Introduction:
The central university components of Justice and Judicial Studies are the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies (Justice Center), which reports to the Vice-President for Research, and the Judicial Studies Program (JSP, offering the MJS & PhD degrees), located in the College of Extended Studies.  Associated in important ways elaborated below are the UNR Department of Criminal Justice and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology.  On this campus but administratively separate from UNR are the National Judicial College and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, both of which participate in the Judicial Studies Program courses.  This configuration is unique among universities in the nation and the world.

A. Institutional context 
  1. University mission and vision:  The Justice and Judicial Studies components embody the University's instructional, research, and outreach functions.  These components exemplify the missions of a land grant institution striving for the highest quality programs.  The teaching includes graduate, professional, and undergraduate curricula; the research embraces both program/policy and basic studies; and outreach is strongly present.
  2. Growth and resource outlook for the University:  Society is placing increasing demands for an understanding of the functioning of our justice system, improvements in judicial administration, equal treatment for all citizens.  Undergraduate students study criminal justice in large numbers, while demand by judges for advanced degrees increases.  As Nevada continues to be the fastest growing state, so will pressure on education, research, and outreach related to our justice systems increase.
  3. Demographic trends in Nevada, western U.S.:  Nevada and the West are becoming increasingly diverse in national, ethnic, and racial terms, and evolving into greater social and cultural complexity.  These changes will stress our institutions, call attention to inter-group differences, and require attention to adjustments in social and cultural practices and policies.  This is fertile ground for concern with justice in human affairs.
  4. UCCSN Master Plan:  The University is distinguished from other UCCSN components by its focus on graduate and professional education and research.  That is what most of Justice and Judicial Studies is about:  The students in the Judicial Studies Program are exclusively graduate and professional; the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies is an educational outreach and policy research center; students in the doctoral program in social psychology receive training as justice policy researchers and practitioners in the justice system while constituting a resource for justice research.  There is also an undergraduate education component: the Department of Criminal Justice educates undergraduates for justice system jobs and for the demands of citizenship on justice issues
  5. The UNR Academic Master Plan for 1997-2001 identifies justice as one of the six University themes: "equity and justice in an increasingly complex society."
6. The Justice and Judicial Studies components of the University are supported in various ways.  The Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies is a statewide program that is supported by an appropriation of $75,000 annually and by research grants and projects from outside sources.  The Judicial Studies Program has generated $1.4 million in support from outside sources and receives a modest UNR budget. 
  7. Space allocation:  The Justice Center and the Judicial Studies Program occupy 3/4 of the west wing of the National Judicial College Building, adequate space for these programs for the next few years.  When the office of the Dean of  Cooperative Extension is moved to new space as anticipated in about that time frame, the justice and judicial education programs could make good use of the four offices now occupied by the Dean.  The location contiguous with the National Judicial College is propitious for essential interactions.  The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges occupies space in the Midby-Byron Building, but also is scattered in offices downtown.  It is advantageous to the University and to them to be located altogether on campus, as they would prefer.
8. Research funding and productivity data:  the Justice Center was created in 1992. 

During the last five years:
®The Justice Center has received 18 grants or contracts, totaling $295,582.25.  Gifts to the Justice Center for the period totaled $32,000.
®The staff of the Center has published a total of 2 books; 37 articles in professional journals; 19 chapters; and 13 other kinds of professional publications (e.g., technical reports; conference proceedings).  They also presented over 100 papers at regional, national, and international conferences, some of which were invited presentations.
®Research and other activities have provided service to 9 local, state, and national justice agencies (e.g., Washoe County Court Services, the Nevada Supreme Court, and the Federal Judicial Center).
®21 UNR faculty and graduate students received assistance in proposal development.
®The Justice Center has brought 22 Distinguished Speakers to the campus for presentations to students, faculty, the legal community, and the public.  Including local participants the Center sponsored more than 70 presentations during the past seven years.