As Amended, October 1995

NOTE!!!   Click HERE for new Constitution

The name of this association shall be the Southern Criminal Justice Association.
 

ARTICLE 11 Objectives

The objectives of this association shall be:

To provide for communication among members, with other associations of higher education and training, and with the agencies of the criminal justice system;

To promote a philosophical approach of criminal justice as a systemic process;

To promote the highest standards in criminal justice education, training, and practice; and

To promote high standards in criminal justice planning and research.
 

ARTICLE III Membership

Regular membership shall be open to individuals who support the purposes of the Southern Criminal Justice Association.

Student membership shall be open to students interested in criminal justice and enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education.
 

ARTICLE IV Board of Directors

The voting members of the Board of Directors shall be composed of the immediate past president, the elected officers, and five (5) Directors-at-Large, no more than two (2) of whom shall be from the same state. The President may appoint, and remove, one or more of the following as non-voting members: the Executive Director of the Secretariat, the Editor of the American Journal of Criminal Justice and the Southern Regional Representative of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Such appointments and removals are subject to final approval by the voting members of the Board of Directors.

Directors-at-Large shall be elected by the membership for a three year term, except that for the first election, two will be elected for a three-year term, two- for a two-year term, and one for a one-year term.

All members of the Board of Directors shall be regular members in good standing of the SCJA.
 

ARTICLE V  Officers

The Officers of the Association shall be:

President

First Vice President (President Elect)

Second Vice President (1st Vice President Elect)

Secretary-Treasurer (two year term)

All Officers shall be regular members in good standing of the Association. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected in each even-number year (serving a two-year term).
 

ARTICLE VI Elections

Elections of officers and members of the Board of Directors shall be conducted prior to the Annual Meeting. A candidate shall be considered elected who receives a majority of the valid ballots cast (see Article V, Sections 6-8, By Laws).

 ARTICLE VII Meetings

The date(s), time, and location, of the Annual Meeting shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The location of the Annual Meeting shall be determined at least two years in advance.
 

ARTICLE VIII Amendments to the Constitution

The Constitution may be amended by mail ballot. Constitutional amendments should be labeled "Amendments to the Constitution." Proposed amendments may be received from the Constitution and By-Laws Committee, or by the Board of Directors, or by petition from twenty-five (25) percent of the membership. The vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the valid ballots received on a mail vote is required for the passage of a Constitutional Amendment.

Original Constitution effective October 26, 1972.

Amended October 18, 1973
Amended October 17, 1974
Amended May 9, 1977
Amended October 10, 1984
Amended October 11 1) 1985
Amended February, 1987
Amended September 30, 1988
Amended October 3, 1991
Amended October 5, 1994
 

ARTICLE I Name

This organization shall be known as the Southern Criminal Justice Association.
 

ARTICLE II  Objectives

 SEC. I The objectives of this Association shall be as stated in Article II of
   the Constitution.

 SEC. 2 To fulfill the objectives, the functions of this organization may
  incorporate social and informational activities.
 

 ARTICLE III Membership

 SEC. I Applicants for membership must meet the requirements as set forth
  in Article III of the Constitution.

 SEC. 2 Applications shall be completed and sent to the Secretariat who will
  process and forward applications to the Secretary/Treasurer.

 SEC. 3 To maintain good standing, a member must have paid the annual
  dues.

 SEC. 4 Any member six (6) months in arrears for dues after the annual
  meeting shall be dropped from the Association; reinstatement shall
  be according to policy established by the Board of Directors.

 SEC. 5 Only regular members in good standing shall be allowed to vote.

 SEC. 6 Disciplinary procedures as found in Roberts' Rules of Order Newly
  Revised shall be used (Rule No. 60).
 

  ARTICLE IV Board of Directors

 SEC. I The Board of Directors shall be composed of the immediate past
  President, the elected Officers, and five (5) elected Directors-at-
  Large. The President may appoint, and remove, one or more of
  the following as non-voting members: the Executive Director of
  the Secretariat, the Editor of the American Journal of Criminal
  Justice and the Southern Regional Representative of the Academy
  of Criminal Justice Sciences. Such appoints and removals are
  subject to final approval by the voting members of the Board of
  Directors.

 SEC. 2 Only members in good standing may serve on the Board of
  Directors.

 SEC. 3 The Board of Directors shall provide general policy direction for
  the Association.

 SEC. 4 All elected Officers and members of the Board of Directors shall
  attend called meetings of the Association and shall be subject to
  recall for absence from two consecutive meetings without
  reasonable cause.

