# American Criminal Justice Association–Lambda Alpha Epsilon

American Criminal Justice Association–Lambda Alpha Epsilon (AJCA-ΛΑΕ) is a coed professional fraternity in the field of criminal justice based in the United States. It was established in 1937 in Hayward, California.

## History

Lambda Alpha Epsilon held its first meeting in Hayward, California on December 18, 1937. Initially, it was a professional fraternity for those employed in law enforcement. It was essentially a regional organization, with all members and chapters being located in California.
Its first annual convention was held between June 13 and 15, 1938 in Lodi, California. In 1945, membership was open to individuals who worked full-time for enforcement agencies or as instructors in police training courses in state colleges. When the School of Criminology was established at the University of California, Berkeley in 1950, the group decided to expand its membership to criminal justice students and chartered the Epsilon chapter.
In 1952, moved outside of California with the establishment of the Zeta chapter at Indiana University. The next year, a chapter for women was established in Sacramento. At the 1957 annual meeting, the fraternity voted to open its membership to all aspects of the criminal justice field.
At the Annual Grand Chapter Business Meeting in 1970 in Anaheim, California, the name was changed from Lambda Alpha Epsilon, Professional Law Enforcement Fraternity to Lambda Alpha Epsilon, Professional Criminal Justice Fraternity. In February 1973, it was proposed that the name be changed to Lambda Alpha Epsilon – American Criminal Justice Association, which was then adopted. The name was adopted later in the year. In 1976, the name was reversed to "American Criminal Justice Association – Lambda Alpha Epsilon."

## Symbols and traditions

The fraternity's name was selected for the letters ΛΑΕ which represent the Greek words Lambano (to detect and apprehend), Anakrinen (to adjudicate), and Exorthoun (to rehabilitate).
The Lambda Alpha Epsilon emblem is a hexagon with the Greek letters ΛΑΕ across its center. Below the letters is a spider web that represents "the great complexity of criminal activity". Above the letter are a pair of scales that symbolize justice and a six-pointed star which represents the "light of knowledge".
The ACJA/LAE Journal and the ACJA/LAE National Newsletter are published semiannually.

## Activities

AJCA-ΛΑΕ seeks "to improve the administration of criminal justice through educational activities, to foster professionalism within agencies of criminal justice, to encourage better communication and expansion of higher education in the field of criminal justice, and to aid and assist all persons to prevent criminal activity." The fraternity holds a week-long national convention that includes seminars and written, physical, and practical competitions. It also awards annual scholarships to members.

## Membership

Membership in AJCA-ΛΑΕ is open to individuals who are committed to the field of criminal justice through their profession or education, those who are retired from a career in criminal justice, or those who volunteer in areas related to the administration of criminal justice. As of 2007, the fraternity has 4,500 active members.

