More than 100 criminal justice students from across the northeast were being put to the test as DeSales University hosted a regional conference of the American Criminal Justice Association.
Students from Maine to Virginia, along with professionals in the criminal justice field, participated in the three-day conference. To take part in the competitions, students must be members of the ACJA. DeSales started its chapter over the summer.
“It’s an honor to host the conference, especially being a brand new chapter. It’s very exciting,” says Joe Walsh, instructor of computer science and criminal justice, and ACJA regional president.
Students went head-to-head in several competitions, including physical agility, academic testing, crime scene investigation, and target shooting. The agility course consisted of a tire run, suicide shuttle run, push-ups, and a memory quiz.
Freshman Teresa Roeder finished in just over 41 seconds. “The thing I was worried about was running through the tires,” she said. “I thought I was going to fall. With the grass being wet, it didn’t help.”
On Saturday, guest speakers discussed case studies involving devious offenders. A closing banquet and awards ceremony was held that night.
The ACJA is a nationwide fraternity and networking organization that formed back in 1937. It works to promote high standards of ethical conduct, professional training, and higher education within the criminal justice field.