The CJRC is a center within the College of the Liberal Arts that bridges the gap between research and criminal justice practice by fostering a rigorous research agenda and transferring knowledge directly to criminal justice practitioners and policymakers. CJRC-sponsored research illuminates causes and solutions for the most pressing criminal justice issues. The CJRC supports research at all levels within the University – undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, and faculty – and reaches across multiple units at University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses.

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CJRC staff and affiliates collaborate directly with local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies and community partners to inform evidence-based policies in four key areas of expertise: (1) Courts and Sentencing, (2) Corrections and Re-Entry, (3) Treatment and Rehabilitation, and (4) Public Safety and Crime Prevention. We welcome new seed grant proposals every fall in these areas. Special calls for seed grant proposals also occur periodically.  

 

The CJRC works with the Career Enrichment Network to engage undergraduates across the college through an expanding set of internship, research, and employment opportunities. We are interested in supporting, connecting, and promoting criminal justice researchers across Penn State. Our affiliates are nationally recognized for scholarly excellence and we will continue this tradition into the coming years.

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Sample Publications

• Akande, Abigail O., Christina Riehman-Murphy, Christiana Oji-Mmuo, Abenaa Acheampong Jones, Qiushi Chen, Joel E. Segel, Glenn E. Sterner, and Marianne T. Adam. 2023. A Scoping Review of the Opioid Epidemic Among U.S. Immigrants: Implications for Treatment Practices. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse.

• Brothers, Sarah., Adam Palayew, Caty Simon, Abby Coulter, Knina Strichartz, Nick Voyles, Louise Vincent. 2023. “Patient Experiences of Methadone Treatment Changes During the First Wave of COVID-19: A National Community Driven Survey.” Harm Reduction Journal 20(31).

• Dillavou, Julia. 2023. Solidarity or Solitude? Correlates of Incarceration and the Peer Networks of Imprisoned Women. Justice Quarterly.

• LaForest, Michael. 2023. The Effects of High School Career and Technical Education on Employment, Wages, and Educational Attainment. Journal of Human Capital.