History
Sam Houston's criminal justice program was the dream of two visionary men, George J. Beto, former director of the Texas Department of Corrections, and Arleigh B Templeton, former president of Sam Houston State College. Together, their goal was to establish a program of excellence in criminal justice education, utilizing the Texas state prison system as a laboratory for research. The creation of the Criminal Justice Center is marked by the culmination of an era in which the idea of "theory into practice" is vigorously pursued. This idea was the defining credo of the College's founding director, George G. Killinger, and the foundation which the Center has built its curriculum and reputation as a leader in the field of criminal justice.
For a more detailed history click on a decade.
[1960s] [1970s] [1980s] [1990s] [2000s]
top1963
1964-George J. Beto and Arleigh B. Templeton cooperate with the Texas Legislature to establish the Sam Houston State College of Criminal Justice and the CJ Center. more...
top1965
George G. Killinger is recruited as the founding director of the Institute of Contemporary Corrections and Behavioral Sciences. more...
top1966
The Southern Regional Education Board called the Institute ".the best model of a university-agency program in correctional rehabilitation in the nation." more...
top1967
The Institute receives a major grant from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, as well as a pledge of continued support from the Texas Legislature. more...
top1968
The Institute becomes a key player in the new Law Enforcement Educational Program (LEEP) established under the U.S. Congress's Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. more...
top1969
The Institute receives two major grants, allowing for the development of internship programs and new courses in social rehabilitation and juvenile probation and detention. more...
top1970
The Coordinating Board of Texas Colleges and University Systems grants the Sam Houston State University's College of Criminal Justice the Doctoral degree in Criminal Justice. more...
top1971
With funding from the LEAA, the Texas Legislature, and the Houston Endowment, Inc., construction begins on the Criminal Justice Center. more...
top1972
The Texas Probation Training Academy is created, soon becoming one of the largest continuing professional development programs in the Institute. more...
top1973
The College awards its first two doctoral degrees in Criminal Justice to students Randal P. McCauley and Ronald J. Waldron. more...
top1974
The Institute receives a major grant from the U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare to study the mentally retarded offender. more...
top1975
The Institute celebrates the tenth anniversary of its Interagency Workshop. more...
top1976
The Institute officially relocates to the newly-completed Criminal Justice Center, a 197,000-square-foot facility featuring 26 classrooms, 106 offices, a 500-seat auditorium, and 98-room hotel to house continuing education trainees. more...
top1977
The Center is formally dedicated on February 25 with an address by Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe. more...
top1978
Victor G. Strecher is appointed Dean of the College of Criminal Justice and Director of the Institute; the Center publishes the first annual Texas Crime Poll. more...
top1979
Rolando del Carmen is appointed Coordinator of the Doctoral Program; James Barrum is appointed Coordinator of the Correctional Education Program; Larry Hoover becomes assistant Director for Professional Programs and Development. more...
top1980
The College becomes the first program in the nation certified by the Criminal Justice Education Council. more...
top1981
The 100 Club of Houston establishes a scholarship program to support any Harris County officer accepted into the College's Master of Science program. more...
top1982
The University graduates its 4,500th criminal justice major. more...
top1983
The Bachelor's Degree in Social Work is implemented. more...
top1984
William Pelfery is appointed Associate Dean for Academic Administration; Dennis Longmire becomes Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies. more...
top1985
Victor G. Strecher resigns as Dean and Director and rejoins the faculty; the 5,000th criminal justice major graduates from Sam Houston State University. more...
top1986
Charles M. Friel is appointed Dean of the College and Director of the Institute; the Center honors its founding Director by dedicating the George G. Killinger Auditorium and awarding him with the Defensor Pacem Medal. more...
top1987
The Center is host to a high-ranking delegation from the People's Republic of China who work with faculty to establish an exchange program. more...
top1988
Apple Computer, Inc. donates a complete computer lab, and Microsoft donates a software library, beginning the process of equipping every office in the Center with PC technology. more...
top1989
The Criminal Justice Alumni Association is formed. more...
top1990
The Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary; the Sundial Monument is dedicated "in honor of the alumni of the Criminal Justice Center who serve the cause of justice throughout the world and in memory of those who have perished in this service." more...
top1991
The College mourns the passing of George G. Beto; Timothy Flanagan is appointed Dean and Director. more...
top1992
At a dedication ceremony on February 8, the Criminal Justice Center is named for George J. Beto; Ken Adams joins the College as Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies, and Sam Souryal is appointed Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies; the University graduates its 7,000th criminal justice student. more...
