News

September 14, 2020
September 14, 2020
ALERRT Center receives $8.7 million grant from Department of Justice

August 25, 2020
August 25, 2020
The School of Criminal Justice and Criminology is now on Twitter!

June 7, 2020
June 7, 2020
Dr. Rossmo's research used to identify chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) threats
Read More
June 2, 2020
June 2, 2020
ASC and ACJS Statements on Injustices Against Communities of Color
The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) and the American Society of Criminology (ASC) are the two primary national professional organizations in our field. Both have released statements on the horrifying violence against George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and the systematic and disparate impact of the criminal justice system on communities of color in the United States. We support these statements, and would like to share them.
ACJS Statement on Injustices Against Communities of Color: A Call to Action

April 24, 2020
April 24, 2020
Student wins ACJS Restorative and Community Justice Outstanding Student Paper Award
We are proud to announce that MSCJ student Nicole Kinbarovsky has won the Outstanding Student Paper Award for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) Restorative and Community Justice (RCJ) Section. Her paper is entitled, "Exploring the Support Networks of Those Caring for Loved Ones on Texas Death Row.
To view a video presentation of Nicole's award-winning paper, please click here.
We are proud to note that Nicole recently won Honorable Mention for her submission: "A Brother's Fight to #FreeRodneyReed" in the Graduate College's Visualizing Research competition. This campus-wide competition asks graduate students to produce an image directly related to their current research or creative activity, accompanied by a title for the work and a brief narrative explaining the relationship of the image to the scholastic work.
Dr. Lucia Summers is working closely with Nicole.

Nov. 7th 2019
Nov. 7th 2019
Students participate in 11th Annual International Research Conference
The Graduate College at Texas State University hosted the 11th Annual International Research Conference for Graduate Students on November 5-6, 2019. More than 130 graduate students from various disciplines at Texas State and from other institutions, including Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at Austin, presented original research findings during poster and panel sessions.
Three graduate students from the School of Criminal Justice — Katlyn Casagrande, Ashley Blinkhorn, and Kimberly Wong —participated in the conference. We are proud to note that doctoral student Kimberly Wong's study, titled “Trial by Tabloid: Can Debiasing Training Remedy Pretrial Publicity Effects?” won in the Top Doctoral Poster category. Dr. Angela Jones is working closely with both Ashley and Kimberly.

Sept. 18th 2019
Sept. 18th 2019
Visiting Professors from Brazil
The School of Criminal Justice welcomes two visiting scholars from Brazil this semester, Dr. Ludmila Ribeiro and Dr. Alexandre Diniz. During recent Study Abroad trips, several Criminal Justice faculty and 16 undergraduate and graduate students have built alliances with professors and researchers in Belo Horizonte, including Drs. Ribeiro and Diniz.
Ludmila Ribeiro was recently awarded a Brazilian Ministry of Education Scholarship, allowing her to visit Texas State. In Brazil, she is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and a researcher in the Center for Studies on Criminality and Public Safety, both at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Before joining the University in 2012, she was the Coordinator of the School of Social Science at the Getulio Vargas Foundation and visiting scholar at the University of Groningen. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology, a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Public Administration, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law. During her career, she has coordinated several research projects about how the criminal justice system operates in Brazil. Her current research interests are focused on the factors influencing the length of time of homicide trials, efficacy of custody hearings, and management of the prison system. While at Texas State, she is studying plea bargaining in the U.S., which will soon be introduced into Brazil courts.
Alexandre Diniz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertisement from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUCMinas), a Master´s in Geography from Kansas State University (K-State), a Ph.D. in Geography from Arizona State University (ASU) and a Pos-Doc in Geography from McGill. He has held academic positions at the Federal University of Roraima (UFRR) and Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). He was a visiting researcher at the Université de Lille (France) and Curtin University (Australia). Presently, he is a professor in the Geography Department of the Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUCMinas), where he has developed several research projects on the geography of crime.

July 7th 2019
July 7th 2019
Professor Dr. Kim Rossmo and Professors Emerita Dr. Joycelyn Pollock were featured on The Crime Report for their upcoming piece in the Northeastern University Law Review.
'Confirmation Bias' Called a Key Reason for Wrongful Convictions. Detectives investigating the murder of Dorka Lisker, a 66-year-old woman found stabbed in her Sherman Oaks, Ca., home in 1983, were convinced they had an open-and-shut case...

