Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Cedar Crest College to Build Criminal Justice Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/20/25

Cedar Crest College recently announced it will create a new Expert Witness Training Center and Crime Scene Lab for its campus in Allentown, Pa., according to a news release. The college is one of eight in the country to have earned Forensic Science Educational Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) accreditation for its undergraduate and graduate programs. Funding comes through a $608K grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, the news release reports.

The facility will serve students in forensic science, law enforcement, and first response, as well as individuals asked to provide testimony in court. The Expert Witness Center will contain simulated crime scenes, lab space, and a mock courtroom featuring a camera and live monitoring system. Meanwhile, the crime scene lab will feature three spaces resembling a residential house’s bedroom, kitchen, and living room so that students can practice analyzing crime scenes, according to the news release.

“The Center will focus on expert witness testimony, which relies on the proper interpretation of data and may be scientific, technical, or specialized,” said Dr. Lawrence Quarino, director of the college’s forensic science program. “Training will support students in understanding how they say something is often as important as what they say-that phrases or terms that they understand as professionals may not be understood by jurors. In addition, the Center will provide testimony training to personnel in a variety of fields including law enforcement, first responders, and social workers on how to provide a court of law with clear, concise, and meaningful testimony.”

The facilities will be located in Curtis Hall. Renovations are scheduled to begin in fall 2025, and courses should start in spring 2026, the news release reports.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.