Dr. Mele has a MS from American University and a PhD from Rutgers University. She teaches courses in research methods, criminology, and victimology. Before coming to Monmouth, Dr. Mele worked at La Salle University, the National Institute of Justice, and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office as a victim's advocate. Her work on victimization and intimate partner violence has been published in Journal of Family Violence, Journal of Crime and Justice, and Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management.