Criminal Justice and Criminology

Six CAS seniors in WSU Top Ten

For more than 80 years, WSU has recognized ten of the top seniors in each graduating class. The class of 2020 honorees includes six College of Arts and Science students: Morgan Atwood, Elyse Bennet, Ana Karen Betancourt Macias, Kathryn “Katie” Doonan, Thomas LeClair, and Colin Taylor. These women and men represent the highest standards in […]

Mothering a Book: Recollections of a WSU Author

In her 2019 edited book “Mothering From the Field: The Impact of Motherhood on Site-Based Research,” WSU criminal justice associate professor Melanie-Angela Neuilly collected the experiences of academic researchers and mothers conducting their fieldwork while raising children. Neuilly’s own experience of juggling site work and motherhood in Nice, France, in 2014 is also chronicled. Neuilly […]

The sky isn’t falling

More than a few citizens held their breath when Washington legalized recreational cannabis in 2012. “There were many who believed it would trigger a massive increase in youth use and marijuana-related traffic collisions and fatalities,” says Clay Mosher, sociology professor at WSU Vancouver. “But in the five years since sales began, those increases in youth […]

Combating rising incarceration in rural areas

While big cities across the United States are making progress to reduce the number of people entering local jails, smaller cities and rural counties are experiencing an alarming rise in incarcerations. Understanding the factors behind this shift and helping rural Washington communities overcome their justice system challenges is the goal of new, grant-funded research by […]

Seeding big-picture, interdisciplinary research

With support from Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation Seed (IRIS) grants, CAS faculty and graduate students in diverse areas are combining forces with colleagues across the university to tackle critical questions by integrating knowledge in a wide array of fields—criminology, biology, English, medicine, archaeology, nursing, and more. “The IRIS grant program supports faculty efforts to build […]

CAS students, faculty recognized for campus contributions

Three College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates and one faculty member were honored at the 2019 Safety, Health and Security Fair for their contributions to campus safety, health and security. President Kirk Schulz congratulated the award winners and discussed the value of security and safe practices on campus and in the community, emphasizing that safety […]

Women faculty share career journeys

Faculty in sociology, criminal justice, and anthropology shared personal stories about their career experiences during the Association for Faculty Women (AFW) Pathways to Leadership event in early November. The event was designed to illustrate different leadership pathways and gave both attendees and panelists an opportunity to

Study finds minimal effect on major crime from legal marijuana sales

Legalizing recreational marijuana has had minimal effect on violent or property crime rates in Washington and Colorado, a WSU study funded by the National Institute of Justice has found. “As the nationwide debate about legalization, the federal classification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act, and the consequences of legalization for crime continues, it is […]

Helping non-violent offenders take the first step

Two criminal justice faculty members are playing key roles in a national effort to free thousands of non-violent prisoners and help them transition smoothly to civilian life. The First Step Act signed into law late last year is designed to create a path to release for prisoners convicted of non-violent drug offenses. The prisoners earn […]