CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public senior college of the City University of New York located in Manhattan, New York City. Founded to educate law enforcement professionals, the college has developed into a comprehensive liberal arts institution with a strong focus on criminal justice, forensic science, public service, and related social sciences. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as criminology, forensic psychology, law, public administration, and security studies. The college attracts students interested in careers in policing, law, corrections, forensic science, public policy, and social justice, while also serving a diverse urban student population through CUNY’s public higher education system.

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice was founded in 1965 as the College of Police Science of the City University of New York, created to provide professional education for members of the New York City Police Department during a period of rising public concern about crime. In 1967, the institution was renamed John Jay College of Criminal Justice to reflect a broader academic mission in criminal justice and public service. Under its first president, Donald Riddle, the college expanded its curriculum beyond police training to include liberal arts and social sciences. During the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice faced significant challenges but remained open and continued to grow. In the following decades, it added graduate programs, research centers, and new campus facilities in Manhattan, evolving into a senior college within CUNY with a national reputation in criminal justice education.