THIS FRIDAY: 'HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING IN STARK COUNTY', PRESENTED BY JIM KNIGHT, CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST - STARK COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, WITH NICHOLE CRISS
JIM KNIGHT
Jim Knight is the Crime Prevention Specialist with Stark County Prosecuting Attorney John D. Ferrero's office, in the Victim/Witness Division. Going into his ninth year with the office, Jim has helped start several Neighborhood Watch groups throughout the County. He meets and speaks with neighborhood residents who are interested in finding ways to work with each other and with law enforcement to prevent crime and to make their neighborhoods safer places to live. To meet the crime prevention needs of community residents, Jim supervises seven (7) volunteers who collect and sort through area police report copies for the purpose of crime analysis. Information sorted and analyzed is shared with neighborhood residents along with ways to reduce crime in their community.
Jim also has Stranger Danger and Internet Safety programs which he takes to area schools throughout the County and even brings along a volunteer to dress up and greet students as McGruff, the Crime Dog®. In Jim’s effort to educate the community, he has put together several power-point based programs centered around different aspects of Crime Prevention. These include; Identity Theft, Senior Safety, Home Security, and Predatory Scam Prevention amongst others.
Also, as a member of the Ohio Crime Prevention Association, Jim has been recognized for his work. He is Certified as a Prevention Specialist through OCPA. In 2009, Jim was awarded for his efforts in crime prevention by OCPA as the Non-Law Enforcement Crime Prevention Practitioner of the Year. In 2011, Jim was elected to the OCPA’s General Board as the Representative for District Three. He served in that position, setting up district meetings and offering training throughout the area promoting crime prevention. In 2012, Jim took on the responsibilities of Treasurer for the Ohio Crime Prevention Association, an executive position in which he served until April of 2014. Currently, Jim serves as the Co-Chair for the Community Team of the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV) out of the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office and works in collaboration with law enforcement and social service organizations to stop gun violence in the community.
Jim also has Stranger Danger and Internet Safety programs which he takes to area schools throughout the County and even brings along a volunteer to dress up and greet students as McGruff, the Crime Dog®. In Jim’s effort to educate the community, he has put together several power-point based programs centered around different aspects of Crime Prevention. These include; Identity Theft, Senior Safety, Home Security, and Predatory Scam Prevention amongst others.
Also, as a member of the Ohio Crime Prevention Association, Jim has been recognized for his work. He is Certified as a Prevention Specialist through OCPA. In 2009, Jim was awarded for his efforts in crime prevention by OCPA as the Non-Law Enforcement Crime Prevention Practitioner of the Year. In 2011, Jim was elected to the OCPA’s General Board as the Representative for District Three. He served in that position, setting up district meetings and offering training throughout the area promoting crime prevention. In 2012, Jim took on the responsibilities of Treasurer for the Ohio Crime Prevention Association, an executive position in which he served until April of 2014. Currently, Jim serves as the Co-Chair for the Community Team of the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV) out of the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office and works in collaboration with law enforcement and social service organizations to stop gun violence in the community.
Jim's background includes a Bachelor's Degree from Kent State University in Communication Studies. Jim's goal is to continue speaking about and coordinating programs on crime prevention to better educate the public in the future.
NICHOLE CRISS
Nichole Criss is an award-winning pianist, collaborative artist, music instructor, entrepreneur, freelance writer and public speaker. Nichole holds an MA in Worship Studies & Christian Leadership (Apostolic School of Theology) and a BA in Music (Kent State University) and her debut single “Restore Me” was released on iTunes in July 2015.Nichole is the Founder of Bella Musica Piano Studio, a private music studio dedicated to providing quality + professional musical training for children ages 7-18. She is also the CoFounder, Editor in Chief and Blog Manager of She’s Intentional, a fashion and lifestyle blog that reaches over 30k viewers per month.
Nichole is a passionate advocate for victims and prevention of human trafficking. She traveled to Ecuador in 2015 to aid rescue missions and work directly with girls exploited as modern-day slaves. She believes that every person has the right to freedom, justice, and a purposeful life through complete wholeness in Jesus.
Find Nichole on Instagram @missnicholecriss and at www.NicholeCriss.com.