Through leveraging new inter-governmental partnerships, public-private development, and community participation, Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is beginning to implement the plan of becoming a world-class destination for criminal justice training, research, and education. SHSU obtained the 78-acre parcel from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in 2013 in Huntsville, Texas.

The university is home to a unique assembly of professional development programs dedicated to criminal justice training and research that will be relocating from Main Campus to the new parcel of land—referred to as “Innovation Plaza”. The vision for SHSU Innovation Plaza is to become a hub for advancing criminal justice-focused professional education, research enterprises and academic initiatives. The long-term vision will provides a flexible development framework that allows the university to advance its mission and serve the community of Huntsville.