Administration Education Local 

Christopher Newport University Launches Center for Crime, Equity, and Justice Research and Policy

K. Alston , , ,

Christopher Newport University’s (CNU) mission is to provide educational and cultural opportunities that benefit students while also supporting residents of Newport News, the Commonwealth and the nation. In pursuit of this mission, the university recently launched the Center for Crime, Equity, and Justice Research and Policy. This new center, which is part of the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology, will bring students and faculty together with local and state leaders and experts to conduct meaningful research projects and produce policy recommendations related to crime, equity and justice. Students will complete projects that enhance their liberal arts education by demonstrating how their research skills and content knowledge can be used to address crime, justice and equity issues facing Virginians. Pilot initiatives by the center include: 

  • Building community and state-level partnerships in order to conduct applied research and evaluation projects that help organizations achieve their goals
  • Developing the credibility and visibility of the center in order to make meaningful state and local policy recommendations on issues such as criminal justice reform, social justice and equity
  • Creating formalized relationships with community-based and state-level organizations in order to facilitate student internship and career opportunities
  • Hosting speakers on campus throughout the academic year
  • Launching an annual justice conference on campus focused upon modern issues of crime, justice and equity

 CNU’s geographic location allows affiliates of the center to contribute to projects in the Hampton Roads region while also working on state level efforts to address criminal justice reform and larger social inequities in Virginia. The university’s faculty also includes experts on criminology and criminal justice, sociology, racial justice, public policy and other related fields, which supports on-campus and community opportunities for students, faculty and staff to focus on these pressing issues. The center began its work this fall semester, with a specific focus on building partnerships with community and state organizations. CNU is planning an official launch event during the upcoming spring semester. For more information, visit www.cnu.edu.