SCJA Southern Criminal Justice Association

SCJA Southern Criminal Justice Association The Southern Criminal Justice Association is a regional organization affiliated with the Academy of C

The Southern Criminal Justice Association is a regional organization affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Officially established in 1972, SCJA is a professional association serving criminal justice educators, researchers, practitioners, and students committed to the ongoing development of criminal justice science and practice. Member states include Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Each year is highlighted by the annual conference which rotates to a different location within the region. The conference provides opportunities to access the most current research findings on a wide range of criminal justice related topics. Members participate by presenting papers in panels and in roundtable discussions. Social receptions and activities provide members an opportunity for professional fellowship and the friendly atmosphere welcomes student participation. Annual dues include a subscription to the official journal of SCJA, the American Journal of Criminal Justice. This journal publishes article length manuscripts and research notes on a broad range of current criminal justice topics. The Journal is multi-disciplinary and serves both an academic and practitioner audience. Each issue also includes reviews of new books of criminal justice interest. Electronic access to the Journal of Quantitative Criminology is also provided to members of SCJA through the journal's publisher, Springer. SCJA is governed by officers and a Board of Directors elected by the membership. The work of the organization is performed in committees and several opportunities to serve exist.

Greetings from Philly! is officially underway, and we have the perfect reading material for your downtime between pane...
03/04/2026

Greetings from Philly! is officially underway, and we have the perfect reading material for your downtime between panels.

The Spring 2026 issue of our official SCJA newsletter, The Crime & Grits, is out now! ☕️📰

Whether you are here in Pennsylvania at Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) with us or following along from home, this issue has some updates you won't want to miss:

🌱 Grit & Growth: The SCJA Board shares their top tips for surviving and thriving at national conferences.

🏖️ Save the Date: The official announcement for our September 2026 Annual Meeting at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort!

📊 Research into Practice: A brand new column by 1st VP Dr. Ben Stickle on bridging the gap between academia and the real world.

👋 Transitions: A farewell report from our ACJS Region II Rep Dr. John Stogner, and an intro to our 2nd VP, Dr. James Hawdon.

🗳️ Call for Nominations: Details on how to run for our 2026 Executive Board!

Read the full issue here:https://www.southerncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Issue12_March2026.pdf

🚨 SCJA AT ACJS REMINDERS 🚨

If you are at the conference, don't forget to connect with us!

📍 TODAY (Wed, Mar 4): General Business Meeting | 5:00 - 6:00 PM EST | Level 4, Rm 414-415 (Open to all!)

📍 TOMORROW (Thurs, Mar 5): SCJA Reception for members and prospective members| 6:00 - 9:00 PM | Sueño (114 S 12th St)

See you around the Marriott! 👋

Heading to Philadelphia next week for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) annual meeting? With everyone hea...
02/26/2026

Heading to Philadelphia next week for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) annual meeting? With everyone heading that way in a week, make sure to connect with your regional colleagues while you're there! The Southern Criminal Justice Association is hosting two opportunities to engage:

-General Business Meeting: Wednesday, March 4th from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM Eastern at the conference hotel (Level 4, Room 414-415). Open to ANYONE attending!

-SCJA Reception: Thursday, March 5th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Sueño (114 S 12th St) for great food, drinks, and networking! It's only four minutes walking from the conference hotel, whether you're in your comfy shoes or the fancy ones.

Don't forget to check your ACJS Membership to verify that you're listed as a member of Region II. Safe travels and we'll see y'all in Philly!

11/20/2025

The Southern Criminal Justice Association is pleased to release the Fall 2025 issue of our official newsletter, Crime & Grits. This issue provides updates on our activities and upcoming initiatives.

Featured in this issue:

-A detailed recap of the 2025 Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.

-An interview with Dr. Jeff Smith, recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Professional of the Year Award, discussing the integration of research and practice.

-Updates from the Editor of the American Journal of Criminal Justice, including recent publications and calls for papers.

