Behind the Scenes of Justice: Students Trade Textbooks for London Courts

June 23, 2026

For a group of 10 Dallas College students, a week in London this May was far more than a study abroad experience. It was a hands-on introduction to future careers in law, politics and criminal justice.

Dallas College’s Criminal Justice and Government London Study Abroad Program offers exclusive access to the legal, political and law enforcement institutions that shape global systems today, immersing students in the real-world environments they’ve only studied in textbooks.

Led by professors Michael Freeman and David Griggs, the program has been offered since 2015 and has had more than 120 participants.

London’s Justice System Up Close

This year, students stepped inside the spaces where history and justice continue to unfold. Their itinerary included behind-the-scenes access to places like the London Metropolitan Police, the Royal Courts of Justice, Old Bailey (the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales) and the U.S. Embassy.

Students observed court proceedings, engaged with professionals and explored how systems they’ve studied actually function day-to-day. From counterterrorism briefings to courtroom observations, each experience added depth to their academic knowledge.

For Dallas College student Serenity Finch, a criminal justice major with aspirations of becoming a homicide detective, the visit to the coroner’s court and morgue stood out as a defining moment.

“Being able to see the process, all the tools and education was really a great experience,” she said. “Being a criminal justice major, I feel like this experience was very beneficial for me, from visiting courts, the U.S. embassy, Metropolitan Police, [Tower of London] Key Ceremony and the Shard. All of these experiences were very eye opening on how the justice systems works in another country.”

Where History Comes Alive

After participating in the program last year, pre-law student Natalie Ramirez plans to sign up again, a testament to the experience’s lasting impact.

“The visit to the Royal Courts of Justice was genuinely transformative and nothing I could have anticipated sitting in a classroom. We weren't just observing from the outside; we actually sat in on two live criminal proceedings. Watching the British legal system operate in real time and then drawing parallels to the American system felt like watching every page of history I'd ever studied suddenly come alive. There's a depth of understanding you can only reach through direct experience, and that visit gave me exactly that.”

That moment didn’t just deepen her understanding; it expanded her ambitions. Exposure to international systems introduced her to new possibilities, including a potential focus on international law and diplomacy.

Expanding Perspectives

Beyond specific career experiences, the program challenges students to think globally. Visits to Parliament, 10 Downing Street, and historic sites such as the Tower of London — where students attended a private, centuries-old key ceremony — reinforced the deep roots of government and law in the United Kingdom.

For Ramirez, this broadened perspective reshaped how she approaches her education and future:

“The London experience made me seriously consider international law and diplomacy as areas of focus, and it reinforced something I already believed: to do meaningful work in the world, you have to understand the world.”

She credits the experience with sharpening her sense of purpose and intellectual curiosity, an impact that continues long after returning home.

“I left London with a stronger commitment to expanding my global perspective and a real hunger to keep learning about the world beyond my own backyard.”

The program doesn’t just expose students to new environments; it also pushes them to engage in a way that they might not inside a classroom.

Ramirez says that expectation has stayed with her.

“Professors Griggs and Freeman set a high bar. They didn't just take us to London, they challenged us to lead while we were there. Whether it was facilitating discussions with legal officials or engaging with embassy representatives, we were pushed to take initiative and own those moments. I've carried that posture back with me.”

Since participating in the study abroad program, she’s become more active in campus organizations and more intentional about her academic performance, motivated by what she experienced in London.

A Life-Changing Experience

For many students, the London Study Abroad Program is their first time traveling internationally, and for some, even their first flight. The experience of navigating a new country, culture and system adds another layer of growth that extends beyond academics.

But at its core, the program is about connection: connecting classroom learning to real-world applications, connecting students to their future careers and connecting their ambitions to a larger, global context.

And for students like Ramirez, the journey doesn’t end when the trip does:

“The world is vast, and experiencing it at that level reminded me that doing big things requires doing the work every single day.”