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Criminal Justice students at Trine University tailor their degree with different concentration areas. They must elect one 15 hour concentration, but most do two or three. The four concentration areas are: law enforcement, forensic and correctional psychology, agency administration, and psychology.
Most criminal justice and psychology students complete a minor, if not a double major. This is accomplished by knowing in advance what the student wants as a career and knowing the job market.
The Department of Criminal Justice, Psychology and Social Sciences is great at having the student specialize in a growing area of the market wherein they desire to work. We always encourage students to be solid generalists, so when they graduate they can more easily find their niche.
Trine Criminal Justice students in the news:
- CSI Competiton Camp
- ACJA National Conference
- Regional Awards
- Regional Conference News
- Handgun Training
- Elkhart County Testing
- ACJA Symposium
- Alumna on TV Addresses Students
- Regional Awards
- Handgun Team in Minnesota
CSI Competition for Indiana State Police Career Camp
The Department of Criminal Justice, Psychology and Social Sciences faculty Craig Laker and Dave Conklin will host a Crime Scene Investigation Competition for the Indiana State Police Career Camp on July 13, 2011. The competition will consist of a crime scene and solution to the events that occurred.
ACJA National Conference
Angola, Ind - Trine University's Tau Alpha Omicron chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association captured a record number of awards at the National ACJA Conference in Memphis, Tenn., March 20 - 25.
Eight students and one professor, in three teams, competed against more than 500 criminal justice students and practitioners in categories such as crime scene investigation, handgun marksmanship and written exams.
A professional team consisted of chapter advisor Craig Laker and students Alex Simmons and Vincent Keesler. Simmons and Keesler also serve as Hamilton Police Reserve Officers. The team won third place in crime scene investigation. Laker won second place in the professional division for the written exam competition of corrections.
An upper division team consisted of Dustin Eggert, Andrew Behnfeldt and Andrew Wilhelm. A second division team consisted of Andrew Ross, Amy Van Bonn and David Nichols.
All the ACJA members were able to make progressive strides in leadership, career development and education, preparing them for their bright and exciting futures in the criminal justice field, Laker said.
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Trine's American Criminal Justice Association Chapter Brings Home Numerous Regional Awards
ANGOLA, Ind.—In what has become standard procedure, Trine University’s TAO-Tau Alpha Omicron chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) brought home 29 awards from the 2010 regional conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Oct. 15 and 16.
Students claimed 22 team and individual awards at the conference of the ACJA, which improves criminal justice through educational activities, promotes professionalism in law enforcement and awareness of criminal justice issues, encourages the expansion of criminal justice education and training, provides a voice for professionals and students of criminal justice and promotes high ethical standards in conduct, training and higher education in the field.
The students and faculty members, Professor’s Craig Laker and John Milliken, competed in handgun marksmanship. In handgun upper division team competition, Andrew Behnfeldt, Alex Simmons, and Dustin Eggert won first place, and Andrew Ross, Josh Buchs, Vincent Kessler took second place. In lower division, the team of David Nichols, Preston Howard, and Andrew Wilhelm won first place and the team of Julia Nell, Amy Van Bonn, and Steven Sabo earned second place award. Also in the professional division the team of John Milliken, Craig Laker and Abby Christman won third place.
Among crime scene investigation three-member teams, in the upper division, the team of Ross, Buchs, and Eggert won first place and second place went to Simmons, Behnfeldt and Kessler. In the lower division the team of Nichols, Howard and Wilhelm won second place and the winning team in the professional division was Christman, Laker, and Milliken.
In physical agility, Behnfeldt placed first and Buchs placed second for men under 25 and Julia Nell second place Abby Christman third place for women under 25.
Trine students also fared well on ACJA written exams. In all divisions the students and faculty won 12 awards including the Top Academic Award for the chapter with the most placements in all categories. The written exams covered the criminal justice areas of Criminal Law, Juvenile Justice, Police Management, Corrections and LAE Knowledge.
For the first time in our 11 years of competition, the TAO chapter won the Spirit Award and the Sweepstakes Award for having the highest number of awards at the conference.
“Our students competed against seven different universities from throughout the Midwest,” Laker said. “I am proud to see them apply what they learn in our classes so successfully in real world applications.”
