FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice is the best college for criminal justice, according to University Magazine. The magazine released their 2023 Best Colleges for Criminal Justice rankings on May 29, with Florida State University taking the top spot. They base the rankings on several factors, including academic excellence, faculty expertise, student success rates, and the comprehensiveness of their criminal justice programs.

FSU's College of Criminology and Criminal Justice Distinguished Research Professor Daniel Mears co-wrote an op-ed on policing in America, recently published in the Orlando Sentinel. In the op-ed, Dr. Daniel Mears along with Dr. William R. Kelly from the University of Texas in Austin examines why America needs to reevaluate its public safety system.

College of Criminology and Criminal Justice Doctoral Program alumnus Dr. J.C. Barnes has been appointed Director of the University of Cincinnati's (U.C.) School of Criminal Justice. Dr. Barnes joined the U.C. School of Criminal Justice in 2014 when he accepted a position as associate professor. In May 2020, he was named interim Director of the School. Dean Lawrence Johnson of the U.C. College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services appointed Dr. Barnes as Director starting in September 2023.

Florida State University’s College of Criminology & Criminal Justice is pleased to congratulate Associate Professor Marin R. Wenger, who was recently honored by the University with an Undergraduate Teaching Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Major. Dr. Wenger was one of only 10 Florida State University faculty members to receive the award for the 2022-2023 academic year award.

The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice is sad to announce the April 25, 2023, passing of Sheila Rachin, patron of the Journal of Drug Issues (JDI), and donor of the Richard L. Rachin Graduate Fellowship Endowment. Sheila established the Richard L. Rachin Graduate Fellowship Endowment in 1997 in the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in memory of her husband, Richard L. Rachin, founder of the Journal of Drug Issues (JDI), following his death in 1996.

FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate, John Carbone knew what he wanted to do at an early age. “I remember having a mock trial in my eighth-grade Government class. They walked us through the entire process, and I was fascinated. I knew I wanted to play a part in that process, and ultimately that interest led to my career in law enforcement.”

Two College of Criminology and Criminal Justice students earned the Academic Leadership Award during the annual FSU Leadership Awards Night Tuesday, April 11. Nicole Assenmacher and Julie Kuper earned the Academic Leadership Award based on their academic performance, university service, and contributions to the FSU and College community in and out of the classroom. 

Interested students attended the Criminology Career Panel on Friday, March 24, at the Claude Pepper Center's Broad Auditorium. The event, hosted by the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, was moderated by the College's Internship Director, Jessica Webber, and featured five panelists: Christina Ash, Chief Probation Officer - Circuit 2 Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Kevin Goehrig, Victims Services Supervisor - Florida Commission on Offender Review

The Co-Directors of the Policing, Security Technology, and Private Security Research & Policy Institute want to deliver the work of the Institute through an on-demand podcast. The Community Safety Web podcast, hosted by the father/son duo of Darrel and Brian Stephens, was created to promote the Institute within the fast-growing world of on-demand audio. The podcast publishes a new 30-minute episode each month, discussing a variety of policing and private security topics curated by Brian and Darrel. 

The Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards (OGFA) recognized Criminology Doctoral student Kaylee Noorman in a new Graduate Student Profile. Kaylee was recognized for a research grant she received from Performance-Based Standards to study barriers youth face to continuing their education when reentering to the community from residential programs.