Corrections_Today_Winter_2025-2026_Vol.87_No.4

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SHSU College of Criminal Justice Reshaping higher education curriculum in corrections By the Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice

S am Houston State Univer sity’s College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) is cel ebrating 60 years of criminal justice education in 2025. The college has long been recognized for its expert faculty, prestigious reputation and unique connections to the field. Housed with eight institutes in the George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center—a complex built by the Texas Department of Corrections and constructed by inmates—the college is leveraging its network to transform the landscape of educa tion in corrections. “When we were initially founded, there was a big commitment by the state to establish what was then known as the Institute of Contem porary Corrections, now SHSU College of Criminal Justice,” said Phillip Lyons, Dean of SHSU COCJ. “We have remained focused on those early beginnings. Since the university was directly next door to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), it was a perfect op portunity for academia and practice to collaborate. We’ve since expanded to many different fields, but we nev er lost sight of that original vision.” TDCJ’s active presence in the center has provided students and practitioners with a unique

Photo courtesy Sam Houston State University

opportunity to engage firsthand. This exposure during their academic tenure has resulted in many alumni joining the agency after graduation, cultivating a lasting partnership. In August, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice appointed two-time SHSU COCJ alumnus Bobby Lumpkin as the executive director of TDCJ. “TDCJ and SHSU-COCJ have a long-standing partnership based on a shared commitment to public safety,” Lumpkin said. “Together, we work to advance the field of corrections through education, research and pro fessional training, helping to build a brighter future for all Texans.”

Another key collaborator with the college is the Correctional Manage ment Institute of Texas (CMIT), one of the eight institutes that operates within the center. CMIT is dedicated to developing and delivering a wide range of professional programs for personnel working in adult and juvenile community and institutional corrections agencies. The institute is nationally recognized for its pre mier programs, such as the National Wardens Peer Training Program in partnership with the North Ameri can Association of Wardens and Superintendents and the National Jail Leadership Command Academy

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