April 26th 2019
April 26th 2019
CJ students win Honorable Mention at Undergraduate Research Conference
On Friday, April 26th, 2019, undergraduate students D’Mornaquah Fontenot and Courtney Meyers presented research conducted as part of an independent study. Under the supervision of Dr. Angela Jones, D’Mornaquah and Courtney examined the use of immersive environments to study eyewitness memory. Eyewitness misidentification is a leading contributing factor to wrongful convictions. In the current study, student participants were randomly assigned to view a crime with a head-mounted display in 360 or on a computer screen in 2D. This experimental design allowed for a test of whether an immersive environment results in a more realistic eyewitness experience relative to the more commonly employed 2D mock crime, and consequently whether there are differences in stress or memory accuracy. Student participants who viewed a crime in 360 thought the experience was more realistic and stressful, and they were less accurate than those who viewed the 2D crime. These findings suggest artificial witnessing conditions may overestimate a witness’s ability to make an accurate decision relative to more realistic witnessing conditions.

October 8th 2018
October 8th 2018
Visit from Anna Vasquez
Students in Dr. Jones’ Wrongful Convictions class recently had the opportunity to meet Anna Vasquez, the current Director of Outreach and Education with the Innocence Project of Texas. During her visit, Ms. Vasquez talked about her wrongful conviction. Ms. Vasquez and three of her friends – Elizabeth Ramirez, Cassandra Rivera, and Kristie Mayhugh – were all wrongly convicted of child sexual assault in the 1990’s. All four, who became known as the “San Antonio Four”, were exonerated in 2016. For Anna, this life changing experience has called her to educate the general public about wrongful convictions and speaking out on related criminal justice reforms.

February 8th 2019
February 8th 2019
Dr. Kim Rossmo receives the Western Society of Criminology's 2019 Paul Tappan Award
Dr. Kim Rossmo received the Paul Tappan Award at the 2019 Western Society of Criminology Conference in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The Tappan Award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of criminology. Dr. Rossmo is the University Endowed Chair in Criminology and the Director of the Center for Geospatial Intelligence and Investigation in the School of Criminal Justice at Texas State University.

May 24, 2019
May 24, 2019
2019 Study Abroad to Brazil
Drs. Donna M. Vandiver, Mark Stafford, and Angela Jones are hosting a Study Abroad trip this summer (May 24 – June 6, 2019). Academic credit is available for undergraduate and graduate students. Students must be in good academic standing. Scholarships are available. For more information please see http://www.cj.txstate.edu/

September 27, 2018
September 27, 2018
Dr. Eric Beauregard to Give Lecture at Texas State
Dr. Beauregard is Professor of Criminology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. An international expert on sex offending, he has published over 100 journal articles and is a frequent consultant, expert witness, and subject matter expert on cases involving missing persons and sexual homicide. All are welcome to attend.

August 1, 2018
August 1, 2018
New Executive Track Master’s Program
The School of Criminal Justice announces a new Executive Track MSCJ degree option that aims to benefit working professionals in criminal justice agencies who currently hold a bachelor’s degree. The Executive Track is designed specifically for criminal justice professionals who want to demonstrate leadership and advance in the ranks of their organization. The MSCJ Executive Track is offered as a two-year cohort model comprised solely of criminal justice professionals as students. Our MSCJ Executive Track students will take two back-to-back, 8-week classes per semester, meeting physically on campus once per week (a second day of the week for covering course material will be an “alternative delivery” such as online). The coursework will be geared specifically towards the professional work that students are already doing, as well as providing tools, techniques, and information that will assist them in being recognized as a demonstrated leader in their field.
For more information on the program please click here.
TO APPLY, please click here.

December 7-9, 2017
December 7-9, 2017
Danielle Fenimore hacks Austin to solve city strategic outcomes for public safety
The Hack Austin event is a 48-hour event that brings data enthusiasts from a variety of backgrounds together to provide health and safety solutions, addressing goals for Austin’s 5-year strategic plan. Data were made available to the participant’s disposal. They spent the weekend using advanced statistical techniques and creative geospatial applications to identify causes and correlates of long fire response times. Danielle Fenimore, a Texas State University criminal justice doctoral student, created a map that showed past and projected response times and emergency call volume. This highlighted where emergency responders may start seeing increasing numbers over the next two years. The project was presented to city executives and selected as the winner of Safety Outcome teams.
More info links:
https://austinstrategicplan.bloomfire.com/posts/1496098-2-winners-announced-at-civic-hackatho
https://www.facebook.com/AustinFireDepartment/posts/1649524175115048

