Karin Kaercher: Providing Twenty Years of Leadership in

Camosun’s Criminal Justice Program

In 1983, Karin Kaercher was a single mother with three young boys. Unsure of
her future, Karin enrolled in the Employment Orientation for Women program at
Camosun. The EOW helped her focus on her interests and abilities while she
explored many career and educational options. Through this process, it became
clear that Criminal Justice was a great fit for Karin’s passions and aspirations. It
appealed to her deep and personal commitment to social justice. She enrolled in
the Criminal Justice program, completing it in 1986.

After graduating, Karin packed up her boys and moved to Ottawa where she
completed a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences with Honours in Criminology
and a concentration in Psychology. Following this, she entered the University of
Ottawa’s Masters program in Applied Criminal Justice. After finishing her
graduate courses in 1989, Karin was hired as an instructor in the Criminal Justice
program at Camosun. She completed her thesis while adjusting to this new role.
Her Masters degree was granted in 1990. A year later, Karin became Chair of
the Criminal Justice program, serving in that capacity for ten years.

Thanks to Karin’s leadership, the Criminal Justice program maintained its’ vital
core components while incorporating many creative changes. It became more
applied; incorporated current philosophies and practices and integrated new
topics such as Aboriginal Justice and Women in Justice. Graduates regularly do
well in the field and in further studies where there are a number of options for
degree completion.

Karin joined the college’s Program Review and Renewal team in 2009, where
she guided other programs in their curricular renewal efforts. Karin also served
as Chair of the Integrated Curriculum Committee where she worked to develop
mechanisms to support quality curricula throughout the college.
Karin in the early days

Program Review and Renewal Team, 2011

Patty Odynski, Karin Kaercher, Julia Martin