Best Wishes to Ashland University's December Graduates!

  

The Criminal Justice Department extends its congratulations to the following criminal justice majors who are graduating from our program today:

• Donzale Ashley
• Jonathan Hart
• Brendan Maynard
• Alexandra Restelli
• Auston Smith
• Melissa Smith
• Joseph Szymanski

 

 

Have a Great Break!

We hope you all have a restful break and happy holidays! 
See you in the new year!

Criminal Justice Program Hosts Professional and Community Speakers

For students in all class levels, professors in Ashland University's Criminal Justice Program invite community speakers in to the classroom to expose students to the best and most up-to-date information and practices possible.  This also allows students to make connections with professionals and organizations in the area, which can provide valuable networking experience. 

This semester, the Department hosted a variety of experts from the criminal justice field, including the individuals listed below.  To learn more about each speaker and his or her presentation, click on the corresponding link provided below.

• Ashland County Common Pleas Court Judge Ronald Forsthoefel on punishment, including imprisonment, alternative sentences to prison, fines, and forfeiture
• Turning Point Domestic Violence Shelter Program Aide Janelle Renwick on violence against women
• Reverend Berthe Nzeba on war-related violence
• Ashland Police Detective Kim Mager on investigations and interrogations
• Richland County Coroner Investigator Robert Ball on detecting and determining the nature of crimes
• Chief of Police Brian Saterfield on the investigation process
• Ashland Police Detective Brian Evans on drug and alcohol crimes

Thank you to each of our speakers for sharing his or her time, insights and expertise with our students!

Criminal Investigation Students Interview "Suspects" in Mock Murder Case

This is the second post in a short series that covers a mock murder case students in the Criminal Investigation (CJ 200) course are investigating.  Check out our other post on the processing of the crime scene here.

One morning in September, an unresponsive student, Hannah Russell, was discovered by an Ashland University staff member in a lounge near the Criminal Justice offices.  Students in the introductory Criminal Investigation class have been tasked with investigating Hannah's death to determine the details of the case and who committed the crime so charges can be brought against the perpetrator.

As part of their investigation, students interviewed two potential suspects, Wilma and Susan, who had been in an argument with Hannah the day she died.


Investigators Michael Cain (left) and Daniel Medvetz (right)
interview potential suspect Wilma.

Investigators Michael Cain (left) and Daniel Medvetz (right) interview potential suspect Susan. 

During the interviews, the students sought to determine the details of the crime and the involvement of the two suspects using various techniques learned in class, including the difference between interviewing and interrogating, how to help a reluctant witness to talk, how to detect deception, when to mirandize a suspect, and how to properly formulate questions.

"The skills the students learned not only apply practically to criminal justice, but they also apply for researchers who are surveying people by asking them questions," says Professor Hedrick, the Criminal Justice professor who teaches the course. "In fact, there is a lot of crossover application between criminal investigations and academic research methods."

Though the interviews are part of a class, the challenges of interviewing a suspect and the techniques used to overcome those challenges, such as those shown in the video below, are very similar to what investigators might encounter in a real investigation.

Check out the video below to see Michael and Daniel's interview of Susan. 

Ashland Police Detective Brian Evans Speaks to Criminal Law Class

Detective Brian Evans

This post is one of several which cover professional speakers the Criminal Justice Program brings into the classroom, allowing students to learn from and connect with experts who currently work in a variety of areas in the criminal justice field. Check out our recap post for a list of speakers the CJ Program hosted during the fall 2015 semester.

On Thursday, November 12, Detective Brian Evans presented to the Criminal Law (CJ 362) class on drug and alcohol crimes.   Detective Evans, who won the Ashland County Prosecutor's Distinguished Service Provider of the Year award in 2015, works in the Investigative Bureau in the Narcotic Enforcement Section of the Ashland Police Department. 

We spoke with senior forensic biology major Kylie Bartram about Detective Evans' visit.  She had this to say:

"I found Detective Evans' presentation very interesting - he was very knowledgeable about many different kinds of drugs.

I was shocked to learn how much money people who are addicted to heroin spend on it everyday, and I [was surprised by] how many different types of people use hard drugs.  It's not always the typical drug addict [you might think of].  He showed us some pictures that were taken from the home of an attorney, I believe, that were of all of the different needles and drug paraphernalia found in his home.