FEB 1 2018
FEB 1 2018
Dr. Wesley Jennings joins a university-wide panel discussion on research
Dr. Wesley Jennings, professor at the School of Criminal Justice, joined other prominent Texas State University scholars at a recent panel discussion titled "Understanding discipline norms in terms of publishing, peer review, open access, data and metrics."
The event was part of Alkek Library's Trends in Scholarship and Research program, and involved an in-depth discussion of publishing-related issues. The panelists also offered advice regarding manuscript preparation, the identification of suitable journals, and raising one's profile as a researcher. The discussion was moderated by Rick Anderson, Associate Dean for Collections & Scholarly Communication at the University of Utah.
Panelists from left to right: Dr. Debbie Thorne, Associate Provost Dr. Rodney Rohde, Clinical Laboratory Science Dr. Patricia Shields, Political Science Dr. Caitlin Gabor, Biology Dr. Wes Jennings, Criminal Justice

JAN 30 2018
JAN 30 2018
Dr. Marcus Felson gives lecture
Dr. Marcus Felson will be giving a talk on “Fallacies About Crime” as part of the university’s common experience. Dr. Felson, best known for the development of routine activities theory, will provide a down-to-earth account of what to expect with real crime, routine police situations, and the ordinary justice system. It is scheduled for 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Alkek library, room 105/106. All are welcome to attend. See attached flyer for more info.

NOV 2017
NOV 2017
Joceline Garcia To Be Stationed in Laredo, TX
Joceline Garcia, a recent graduate of the BSCJ program in Criminal Justice, completed her basic training for U.S. Customs & Border Protection, graduating from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA. Ms. Garcia will be stationed in the Laredo, TX Port of Entry.

27 NOV 2017
27 NOV 2017
Dr. Kim Rossmo’s Research Recognized
Dr. Kim Rossmo’s geographic profiling recognized in a recent article in The New Yorker in its application to detecting serial killers in addition to a wide array of other behaviors, including shark hunting patterns and the identification of an anonymous street artist known as “Banksy."

18 MAY 2017
18 MAY 2017
Congrats to Criminal Justice Majors
On May 18, 2017, three Army ROTC cadets were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Army:
- 2LT Justin Horton – Signal Corps, Fort Gordon, GA
- 2LT Cody Letterman – Quartermaster Corps, Fort Lee, VA
- 2LT Julian Nardone – Military Intelligence Corps, Fort Huachuca, AZ
On May 19, 2017, two Air Force ROTC cadets were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force:
- 2LT Osvaldo Herrera – Combat Systems Officer, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL
- 2LT Henry (Dustin) Hill – Security Forces Officer, Dover Air Force Base, Dover, DE






18 APR 2017
18 APR 2017
Dr. Kim Rossmo gives a lecture
Where: Alkek Library Room 105-106
When: Tuesday, April 18th 2017 at 3:30pm
Who: Professor Kim Rossmo
Join us for a lecture on the "Dangers of Finding (and Not Finding) Life on Other Planets."
The search for life on other planets – whether successful or not – has significant ramifications for life on this planet. In an astronomical and sociological tour of some of these implications, this presentation begins with ideas from Bernoulli, Darwin, and Fermi, and concludes with timely warnings from Nate Silver and Jared Diamond.

12 APR 2017
12 APR 2017
Brown Bag Seminar: Moderating effects of personality traits
Dr. Shayne Jones presents his research that investigates whether the effects of mainstream criminological constructs depend on individual personality traits. Using data from the Pathways to Desistance study, Jones examines concepts relevant to several theories and shows how agreeableness and conscientiousness do condition the effects variables like delinquent peer association, parental efficacy, and exposure to violence. Dr. Jones' presentation considers more generally the role of personality in criminology.

30 MAR 2017
30 MAR 2017
Master’s student Deborah Mletzko successfully defends her thesis
On March 30, 2017, Deborah Mletzko successfully defended her Master’s thesis in a public forum. Her research focused on the spatial dynamics of sex trafficking in Austin, Texas, and was completed under the supervison of Drs. Lucia Summers (Chair), Ashley Arnio, and Donna Vandiver. Her findings revealed clear clusters of sex trafficking activity within the city, and highlighted the influence of several variables in shaping such spatial distributions. The thesis will be added to Texas State University’s Dissertations and Theses digital collection in due course. Deborah and her committee are grateful to Austin Police Department, who provided access to crime data.

28 MAR 2017
28 MAR 2017
Texas Undergraduate Research Day
Texas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol was held this week. Mykle Ayala, a student in the School of Criminal Justice and the Honors College, was one of two students selected to represent Texas State University at the event.
The day included a Capitol Tour, research presentations, and the opportunity to meet with officials of the State of Texas. Mykle Ayala’s research poster was displayed in the Capitol Building. His faculty supervisor was Dr. Bob E. Vásquez.

