John Jay College of Criminal Justice

The John Jay College of Criminal Justice (John Jay) is a public college focused on criminal justice and located in New York City. It is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY). John Jay was founded as the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States. History Founding In 1964, a committee convened by the Board of Higher Education recommended the establishment of an independent, degree-granting school of police science. The College of Police Science (COPS) of the City University of New York was subsequently founded and admitted its first class in September 1965. In 1967, the school was renamed John Jay College of Criminal Justice to reflect broader education objectives. The school's namesake, John Jay (1745–1829), was the first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court and a Founding Father of the United States. Jay was a native of New York City and served as governor of New York State. Classes were originally held at the Police Academy on East 20th Street. Leonard E. Reisman served as college president from 1964 to 1970, succeeded by Donald Riddle, president from 1970 to 1975.