Love and crime

PROFile: Silvana Buccini, contract academic staff, Department of Criminal Justice, U of W

Keeley Braunstein-Black

As a kid, Silvana Buccini – contract academic staff for the University of Winnipeg’s (U of W) criminal justice department – knew she’d someday have a career in law. 

“Ever since I could speak, I always said I was gonna be a lawyer,” Buccini says. “Ever since I could speak, my father said ‘this girl’s gonna be a lawyer.’”

Buccini’s future aspirations began to change when she met Jane Lothian at the U of W. After taking an introductory criminal justice class with Lothian, Buccini fell in love with the area of study. 

“I started realizing that I love the study of criminal justice and criminology more so than that enforcement side of law,” she says. “That changed my entire career trajectory.” 

But Lothian’s impact continued throughout Buccini’s time at the university. Specifically, Lothian inspired Buccini to be an educator and do for other students what Lothian did for her. 

Happily, Buccini got the opportunity to teach and has since found her knowledge of criminal justice has expanded. 

“As I’ve developed as an instructor, I found that I’ve learned so much more about the study of criminal justice than I almost did in my education,” she says.

Now, Buccini is living out her own personal love story with her career. Outside of her enthusiasm for criminal justice itself, she greatly enjoys interacting with her students. 

“What I really do love is being able to impart some knowledge on students and (hoping) they leave your class with having learned something.”

What is something you’ve learned from your students?

“To always shoot for the stars.” 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

“I’m a big Harry Potter nerd, so if I had a superpower, it would be to be able to go back in time and be in my memories.It’s the idea of going into the basin like in the Harry Potter movies.”

What’s your favourite true crime book?

“Without a doubt, Helter Skelter, the Charles Manson story.”

Published in Volume 75, Number 22 of The Uniter (March 18, 2021)

Related Reads