Governor opens Griffith Criminology Institute

Vice Chancellor Ian O'Connor, Chancellor Henry Smerdon and His Excellency, Paul de Jersey at the opening of the Griffith Criminology Institute.
Vice Chancellor Ian O'Connor, Chancellor Henry Smerdon and His Excellency, Paul de Jersey at the opening of the Griffith Criminology Institute.

The Queensland Governor, His Excellency, the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC officially opened the Griffith Criminology Institute (GCI) at Griffith’s Mt Gravatt campuslast night (July 16).

“All Queenslanders can be very proud that this institute through its excellence in both teaching and research now leads Australia in the fields of criminology and criminal justice,” his Excellency de Jersey said.

“Thanks to its new crime lab, Griffith is a world leader in the analysis of security and justice data.”

GCI Director Professor Ross Coomber said the Institute was a strategic consolidation of criminology scholars across the University, with an impressive group of external partners,representing one of the largest and most productive criminology communities in the world.

“In 2014 Griffith Universityranked in the top 15 of institutions worldwide on volume of criminological output and has strong collaborative ties across the US, Europe and Asia,’’ he said.

“The institute’s aim is to produce cutting-edge knowledge that helps create safe, just, well-governed and equitable societies.

“We are honoured to have the Queensland Governor Paul de Jersey officially launch the Institute.”

The institute has six key areas of focus.

  • Corrections and Sentencing
  • Crime Pathways and Patterns
  • Justice, Law and Society
  • Policing and Security
  • Prevention
  • Violence

“The Institute will continue to strengthen Griffith’s place as world leading in criminology and to apply critical thinking and research for maximum impact and positive contributions to society.”