Katrena Harris has always wanted to teach law, but before she got to where she is, she studied for her master’s degree while being a full-time 911 operator for the Jackson police department and caring for her three children. She initially wanted to go into law school, so she took her LSAT and said, “it felt like a train had run over my brain.” she decided that law school wasn’t such a good idea. That’s when someone came to her and told her about the opportunity to teach criminal justice classes.
“I remember being at 911, and I was just so frustrated with being there, which is usually a good indication when you know it’s time for you to advance to the next level of where you have to go, so I knew it was my time to go,” Harris said.
That’s when a job became available on the Holmes Community College Goodman Campus. Harris applied for it despite having no clue where Goodman, Mississippi, is. She drove up to Goodman, thinking she would just do a presentation on gun control.
“And I thought, okay, I’ll do the presentation,” Harris said. “Maybe later they’ll call me for the interview.”
As soon as she finished her presentation, a panel of six people interviewed her, and she got the job. That was 10 years ago, and she has loved teaching ever since.
When asked what she thinks are today’s most significant challenges facing the criminal justice system, she had plenty to say.
“Oh my,” Harris said, “the threat that we have from public discord or the police, their inability to community police or get along with the public, especially now that tensions are so high in this political climate, so there’s this controversial relationship between minority groups and police. So one of the biggest challenges is just them getting along.”
When question about people’s most common misconception about law enforcement and/or the justice system, Harris easily replied, “Oh, I got a good one. That woman can’t be good police, and also not all police are bad police.”
Harris went on to explain the caring about people is one of the most important qualities for students to master if they wish to pursue a career in criminal justice.
“Empathy, sympathy and just having a good heart and love for people are the driving forces behind any career, but definitely for this career,” Harris said.
Harris concluded her advice saying “if a person is racist, has a short man’s complex or is full of biases, then your best bet is to apply to a funeral home. “this is not the place. This is not the field for you.”
