The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, India, since its establishment in 2003, has developed into an international hub of criminological and interdisciplinary research. Faculty members of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice involve in high quality research in the areas of Juvenile Justice, Cyber Criminology, Child Protection and Victimology. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada, and McGill University funded a Research project on Cyber Bullying to the department (2007-2008). The department is providing consultancy in the areas of Juvenile Justice, Child Protection to UNICEF and various other government agencies. The UGC has funded for a PG Diploma course in Victimology and Victim Assistance. The department's expertise in Juvenile Justice, Cyber Crimes and Victimology are widely acclaimed. The department has international collaboration with  researchers from McGill University, Canada, Bar Illan University, Israel, Rowan University, USA, University of Leeds, UK,  Wayne State University, USA and Virtual forum against cyber crimes/Korean Institute of Criminology. Faculty members of the department have won national and international awards. Dr. P. Madhava Soma Sundaram was awarded the Indian Society of Criminology (ISC) - SS Srivastava Award for excellence in Teaching and Research in Criminology in India (2009) and Dr. K. Jaishankar was awarded the Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship (2009) for research on "Victims of Cyber Crimes" tenable in University of Leeds, UK during November 2009 - April 2010. Faculty members of the department serve in editorial boards of reputed journals, executive boards of national and international academic societies, committees of state and national governments and non governmental organizations.   

Most of the students are well placed in Security, Private Detective and Non-Governmental Organizations. PhD Research Students hold a Fellowship to their credit from University Grants Commission (UGC) (Junior Research Fellowship and Rajiv Gandhi Research Fellowship), Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR & D),  Indian Council for Social Sciences Research (ICSSR) and University fellowship. 
The Department offers a Master in Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice Science, PG Diploma in Victimology and Victim Assistance as well as Research Programme leading to a Ph.D. degree. The Department has 5 full-time faculty members of which two are specifically recruited to teach PG Diploma in Victimology and Victim Assistance and several part-time faculty members who are criminal justice functionaries, and a diverse PhD research students group of more than 10 full time members.