HAYS, Kan. – Four members at Fort Hays State University’s Criminal Justice Club were recently honored for their entries in a paper and scholarship competition, hosted by the American Criminal Justice Association/Lambda Alpha Epsilon.

The 2020 national conference of that organization was canceled this spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but awards were still given out for both the paper and scholarship competitions at the following levels: Lower (less than 70 credit hours), Upper (more than 70 credit hours), and Graduate.

The top three places of the paper competition at each level win a cash award (first, $150; second, $100; and third, $50). In addition, the first-place winners from all levels will have their papers published in the LAE Journal. The top three places of the scholarship competition at each level win a cash award (first, $400; second, $200; and third, $100).

FHSU students honored were:

Paper Competition:
Lower level - Abby Hayes, Baldwin City sophomore, first place.
Upper level - Brooke Luedke, Mankato senior, first place.
Graduate level - Tatiyanna Ray, Grand Prairie, Tex. graduate student, first place.

Scholarship Competition:
Lower level - Abby Hayes, second place.
Upper level - Beatrice Walsh, Thornton, Colo. senior, first place; Brooke Luedke, second place.
Graduate level - Tatiyanna Ray, first place.

The following papers will be published in the LAE Journal:

• Tatiyanna Ray, “Wrongful Convictions Stemming from False Confessions”
• Brooke Luedke, “Mandatory Minimum Sentencing and it’s Psychological Effects on the Inmates and the Developmental Effects on their Children and their Children’s Delinquency”
• Abby Hayes, “Effectiveness of Drug Abuse Treatment Programs in Prison”