Zachary Hamilton, WSU assistant professor of criminal justice, is an expert on repeat-offender cases. On behalf of the Department of Corrections, Hamilton analyzes prisoners’ likelihood to reoffend.
Whatever prevents repeat offenders from staying out of trouble—usually a drug habit or mental problems—they figure the risk of committing a crime is far less than the risk of not committing a crime.
Sociologist and criminologist Robert J. Sampson, one of the nation’s top scholars in studies of urban inequality, social structures and civic engagement, will present “Neighborhood Inequality and the New Social Transformation of the American City” on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the CUB Junior Ballroom. WSU will honor him with the William Julius Wilson Award for the Advancement of Social Justice as capstone to the 2013 William Julius Wilson Symposium.
“Rob Sampson is one of this country’s most imaginative, persistent, and tough-minded researchers into social life and the human condition. He is a most worthy recipient of the award,” said James Short, WSU emeritus professor of sociology.
The Washington State Patrol says lawmakers should be shielded from arrest or civil process during the session, except for serious offenses.
But Carolyn Long, associate professor of politics, philosophy, and public affairs, disagrees. “I think it’s a terrible idea in this time when the public has a lot of mistrust in politicians and believe they get favored treatment,” she said. “So we ought to re-evaluate the application of the law and make sure it’s consistent.”
TheBestSchools.org rated WSU’s online bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice among the top three nationwide based on the overall quality of the program, the types of courses offered, faculty, rankings, awards, and reputation, including the university’s reputation for effectively providing online degree programs.
Increasingly popular, criminal justice degree programs explore the various aspects of crime, the justice system, and the law, including the role and origin of criminality, law, and social policy.
“They may be getting caught more often now for behavior they’ve always had,” Schwartz told the Tribune.