It was also shocking to learn how it's not difficult to obtain all of the ingredients [needed] to cook certain drugs.

Overall, I think one of the most interesting things about his presentation was the Narcan (a "prescription medicine that reverses an opioid overdose," according to stopoverdose.org) , and how it instantly puts people who have overdosed on opiates into withdrawal." 

Thank you, Kylie, for sharing your thoughts about Detective Evans' presentation.  We'd also like to thank Detective Evans for sharing his time and expertise with our students!

AU Criminal Justice Professors and Students Attend OCCJE Career Fair

On Friday, November 6, 2015, the Ohio Council of Criminal Justice Education (OCCJE) held its annual Criminal Justice Career Fair at Tiffin University.

AU Criminal Justice Professors Hedrick and Spelman attended the Fair, which hosted over 19 agencies.  Among those were Criminal Justice federal agencies, police departments, and correctional centers for adults.  Criminal Justice students from Ashland University also attended the event. 

The Fair brings students and officials from the various agencies together to discuss the professional, internship and/or summer employment positions each agency offers, allowing students to network with professionals in the field while learning about opportunities to gain work experience or fulltime employment. 


Criminal Justice Student, Tarin Cook (middle), visits the
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) booth

Bowling Green, OH, Police Officers
speak with students at the Fair

Chief of Police, Brian Saterfield, Speaks to Students on Investigation Process

This post is one of several which cover professional speakers the Criminal Justice Program brings into the classroom, allowing students to learn from and connect with experts who currently work in a variety of areas in the criminal justice field. Check out our recap post for a list of speakers the CJ Program hosted during the fall 2015 semester.

This is a continuation of yesterday's post which covers guest speaker Robert Ball, Investigator Coroner for Richland County.  

Recently, Brian Saterfield, Chief of Police in Galion, Ohio, and former detective with the Marion Police Department, spoke to students in Criminal Investigations (CJ 200) and to students in Role of Police in Modern Society (CJ 270). 

Melissa Smith, a senior criminal justice and psychology major, outlines the topics Chief Saterfield discussed with students.

Chief Saterfield addresses students in the
Criminal Investigations class

"In the Criminal Investigations class, we had been learning about different techniques investigators had to use throughout the investigation process. This included documentation, photographing, and even the interview and interrogation process. We then had the opportunity to hear from someone how it actually plays out in the field, thus gaining a better understanding of the importance of the details. Chief Saterfield talked to the class about different cases he has experienced and explained how documentation is very important in order to make sure there are no holes in the case. He also explained that the interview process is important in order to find out the truth.

Chief Saterfield spoke on many relevant topics in the Role of Police in Modern Society class, as well, giving students the opportunity to hear from somebody who rose through the ranks of police work to the very top. Chief Saterfield talked about topics that are discussed in the textbook, such as community policing, police management, the police hiring process, the value of education in police work, and the current trend of militarization of police, to name a few.

The students really enjoyed hearing from him in order to get a better idea of how the information they learned in class relates to the real world."

 

 

Richland County Coroner Investigator Speaks to Students on Detecting and Determining the Nature of Crimes

This post is one of several which cover professional speakers the Criminal Justice Program brings into the classroom, allowing students to learn from and connect with experts who currently work in a variety of areas in the criminal justice field. Check out our recap post for a list of speakers the CJ Program hosted during the fall 2015 semester.

For students in all class levels, professors in Ashland University's Criminal Justice Program invite community speakers in to the classroom to expose students to the best and most up-to-date information and practices possible.  This also allows students to make connections with professionals and organizations in the area, which can provide valuable networking experience. 

Recently, students in Professor Hedrick's classes heard from two guest speakers.  In the Advanced Criminology & Profiling (CJ 415) class, students learned from Richland County Coroner Investigator, Robert Ball. 

Brian Saterfield, Chief of Police in Galion, Ohio, and former detective with the Marion, Ohio, Police Department spoke to students in Criminal Investigations (CJ 200) and in Role of Police in Modern Society (CJ 270). 

Melissa Smith, a senior criminal justice and psychology major enrolled in these courses, describes the presentations and how the information and techniques outlined by each of the speakers ties in to what she is learning in the class.



