Department of Justice Studies

Congratulations to Judge Robert R. Rigsby

Judge Robert R. Rigsby, the speaker at the College of Social Sciences Commencement event on May 21, 2025, received the 2025 Spartans of Significance Tower Award. Judge Rigsby completed his BS in Justice Studies (Criminal Justice Administration) from SJSU in 1983. He was appointed as an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Superior Court in 2002. A trailblazer, Judge Rigsby became the first military judge to deploy full-time to an active war zone, earning the Bronze Star Medal. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Department of Justice Studies in 2018.

Justice Studies Summer Classes 2025

Interested in fulfilling more of your requirements for graduation? Summer classes for 2025 are now available, click the link below to see some of the many JS and FS courses available for summer 2025.

Summer Classes

2025 Symposium

On May 2nd, the Department of Justice Studies hosted its annual Student Symposium. The event is an annual poster session of research work by our talented Justice Studies students. There was one poster session for undergraduates and one for graduates. The Student Symposium also featured an award ceremony which recognized scholarship and paper award winners. It was a great day for students, faculty and attendees alike.

Link to more Photos

Scholarship Awards

Congratulations to all those who were awarded a scholarship! On May 2nd, the Department of Justice Studies held a ceremony to honor eleven amazing students who were awarded scholarships. For more information about our student winners, check the link below.

Link to 2025 Scholarship Recipients

JS 103's Court Observation

On February 27th and March 11th students of JS103 Courts and Society had several opportunities to observe a criminal court at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. On February 27th the students observed court with Judge Benjamin Williams (top photo) and on March 11th, the students observed court with Judge Johnny Gogo (bottom photo). Judge Gogo also provided a very informative presentation to the students whereafter he invited questions. Many thanks to the judges who allowed our students to observe their courts, as it could not have happened without them.

Congratulations to Nhu Nguyen! She is the recipient of the 2025 SJSU Service-Learning & Community Engagement Student of the Year Award for her outstanding service to the community. As the award recipient she has also received the Endowed Scholarship Fund which provides a scholarship to one student a year who has demonstrated excellence in service-learning activities that made a positive difference in San Jose.

International Policing Conference in Ukraine

Everett Glynn, Instructor and Project Assistant for the Record Clearance Project, gave an invited presentation on the Records Clearance Project at the All-Ukrainian Scientific Conference on Law, Communication and Society hosted by Lviv State University, April 4, 2025.

2025 Hart Vision Equity and Innovation Awards

We are proud to announce that on March 13th, Professor Joseph Di Salvo, both a professor and Alumni of San Jose State, was awarded by the California Charter Schools Association with the 2025 Hart Vision Equity and Innovation Award for elected official of the year. This award celebrates exceptional leadership, policy innovation, and best practices that ensure charter schools receive the oversight, support, and resources needed to thrive. Congratulations!

To Hear More

COIL: Collaborative Online International Learning.

On February 27, we had our first COIL event: Collaborative Online International Learning. Faculty from Leeds Trinity University in the UK and Linnaeus University in Sweden discussed "Policing in the 21st Century" in Greg Wood's JS 102 class. COIL is the first blended learning session of our new international symposium series, which brought together policing and criminology academics and our Justice Studies students from San José State University, together with Linnaeus University & Leeds Trinity University.

Newman Civic Fellowship Awardee

It is with great pride to announce that Maile Gillis was awarded with this prestigious fellowship. The Newman Civic Fellowship is a prestigious year-long program that recognizes and supports community-committed students dedicated to solving public problems. Congratulations!

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SJSU Student RSCA Competition

Congratulations to Dalia Cruz for winning the 2025 SJSU Student RSCA Competition! The SJSU Student RSCA Competition gives undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to present original Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity. Winners of the competition represent SJSU at the 39th Annual California State University (CSU) Student Research Competition, to be held in April at Cal Poly Humboldt, where they will compete and present their research alongside students from the other Cal State universities.

For More Information on RSCA

The life-changing work of the Record Clearance Project was featured on the front page of the Mercury News in December 2024. The story recounts a record clearance hearing in court, an expungement rights presentation in jail, and interviews with current and former students and clients. One former client who volunteers at presentations told the reporter, “It’s awesome to give back, to share my life with somebody and say, ‘Hey expunge it, because there is a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.’" The Record Clearance Project endeavors to help more people reach that end of the rainbow.

For more information

We're Here to Help

Confused about graduation requirements for your Justice Studies or Forensic Science major? Are you interested in adding a Minor? Do you know how to enroll in your internship or senior seminar class? Unclear about which classes to take next semester? If you answered yes to any of these questions, our Department Major Advisors can help.

Contact An Advisor

Need Assistance? SJSU Cares.

SJSU Cares is here to provide assistance when you need it most. Resources and services are provided for SJSU students facing unexpected financial crises. If you’re having trouble paying for food, housing, or other bills, visit their webpage above, or put in a direct request for assistance below.

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