Rutgers University - School of Criminal Justice

What Rutgers University - School of Criminal Justice does

Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice (SCJ) is an academic institution within Rutgers University-Newark, founded in 1974 and located at 123 Washington Street, Newark, NJ. It offers a full academic portfolio — a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies, Master of Arts, PhD in Criminology, an incoming Executive Master's program (January 2026), MA certificates, minors, and dual-degree pathways (3+3 program, accelerated BS/MA). The school serves traditional undergraduates, graduate researchers, and (via the new Executive Master's) working criminal justice professionals. It is consistently ranked #11 nationally for Best Criminal Justice Schools and among top doctoral programs in the field.

SCJ operates three research centers that generate the school's intellectual and reputational output: the Rutgers Center on Public Security (body-worn camera research, procedural justice training, geospatial analysis), the Center for Conservation Criminology (wildlife trafficking prevention), and the Newark Public Safety Collaborative (NPSC), a multi-agency community partnership cited by the DOJ and recognized by the Obama Foundation as a Model Community initiative. Methodologies include Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM), body-worn camera evaluation, EPJETS and Southern New Jersey Procedural Justice training programs, and geospatial analysis of mental health-related service calls. Faculty research output is substantial — individual faculty members have 300+ publications and 900+ citations.

The school's revenue model rests on four streams: tuition and fees (set by Rutgers University, varying by residency status), federal grants (primarily from DOJ and the National Institute of Justice), private donations and endowed scholarships (e.g., Ronald V. Clarke Memorial Fund, Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project, Senator Ronald L. Rice Scholarship), and emerging executive/professional education revenue. Distribution is primarily through the Newark campus with selected online/hybrid courses, supplemented by community-based extension through NPSC partnerships. The school is led by Dean Nancy La Vigne (former Director of the National Institute of Justice, appointed January 2025) and draws on a faculty that includes Stockholm Prize and Edwin H. Sutherland Award recipients.

Name

Rutgers University - School of Criminal Justice

Legal name

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Website

https://rscj.newark.rutgers.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice is an academic institution offering undergraduate, graduate, and executive education programs in criminal justice and criminology, conducting policy research through three centers, and serving students, practitioners, and community partners from its Newark, NJ campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Criminal Justice

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAFAE

Community Corrections (Probation, Parole & Reentry)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)

SECONDARYBPAIABAF

State/Provincial Corrections, Probation & Parole Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

SECONDARYEDALAEAG

Crime Prevention & Community Policing Programs

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Campus Safety, Security & Emergency Management

SECONDARYEDAHADAN

Correctional Education Programs (Community College-Delivered)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Community & Junior Colleges

SECONDARYEDAOAMAE

Corrections, Detention & Probation Officer Training

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Protective Services & Public Safety Training

Keywords

• Criminal justice education
• Criminology research programs
• Law enforcement training
• Public safety research
• Graduate criminology degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark, NJ

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate tuition and mandatory fees for Criminal Justice degree programs.
2. Research Grants and Contracts: External funding from federal agencies (Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice), foundations, and international organizations for criminology research.
3. Federal Grants: Bureau of Justice Assistance funded grants such as 'Reimagining Justice' through the Newark Public Safety Collaborative.
4. Private Donations and Endowments: Gifts and endowed scholarships including the Ronald V. Clarke Memorial Fund, Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project Endowed Scholarship, Senator Ronald L. Rice Endowed Scholarship, Dr. Leslie W. Kennedy MA Community Research Award, and Fiserv Scholarship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice is a public academic school offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in criminal justice and criminology, including BS, BA, MA, PhD, and an Executive Master's program. The school also conducts research through centers such as the Rutgers Center on Public Security, the Center for Conservation Criminology, and the Newark Public Safety Collaborative, applying evidence-based approaches to crime prevention, policing, and public safety.