24 MAR 2017
24 MAR 2017
Ph.D. student, Callie Shaw, presents at TSU Conference
Callie Shaw, a current doctoral student presented her research, “Female Sex Offenders: An Analysis of a Disparate Response within the United States Criminal Justice System,” at the Century of Conflict: Dialogues on Women, Gender, Intersectionality and Militarism Symposium, hosted by the Women and Gender Research Collaborative.
The study relies upon five years of National Incident Reporting System (NIBRS) data to explore the law enforcement response to male versus female sex offenders. Mrs. Shaw discussed the results of the study in addition to the implications for future research. The conference was held at Texas State University.
Dialogues on Women, Gender, Intersectionality and Militarism Symposium

10 MAR 2017
10 MAR 2017
Eight Criminal Justice students depart for Brazil
On March 10th, eight criminal justice students depart for Brazil to participate in a 10-day study-abroad trip led by Drs. Vandiver and Stafford. The students include one doctoral student—Monica Caballero, three master’s students—Samantha Aguirre, Raymond De Leon, and Kaylee Kadlubar, and four undergraduate students, Albreesha Culberson, Brianna Gordon, Tessa Lantsberger, and Tristan McPherson.
The students vary widely in their travel experience from this being their first travel experience outside of the U.S. to one student who will make Brazil her 24th country visited. The students have been meeting with Drs. Vandiver and Stafford in preparation for their departure.
While in Brazil, the students will be hosted by Dr. Corinne Rodrigues in the sociology department at the Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The students will attend various lectures and seminar sessions. They will also participate in various educational and cultural activities. The students will visit a judge, witness a trial, and meet diverse criminal justice officials. No trip would be complete, however, without a weekend trip to Rio de Janeiro to visit the Christ the Redeemer statue and the famous Rio beaches.

9 MAR 2017
9 MAR 2017
Brown Bag Seminar: Geoprofiling Terrorism
Dr. Kim Rossmo presents findings from his research on the geospatial patterns that underlie terrorist activities.
Relying on historical records, official reports, and a heavy dose of shoe-leather, Dr. Rossmo’s research investigates cases such as the Madrid Train Bombings, and the Assassination of the Minister of Justice of Ankara, Turkey to illustrate the patterned nature of terrorism. Dr. Rossmo’s presentation highlights the potential for geographic profiling to assist law enforcement in investigating and preventing terrorist attacks.
7 FEB 2017
7 FEB 2017
Criminal Justice Career Fair - Spring 2017
The School of Criminal Justice and Career Services presents the 2017 Criminal Justice Career Fair for criminal justice students and any major interested in law enforcement and criminal justice opportunities.
This event will provide an opportunity for students to meet and ask questions of representatives from a variety of local, state, and federal government agencies, the military, and the private sector who are actively recruiting for full-time and internship positions.
Location: LBJ Student Center Ballroom, 301 Student Center Drive, San Marcos TX, 78666Date: Thursday, February 7, 2017
Event Time: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

2-3 FEB 2017
2-3 FEB 2017
Obama Legacy Conference
Criminal Justice professor, Dr. Scott Bowman and MSCJ student, Charian Knight, are presenting at this two-day interdisciplinary conference, hosted by the Center for International Studies.
It features prominent scholars from universities across Texas and the United States. These scholars will join professionals in law, journalism, diplomacy, healthcare, and criminal justice to discuss the likely domestic and foreign policy legacies of the Obama administration.
More information can be found here

17 DEC 2016
17 DEC 2016
Four Criminal Justice doctoral students graduated this past December
School of Criminal Justice graduates four doctoral students this December.
Lisa Bell Holleran, Lynn Greenwood, Dittita Tititampruk, and Joseph McKenna all successfully defended their dissertation. See here to read more about their individual dissertations. These students are the 20th to 24th students to graduate from the Criminal Justice Doctoral program.

15 DEC 2016
15 DEC 2016
Conjunctive Analysis Brownbag with Dr. Timothy Hart
The School of Criminal Justice and Criminological Association of Texas State is hosting a brownbag seminar for faculty and graduate students on Thursday December 15, at 3:30 pm. The guest speaker, Dr. Timothy Hart, will be discussing Conjunctive Analysis of Case Configurations.
This is a data analysis technique utilized specifically to develop composite profiles for a particular unit of analysis (e.g., a person or place), examine which profiles or combinations of variables are dominant, and examine differences in an outcome variable between the different profiles. The technique is used to understand the complex causal relationships that emerge when combinations of variables are present or absent.
Dr. Timothy C. Hart is visiting the Austin area from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia where he is Senior Lecturer & Undergraduate Program Director of the School of Criminal Justice. He received his Ph.D. in criminology from the University of South Florida in 2006, and he specializes in applied statistics, geographic information systems (GIS), and victimization. He has published numerous articles applying the technique in journals such as The Journal of Quantitative Criminology, Violence & Victims, Justice Research & Policy, and Journal of Research in Crime & Delinquency.

