Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology - Ball State University

08/28/2026

Students in Professor Amy Beckett's CJC398: Human Services in Criminal Justice class worked with Sgt. John Foy of Delaware County Emergency Management to earn CERT micro-certification.

Sgt. Foy was also awarded the 2025-2026 Community Partner Award by the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology.

The CERT program is back at Ball State this school year to train and certify students with emergency response skills, with a hybrid program that Ball State offers.

04/30/2026

Dr. Wendy Watson helped to make this happen! Dr. Watson was a volunteer investigative genetic genealogist (IGG) for the Ramapo College of New Jersey IGG Center, and worked on this investigation all of summer and early fall of last year. Thanks to the dedicated investigation conducted by Dr. Watson, the IGG Center, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and several other partners, a sexual assault case from 1999 has finally led to an arrest!
https://www.charlottenc.gov/cmpd/News-Information/Newsroom/Sexual-Assault-Suspect-Arrested-and-Charged-in-27-year-old-Cold-Case-4.28

https://www.ramapo.edu/igg/about-us/cases/resolved/

Charlotte, N.C. – (Tuesday, April 28, 2026) – Detectives with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department’s (CMPD) Cold Case Unit, with assistance from CMPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) and the Asheville Police Department, have arrested and charged Eric Lee Howard, 48, in conn...

04/22/2026

Last Thursday, the Department held its annual Recognition and Awards Ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of our majors and community partners. Congratulations!

Neiman Scholarship 2026-2027 - Ariana Kamenjarin

Outstanding Interns - Jose Mancina and Allie Townsend

Outstanding Seniors - Micah Holder, Alexandra Ellenwood, Mavrick Leffel, and Brenda Lopez
Outstanding Juniors - Madelynn Alexander, Vanessa McComb, and Ava Wilson
Outstanding Sophomore - America Montoya Molinares
Outstanding Freshman - James Shaffer

Teacher-Scholar Program - Ambria Walls, Abi Holmes, Luz Ahuatl, Ren Brown, Shaelyn Davis, Braylon Arzate, America Montoya Molinares, Amelia Noelle, Zakara Ricard

Outstanding Internship Agency - Delaware County Community Corrections

Outstanding Internship Site Supervisor - Rob Helber (Youth Opportunity Center)

Community Partner Award 2025-2026 - Sgt. John Foy (Delaware County EMA)

CSH Dean's Advisory Board 2025-2026 - Emalee Veerkamp

CJC Graduate Assistants - Abbi Davis, DeKayla Elliott, Gio Guia

04/20/2026

The Criminal Justice Department held a trauma-informed self-defense class on Saturday as part of Ball State University's Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Thank you to all of the students who came out and practiced unapologetically taking up space.

04/15/2026

Join us at Take Back the Night! Right now - 6-8pm at Brown Amphitheater.

04/06/2026

CJC professors Dr. Koslicki and Dr. Acquaviva will be leading a free trauma-informed self-defense class for Sexual Assault Awareness Week on April 18th from 2-4 pm at the Rec Center (RC212). Please spread the word! All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend this free event.

Dr. Brittany Acquaviva will facilitate a discussion on the neurobiology of trauma, and Dr. Koslicki, a third-degree black belt (Sandan) in Judo, will lead participants through a series of evidence-based self-defense strategies.

All participants are encouraged to participate to the extent that they are comfortable. You can opt out of any technique; your autonomy is priority!

Ball State Center for Survivor Support