CJ In the Know

Photo courtesy of Second Mountain Leadership and Golden Eagle Creative Kelly Morriss (’90), warden of the Jefferson County Correctional Center (JCCC), has received the Brave Leadership in Corrections Award from Second Mountain Leadership , a non-profit organization that provides programming for incarcerated individuals. The Sam Houston State University alumnus was recognized at the organization’s 2026 Comeback Project Gala this past April at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. “It’s so hard for people in law enforcement and corrections to change the way they’ve been taught through the years,” said Morriss. “Ultimately, my ability to change and lead others in making a change is why I’ve been honored with this award.” After earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice , Morriss relocated from Huntsville, Texas, to his birthplace of Missouri to serve as a correctional officer at Western Missouri Correctional Center. From there, he advanced through various state institutions,...

The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) has completed a year-and-a-half-long project for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). In 2024, TCOLE engaged LEMIT to perform a job task analysis (JTA) of newly commissioned Texas peace officers to help the agency gain a better understanding of their main tasks, responsibilities and duties. The project involved collaboration between LEMIT and SHSU’s Criminal Justice and Criminology and Management and Marketing departments. “Supporting TCOLE on this effort is exactly what the legislature created us to do: provide practical, research-driven support to Texas law enforcement,” said John Ray, executive director of LEMIT. “Policing has changed since the last JTA was published in 1997. This project gets to the heart of what modern policing requires and ensures training reflects today’s realities, not those of 30 years ago.” Alongside SHSU professors Huda Masood and Ja...

Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice  professor Nathan Jones was recently featured in an episode of the History Channel’s “History’s Greatest Mysteries,” focusing on the hunt for El Chapo. As an expert on organized crime and drug violence in Mexico, the security studies professor and chair was invited to Los Angeles, California, to participate in the show’s production. Through the experience, he also had the opportunity to connect with fellow academics from universities across the nation. “It was a lot of fun. They flew us out to Los Angeles to shoot on a green screen, which was a cool experience,” Jones said. “The episode was all about El Chapo, which is directly related to my research.” The program also briefly examines El Chapo’s conflict with the Arellano-Felix Cartel, an area of interest for Jones’ research. Viewers can watch the episode, “ The Hunt for El Chapo: Case Closed ,” on a supported cable or streaming package. More information  about Jones’ c...

The Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) commemorates the life of Dr. Marilyn Ee, a criminal justice doctoral student who passed away in her home country of Malaysia this past January after battling cancer for two years. Beginning her doctoral studies in 2019, Marilyn spent her time at SHSU demonstrating academic excellence and forging impactful connections with fellow students, faculty and staff. The scholar’s dissertation chair, Dr. Yan Zhang, said Marilyn approached her work with both rigor and heart and always strived to make a difference. “Marilyn was an exceptional scholar, a dedicated student, and a person of remarkable warmth and integrity. As her dissertation chair, I had the privilege of witnessing her intellectual curiosity, perseverance and commitment to meaningful research,” said Zhang. “It was truly a privilege to guide her through her doctoral journey and to know her as both a student and a friend. Her legacy will endure not only throu...

This March, a group of 15 criminal justice students attending Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) programs at South Texas College (STC) and Texas Southmost College (TSC) visited SHSU’s Huntsville, Texas, campus for an immersive learning experience. “Going to SHSU’s main campus as someone who lives seven hours away was an amazing experience,” said Joanna Gutierrez, one of the students taking courses at STC. “It felt like we were part of the actual campus life and I loved how informative and interesting it was.” The all-day event offered students the chance to explore campus facilities and attractions and join a tour of the nearby Texas Department of Criminal Justice Huntsville Unit, a valuable experience for students pursuing a career in criminal justice. With career preparation in mind, students also engaged with agencies and learned about various job opportunities at the Criminal Justice Career and Internship Fair hosted by the SHSU Career Succes...

Anne Wingert, Danielle Boisvert and Wanda Leal of the   Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice   (SHSU-COCJ) were recognized by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) and received awards at the 2026 ACJS Annual Meeting, held March 3-7 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Wingert was one of 40 advanced doctoral students selected to attend the ACJS Doctoral Summit during the 2026 ACJS Annual Meeting. In addition to the invitation to participate, the SHSU criminal justice doctoral candidate received a scholarship to cover conference fees and hotel lodging. To be considered, applicants must have at least a 3.5 GPA and submit an application package with a cover letter, curriculum vitae and a letter of recommendation. “I sought out this scholarship after hearing such positive sentiments shared by my peers and graduate student alumni,” Wingert said. “Attending the summit represents an invaluable opportunity to build professional connections with researchers who s...

On Dec.12, Alyssa Barrientos was the first student to receive a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) through the SHSU-Texas Southmost College (TSC) Pathway . The first-generation Brownsville, Texas, native chose SHSU for its commitment to student success, accessibility and community. “It’s a place where students are supported and encouraged to grow,” Barrientos said. “When I became aware that TSC partnered with SHSU, I was immediately very interested and excited about the partnership that would allow me to obtain my degree through a school I had always dreamed of attending.” In 2024, SHSU expanded its criminal justice program to Brownsville, offering in-person courses taught by SHSU instructors in a satellite classroom at TSC's Tandy Hall. The collaboration led to a new educational model designed to eliminate geographic barriers that hinder student success. “World-class education doesn’t require leavi...

The Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) online master’s program ranked No. 5 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in their best Online Rankings for 2026. The program has consistently been ranked among the nation’s top programs by the publication for the past decade. Additionally, SHSU-COCJ was ranked No. 3 in Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice programs for Veterans. To establish the rankings, U.S. News & World Report evaluated criteria such as engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer assessment, services and technologies and student excellence. SHSU-COCJ provides tailored and flexible education with online programs specializing in criminal justice, victim studies and security studies. SHSU-COCJ offers the following graduate programs: Master of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management Master of Science in Criminal Justice M aster of Science in Victim Services Management Master of Science in Homeland Sec...

Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Hometown: Woodville, Texas This fall, Smith-Hutson Scholar and Homecoming King Ke’Von Paire will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University (SHSU). With influence from his alumna sister, proximity to his hometown and being awarded a scholarship, Paire was set on SHSU from the start.  "I chose SHSU because my sister came here and had a blast,” he said. “I also have the honor to be a Smith-Hutson Scholarship recipient.” Recognizing the opportunity this scholarship presented, Paire dedicated his academic career to serving both the university and the community. He is a member of the scholarship’s Leadership Council Activities Committee and previously held the position of community service chair. He is also active on campus through his roles in the Bearkat Camp and Bearkat Kickoff leadership teams, participation in the Bearkat Marching Band and his position as vice president of the Theta Chi Frate...

On October 28, as part of an Academic Community Engagement (ACE) project, Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) students in Jessica Fleming’s victimology course partnered with Project Beloved and SAAFE House to assemble 70 Beloved Bundles for sexual assault survivors.  The bundles contain clothing, undergarments, hygiene products and other necessities for survivors who may have had their belongings collected as evidence during a forensic medical examination. The assembled bundles were provided to SAAFE House advocates for distribution at three local hospitals. “Maybe this is just five minutes out of my day, but those five minutes could shape the way these victims view the system,” said victim studies student Kiana Rodriguez.  With plans to become an emergency telecommunicator after graduating from SHSU, Rodriguez shared that this project helped improve her interpersonal skills, enabling her to assist victims with an empathy-centered approach....