Robert Ball, Investigator Coroner for
Richland County

"Mr. Ball discussed the differences between detecting if a crime is a homicide or a suicide. He even brought in pictures to help us distinguish the differences! The Profiling class was discussing staging in a crime scene, or when an offender deliberately changes the physical evidence of a crime scene to elude the police. 

Mr. Ball discussed how to determine if a scene has been staged, which will then help determine if it’s a suicide or a homicide. He explained that the key is in the details, and to always be skeptical of what you are seeing. You can’t make any assumptions; everything needs to be proven!  This is just like in the academic research process when applying the scientific method.

The Criminal Justice students enjoyed hearing from him and seeing the pictures to get a better idea of what a real crime scene looks like and how to investigate it."

Click here for a recap of Chief Saterfield's presentation on the investigative process!

Students in Intro to Criminal Investigation Process Mock Crime Scene

Students in the introductory Criminal Investigation course had the opportunity to process a mock crime scene earlier this semester. This has both academic and practical applications.

 

Students examine the crime scene and take notes.
Left to Right: George Crone, Mohamed Alhashmi, and Auston Smith

Academically, students applied the concepts of inductive and deductive reasoning.  And, like in any investigation (academic or otherwise) an investigator must be able to reason properly and spot common fallacies in reasoning so that they do not make mistakes that lead them to the wrong conclusions.  While the investigation is not yet complete, students will later interview witnesses and interrogate suspects, processes during which they must continue to apply the principles of logic with lengthening fact patterns. 


Mohamed and George take photos and measurements
while Auston takes notes to use in preparing their reports.

Practically, students learned that it is necessary to thoroughly document crime scenes in order to aid in the investigation of the crime.  This documentation can also serve as the basis for formal reports that can be used in court if a case goes to trial.


George and Auston take measurements to prepare for
the sketches they will create later on.

To document the crime scene, students noted what they observed about the scene and took photos and measurements.  Students then created a to-scale sketch of the crime scene using those notes, photos and measurements.  The students were also able to utilize best practices, such as exercising caution when moving within the crime scene to prevent contamination of evidence and taking photos first to act as a reference in case evidence is unintentionally disturbed.


The group discusses their findings after they process the scene.

This project afforded students a glimpse of what it takes to investigate a crime.  "The crime scene project...gave me an overall picture of the procedures of processing a crime scene," said Mohamed, a criminal justice major who plans to go to graduate school to study digital forensics.  "...when I first arrived, I wasn't sure where to start, but I remembered what we had learned in class and started to apply it.  [It] was a really nice activity." 

Melissa Smith, a senior psychology and criminal justice double major who also had the opportunity to process the crime scene, was most surprised by the level of detail.  "It was cool to see what it's like, but it was harder...more challenging than I thought it would be," said Melissa. 

Check back later this semester for updates on the case as students continue their investigation of the crime by interviewing witnesses and interrogating suspects.

Ashland Detective Kim Mager Visits Criminal Law Class

Detective Kim Mager

This post is one of several which cover professional speakers the Criminal Justice Program brings into the classroom, allowing students to learn from and connect with experts who currently work in a variety of areas in the criminal justice field. Check out our recap post for a list of speakers the CJ Program hosted during the fall 2015 semester.

Last week, Ashland Police Detective Kim Mager spoke to the CJ 362: Criminal Law class about investigations and interrogations.  Detective Mager has been with the Ashland Police Department for 18 years and is an Ashland University alumna.

Junior criminal justice major Morgan Scarberry, who plans to become a State Trooper after graduation, had this to say about Detective Mager's presentation:

"I certainly think our entire class, regardless of our career plans in the CJ system, can not only benefit from Detective Mager’s experience, but the passion and determination she demonstrates in her career.  I personally found Det. Mager’s ability to read people the most interesting.  She emphasized the need in interrogation to evaluate each offender and adapt accordingly in order to achieve a confession. 

 

She also spoke of her experience with investigation, explaining that there will almost never be the stereotypical victim or a clear indication that criminal wrong is occurring, but regardless of the circumstances, an offender’s rights should never be violated.  This helps to ensure you never sacrifice the case. 