 SEC. 5 The duties of the President shall be:

1. To preside. at all Board of Directors meetings;
2. To preside at all meetings of the Association;
3. To enforce the Constitution and BY-Laws;
4. To appoint those committees required by the Constitution and By-Laws and such other committees as deemed necessary to the orderly operation of the Association;
5. To require the Secretary/Treasurer, at each Annual Meeting or at such time as the President may direct, to present a statement of monies received, deposited and disbursed since the last Annual Meeting and the financial standing of the Association;
6. To require the Secretariat, at each Annual Meeting or at such time as the President may direct, to present a
statement of (1) all monies from the SCJA treasury that have been received, deposited and disbursed since the last Annual Meeting, and (2) the financial standing of the Secretariat.
 

SEC. 6 The duties of the First Vice President (President Elect) shall be:

1.  To assist the President in the performance of his duties;
2. To officiate for the President in his absence;
3.  To assume the responsibility for planning the Annual Meeting;
4.  To represent the Association at various functions at the request of the President.

SEC. 7 The duties of the Second Vice President (First Vice President) shall
 be:

I .  To assist the President and First Vice President as requested;
2.  To be responsible for all publicity concerning the Association;
3.  To act as liaison between the Secretariat and the Association.

SEC. 8 The duties of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be:

1.  To keep accurate minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors, the Annual Meeting and special and called meetings;
2.  To keep a record of the names, addresses and such data pertaining to the membership as directed by the Board of Directors;
3.  To keep an accurate record of all monies received, deposited and disbursed in the name of the Association;
4.  To sign all orders drawn on the funds of the Association as authorized;
5.  To perform such other duties as directed by the President or the Board of Directors.
 

  ARTICLE V Election, Recall and Appointment of Officers

 SEC. I Immediately after the Annual Meeting, the President shall appoint
  the Nominations and Elections committee.

 SEC. 2 The Nominations and Elections Committee shall send a call to the
  members for nominations prior to the mid-year meeting. The call
  for recommendations for nominations must include
  recommendations for the Second Vice President,
  Secretary/Treasurer (every other year), and Directors-at-Large.
  Each recommendation for nomination must include a statement that
  the potential nominee has been contacted and that he/she is willing
  to serve if elected and actively participate in the activities of the
  organization.

 SEC. 3 All recommendations for nominations shall be mailed to the chair
  of the Nominations and Elections Committee within 30 days of the
  post-marked date of the call for nominations' mailing.

 SEC. 4 On receipt of recommendations for nominations from the members,
  the Nominations and Elections committee must select two (2)
  candidates for each position that is subject to election.

 SEC. 5 Any candidate for office shall be a regular member in good
  standing of the Southern Criminal Justice Association.

 SEC. 6 The ballot shall be prepared by the Nominations and Elections
  Committee and mailed to all members in good standing.

 SEC. 7 Ballots must be returned thirty (30) days prior to the annual
  meeting.

 SEC. 8 The Officers of the Association shall be elected by majority vote
  of the valid mail ballots. The chair of the Nominations and
  Elections Committee shall announce the election results at the
  Annual Meeting at which time the elected officials shall take office
  and shall hold office until their successors are elected and
  qualified.

                SEC. 9 The offices of President and First Vice President shall be fined by
 the ascension of the First Vice President and the Second Vice
 President of the previous year.

               SEC. 10 Officers of the Association may be recalled for any violation of the
 Constitution, By-Laws or rulings of the Board of Directors.

               SEC. 11 Motion for recall may be made at any Board of Directors meeting
 or at the Annual Meeting of the Association. Procedures found in
 Roberts' Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be followed.

                SEC. 12 Procedure in the case of resignation, recall or death:

1.  In the event the President resigns, is recalled or dies prior
the expiration of his term of office, the First Vice President
shall become President; the Second Vice President shall
become First Vice President; and the President shall
appoint a Second Vice President subject to the advice and
consent of the Board of Directors. The appointed Second
Vice President shall hold office until the next Annual
Meeting at which time the newly elected First and Second
Vice President will take office.

2.  In the event the First Vice President resigns, is recalled or
dies prior to the expiration of his term of office, the Second
Vice President shall become First Vice President, and the
President shall appoint a Second Vice President subject to
the advice and consent of the Board of Directors. The
appointed Second Vice President shall hold office only until
the next Annual Meeting at which time the newly elected
First and Second Vice Presidents will take office.

3.  In the event the Second Vice President resigns, is recalled
or dies prior to the expiration of his term of office, the
procedures outlined in the preceding paragraph shall be
followed.

4.  In the above cases, the new President and/or the new First
Vice President shall serve the remaining term of office of
their predecessors to be followed by their regular term of
office.

5. In the event the Secretary/Treasurer resigns, is recalled, dies or is other is unable to complete the term of office, the President shall appoint a Secretary/Treasurer to serve the remainder of the term of office which has been vacated.  This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Board of Directors. The appointed Secretary/Treasurer shall hold office until the next regular election of Secretary/Treasurer (even numbered year).

