CEDARVILLE — Attorney General Mike DeWine will address Ohio’s crushing heroin epidemic during an address at Cedarville University 12 p.m. Friday, April 21.

DeWine’s remarks are part of the Ohio Council of Criminal Justice Education (OCCJE) Annual Research Conference, which will also feature a panel discussion and student research on a variety of topics.

The conference starts 8:30 a.m., with morning and afternoon sessions consisting of student research presentations and posters. Lunch will include an awards ceremony for best paper and professional practitioner, DeWine’s address and the panel discussion.

Since becoming attorney general in 2011, DeWine has actively worked to protect Ohio’s families, and he has devoted resources to fight the state’s prescription drug abuse and heroin problems.

The panel discussion will be feature DeWine, Hardin County Judge Stephen Christopher, Hardin County Sheriff Keith Everhart and State Representative Bob Cupp. Panelists will discuss the heroin epidemic from a judicial, law enforcement and legislative perspective.

The primary purpose of the conference is to share knowledge and ideas that students have discovered through their research. Most students presenting in the conference are seniors, but other undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members were also invited to present.

“From a professional standpoint, learning skills in presentation and communicating within the field are valuable for students,” said associate professor of criminal justice Robert Vaughn. “An experience like this is also often required for students who apply to graduate school.”

The conference will be held in Cedarville’s Center for Biblical and Theological Studies and is open to anyone. Registration is available online.

The OCCJE is a consortium of colleges and universities in Ohio with criminal justice degree programs. The organization strives to promote education and research in criminal justice administration and hosts an annual fall career fair and spring research conference.