UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The former Penn State Justice Center for Research kicked off the fall semester by changing its name to the Criminal Justice Research Center (CJRC).

“We are excited about the center’s name change as it more clearly summarizes our focus on criminal justice research and is well-timed to coincide with several emerging outreach and student enrichment initiatives,” noted CJRC director Derek Kreager.

CJRC bridges research and practice in the areas of criminology and criminal justice by supporting projects with clear policy implications or evaluation components. The center connects researchers and students with federal, state and local agency partners on data-sharing and enrichment opportunities. The center also provides seed funding for approximately five research projects each year; since its creation in 2009, CJRC has conducted and supported more than two dozen projects that have led to more than $8 million in externally-funded grant support. 

In collaboration with the Penn State Department of Sociology and Criminology and the Career Enrichment Network in the College of the Liberal Arts, CJRC also seeks to provide internships, research, study abroad and employment opportunities in the criminal justice field for undergraduate and graduate students. To enhance this mission, the center is in the process of creating the Criminology and Criminal Justice Network (CCJN), a virtual community for connecting its various constituents and promoting student activities.

Additional information about CJRC and its activities can be found at justicecenter.psu.edu.