Jessica Peterson

Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Office: Taylor Hall 213
Email: petersonj@sou.edu
Phone: 541-552-6650

Education:

Ph.D. Criminal Justice (Maurer School of Law minor), Indiana University, 2021

M.A. Criminal Justice, Indiana University, 2017

B.S. Criminal Justice, Texas Christian University, 2013

B.S. Psychology, Texas Christian University, 2013

Experience:

Joined the SOU Criminology and Criminal Justice Department in 2022

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, University of Nebraska Kearney, 2020-2022

Associate Instructor (as a graduate student), Indiana University, 2014-2017

Teaching and Research Areas:

The American Criminal Justice System, Policing, Rural Communities and Justice, Crime and Media, Inequalities in the Criminal Justice System, Qualitative Methods, Criminology, Juvenile Justice and Policy

Recent Publications:

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Peterson, J. R. Notes for the rural criminologist: Conducting field research with rural law enforcement. (2022). International Journal of Rural Criminology, 7(1), 148-160. https://doi.org/10.18061/ijrc.v7i1.8967

Peterson, J. R. ‘We handle it, I guess you’d say, the East Texas way’: Place-based effects on the police decision-making process and non-arrest outcomes. (2022). Police Practice and Research: An International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2022.2067158

Saunders, J.*, Hipple, N. K., Nicole, K., Peterson, J. (2020). Estimating the impact of research practitioner partnerships on evidence-based program implementation. Justice Quarterly, https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2020.1831578

Hipple, N. K.*, Saunders, J., Allison, K. N., Peterson, J. (2020). What does success look like? Lessons from the innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) program. Justice Evaluation Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/24751979.2020.1748519

Books

Harkness, A., Peterson, J. R., Bowden, M., Pedersen, C., & Donnermeyer, J. F. (Eds.) (2022). The Encyclopedia of Rural Crime. Bristol University Press. https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-encyclopedia-of-rural-crime

Weisheit, R. A., Peterson, J. R., Pytlarz, A. (Eds.). (2022). Research Methods for Rural Criminologists. Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003118657

Invited Lectures/Participation:

RX Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit, 2022: Invited to serve on panel of researchers and practitioners tasked with creating a Rural Justice Roadmap 

Lecture, 2022: Invited to lecture (virtual) on Rural Policing in America for Rural Criminology course at the University of New England, Australia

Professional Organizations, Affiliations, and Activities:

  • The American Society of Criminology, 2015-Present
  • The International Society for the Study of Rural Crime, Secretary, 2020-Present
  • Rural Sociological Society, 2021-Present
  • International Journal of Rural Criminology, Editorial Board Member & Special Issue Guest Editor 2021-Present
  • Bristol University Press “Research in Rural Crime” Book Series, Editorial Board Member, 2022-Present