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NMSU criminal justice program ranked 4th nationally in research grant money obtained

The criminal justice department at New Mexico State University received high rankings in both number of grant dollars obtained and number of granting agencies providing funds over a 10-year period as reported by the "Journal of Criminal Justice Education" in the March 2009 issue.

Research grant acquisition is one way to measure research productivity, according to the journal article abstract for "Rainmakers: The Most Successful Criminal Justice Scholars and Departments in Research Grant Acquisition." The journal provides a systematic analysis of institutions receiving the most grant dollars during a 10-year period through 2007. The department of criminal justice at NMSU ranks fourth in the nation among institutions with a master's degree as the highest degree offered in total grant dollars received. The department also ranks fifth in total number of granting agencies providing funds.

"The depth and breadth of funding is remarkable," said James Maupin, criminal justice department head. "This recognition is a testament to the commitment of the faculty to scholarship in all its forms, even as it maintains its commitment to its many degree-seeking students."

NMSU's department of criminal justice received $4,079,500 in grant dollars in the past 10 years since 2007. Funds were received from 24 different federal, state and local grant providers. These grants assisted in funding research projects with strong outreach and research evaluation components. Two examples of the major grant-funded projects are a campus assistance migrant program by Cynthia Bejarano, associate professor of criminal justice, and a family and community violence prevention project by Lisa Bond-Maupin, associate professor of criminal justice and director of the women's studies program at NMSU.

Written by Daniella De Luca.