be a part of the UW Women in Criminal Justice mentorship program and hope that I can now be a beacon for someone else.” 

Mentors and students participated in a virtual speed mentoring event on Friday, September 30^th, 2022, to get to know each other and select mentor/mentee pairings. Mentors will meet virtually with their mentees throughout the fall semester with the potential of an in-person event to follow. 

“I chose to become a mentee for this program because I was excited at the chance to network and build professional relationships,” said UW Women in Criminal Justice Mentee Alicia Radtke. “In addition, I need guidance in starting my career and determining the path I would like to take. This program may even open my eyes to other opportunities and positions in the field that I had not previously considered. I especially love that this program is for women because there are not enough in the field, so I hope this program can help expand this population within law enforcement.”

The following individuals collaborated to make the mentorship program possible:

• Jesse Crowe, Special Agent In-Charge, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation
• Beth Tremelling, Academic Advisor/Coach, UW-Platteville Department of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences
• Jessica Sprenger Schulenburg, Academic Advisor/Coach, UW-Platteville Department of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences
• Martine Delannay, Program Administrator, UW-Madison Center of Law, Society, and Justice Program
• Kiara Hibler, Placement Advisor & Field Instructor, UW-Madison Center of Law, Society, and Justice Program
• Josh Mayers, Faculty Associate, UW-Madison Center of Law, Society, and Justice Program