The National ACJA conference will be held in Memphis, Tennessee March 20-25, 2011 which 6-9 Trine students will be attending.
ACJA Regional Conference
Craig Laker and John Milliken, Associate Professors in Criminal Justice, will be attending the Regional American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) Conference with 13 students on October 15 and 16, 2010, in Indianapolis, Indiana. They will compete in: Handgun, Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), Physical Agility and Written Exams.
ACJA Handgun Training
TAO-American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) Handgun Team new member training was Sunday, September 26th, 2010 with 16 new members and 14 returning members.
The training consisted of classroom instruction at the Steuben County Sheriff's Department and then live fire exercises at the Angola Conservation Club.
Our students will be competing at the Regional ACJA Conference October 15 and 16, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Elkhart County Sheriff's Department Written and Physical Fitness Testing
Lt. Jim Bradberry, of the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department, will administer the police written and physical agility tests to Trine University criminal justice students on Wednesday, March 24th, 2010, on the main campus of Trine University.
Tentative Schedule of Events:
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Written Exam in Best Hall 221
3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Physical Agility Testing in Ketner Sports Arena
(Hershey Hall)
ACJA Symposium
The American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) is pleased to announce its annual symposium will again be held on the main campus of Trine University.
Lt. Tim Troyer, of the Steuben County Sheriff's Department, will present on
"Drugs: Identification and Education." This event is free and open to the public.
Date: Friday, April 9th, 2010
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Place: Fabiani Theatre located in the University Center
Alumna, Detective and TV Personality Addressing Trine CJ Classes
ANGOLA, Ind.—Christine Mannina, a 1993 Tri-State criminal justice graduate, Indianapolis homicide detective and member of the cast of an Investigation Discovery Channel television show, will visit Trine University Oct. 1 to speak to students in the Department of Criminal Justice, Psychology and Social Sciences.
[ read more ]
Trine ACJA Chapter Brings Home Numerous Regional Awards
ANGOLA, Ind.—In what has become standard procedure, Trine University’s TAO-Tao Alpha Epsilon chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) brought home numerous awards from the 2009 regional conference in Duluth, Minn. Oct. 16 and 17.
[ read more ]
Handgun Team on Target in Minnesota
By: Amy Van Bonn
Ten years ago, at then Tri-State University, the Tau Alpha Omicron chapter of
Lambda Alpha Epsilon and the American Criminal Justice Association, more commonly known as the handgun team, was installed. Beginning with just five students participating, the chapter has grown significantly. The original members were Kyle Hodges, Sharon Yates, Mike McDonald, Mike Meiser and Tara Collins; they have all moved on to very successful careers.
This year the team has thirty-four members--fourteen new and twenty returning. Advisor to the American Criminal Justice Association, Professor Craig Laker stated that, “Tau Alpha Omicron is important because a lot of Criminal Justice students go into law enforcement and/or corrections, and they need to understand the basics for the tools they will be working with.”
In recent years the team has been doing very well. For the past two years the team has taken first place in the upper division. And, one of their members, Corey Cox, earned the honor of “Top Gun” at the past two regional competitions. Cox graduated from Trine University last May. There are high hopes for the team this year and further into the future. Laker expects great things from both junior Dustin Eggert and senior Zak Ackerman, whom are two very talented members.
The team also hopes to become involved in more regional shoots in the tri-state area, to participate in charity events, and to be able to hold fundraising activities to obtain supplies for the team.
Select members of the team traveled to Minnesota for a regional competition October 16th- 18th. Junior Criminal Justice and Psychology double-major Abby Christman, is an active member of the team, who also serves as treasurer, went along for the competition in Minnesota. “It went extremely well. All of the members placed in something. We were the second highest placing team, coming home with fifteen trophies,” she said of the regional competition. Christman would also like to see the team be more involved in fundraising opportunities, as well as be more involved with the community and local law enforcement. Tara Gschwend, a returning sophomore member to the team, stated that “being on the handgun team is a great way to gain experience with handguns, to familiarize yourself with how to correctly use them, and to meet other people in your major. Plus, it is fun to shoot things.”
Great things are expected from the Trine University handgun team, in addition to all the great things they have accomplished. They are one of the many talented teams on our campus, and they are sure to exceed expectations.
