About the Center


To magnify the critical role of Catholic tradition and its rich natural laws tradition in our justice and legal operations

To shine the light of Christ into the darkest corners of the world by restoring the natural law as a foundation for our legal and justice systems.

To claim that today’s legal and justice systems are functioning as they should would be both inaccurate and naïve. Rather than grounding decisions in a shared core of moral principles, many aspects of the system now reflect unchecked moral relativism, political self-interest, ideological agendas, and secular theories of justice. This marks a stark departure from the founding ideals of our nation—principles that once made our legal institutions respected and envied across the globe.

In abandoning the natural law tradition and the Judeo-Christian moral teachings that once served as its bedrock, the modern justice system has lost its moral compass.

Deprived of a foundation rooted in fixed and dependable ethical principles, today’s legal decisions too often lack moral clarity. The result is a system prone to policies and outcomes that fail to respect human dignity or foster the virtuous development of the person.

The Center for Criminal Justice, Law and Ethics believes the current state of affairs is completely fixable. Justice practitioners can restore order, right, and good within the system and be prepared to confront the serious challenges of their professions through a renewed understanding and application of the time-tested, perennial principles of the natural law. Natural law principles are unchanging first principles that have long been the rule and measure of all human conduct in Western society.

Revisiting these principles, grounded in GRAECO-ROMAN IDEALS, the Judeo-Christian, NATURAL LAW heritage, gives justice leaders a deeper capacity and a dependable measure to discern human action which is right and just action.

Thus, the Center for Criminal Justice, Law, and Ethics at Franciscan University seeks to change the landscape of the justice system nationally and internationally by:

  • forming justice professionals who measure the idea of “justice” and its aligned systems by the perennial principles of the natural law and Catholic moral tradition,
  • advancing the integration of natural law principles into legal decision making and the implementation of justice policy.
“Washington Pa police department, retired. This event helped me see a new perspective and appreciation for the basis of law and thought, that can be applied to our current system of justice. I found the presentation stimulating and made me want to know more of Cicero and his life. I will recommend future training at your facility to departments in our area.“

— Bill Bryker

“The speakers are well versed and the subject matter is interesting. Audience participation is encouraged and appreciated. The seminars are rewarding experiences.”

 

— Craig McKay

“I attended 6 credit hour and 4 credit hour CLE seminars on October 28, 2022 and December 9, 2022, respectively, and found the presenter, Professor Nemeth, to have great knowledge of the subject matter including the natural law, superior speaking ability, and a genuine eagerness to engage in dialogue with the attendees.”

— George J. Berry III

“The ease of travel to and from the Franciscan University seminar center, proximity to my home in greater Pittsburgh, the friendliness I encountered in the registration process for the events, the events’ classroom, and even the light breakfast and lunch made my participation highly enjoyable experiences.“

— George J. Berry III

“Dr. Nemeth helped make St. Thomas Aquinas’ theory of natural law come alive in our current legal and cultural moment. Aquinas’ insights and convictions are helpful for legal professionals and anyone else with a human nature!”

— Anonymous

“The top notch faculty presented on topics that are relevant and meaningful in today’s legal landscape. The willingness and enthusiasm for sharing ideas, expertise, and advice was truly present. I learned a lot, was easily able to stay engaged, and enjoyed the day!”

— Darren Grafe

Founded on the belief that the most effective justice system is rooted in natural law, the Center for Criminal Justice, Law, and Ethics pursues its mission through a range of initiatives that engage both current professionals and students preparing to become ethical leaders. These initiatives aim to form individuals who act in accordance with truth and goodness.

The Center actively supports the operational needs of justice agencies and contributes to the development of future professionals by participating in and supporting annual career education events.

