Svogun’s book breaks new ground in legal philosophy

Dr. Thomas Svogun, professor and chairman of the Department of Philosophy, recently published the first book on the jurisprudence of police.

Growing out of years of teaching graduate and undergraduate students in administration of justice and philosophy, “The Jurisprudence of Police: Toward A General Unified Theory of Law” is the first book to bridge the fields of legal philosophy and police science, as well as the first to provide a philosophical elaboration of the position known in legal theory as integrative jurisprudence.

“One great stimulus of the project was the graduate course on police philosophy that I co-taught with Patrick V. Murphy, the distinguished commissioner of the NYPD and president of the Police Foundation,” Svogun says.

“My work with the American Police Association, the Police Association for College Education, the Institute for Justice and Police, and faculty in the philosophy and administration of justice departments provided additional stimulation,” he added. “I have to add that my exposure to philosophy over the years was especially invaluable, equipping me to think outside the particular disciplinary boxes that, heretofore, have blocked new integrative theorizing.”

Svogun holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and his doctorate in law from Cornell University. He has served on the executive board of the American Police Association, is currently on the board of directors of the Police Association for College Education, and was the founder and first director of Salve Regina’s Institute for Justice and Police.