 

I found it surprising that Det. Mager also does the voice analysis for potential new hires.  She reminded our class that departments are not looking for perfect people, rather just decent and honest candidates.  And as someone who is personally looking into a career in law enforcement, this is very valuable information to carry with me throughout my future application processes."

 

Thank you, Detective Mager, for sharing your time and insights with the class!    

AU Alumna Detective Kim Mager Receives Distinguished Law Enforcement Community Service Award

Earlier this month at the Ohio Attorney General's Conference on Law Enforcement, Ashland University Alumna and Ashland Police Department Detective Kim Mager was presented with the Distinguished Law Enforcement Community Service Award. 

Detective Mager was recognized for her leadership of the local "Shop with a Cop" Program, which she has led for the past 13 years.  The Program allows children in need to shop with a police officer for gifts during the Christmas season. 

For the Distinguished Law Enforcement Community Service Award, each nominee is evaluated on leadership, civic involvement, personal contributions to the community, and positive impact for the community over his or her lifetime.  The award seeks to recognize the recipient for making extraordinary contributions to his or her community. 

According to a News Release from the Ohio Attorney General's Office, the Program was born in 2001 when Detective Mager was a patrol officer.  A young boy had been removed from his home and had not received anything for Christmas.  "Officers pooled their money and bought gifts for the child," reads the release.  The following year, Detective Mager worked with Job and Family Services and local schools to identify children in need. 

The Program has grown a great deal since 2001.  Nearly 180 children "shopped with a cop" last year, the largest number of participants to date - an extraordinary contribution, indeed!

CJ Professor Marc Hedrick Interviewed by Ashland Center for Nonviolence

In an interview conducted by Ashland Center for Nonviolence student intern, Emily Wirtz, Dr. Marc Hedrick, Professional Instructor of Criminal Justice at Ashland University, discussed his work and interest in the field of restorative justice, "a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior" (as defined by restorativejustice.org).

Visit the Ashland Center for Nonviolence blog to learn more about restorative justice and Dr. Hedrick's take on its place in the criminal justice system.

Ohio Council of Criminal Justice Education Career Fair

If you are an Ashland University student interested in a career in Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Mental Health or Social Services, consider attending the Ohio Council of Criminal Justice Education (OCCJE) Career Fair at Tiffin University.

To get an idea of the range of organizations that are usually in attendance, OCCJE provides a list of agencies that attended the 2014 Career Fair, which can be viewed on their website.

This year's Career Fair will be held Friday, November 6, 2015, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm at Tiffin University.

Criminal Justice Professors Hedrick and Spelman will be in attendance at the Fair, and students interested in attending should contact Dr. Spelman at jspelman at ashland.edu.

Criminal Justice Program Hosts Local and International Guest Speakers

This post is one of several which cover professional speakers the Criminal Justice Program brings into the classroom, allowing students to learn from and connect with experts who currently work in a variety of areas in the criminal justice field. Check out our recap post for a list of speakers the CJ Program hosted during the fall 2015 semester.

Recently the Ashland University Criminal Justice Program hosted two guest speakers in Professor Marc Hedrick’s Victimology class. The guest speakers spoke on a similar topic, violence against women. However, the speakers were speaking from two very different points of view, having witnessed firsthand the varying forms of violence that women endure.



Janelle Renwick

The first speaker was Janelle Renwick from Turning Point, a domestic violence shelter that serves both men and women, located in Marion, Ohio. Janelle spoke about her experience with women who come to the shelter after being victims of domestic violence. They oftentimes come with their children and with nothing but the clothes on their back. They face many obstacles, but it is Janelle’s job to help them in the way of assisting them to get counseling, aid, and life skills in order to break free from their victimization.

Janelle started her criminal justice career as a corrections officer in an all-male facility. However, she became disillusioned with the job after several months and realized that she wanted something different for her career. After a long search, she happened to come across her current position at Turning Point. She now says, “I love my job.”



Reverend Berthe Nzeba (right)

The Ashland University, Criminal Justice Program also collaborated with the Religion Department and the Ashland Center for Nonviolence to host Reverend Berthe Nzeba in the Victimology class. Reverend Nzeba is an ordained minister from the Congo. She and her family have experienced violence first hand, in the war-torn country, where there has been an estimated six (6) million related deaths due to war-related violence. Additionally, the women in the country are taken, used and sold as sex slaves. Reverend Nzeba now coordinates a national and international church effort to support women and children impacted by the violence in Eastern Congo. She came to Ashland University to educate the students about what is occurring there and asked them to think of ways they can make a difference.