This mission is advanced through the following initiatives:

  • Continuing Education that promotes a natural law perspective
  • Publications and Public Affairs that inform and engage the wider public
  • Research and Mentorships to support academic and professional formation
  • Designation of Center Fellows, who contribute to scholarship and outreach
  • Career Education and Events connecting students with ethical career paths
  • Integration of the Franciscan Mission into justice policy and practice
  • Professional Development opportunities for practitioners
  • Speaker Series featuring experts in law, ethics, and public policy
  • Natural Law and Justice Journal, offering scholarly reflection on justice and morality

Professional Development

The Center’s educational programs teach justice professionals to apply the wisdom of natural law reasoning and the Catholic moral tradition in their practice whether as police chiefs and law enforcement personnel, judges, lawyers, legislators or corrections officers.

The Center’s programs explore topics on a host of topics, including but not limited to:

  • Leading by Virtue, Lawyers and Judges in the Courtroom of Cicero
  • A Comparative Analysis of Aquinas and Cicero as to Nature and the Natural Law
  • Human Trafficking and its Moral Dimensions
  • Aquinas on Crime
  • The Legal Theory of Aquinas
  • The Thomist Concept of an Unjust Law
  • A Discourse on Civil Disobedience: Aquinas & Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Health Care: Legal and Ethical Challenges
  • Happiness for Lawyers: Rules from Aristotle and Aquinas
  • Law as a Spiritual Vocation
  • Moral and Ethical Questions Involving the Use of Force by Police Professionals
  • Proportionality and Sentencing in Contemporary Practice
  • Lawyers and Judges in the Courtroom of Thomas Aquinas

Speaker Series

The Center’s Speaker Series features practitioners concerned about the justice system’s current moral state and convinced of the critical role of the natural law in justice and legal operations. The invited parties bring their perspectives to the Franciscan community and the practitioner community in the surrounding region. The chief rationale for the Series is to give a forum to those whose vision and outlook is fully compatible with the mission of Franciscan University and the Center for Criminal Justice, Law and Ethics.

Topics cover a comprehensive range of questions and highlight the correlation of the natural law to day-to-day operations.

Natural Law and Justice Journal

Natural Law and Justice, is a bi-annual, student-initiated journal, dedicated to the analysis all facets of the justice system from policing to corrections, lawyers and judicial process, private sector justice to forensic science, as well as the intensive analysis of case law through the prism of natural law theory and jurisprudence.

The journal welcomes submissions from Franciscan scholars in criminal justice, law, political science, philosophy, theology, sociology, business, and other academic disciplines who seek to address modern dilemmas using the natural law as the rule and measure. Students enrolled in the CRJ Thesis project, or a designated course that stresses natural law theory as well as an independent study project, are encouraged to submit their scholarly product to the journal.  Academic faculty may also recommend submission based on quality and content.

In addition, Natural Law and Justice will accept submissions from students at other college and university settings

If interested in submission, please contact the Editor, Dr. Charles P. Nemeth at CNemeth@franciscan.edu

Career Fair Exhibitor Registration


Dr. Charles Nemeth

Director of the Center for Criminal Justice, Law, & Ethics

Dr. Charles P. Nemeth has dedicated much of his distinguished career to the study and practice of law, justice, and professional ethics. A nationally recognized authority on private-sector justice, professional ethics, and security systems, Dr. Nemeth brings a wealth of experience to his role as Director of the Center and as a professor at Franciscan University. Prior to joining Franciscan, Dr. Nemeth served as Chair and Professor of Security, Fire, and Emergency Management, as well as Director of the Center for Private Security and Safety at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. His nearly four decades of leadership and curricular innovation have left a lasting mark on the field of criminal justice education. He is the founding editor of Natural Law and Justice, a scholarly student journal dedicated to the study of natural law jurisprudence. A licensed attorney in New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, Dr. Nemeth has practiced law as a general practitioner and has held prominent academic positions at the State University of New York at Brockport and California University of Pennsylvania. With over 45 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Nemeth is a sought-after legal consultant for security firms and a leading scholar on law, professional ethics, and the implications of privatization in public justice systems.
 

Reach out to Dr. Charles Nemeth, Program Director, who would be happy to assist.

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criminaljustice@franciscan.edu

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