22 NOV 2016
22 NOV 2016
Negotiator of the Year Award for Dr. Mullins
On October 21st, Dr. Wayman Mullins received the Negotiator of the Year Award by the the National Tactical Officers Association, at their annual Negotiator Division annual conference for his contributions and service to the field.
Also, the same week, he received an Honorary Life Membership from the Texas Association of Hostage Negotiators at their annual conference in San Antonio for his contributions to the field of hostage/crisis negotiations.
2 NOV 2016
2 NOV 2016
Upcoming: doctoral candidates defend their dissertations
Lisa Holleran | Future Dangerousness in Texas Death Penalty: A Content Analysis | Dr. Donna Vandiver, Chair Dr. Mark C. Stafford Dr. Scott W. Bowman Dr. Meredith Martin Rountree Dr. Ken Murray |
November 4, 2016 9:00 a.m. HAC 104 |
Dittita Tititampruk | Offender's Decision Making: An Assessment of Convicted Burglars in Thailand | Dr. Mark C. Stafford, Chair Dr. Jay D. Jamieson Dr. Lucia Summers Dr. Nathee Christanwang Dr. Sunee Kanyajit |
November 3, 2016 8:00 a.m. HAC 104 |
Joseph McKenna | Examining The Use of Full-Time Police in Schools: How Roles and Training May Impact Responses to Misconduct | Dr. Joycelyn Pollock, Chair Dr. Mark C. Stafford Dr. Scott W. Bowman Dr. P. Michael Supancic Dr. Sean P. Varano (Roger Williams University) |
November 2, 2016 10:00 a.m. HAC 104 |

8 SEP 2016
8 SEP 2016
Dr. Jaqueline Sebire, Head of Crime and Community at Bedfordshire Police, presents “Profiling Intimate Partner Homicide: Best Uses of Police Data
Dr. Jaqueline Sebire, Head of Crime and Community at Bedfordshire Police, presented her University Lecture, “Profiling Intimate Partner Homicide: Best Uses of Police Data,” on Thursday, September 8, 2016.
Dr. Sebire has 23 years of policing experience, mainly as a detective in homicide and serious crime investigation with the London Metropolitan Police. She is also a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge, and has researched and published in the areas of domestic violence and risk assessment.

30 AUG 2016
30 AUG 2016
Dr. Scott Bowman and Dr. Howard Williams quoted in Texas Tribune on race and police shootings
26 SEP 2016
26 SEP 2016
New school year, new awards and recognitions
Several Criminal Justice professors were welcomed back to the new school year with recognitions and awards.
Congratulations to our award recipients for their continued dedication to the School of Criminal Justice.

19 SEP 2016
19 SEP 2016
Doctoral Student, Jason Smith, was recognized in the Austin American-Statesman since he will take over as the Pflugerville ISD police chief. Mr. Smith began his law enforcement career in 1996.

11 JUL 2016
11 JUL 2016
Graduate Student Anne Li Kringen Selected to Receive The Graduate College's "Outstanding Dissertation Award in the Social Sciences, Business, and Education."
Anne Li Kringen, who earned her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice, has been selected to receive the Texas State University, Graduate College's Outstanding Dissertation Award in the Social Sciences, Business, and Education.
Her dissertation, "Understanding Barriers that Affect Recruiting and Retaining Female Police Officers: A Mixed Method Approach", was directed by Dr. Joycelyn Pollock, University Distinguished Professor in the School of Criminal Justice. A selection committee composed of faculty representing a range of disciplines and colleges reviewed nominations for the award. As the winner of the 2017 competition, Dr. Kringen will receive $1,000 and be recognized at The Graduate College Awards Ceremony in April, 2017. We have also entered her into the Council of Graduate School's national competition for best dissertation in the above mentioned category.
Congratulations to Dr. Kringen for her outstanding work! Dean Andrea Golato would also like to acknowledge Professor Pollock for her exemplary mentorship and commitment to her students. In addition, the Dean would like to thank the award selection committee for their time and effort in reviewing nominations.

9 JUL 2016