Victimology students were also told, by Dr. Sue Dickson of the Religion Department, that one way they can make a difference was by serving as interns with the women and children’s international rescue ministry, Remember Nhu. Remember Nhu exists to prevent the exploitation of children in the sex trade industry throughout the world. Dr. Dickson now heads up coordinating internships for Remember Nhu.

Victimology is a relatively new field of study to criminal justice. Criminal justice has traditionally focused on the offenders, whether that was making sure they get all their due process rights or making sure they were properly punished. The victim has historically been left out of the entire process, but there has been a renewed emphasis on victims. The purpose of the Victimology course offered in the Criminal Justice Program at Ashland University is to look at the history of victims and the renewed focus on victims, both locally and internationally. The class exposes students to the realities that a criminal justice degree allows them to do more than just become a police officer or probation officer. There are many other jobs in and related to criminal justice, to include working with victims of all walks of life.

 

Ashland County Common Pleas Court Judge Visits CJ 362 (Criminal Law) Students

This post is one of several which cover professional speakers the Criminal Justice Program brings into the classroom, allowing students to learn from and connect with experts who currently work in a variety of areas in the criminal justice field. Check out our recap post for a list of speakers the CJ Program hosted during the fall 2015 semester.

On September 24, 2015, Ashland County Common Pleas Court Judge Ronald P. Forsthoefel visited students in CJ 362, Criminal Law. During the week of the Judge's visit, the students had been studying the topic of punishment, including: imprisonment, alternative sentences to prison, fines and forfeiture. The class was also examining the topic of career criminals and the repeat offender.  

Judge Forsthoefel discussed his first-hand experience in the above areas, including his extensive use of pre-sentence investigation reports and statutory sentencing guidelines in reaching a determination about the appropriate sentence to impose upon an offender. The Judge spoke to the students about his attempts to deter and rehabilitate offenders by using community based options, especially professional  treatment for drug addicts, rather than prison. The Judge told the class about his frustration when his attempts to rehabilitate some criminals fail and they re-offend, despite having been afforded multiple opportunities to reform without a commitment to prison. When probationers re-offend or otherwise fail on probation, the Judge explained he must then focus fully on the safety of the community and those felons are sent to prison. 

 

Judge Forsthoefel also told students about his professional path to becoming a Judge, including: serving as an assistant prosecuting attorney, engaging in the private practice of law and serving as a Magistrate before being elected Judge. 

 

Students appreciated hearing the topics in their textbook brought to life through Judge Forsthoefel's remarks! 

Fall Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair

Career Services will be hosting a Fall Career Fair on Thursday, October 8^th from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm in Upper Convocation. Professional dress is required for this event (for guidance on what to wear, consult the Career Service's Business Attire Pamphlet, specifically the "Business Professional" section). Be sure to bring several copies of your resume. Student Registration, which is highly recommended, will be available on the Career Services website. All registered students will receive nametags to wear at the event.

There are many exciting opportunities for jobs and internships at this career fair. Employers attending include:

- Federal Bureau of Investigation

- Ohio State Highway Patrol

- Drug Enforcement Administration

- Pennsylvania State Police

- Advanced Technical Intelligence Center

As well as these employers, there will be many graduate schools attending with great opportunities. AU students should refer to the Portal for a complete list of employers and graduate schools who will be in attendance at the Fair. Be sure to keep an eye out for Career Service's post in the week before the event.

  

Criminal Justice Club Meeting

The CJ club will have its first meeting of the semester on Monday September 28^th from 5:45 pm - 6:15 pm. The meeting will take place in the Claremont Building, room 002. This meeting is open to all Criminal Justice majors and minors and there is no cost to join the club.

Membership in this club provides exciting opportunities to further the intellectual, cultural, and social development of students majoring or minoring in Criminal Justice. Some opportunities planned for this coming semester include a CJ Job fair and different speakers, such as male and female police officers.