## Chapters

As of 2024, there are 69 active chapters of AJCA-ΛΑΕ. Collegiate chapters are located at colleges and universities with criminal justice programs. Professional chapters are located geographically or at an agency for criminal justice professionals.
In the following list, active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters are in italics.
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Type | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha First | December 18, 1937 | Professional | | Hayward, California | Reassigned |
| Alpha | | Professional | | Martinez, California | Active |
| Beta First | April 25, 1941 | Professional | | Los, Angeles, California | Reassigned |
| Beta | | Collegiate | Greenville Technical College | Greenville, South Carolina | Active |
| Gamma | c. 1945 | Professional | | San Jose, California | Inactive |
| Delta | c. 1945 | Professional | | San Francisco, California | Inactive |
| Epsilon | 1950 | Collegiate | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | Inactive |
| Zeta | 1952 | Collegiate | Indiana University | | Inactive |
| Eta | c. 1950 | Professional | | Sacramento, California | Inactive |
| Theta | 1953 | Professional | Women's Chapter | Sacramento, California | Inactive |
| Iota | 1956 | | Sacramento State University | Sacramento, California | Inactive |
| Lambda | | Collegiate | Florida State University | Tallahassee, Florida | Active |
| Mu | | Collegiate | California State University, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | Active |
| Nu | | | | | Inactive |
| Xi | | | | | Inactive |
| Omicron | | Collegiate | University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | Active |
| Pi | | | | | Inactive |
| Rho | | | | | Inactive |
| Sigma | | | | | Inactive |
| Tau | | | | | Inactive |
| Upsilon | | | | | Inactive |
| Phi | | | | | Inactive |
| Chi | | Collegiate | Truman State University | Kirksville, Missouri | Active |
| Psi | | | | | Inactive |
| Delta Chi | | Collegiate | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas | Active |
| Iota Sigma | | Collegiate | Indiana State University | Terre Haute, Indiana | Active |
| Pi Kappa | 1961 | Collegiate | Cerritos College | Norwalk, California | Inactive |
| Pi Chi | | Collegiate | Florida State University Panama City | Panama City, Florida | Active |
| Sigma Zeta | | Collegiate | Clemson University | Clemson, South Carolina | Active |
| Sigma Pi | | Collegiate | Long Beach City College | Long Beach, California | Active |
| Sigma Chi | | Collegiate | California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento, California | Active |
| Chi Nu | | Collegiate | Radford University | Radford, Virginia | Active |
| Psi Omega | | Collegiate | University of New Haven | West Haven, Connecticut | Active |
| Delta Psi Chi | | Collegiate | Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | Active |
| Eta Alpha Mu | | Professional | | Gilroy, California | Active |
| Alpha Epsilon Phi | | Collegiate | Texas State University | San Marcos, Texas | Active |
| Alpha Sigma Omega | | Collegiate | Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, Alabama | Active |
| Alpha Upsilon Beta | | Collegiate | University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Active |
| Alpha Upsilon Lambda | | Professional | | Danville, Virginia | Active |
| Alpha Phi Kappa | | Collegiate | Lamar University | Beaumont, Texas | Active |
| Alpha Psi Omega | | Collegiate | University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Active |
| Alpha Omega Rho | | Collegiate | Webber International University | Babson Park, Florida | Active |
| Beta Kappa Rho | | Collegiate | Ferris State University | Big Rapids, Michigan | Active |
| Beta Phi Zeta | | Collegiate | St. Edward's University | Austin, Texas | Active |
| Beta Sigma Omega Lambda | | Collegiate | Inver Hills Community College | Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota | Active |
| Gamma Alpha Epsilon | | Collegiate | Collin College | McKinney, Texas | Active |
| Gamma Epsilon Delta | | Collegiate | University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, Missouri | Active |
| Gamma Theta Epsilon | | Collegiate | Franciscan University of Steubenville | Steubenville, Ohio | Active |
| Delta Zeta Omega | | Collegiate | University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida | Active |
| Delta Sigma Upsilon | | Collegiate | Dalton State College | Dalton, Georgia | Active |
| Delta Sigma Chi | | Collegiate | Dyersburg State Community College | Covington, Tennessee | Active |
| Delta Tau Omega | | Collegiate | Fort Hays State University | Hays, Kansas | Active |
| Delta Chi Alpha | | Alumni | | Montgomery, Texas | Active |
| Delta Kappa Epsilon | | Collegiate | Northern Oklahoma College | Tonkawa, Oklahoma | Active |
| Epsilon Chi Chi | | Collegiate | El Paso Community College | El Paso, Texas | Active |
| Epsilon Chi Upsilon | | Collegiate | East Central University | Ada, Oklahoma | Active |
| Zeta Epsilon Nu | | Collegiate | University of Tennessee at Martin | Martin, Tennessee | Active |
| Theta Lambda Chi | | Professional | | Buena Park, California | Active |
| Iota Kappa Chi | | Collegiate | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Brownsville, Texas | Active |
| Kappa Xi Sigma | | Collegiate | Ocean County College | Toms River, New Jersey | Active |
| Kappa Omicron Rho | | Collegiate | Peru State College | Peru, Nebraska | Active |
| Kappa Omega Psi | | Collegiate | Colorado Technical University | Aurora, Colorado | Active |
| Lambda Kappa Alpha | | Collegiate | Longwood University | Farmville, Virginia | Active |
| Lambda Mu Upsilon | | Collegiate | James Madison University | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Active |
| Nu Alpha Chi | | Collegiate | Northeast Alabama Community College | Rainsville, Alabama | Active |
| Nu Sigma Alpha | | Collegiate | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | Active |
| Pi Lambda Alpha | | Collegiate | Central Methodist University | Fayette, Missouri | Active |
| Sigma Gamma Phi | | Collegiate | Northwestern State University | Natchitoches, Louisiana | Active |
| Sigma Delta Omega | | Collegiate | Arizona Western College | Yuma, Arizona | Active |
| Sigma Iota Gamma | | Professional | | Strongsville, Ohio | Active |
| Sigma Kappa Chi | | Collegiate | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, Texas | Active |
| Sigma Tau Omicron | | Collegiate | West Chester University | West Chester, Pennsylvania | Active |
| Sigma Chi Alpha | | Collegiate | Barton College | Wilson, North Carolina | Active |
| Sigma Chi Nu | | Collegiate | Northern Virginia Community College | Manassas, Virginia | Active |
| Tau Alpha Omicron | | Collegiate | Trine University | Angola, Indiana | Active |
| Tau Epsilon Lambda | | Collegiate | Garden City Community College | Garden City, Kansas | Active |
| Phi Omega Alpha | | Collegiate | California State University, Fresno | Fresno, California | Active |
| Phi Alpha Sigma | | Collegiate | Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois | Active |
| Phi Kappa Sigma | | Collegiate | Talladega College | Taladega, Alabama | Active |
| Chi Sigma Upsilon | | Collegiate | Columbia Southern University | Online | Active |
| Psi Sigma Iota | | Collegiate | Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | Active |
| Omega Sigma Alpha | | Collegiate | University of Scranton | Scranton, Pennsylvania | Active |
| Omega Omega Omega | 1963 | Collegiate | Rio Honda College | Whittier, California | Inactive |
| Alpha Omega Delta Zeta | | Collegiate | Keiser University | Orlando, Florida | Active |
| Gamma Epsilon Zeta Rho | | Professional | | Newark, Delaware | Active |
| Lambda Epsilon Omega Sigma | | Collegiate | Paradise Valley Community College | Phoenix, Arizona | Active |
| Nu Omega Lambda Omicron | | Collegiate | College of the Muscogee Nation | Okmulgee, Oklahoma | Active |
| Chi Omega Pi Sigma | | Professional | | Boothwyn, Pennsylvania | Active |