WASHINGTON, July 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Justice's Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today spoke with new subcommittee chairs of the agency's Science Advisory Board to congratulate them on their leadership integrating science into the organization's everyday decision making.

"The Science Advisory Board plays the important role in providing valuable advice to our agency in the areas of science and statistics for the purpose of enhancing the overall impact and performance of our programs and activities in criminal and juvenile justice," said Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason. "I anticipate the new subcommittee chairs as well as new board members will continue to provide valuable input and guidance to ensure that our programs and practice follow the highest scientific principles."

The Science Advisory Board's first official meeting is August 7.

The board consists of 25 experts and scholars appointed by the Attorney General from the fields of criminology, statistics, sociology, criminal and juvenile justice.  Created in 2010, the board provides OJP with guidance and recommendations for research, statistics and grant programs, ensuring the programs and activities are scientifically sound and pertinent to policymakers and practitioners.

The following scholars and experts have joined board:

Jim Bueermann, President, Police Foundation;

Nicole Allen (Subcommittee Chairperson), Associate Professor of Community Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;

Anthony Braga, Don M. Gottfredson Professor of Evidence-Based Criminology, Rutgers University;

Sue Burton, Director, Florida Statistical Analysis Center, Florida Department of Law Enforcement;

Jeffrey A. Butts, Director, Research and Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York;

Elsa Chen, Associate Professor and Director, Department of Political Science, Santa Clara University;

Robert Crutchfield (Subcommittee Chairperson), Professor in the Department of Sociology and Adjunct Professor of American Ethnic Studies, and Social Work, University of Washington;

Alexes Harris, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Washington;

Gregory Herek, Professor of Psychology,  University of California - Davis;

Gary LaFree, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland;

Ojmarrh Mitchell, Associate Professor of Criminology, University of South Florida;

Samuel L. Myers, Jr., Roy Wilkins Professor of Human Relations and Social Justice, University of Minnesota – Minneapolis;

Alex R. Piquero, Ashbel Smith Professor of Criminolog, University of Texas at Dallas;

Lisa Poupart, Associate Professor of Humanistic Studies, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay;

Jerry Ratcliffe, Professor of Criminal Justice, Temple University;

Beth E. Richie, Professor of African American Studies and Criminology, Law and Justice, University of Illinois at Chicago;

Ben Saunders, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina;

Avelardo Valdez, Professor of Social Work and Sociology, University of Southern California; and

John Wetzel, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

Six members, including the newly appointed Chairman, will serve a second term: 

Edward Mulvey (Chairman), Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine;

James Lepkowski, Professor and Director, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan;

Colin Loftin, Professor of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, State University of New York;

Tracey L. Meares,Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law, Yale Law School;

Richard Rosenfeld (Subcommittee Chairperson), Curators Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri - St. Louis;

David Weisburd (Subcommittee Chairperson), Distinguished Professor and Director, Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, George Mason University and Walter E. Meyer Professor of Law and Criminal Justice at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

More information OJP's Science Advisory Board is available at http://ojp.gov/sab.htm.

About the Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

OJP, headed by Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP can be found at www.ojp.gov.

SOURCE Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs

Related Links

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov