Professional Partnerships

The George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center is home to several prestigious training and research institutes dedicated to advancing the criminal justice field through professional development and investigation of key issues. These institutes partner with individuals and agencies across the state to help bring research into practice in various disciplines.

The Texas Legislature selected Sam Houston State University to host four institutes to provide training to top leaders in law enforcement, corrections, and non-profit organizations in the state. Other institutes are the result of long-standing partnerships with agencies to promote evidence-based practices in the field. Here is a list of our professional and research institutes:

  • Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT): A nationally recognized institute offering premiere leadership development programs to Texas law enforcement professionals.
  • Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT): delivers professional development training programs to personnel in juvenile and adult institutional and community corrections agencies
  • Crime Victims' Institute (CVI): Advances research to examine the impact of crime on victims of all ages to promote a better understanding of victimization, improve services to victims, assist victims of crime by giving them a voice, and inform victim-related policy making at the state and local levels.
  • Institute for Homeland Security (IHS): A center for strategic thought with the goal of contributing to the security, resilience and business continuity of the critical infrastructure sectors of Transportation, Energy, Chemical, and Healthcare from a homeland security perspective. For more information visit the site or email IHS@shsu.edu
  • Institute for Forensic Research, Training, and Innovation (IFRTI): Advances the practice of forensic science through research partnerships and training for laboratory personnel to pass rigorous certification tests.
  • Criminal Research Information Management and Evaluation System (CRIMES): "A cutting-edge police information management system designed to enhance inter-agency coordination, helping municipalities efficiently identify and resolve policing issues."
  • Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science (STAFS) Facility: A willed-body donor and state-of-the-art research and training facility designed to advance academic and technical knowledge in the application of forensic science disciplines to criminal investigations.
  • Center for Intelligence and Crime Analysis (CICA): delivers professional development training to crime and intelligence analysts employed at law enforcement and public safety agencies.