-The inaugural installment of our "Grit & Growth" series, focusing on mentorship within the discipline.

We also invite members interested in service opportunities to reach out about joining our Records & Communication Committee to work on future issues and social media.
Read the full issue here:

has come to an end, and what a brilliant week it has been here in Charleston!Worry not, friends--as you look down the ...
09/12/2025

has come to an end, and what a brilliant week it has been here in Charleston!
Worry not, friends--as you look down the calendar towards the chilly months ahead, you can imagine the beautiful week on the beach next September for in Ft. Lauderdale!

Day 2 of is here! We have even more panels and roundtables available today, including three of the Presidential Discus...
09/10/2025

Day 2 of is here! We have even more panels and roundtables available today, including three of the Presidential Discussant Panels. Today is our Student Day, which includes three sessions focused on supporting our student members looking towards what's next for them in research, academics, and practice. This includes our breakfast panel with Rick Dierenfeldt, Ph.D. , Dr. Shaun Thomas, Dr. Jodi Lane, and Dr. Matthew Wilkinson at 8:15-9:30.

Our Presidential Discussant Panels today include Drs. David May (Public Perception of the Profession: Bridging the Gap Between Police and the Public at 8:00 in Rutledge), Marvin Krohn (Early Life and Family Impacts on Juvenile Delinquency at 9:30 in Pinckney), and Brandon Applegate (Addressing Juvenile Delinquency: How Law Enforcement and the Public Impact Outcomes at 1pm in Pinckney).
We are especially excited for the poster session this afternoon from 3-5 PM in Carolina B. We have 35 posters, 23 of which are student-led! The judges for the Outstanding Student Poster Award committee will be milling about, and this event remains one of our most attended, year after year.
Then, join us for a tailgate-themed reception hosted by our sponsor Springer at 5:30pm in the Colonial Ballroom. Be sure to bring your school spirit for our second raffle benefitting FAVOR Lowcountry!

We have over 280 participants this year, and we could not be more excited to get the day underway.

Day 1, recap: after a day of panels, including the first of our Presidential Discussant sessions with Dr. Johanna Thom...
09/10/2025

Day 1, recap: after a day of panels, including the first of our Presidential Discussant sessions with Dr. Johanna Thomas from the University of Arkansas University of Arkansas - Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Center for Social Research on gun violence.
We capped the day with President Julie Baldwin's Presidential Address & reception! The reception after was a hit, including a bounty of fresh seafood: stone crab claws, shrimp, and oysters.

Dr. Baldwin, Research Professor & Director of Center for Research & Collaborative Partnerships at American University School of Public Affairs, spoke to the theme of this year's meeting, "Bridging the Gap: Advancing Research to Practice". She discussed the imperative of science in developing sound policy and practice. As she wrote in the program, discussants and the address "promote discussion on how to take the presented research to the next step to inform practice, policy, programming, and other areas that make a difference in people's lives." Discussants were chosen for their, "extensive experience in [their] panel topic and, for many, also their dedicated work in having research make an impactful difference on the ground beyond the ivory tower." You will see the sessions with Presidential Discussants noted on the “At a Glance” pages, as well as in blue in the daily schedules.

We also had the first of our three raffles, benefitting the local non-profit FAVOR Low Country! All three nights' raffle proceeds will be donated to this local organization, which supports people overcoming substance use disorder and their families. We look forward to hearing from FAVOR during the Thursday luncheon.

Up and at 'em in Charleston, !It is time for our 53rd annual meeting of the Southern Criminal Justice Association. This...
09/09/2025

Up and at 'em in Charleston, !
It is time for our 53rd annual meeting of the Southern Criminal Justice Association. This year, our theme is "Bridging the Gap: Advancing Research to Practice," for which we are eager to present several Presidential Discussant Panels throughout the next few days.