If you have any questions, contact Dr. Spelman at jspelman at ashland.edu 

Welcome, Professor Marc Hedrick!

The Criminal Justice Department is pleased to welcome Marc Hedrick, J.D., our newest faculty member!  Professor Hedrick is joining Ashland University this fall as a Professional Instructor of Criminal Justice.

Professor Hedrick has experience in the justice system, both as an attorney and as a police officer.  As an attorney, he practiced civil and criminal law for eight years in Mansfield, Ohio.  Before that, he served as a police officer for the city of Marion, Ohio, and in the U.S. Air Force as a Security Police Officer, giving him experience in both the military and civilian sectors of law enforcement.

Professor Hedrick also taught criminal justice full-time for 9 years prior to joining the University.  At College of the Albemarle, he was an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Criminal Justice, and at Taylor University he was an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Pre Law.   He has also taught online courses at institutions such as Liberty University and Regent School of Law.

Welcome, Professor Hedrick!

Criminal Procedure Students Learn from Judge Vercillo

Last Thursday, Judge Vercillo visited the Criminal Procedure class to speak to students in the course.

During his visit, Judge Vercillo discussed the progression of his legal career from defense attorney to Judge. The Judge also explained the procedures in juvenile court, including sentencing (disposition), which the class had been studying, so it was a great experience for them to hear directly from someone involved in those procedures. It gave everyone a better idea of what actually occurs in courtrooms. 

Judge Vercillo explained the different terminology used in juvenile court as opposed to adult court. For example, a sentencing hearing is called a disposition in juvenile court.

He also spoke about the goals he has when determining what sentence to impose upon a juvenile delinquent, explaining that the juvenile system tries to rehabilitate, as well as punish, the kids in order to provide the best possible situation for their future.

The class enjoyed hearing from the Judge and learning all about the juvenile court system!

Criminal Justice Students Observe K-9 Unit Demonstration

The students enrolled in CJ 366 (Criminal Procedure) had the opportunity to go visit Ashland’s Police K-9 unit. This visit included dogs from not only Ashland Sheriff’s Department, but also various other surrounding police units.

The class got to see the dogs in action when they chased one of the police officers, who wore a K-9 bite suit and pretended to be a “bad guy.” The dogs were all very well trained, and the class got to experience the strict procedure the officers have to follow.

For example, before the dogs are released to chase the suspect, the police must warn the suspect the dogs will be coming. The police must also ensure the dogs are not barking while they are giving instructions to the suspect.

These procedures help to protect the suspect’s safety by giving them warning and making sure they hear all the instructions, and also protect the police officer against any potential lawsuit that may come against them.

The class also got to experience a narcotics dog finding illegal drugs that were intentionally hidden in a car. These dogs are great assets to the police units and this class got to witness how procedure plays a role in the handling of the dogs.

Professor Rogers, former Ashland County Prosecutor and current CJ Instructor at AU, spoke on the role of trained dogs in law enforcement. 

"In their criminal procedure class, students learned that trained dogs are used by law enforcement in several capacities. For example, students learned that a dog sniff conducted during a lawful traffic stop does not violate the 4th Amendment prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure and that an alert by a dog on a car, in and of itself, provides law enforcement with probable cause sufficient to justify the warrantless search of that vehicle.

While on the field trip, students witnessed a dog alert in the very manner that would provide probable cause for such a search. Students in CJ 366 also learned about the legality of the use of a trained dog to sniff luggage and containers to detect contraband at airports. 

 

In our class, use of force in arrests was also a topic of study. Police dogs are used to assist in certain arrests and when  properly trained and dispatched after a suspect, the use of the dog constitutes an example of law enforcement using reasonable, nondeadly force to effectuate an arrest. However, after our visit at Ashland Police Department, seeing the speed, strength and focus of the dogs holding training personnel immobile until told otherwise, students could also envision that a poorly trained canine or a canine sent in pursuit of a suspect with improper instructions could result in an allegation that law enforcement used unreasonable, deadly force or punitive force, which were all topics studied by CJ 366 scholars in criminal procedure."

Criminal Justice Students Receive Outstanding Student Distinction

Each year, departments across campus choose one of their students at the sophomore, junior and senior levels to receive the distinction of Outstanding Student.