6.  In the event a Director-at-Large resigns, is recalled, dies or is other wise unable to complete the term of office, the President shall appoint an other wise qualified Director-at- Large to serve the remainder of the term of office which has been vacated. This appointment is subject to the advice
and consent of the Board of Directors.
 

 ARTICLE VI Meetings

 SEC. I All elected Officers of the Board of Directors shall be required to
  attend meetings. (See Art. IV. Sec. 5)

 SEC. 2 In meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors, the
  following order of business shall prevail unless set aside by
  parliamentary procedure:.

1. Call to order;
2.  Roll call of the Board of Directors;
3.  Reading of minutes of previous meeting;
4.  Report of the President;
5.  Report of the First Vice President;
6.  Report of the Second Vice President;
7. Communications;
8.  Treasurer's Report;
9.  Committee Reports;
10.  Unfinished business;
11. New business;
12.  Resolutions;
13. Next meeting;
14.  Adjournment.

 SEC. 3 The rules contained in Roberts' Rules of Order Newly Revised
 shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are
 applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the
 Constitution and By-Laws of the Association.
 

 ARTICLE VII Funds of the Association

 SEC. I A general fund is hereby created. All revenues derived from
  membership dues shall be placed in said fund.

 SEC. 2 The Board of Directors shall have the power to establish the
  membership dues.

 SEC. 3 The Board of Directors shall have the authority to enter into
  agreement with public and private agencies for the purpose of
  accepting grants to aid the Association in meeting the objectives
  stated in Article 11 of the Constitution.

 SEC. 4 Funds received with restrictions shall be administered in a manner
  established in agreement between the grantor and the Association.

 SEC. 5 The Audit Committee of not less than three regular members of the
  Association shall at least annually inspect the financial records of
  the Secretary/Treasurer and the Secretariat. The Audit Committee
  will submit the report of its findings to the Board of Directors and
  the general membership. Immediate notification of any
  irregularities will be made to the President.
 

ARTICLE VIII Committees

 SEC. I There shall be six Standing Committees of the Southern Criminal
  Justice Association: Constitution and By-Laws; Nominations and
  Elections; Membership; Budget and Finance; Audit; and
  Publications.

 SEC. 2 The President may create such other ad hoc committees as are
  deemed appropriate. The President shall appoint the chairpersons
  of all committees and shall appoint such. members as are deemed
  appropriate.
 

  ARTICLE IX The Secretariat

 SEC. I A Secretariat shall be established by the Southern Criminal Justice
  Association.

 SEC. 2 The Board of Directors shall designate the location of the
  Secretariat at an accredited institution of higher education that
  supports the purposes of the Southern Criminal Justice Association.

 SEC. 3 The duties and responsibilities of the Secretariat include the
  maintenance of the Association's membership and mailing list;
  shall be responsible for the mailings of the Association and such
  other duties designated by the President and/or the Board of
  Directors. The Second Vice President shall act as liaison between
  the Association and the Secretariat. If requested by the Secretariat,
  budgeted funds will be distributed to the Secretariat for carrying
  out the purposes of the Association. Budgeted funds provided the
  Secretariat by the Association shall be disbursed as necessary for
  the Secretariat's operation. The Audit Committee shall at least
  once each year inspect the financial records of the Secretariat. At
  the end of each fiscal year, any surplus of Association funds in the
  hands of the Secretariat shall be returned to the Association. If
  during the fiscal year there should be insufficient funds for the
  Secretariat's operation, the Secretariat may petition the President
  for monies from the President's contingency fund.
 

ARTICLE X  Association Journal

 SEC. I In accordance with Association's objective of contributing to the
  professionalization of the criminal justice system, the Southern
  Criminal Justice Association will publish a journal entitled the
  American Journal of Criminal Justice.
 

 ARTICLE XI  Amendments

The By-Laws may be amended by mail ballot. By-Law amendments should be labeled "Amendments to the By-Laws." (Proposed) amendments may be received from the Constitution and By-Laws Committee, or from the Board of Directors or by petition from twenty-five (25) percent of the membership. A majority of the valid ballots received on a mail vote is required for the passage of a By-Laws Amendment.

The effective date of these By-Laws, as amended, shall be September 30, 1995.

Adopted October, 1974
Amended April, 1977
Amended May, 1980
Amended October, 1980
Amended October, 1981
Amended October, 1983
Amended October, 1984
Amended October, 1985
Amended February, 1987
Amended September, 1988
Amended October, 1991
Amended October, 1994
Amended October, 1995
 

Click here for MS Word format