Day 1 kicks off this morning with the registration table and coffee to give you some pep in your step before our first sessions begin. We have our first Presidential Discussant panel this afternoon, the General Business meeting after, then rolling into Dr. Julie Baldwin's Presidential Address with reception to follow.

Our planning committees and Board are excited for you to have a great time here at the annual meeting in Charleston's beautiful Francis Marion Hotel. Whether it is your first time at Southern, a career-long fixture, and all in-between: we are glad you joined us!

Final program available here:
https://www.southerncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Program_FINAL_2025-09-02.pdf

While you're packing for Charleston, don't forget your school spirit! We have a tailgate theme reception Wednesday night...
09/07/2025

While you're packing for Charleston, don't forget your school spirit! We have a tailgate theme reception Wednesday night. Our presidential line and past presidents are ready!

Friendly reminder that our early, discounted, conference registration ends TODAY! A good price to get one of our coveted...
09/05/2025

Friendly reminder that our early, discounted, conference registration ends TODAY! A good price to get one of our coveted mugs with day after day of exciting and impactful research, capped with a great reception on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Save $30 and the hassle of on-site registration at https://www.southerncj.org/conference-2025/conference-registration/
Remind your co-authors!
Looking forward to seeing you in Charleston next week!

Just six days to go until our annual meeting begins, as we cannot wait to have you join us in Charleston! Wednesday nigh...
09/03/2025

Just six days to go until our annual meeting begins, as we cannot wait to have you join us in Charleston!
Wednesday night is our tailgate reception, so bring your school spirit!

The final program can be found here:https://www.southerncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Program_FINAL_2025-09-02.pdf

Don't forget! If you plan to join us in Charleston for our annual meeting September 8-12, the last day to book a room at...
08/08/2025

Don't forget! If you plan to join us in Charleston for our annual meeting September 8-12, the last day to book a room at the Francis Marion with our group discount code is Monday, August 11. Book here: https://francismarionhotel.ihotelier.com/book/dates-of-stay?groupID=4344130

Early registration for the conference is also coming to an end, so be sure to check that off your to-do list after you're finished booking: https://www.southerncj.org/conference-2025/conference-registration/

And if you're a student who is researching crime prevention, the Loss Prevention Research Council is still accepting applications for their travel awards ($600 each).
🔵 Marv Krohn Award (life course and developmental prevention research): https://lprc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dbXNadc9TKY7dGu
🔵 Dick Hollinger Award (situational & environmental crime prevention research): https://lprc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9tb37IpMqblh726

See y'all in a month!

We are so excited to see y'all in Charleston in September! Our site selection team and board have been scoping out the c...
07/27/2025

We are so excited to see y'all in Charleston in September! Our site selection team and board have been scoping out the city to help you make the best of y'all's time at . Southern is known for a great conference, so you won't be disappointed!

The deadlines for the travel awards and reduced room rate for the 2025 Annual Meeting in Charleston are approaching!
💲7/28: Student & Untenured Faculty Travel awards
💲8/1: Loss Prevention Research Council student travel awards
🏨 8/9: Francis Marion Hotel reduced room rate ends
📝 The SCJA Student & Untenured Faculty Travel Award form is here: https://www.southerncj.org/travel-award-submissions/
❓If you have questions, the committee chair is Dr. Tasha Youstin.

The Loss Prevention Research Council is sponsoring 2 student awards ($600 each)
🔵 Marv Krohn Award (life course and developmental prevention research): https://lprc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dbXNadc9TKY7dGu
🔵 Dick Hollinger Award (situational & environmental crime prevention research): https://lprc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9tb37IpMqblh726

🗓️ The Francis Marion Hotel Room Rate can be booked for the Sept 8-12 nights here: https://francismarionhotel.ihotelier.com/book/dates-of-stay?groupID=4344130

Finally, the preliminary program for the 2025 SCJA Annual Meeting in Charleston, SC, is available here:
https://www.southerncj.org/2025/07/25/preliminary-program-now-available/

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387 King St
Charleston, SC
29403

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