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Featured Speakers

Bitna Kim

ACJS President:  Dr. Bitna Kim, Sam Houston State University
Date:  Wednesday, 03/12/2025
Time:  6:30 pm -7:15 pm (Presidential Address) and 7:15 pm -8:30 pm (Reception)

Alex Piquero

Plenary Speaker 1: Dr. Alex Piquero, University of Miami
Title:  Inclusion in Academia & Government
Date:  Wednesday, 03/12/2025
Time: 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Discussants:  Alida Merlo, Indiana University of Pennsylvania & Erin Orrick, Sam Houston State University

Carol Peeples

Plenary Speaker 2:  Carol Peeples, Remerg
Title:  Community Re-entry and Inclusion: Let's Talk About Who We're Leaving Out
Date:  Wednesday, 03/12/2025
Time:  12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Discussants:  Mary Dodge, University of Colorado – Denver & Jeff Wise, Remerg

John Laub

Keynote Speaker:  Dr. John Laub, Former Director of NIJ/ University of Maryland
Title:  Translational Criminology: Its Origins, Current Developments, and Future
Date:  Thursday, 03/13/2025
Time:  9:30 am-10:45 am
Discussants:  Nancy La Vigne, Director of NIJ & Bitna Kim, President of ACJS/Sam Houston State University

Event:  Open Forum 1 Q&A
Speakers: Dr. Alex Piquero, Carol Peeples, M.A, Dr. John Laub
Date:  Thursday, 03/13/2025
Time:  11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Discussants:  Alida Merlo, Erin Orrick, Mary Dodge, Jeff Wise, Nancy La Vigne, & Bitna Kim

Cassia Spohn

Plenary Speaker 3:  Dr. Cassia Spohn, Arizona State University
Title:  Diversity on the Bench: Why It's Lacking and Why It Matters
Date:  Thursday, 03/13/2025
Time:  2:00 pm- 3:15 pm
Discussants:  Craig Hemmens, Washington State University & Richard Hartley, University of Texas-San Antonio

Doug Dretke

Plenary Speaker 4:  Mr. Doug Dretke, Sam Houston State University
Title:  Interaction Between Researchers & Practitioners
Date:  Thursday, 03/13/2025
Time:  3:30 pm- 4:45 pm
Discussants:  Tara Richards, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Andrew C. Barbee, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, & Robert “Rob” Green, American Correctional Association

Jianhong Liu

Plenary Speaker 5:  Dr. Jianhong Liu, University of Macau
Title:  Internationalization in Criminal Justice & Criminology
Date:  Friday, 03/14/2025
Time:  11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Discussants:  Richard Bennett, American University & Yuliya Zabeylina, University of Alabama

Event:  Open Forum 2 Q&A
Speakers:  Dr. Cassia Spohn, Doug Dretke, M.P.A, Dr. Jianhong Liu
Date:  Friday, 03/14/2025
Time:  2:00 pm- 3:15 pm
Discussants:  Craig Hemmens, Richard Hartley, Tara Richards, Andrew C. Barbee, Robert “Rob” Green, Richard Bennett, & Yuliya Zabeylina