Center for Law, Justice, & Policy

In the short term, in conjunction with Marywood University’s Social Science Department, the Center co-hosts the NEW Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Law, along with a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Criminal Justice. The Center also prepares pre-law students for the LSAT and the Law School application process, as well as places them in professional internships related to the law.  In the long-term, the Center hopes to host an accredited Law School to offer prospective students the opportunity for a seamless transition from undergraduate to professional accreditation to working attorney in their chosen specialty.

Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Law

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

To promote legal literacy throughout the university, the center acts as knowledge Hub for:

1. Campus outreach efforts related to legal issues (i.e., campus sexual assault)
2. Support for curriculum development related to the law across the Marywood colleges
3. Guidance/mentorship for applying to or writing proposals for scholarships, fellowships, and research/intervention grants related to the law
4. This Hub also offers/promotes opportunities for all campus members to learn general civil law related to public life, as well as laws specific to their chosen profession (i.e., nurses learning about health law that governs their work, or teachers about education law, architects about zoning and environmental laws, creative people in music and writing about copyright law, etc....)
5. Pre-law Review – this online, with limited hardcopy, publication is led by an “all student” interdisciplinary editorial board (guided by a faculty oversight committee).  The contributor pool will be students, Alumni, Faculty, and local practicing attorneys, and other local legal professionals, that submit reviews of a recent legal case or incident, and/or offer a book & film review relevant to Law and Society. The student editorial team will also take lead on the center's Twitter-X, Facebook, and YouTube account to communicate the center’s activities.

This dimension of the Center will expand the goal of universal legal literacy beyond the university walls, engaging both professional and lay citizens in civil discussions, co-learning/research, and career development. 

• The Center initiates, develops & nurtures community, law enforcement, local government, and academic collaborations for various outreach programs in area schools, churches, community centers, government offices, and sister college campuses.  These efforts promote legal literacy for all Scranton citizens in order to increase awareness about, as well as reduce, the risks associated with:
• predatory business practices (e.g., short term loans, housing), often aimed at the elderly, the young, and minority & immigrant communities
• domestic violence & campus sexual assault
• neighbor & business disputes
• environmental injustice
• federal, state and local government/regulatory maleficence
• violent police-citizen interactions and clashes (e.g., Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota)
• (7) public order offenses (e.g., homeless populations and related issues such as chemical dependency, prostitution, and mental health).
• The Center also offers government, legal, and law enforcement professionals, as well as interested lay citizens, opportunities to earn continuing professional development credit and/or certificates (i.e., paralegal), through specialized seminars, workshops, and courses.
• The Center will also host periodic special interest programs open to the public that educate us all on legislative, executive, and judiciary processes as well as offer legal advice & assistance through:
• Master Speakers’ series
• Mock trials
• Free Legal Clinics