Product overview

Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice (SCJ) is an academic institution offering a comprehensive suite of educational programs in criminal justice and criminology. The portfolio includes undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies), graduate degrees (Master of Arts, PhD, and the new Executive Master's Program launching January 2026), along with certificate programs, accelerated pathways, and dual-degree options. The school operates research centers including the Center on Public Security, Center for Conservation Criminology, and the Newark Public Safety Collaborative (NPSC), which apply evidence-based approaches to crime prevention, public safety, and justice policy. Founded in 1974 and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, SCJ is consistently ranked among the top criminal justice programs nationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program Doctoral program in criminology and criminal justice, consistently ranked among top criminal justice doctoral programs nationally, providing advanced research training and academic career preparation.
• Master of Arts (MA) in Criminal Justice Graduate degree program providing advanced study in criminal justice theory, research methods, and policy analysis for post-baccalaureate students.
• Executive Master's in Criminal Justice Professional master's program designed for working professionals, equipping them with skills to become agents of positive social change in the criminal justice field.
• Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Undergraduate degree program providing foundational education in criminal justice systems, theory, and practice for traditional undergraduate students.
• Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies Interdisciplinary undergraduate program examining justice from social, legal, and policy perspectives.
• MA Certificates Graduate-level certificate programs for specialized professional development in criminal justice areas.
• Newark Public Safety Collaborative (NPSC) Multi-agency partnership involving Rutgers academics, social-service agencies, hospitals, schools, police and city officials working on community safety solutions using data and research.
• Rutgers Center on Public Security Research center conducting studies on public safety, body-worn cameras, procedural justice, and geospatial technologies for law enforcement.
• Center for Conservation Criminology Research center focused on prevention of wildlife trafficking and poaching of endangered species, established by Dr. Ronald V. Clarke.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #11 for Best Criminal Justice Schools in U.S.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• JAMA / JAMA NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Dean Nancy La Vigne participated in JAMA Summit with over 40 experts from medicine, public health, law, and community violence intervention to produce a blueprint for reducing firearms harms.
• Giffords Center for Violence InterventioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Jordan Costa serves as senior project manager for Giffords Center while completing PhD at Rutgers SCJ, connecting academic research with violence intervention practice.
• Paul Robeson GalleriesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Rutgers School of Criminal Justice hosted Art and Justice in Dialogue Event Series in partnership with Paul Robeson Galleries, featuring interdisciplinary programming.
• Inter-American Development BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Professor Dr. Andres Rengifo collaborated with Inter-American Development Bank on report featured by the bank, focusing on justice and public safety research.
• Vera Institute of JusticeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Vera Institute of Justice identifies Rutgers SCJ's Newark Public Safety Collaborative as a key partner in violence prevention efforts.
• Coalition for a Safe CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Dr. Nusret Sahin serves as board member of cross-sector partnership dedicated to reducing violence and building safer, healthier neighborhoods in South Jersey.
• Crime and the Courtroom PodcastminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2025Dean Nancy La Vigne featured on podcast discussing contemporary priorities in criminal justice research, technology and education.
• National Network for Safe Communities (John Jay College)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025David Kennedy from John Jay College spoke at SCJ event on evidence-based 'focused deterrence' framework developed through Boston Gun Project partnership with Rutgers PhD graduate Anthony Braga.
• Black & Brown Collective for Community Solutions to Gun ViolencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Jordan Costa named Fellow with Black & Brown Collective, an organization addressing inequities in gun violence research and featuring diverse researchers including those with lived experience.
• Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership providing educational scholarships to SCJ students through Daniel Anderl Protection Project Endowed Scholarship, supporting students pursuing legal advocacy and law enforcement professions.
• Obama FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Rutgers' Newark Public Safety Collaborative's contribution to My Brother's Keeper Model Community initiative featured by Obama Foundation video.
• Obama Foundation / My Brother's KeeperflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Newark Public Safety Collaborative featured as Model Community by Obama Foundation/My Brother's Keeper, highlighting its contribution to the initiative for improving outcomes for young men of color.
• U.S. Department of Justice / Bureau of Justice AssistancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Bureau of Justice Assistance funded the 'Reimagining Justice' grant to the Newark Public Safety Collaborative to test new community safety strategies that complement traditional enforcement measures, putting data and research into community stakeholders' hands.
• Wall Street JournalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2023Newark Public Safety Collaborative featured in Wall Street Journal article on police tactics in crime hotspots, highlighting innovative community engagement approaches in Newark.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• George Mason University - Department of Criminology, Law and Society: Virginia-based public university with a top-ranked criminology program emphasizing policy and applied research. Comparable to Rutgers SCJ in interdisciplinary focus and policy-relevant scholarship.
• University of Maryland - Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice: Top-ranked public-university criminology program offering BS, MA, and PhD degrees with a strong research focus. Directly comparable to Rutgers SCJ in degree offerings, federal grant activity, and disciplinary ranking.
• Michigan State University - School of Criminal Justice: Top-ranked criminal-justice program offering BS, MS, and PhD degrees with prominent research centers. Comparable in scale, federal grant funding, and national ranking to Rutgers SCJ.
• Penn State - Department of Sociology and Criminology: Major public research university with a strong criminology program offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Comparable in public-university setting and breadth of research.
• University at Albany (SUNY) - School of Criminal Justice: SUNY system's premier criminal-justice school with comprehensive undergraduate and doctoral programs. Closely comparable to Rutgers SCJ as a large public-university criminal-justice school with a strong research portfolio and high national ranking.
• John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY): CUNY's specialized criminal-justice college located in New York City, offering BS through PhD programs and an executive-style graduate portfolio. Directly comparable in mission, urban setting, research centers, and applied practitioner focus.
• Northeastern University - School of Criminology and Criminal Justice: Private research university with a prominent criminology school offering BS through PhD programs and an emphasis on co-op and experiential learning. Comparable in research intensity and applied practitioner focus.
• Sam Houston State University - College of Criminal Justice: One of the largest criminal-justice colleges in the U.S., offering comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable in scale of programs and applied research orientation.
• Florida State University - College of Criminology and Criminal Justice: Top-ranked public-university criminology college with strong doctoral program and research output. Directly comparable to Rutgers SCJ in program structure and disciplinary standing.
• University of Cincinnati - School of Criminal Justice: Long-established criminal-justice school with a research-focused faculty and comprehensive degree offerings. Comparable in academic reputation and research methodology emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-school-of-criminal-justice-%E2%80%93-rutgers-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/rutgers_scj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rutgers University - School of Criminal Justice