top1993
The Center mourns the passing of founding Director, George G. Killinger; the 73rd Texas Legislature relocates the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) to SHSU's Criminal Justice Center. more...
top1994
Gerald Williams is recruited as Executive Director of LEMIT; the Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT) is established. more...
top1995
The Center celebrates its 30th anniversary; the National Association of Probation Executives names the Center as its secretariat. more...
top1996
The College broadens student career choices by implementing a new undergraduate curriculum that offers general Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Criminal Justice. more...
top1997
The College begins to offer undergraduate courses on several campuses of the North Harris Montgomery Community College District then later joins a consortium of five other universities offering classes at the University Center in The Woodlands. more..
top1998
LEMIT receives funding for new headquarters; Dr. Rolando del Carmen recognized as Piper Professor; SHSU heads the National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology’s Advanced Technology Against Crime (ATAC). more...
top1999
SHSU and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) form the National Institute for Victim Studies; Sam Houston State officials break ground on the new Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Institute of Texas facility; the College welcomes new Dean and Director, Dr. Richard Ward. more...
top2000
The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Building is completed and formally dedicated; the College receives a $1 million grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to fund the National Institute for Victim Studies; Associate Dean and Professor Dr. Jurg Gerber receives Fulbright Grant; CMIT receives state grants totaling over $320,000; the Center establishes the Institute for Law Enforcement Training (ILET); former Dean and Professor Peg Farnworth retires. more...
top2001
Governor Rick Perry signs Senate Bill 1421, creating a permanent funding mechanism for the Correctional Management Institute of Texas; the College welcomes new faculty members Drs. Carrie Butler, Richard Li, and Holly Miller. more...
top2002
Dr. Friel is named Distinguished Professor; Professor Carrie Butler receives a $150,000 research analysis grant for Project Safe Neighborhood; the Center receives a major library and papers donation from Professor Gordon E. Misner; the Center signs a memorandum of understanding with the Houston Police Department to increase cooperation between the two entities. more...
top2003
The CJ Center hosts the Annual Conference of the Asian Association of Police Studies; the Center hosts Thailand’s Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a 1979 doctoral graduate of the College of Criminal Justice; Governor Rick Perry signs Senate Bill 1245, which transfers the Crime Victims’ Institute from the Office of the Attorney General to Sam Houston State University. more...
top2004
Research conducted by Dr. James Marquart and graduate student Chad Trulson is presented before the U.S. Supreme Court; the Center welcomes new faculty members Drs. Sparks Veasey, Yan Zhang, Robert Keppel, and Willard Oliver; SHSU and University of Houston partner to offer a joint JD/Ph.D; the Center is awarded a quarter million-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to create the National Resource Center for Police-Corrections Partnerships. more...
top2005
Distinguished Professor Charles M. Friel retires; professors James Marquart and Rolando del Carmen are recognized at the Academy of Criminal Justice conference in Chicago; the Center welcomes new faculty members Hee-Jong Joo, Brian A. Lawton, Joseph L. Peterson, Jennifer L. Schulenburg, and Victoria Brewer Titterington. more...
top2006
Dean and Director Dr. Richard Ward resigns; Dr. Vincent J. Webb is appointed Dean and Director; the College announces a new academic programs—the Master of Science in Security Studies; LEMIT launches its Major Cities Research Initiative; the College welcomes new faculty members Drs. Joan A. Bytheway, Jim Dozier, Howard Henderson, Sarah Kerrigan, Scott Menard, Melissa Tackett-Gibson, and Michael S. Vaughn. more...
top2007
The College launches the Institute for Legal Studies in Criminal Justice (ILSCJ; Distinguished Professor Rolando del Carmen receives the Texas State University System Regents Professorship award; the College receives a Texas Department of Transportation grant exceeding $650,000 to help train police officers in identifying drug-impaired drivers; the College welcomes new faculty members Drs. Gaylene Armstrong, Todd A. Armstrong, David Atilio Gangitano, William Wells, and Jihong (Solomon) Zhao. more...
top2008
The College establishes a memorandum of understanding with the Zhejiang Police College in Hangzhou, China, creating a new international exchange program; Professor Raymond Teske, Jr., receives the prestigious Humbolt Research Award; Dean and Director Vincent Webb receives the ACJS Outstanding Book Award for the book Policing Gangs in America; construction begins on the new Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science (STAFS) facility; Professor Mitchel Roth is named an “Academic Fellow” by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; the College welcomes new faculty members Drs. Cortney Franklin, Travis Franklin, Ling Ren, and Jorn Yu.more...
