The UNO School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (SCCJ) is involved in over $11 million of research partnerships funded through the National Institute of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Justice Assistance and state agency contracts. Students are frequently funded on these projects learning through collaborative mentorship with faculty and senior students. Findings are disseminated in academic journals (preprints for some articles available on CrimRXiv), presented at national conferences, and provided to stakeholder agencies or legislative bodies.

SCCJ Research Labs and Partnerships

The Victimology and Victim Studies Research Lab (VVSRL) conducts high-quality research related to crime victims and victimization, informs policy and practice, and helps shape prevention and intervention efforts. Students in the VVSRL work on diverse research projects and gain valuable skills that prepare them for their future. VVSRL directors include Tara Richards, Ph.D., Teresa Kulig, Ph.D., and Lane Gillespie, Ph.D.

The Violence Intervention and Policing Research Lab (VIPR) led by Justin Nix, Ph.D., Sadaf Hashimi, Ph.D., and Travis Carter, Ph.D., is an interdisciplinary, collaborative effort dedicated to enhancing public safety through community-engaged research. It focuses on key areas, such as the impact of peer influences on crime and victimization, the effects of police practices on outcomes like arrests, use of force, and firearm usage, gendered experiences in policing, mental health among police practitioners, and strategies for fostering cross-agency partnerships to reduce community violence. Sam Clinkinbeard, Ph.D., and Erin Kearns, Ph.D., serve as faculty affiliates of the VIPR Lab.

SCCJ faculty members conduct vital research in corrections that strengthens our communities. As a research unit within SCCJ, the Advancing Research in Corrections (ARC) Lab leads high-quality studies focused on both community- and institution-based corrections policy, practice, and outcomes. Students in ARC gain hands-on experience working on research that directly informs decision-making across the correctional system. Zach Hamilton, Ph.D., and Jenn Tostlebe, Ph.D, co-direct the ARC Lab.

SCCJ faculty and students in the Criminological Research on Counterterrorism and Security Lab (CROCS) study terrorism offenders and networks, how extremist violence is planned and prosecuted, and how communities manage and mitigate threats. As a research unit within SCCJ and NCITE, the lab conducts empirically grounded projects on issues such as event security, terrorist use of emerging technologies, threat assessment and management, and the reentry of terrorism offenders, often supported by federal funding from agencies like the Department of Homeland Security. Students gain hands-on experience working with real-world datasets, multidisciplinary partners, and applied research that directly informs counterterrorism policy and practice. The lab is co-directed by Austin Doctor, Ph.D., and Erin Kearns, Ph.D.

Other areas of faculty research

Dr. Amy Anderson's research examines the relationship between social contexts and deviance, primarily the effect of families, peers, and activities on adolescent delinquency. Her research also examines public perceptions of criminal justice policies, which includes attitudes towards the death penalty and sex offender legislation. Dr. Anderson is currently working on projects related to fear of crime over time, public perceptions of fentanyl, and using EMA data to examine unstructured socializing and drinking as well as other aspects of the transition to college.

Dr. Jessica Deitzer's research centers on how individuals make decisions about crime and how personal, social, and environmental factors influence their choices, especially in adolescence. She is currently working on projects aimed at determining how decisions evolve over time - including what is behind the decision to enter (or avoid) risky social contexts where crime is especially likely.

Dr. Ling Ren has extensive experience collaborating with agencies on problem analysis and program evaluation. Her recent work examines law enforcement responses to opioid overdoses, police-public relations, and the prosecution and prevention of domestic violence.

Affiliated partnerships

The Nebraska Collaborative for Violence Intervention and Prevention (NeCVIP) is a partnership between the SCCJ and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Medicine. NeCVIP combines a criminological and medical perspective to reduce gun violence and support victims of violent injury. NeCVIP supports the work of ENCOMPASS (Engaging Networks with the Community of Omaha to Maintain and Promote a Safe Society), a hospital-based violence intervention program located at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine. The team includes Dr. Charity Evans, MD, MHCM, FACS, Jennifer Burt, Ph.D., Ashley Farrens, MSN, MBA, RN, and Ashley (Raposo) Campbell, MPH, with UNO SCCJ's Tara Richards, Ph.D., Lane Gillespie, Ph.D., Mark Foxall, Ph.D., and Gaylene Armstrong, Ph.D.

The Nebraska Center for Justice Research (NCJR) led by Ryan Spohn, Ph.D, is a legislatively funded research center in the UNO SCCJ. The team is composed of multidisciplinary criminology experts who specialize in corrections, reentry, and risk/needs assessment development. The mission of the NCJR is to develop and sustain research capacity within the State of Nebraska, and to assist the Legislature in research, evaluation, and policymaking to reduce recidivism, promote the use of evidence-based practices in corrections, and improve public safety.

SCCJ's Juvenile Justice Institute (JJI), directed by Kristan Russell, Ph.D., advances youth justice through applied research, evaluation, and capacity-building partnerships across Nebraska and beyond. Established by the Nebraska Legislature as the research arm for the state's juvenile justice system, JJI works with policymakers, practitioners, and community agencies to improve programs and promote evidence-based practices that better serve youth and families. Students working with JJI gain hands-on experience in policy-relevant research, technical assistance, and evaluation projects that shape real-world juvenile justice decision-making.

National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center (NCITE) UNO SCCJ is a partner in the university-wide initiative led by Gina Ligon, Ph.D., including more than 50 researchers from 18 academic institutions working on 10 focused projects. SCCJ's Erin Kearns, Ph.D., and Austin Doctor, Ph.D., focus their research in this area of expertise. Learn more about ongoing projects.

Join us for your graduate education! APPLY TODAY

The UNO SCCJ is a top-ranked graduate program that offers PhD, MA, and MS degrees, including dual degrees with Social Work and Public Administration. Students in our graduate programs are taught by nationally-recognized, award-winning faculty who provide unparalleled research opportunities. Contact our coordinators for more information: Sam Clinkinbeard, Ph.D. (PhD program), Justin Nix, Ph.D. (MA program), or Mark Foxall, Ph.D. (MS & Dual Programs).