Criteria for earning this award include scholarly achievement, acting as an academic role model for other students within the department, and possession of an inquiring and/or creative mind.

On Sunday, three Criminal Justice students were recognized for their outstanding achievement: 

    Megan Maguire, Sophomore Criminal Justice Major
 
    Melissa Smith, Junior Criminal Justice and Psychology Major

    Gelsaira Ortiz, Senior Criminal Justice Major

Congratulations, Outstanding Criminal Justice Students!

 

Outstanding Junior,        Outstanding                   Outstanding Senior,
Melissa Smith                Sophomore,                   Gelsaira Ortiz         
Megan Maguire     



Criminal Justice Program Inducts New Members into Criminal Justice Honor Society

On Monday, March 23, 2015, the Criminal Justice Program inducted 10 new members into the Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society's Alpha Upsilon Chapter. 

To be eligible for membership, students must have completed three full time semesters, with at least four of those courses being in the criminal justice field, and have declared a major or minor in criminal justice.  Students must also attain a minimum GPA of 3.2 out of 4.0 in their cumulative and criminal justice classes as well as rank in the top 35% of their class.

In short, "an invitation to membership in Alpha Phi Sigma is the highest national scholastic recognition [the] criminal justice faculty can offer," said Dr. Moseman, Interim Chair of the Criminal Justice Department.

New Members of the

Alpha Phi Sigma Alpha Upsilon Chapter 

From left to right
Front: Melissa Smith, Sara Amato, Megan Maguire, Ashleigh Keith, Kelsey Garrabrant, Kylie Bartram
Back: Maxwell Ostrowski, Daniel Medvetz, Jon Hart, Alexander Byers

 

 

 

 

Graduating Seniors

 During the Ceremony, Alpha Phi Sigma members graduating in May and in December were presented with an Honor Cord to wear during the graduation ceremony as a symbol of their academic achievement.  

From left to right

Melissa Smith, Gelsaira Ortiz, Jon Hart, Ashleigh Keith, Lacie Buckey, Alexander Byers, Kelsey Garrabrant
Not present: Kelsey Dropsey

 

Guest Speaker Provides Insight into
What It Is to Be a Prosecuting Attorney

As a part of the Ceremony, students also had the opportunity to hear from Ramona Rogers, J.D., former Ashland County Prosecutor and current Criminal Justice Instructor here at Ashland University.  The Ohio Supreme Court awarded her the Law Enforcement Silver Star Award for her work on behalf of victims of crimes and she was named Ohio Prosecuting Attorney of the Year in 2013.

 

Dr. Rogers shared her experiences with students and gave them insight into what it is to be a prosecuting attorney.  Her presentation helped students understand the relationship between law enforcement and the Prosecuting Attorney's Office.  Gaining a better understanding of how law enforcement can work with prosecuting attorneys is very beneficial to our students as many of them will interact and work with prosecuting attorneys as criminal justice professionals.  After her presentation, Dr. Rogers fielded questions from those in attendance.

 

Thank you, Dr. Rogers, for sharing your insight and experiences with our students!

Congratulations on your academic achievements, Alpha Phi Sigma members!
 

CJ Students Tour Ashland County Jail Facility

Criminal Justice students enrolled in CJ 366 (Criminal Procedure) had the opportunity to take a field trip to the Ashland County Jail.  On Tuesday, students received a tour of the Jail’s various facilities, including the kitchen, prison worker dormitories, outdoor areas, actual jail pods (also known as cell blocks), the center control area and the isolation cells.   

In addition to the tour given by a deputy, Ashland County Sheriff Wayne Risner also spoke to the class during the course of the tour.

From the inmate classification system, which determines what section of the jail inmates are housed in, to the unique, glass-wall design of Ashland County’s jail, the students gained insight into how a jail functions.

Ashland County’s facility is unique in that the walls are mainly made of glass rather than the bars found in most jails.  This allows the jail to operate with minimal workers by increasing visibility, which allows workers to better monitor situations and maintain safe conditions than traditional bars do.

“We got to experience a hands-on learning situation while putting what we know about criminal procedure [from class] into real life.”  - Melissa Smith, Junior Criminal Justice and Psychology Major

For more information about AU’s Criminal Justice Program, visit our website.