SCJ Turns Fifty

In 1974, at a crucial time of growing public concern about crime and justice, the New Jersey legislature established the School of Criminal Justice (SCJ) at Rutgers University-Newark, to help improve the quality and effectiveness of the justice system in New Jersey and nationally. In the 50 years since our founding, no university-based program has done more to improve justice and promote safety than the faculty and students of Rutgers SCJ. It is time to celebrate our remarkable past 50 years!

We hope you will join us to observe Rutgers SCJ at 50 all year long, as we look to the half-century ahead and rejoice in our past 50 extraordinary years. When we look back, we can see the transformation. When we look forward, we can only imagine what’s next for Rutgers School of Criminal Justice!

Many events will be scheduled throughout the year, culminating in a Gala Celebration featuring a Rutgers SCJ at 50 documentary at the 2025 ASC Annual Meeting in Washington DC!

The Honorary Committee for Rutgers SCJ at 50 includes Victoria Kuhn (Commissioner NJ DOC), Samuel Plumeri (Chair NJ Parole Board), Richard Roper (Fund for NJ), Kahrlton Moore (Bureau of Justice Assistance), Matthew Platkin (NJ Attorney General) and Patrick Callahan (NJ State Police). We are grateful for their time and contribution to this effort.

Keep checking this page for updates!

PICS: Kickoff Celebration

Events

PICS: REFLECTING AND REVISIONING:
SCJ in Dialogue with David Kennedy

MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2025
10:00 – 11:30 AM
School of Criminal Justice, Room 572

David Kennedy is a professor of criminal justice and faculty chair of the National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. NNSC works internationally with the evidence-based “focused deterrence” framework Kennedy developed as part of the ground-breaking Boston Gun Project in the mid-1990s (in partnership with Rutgers PhD graduate Anthony Braga). Kennedy has developed successful interventions to address homicide, gun violence, drug markets, firearms trafficking, prison safety, police legitimacy, and other critical public safety issues, as well as a broader action-research framework to identify and address such problems. Kevin Bacon’s character in the Showtime series “City on a Hill” was modeled on Kennedy’s role in Boston.

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ASC Annual Meeting in Washington DC

WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12-15, 2025

There will be a Rutgers SCJ at 50 concluding reception featuring a video documentary on the school’s first half-century.