Co-PI John Snyder is a professor in the Division of Governmental Studies and Services and the Criminal Justice Department at WSU after having served as a public defender in Whitman County, Washington for nearly 30 years. Over that time he developed an extensive working knowledge of police practices and procedures in the context of criminal investigations ranging from social contacts and Terry Stops to searches, seizures and prosecutions. More recently his work has involved community outreach in a number of different subjects, which, along with his legal training and experience will prove valuable in both the focus group and interview activities of our research.

Youngki Woo, MS

Youngki Woo is a doctoral student in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University. He is a research associate of the team. His research interests include theory testing, institutions and community corrections, procedural justice and legitimacy of legal authorities, evidence-based public policy, and quantitative methods.

David A. Makin, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at WSU. He is part of the Research Faculty within the Washington State Institute for Criminal Justice (WSICJ), which is a collaboration with the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs and other public safety agencies to advance applied research and innovative public safety practices. In addition, he leads the Complex Social Interaction lab, which is dedicated to the analysis of recorded interactions within the public safety and security community. Specific to the NIJ-funded research, he is one of the key researchers responsible for the management and analysis of camera footage, qualitative data, and quantitative spatial analysis.

Craig Hemmens is Chair and Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology at Washington State University. He holds a J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. He has published twenty books and more than two hundred articles and other writings.

Dale Willits is an assistant professor of criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University and a Co-Principal Investigator on the grant. His research focuses on police organizations, policing outcomes, and criminal justice data quality, as well as the analysis of crime trends and patterns. He is one of the key researchers responsible for the management and analysis of quantitative data for the broader NIJ-funded research.

Guangzhen Wu is a Doctoral candidate in criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University. He is a research associate of the team. His research interests include comparative criminal justice, comparative policing, police integrity, police-public relations, and international police cooperation.

Duane Stanton – Outreach Coordinator

Responsible for outreach to project participating organizations and the coordination of research related activities. Professional career encompasses more than 25 years of domestic and international public safety experience that includes conducting host nation infrastructure assessments, program development and implementation. Currently working on a doctorate in Criminal Justice and Criminology with research interests that involve evaluating the effects of marijuana legalization on criminal justice systems; the effectiveness of state, local, and tribal responses to violence committed against indigenous women living in tribal communities; cross-cultural police training and implications for improved police response in tribal areas; veteran mental health and criminal justice response policies; and, comparative criminal justice systems and policies.

Ruibin Lu is a doctoral candidate of Washington State University, Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. She is the data analyst of the team. Her research interests include American judicial system, problem-solving court, community correction, drug-control policy, and policy evaluation.

Mary K. Stohr, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University and the Principal Investigator on the NIJ funded study of the Effect of Marijuana Legalization on Law Enforcement in Washington state. Before academe she worked in an adult male prison in Washington state as a correctional officer (for less than a year) and as a correctional counselor (for about two years). After she graduated with her Ph.D. from WSU she worked at New Mexico State University, Boise State University and Missouri State University, before returning to WSU in 2012. Stohr has published over 100 academic works of one sort or another, including seven books and over 50 journal articles, in the areas of the management of criminal justice organizations and operation, correctional personnel, inmate needs, program evaluation, gender, and victimization.