Prominent Criminal Justice Scholar Todd Clear Returns to Rutgers as New Dean of the School of Criminal Justice
“Todd Clear is a well-respected criminologist and an academic leader of vision and character,” McCormick said. “He has been part of the School of Criminal Justice's distinguished history and will provide purposeful and exciting leadership in strengthening its future.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Todd Clear back to Rutgers as dean of our School of Criminal Justice,” said Rutgers–Newark Chancellor Steven J. Diner. “During his tenure at Rutgers and at John Jay College, Clear developed a well-deserved reputation as a major scholar in the field of criminal justice, widely known for his advocacy of evidence-based practice. With his expertise in the use of criminal justice research to reduce crime, he will make a significant contribution to Rutgers’ tradition and practice of community engagement.”
“Rutgers School of Criminal Justice has been a leading institution in the field for more than three decades, and I am excited about this opportunity to return to the university to build on the school’s long tradition of excellence,” said Clear.
Clear has served as a distinguished professor at John Jay College since 1999. Immediately prior to that he was associate dean of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at The Florida State University (1996-99). At Rutgers he was a member of the faculty from 1978-1996, during which time he also served as vice president of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency from 1991-93. He previously taught at Ball State University and DePaul University. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees at the School of Criminal Justice at S.U.N.Y. Albany, and did his undergraduate work in sociology at Anderson College in Indiana.
Clear, one of the most frequently cited scholars in his field, has written extensively on community justice and is currently involved in studies of the geography of correctional policy, religion/spirituality and crime, and the economics of justice reinvestment. He has authored 12 books, including the 2007 work Imprisoning Communities: How Mass Incarceration Makes Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Worse (Oxford University Press), and Community Justice (co-authored with Eric Cadora, Wadsworth Press, 2003). Clear is founding editor of the journal Criminology and Public Policy.
Clear has also written on correctional classification, prediction methods in correctional programming, community-based correctional methods, intermediate sanctions, and sentencing policy.
Clear has served as president of the American Society of Criminology, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and the Association of Doctoral Programs in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His work has been recognized through several awards, including those of the American Society of Criminology, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, The Rockefeller School of Public Policy, the American Probation and Parole Association, the American Correctional Association, and the International Community Corrections Association. He is a resident of Hoboken, New Jersey.
ABOUT THE RUTGERS SCHOOL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
The School of Criminal Justice (RSCJ) was established at Rutgers University in 1972 by the New Jersey State Legislature. The legislature recognized the need for a formal program of study dedicated to preparing students to be leaders in research, teaching and public policy to better address criminal justice issues. More than three decades later, the impact and influence of the school are respected internationally, and RSCJ is currently ranked as one of the top criminal justice schools in the nation. The school offers the bachelor of science in criminal justice (in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences), and the master and doctoral degrees in criminal justice. The doctoral program in criminology is ranked seventh in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools (2009). In addition to undergraduate and graduate programs, RSCJ is well known for its research and outreach activities, including the Police Institute, Greater Newark Safer Cities Initiative, Center for the Study of Public Security, and Center for Justice and Mental Health Research. Graduates of RSCJ hold distinguished positions in government, public and private sector organizations, and in academia.
Further information about the school is available at www.newark.rutgers.edu/rscj.
Media Contact: Helen Paxton
973-353-5262
E-mail: paxton@andromeda.rutgers.edu