- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Chastain Donates $100,000 to Create Endowed Criminal Justice Professorship in Father’s Memory at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 20:10:01 +0000

Sara Chastain, a registered nurse from Little Rock, has donated $100,000 to create an endowed professorship fund in memory of her father, the late Dr. Charles Chastain, who was the founder of the criminal justice program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “My father was more than just a good professor, he was a great dad and generally an all-around good person,” Chastain said. “He would go out of his way to help those who helped themselves. His legacy lives on in students and professors who strive for excellence in the criminal justice field.” Chastain is donating the first $100,000 of the $250,000 needed to endow the Dr. Charles D. Chastain Endowed Professorship in Criminal Justice Fund. Once endowed, the fund will establish an endowed professorship in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Criminal Justice and Criminology. “Dr. Chastain has made such an impact on so many different people in the criminal justice industry,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology. “The goal of this professorship endowment is to help sustain his legacy and his impact on the university, faculty, staff, and students who meant the world to him.” The purpose of the fund is to attract and recruit highly qualified individuals as professors, supplement university support for outstanding faculty, and to provide the professor with the resources to continue and further the scholar’s contributions to teaching, research, and public service. Dr. Chastain, who passed away in 2015, was known as an excellent teacher who carried strong convictions that the liberal arts should be part of the criminal justice curriculum. Originally a member of the Department of Political Science, Dr. Chastain was the founding chair of the Department of Criminal Justice. With Chastain as a guiding force, the department eventually grew into one of the largest criminal justice programs in Arkansas with five degree programs, including the state’s only Ph.D. in criminal justice. He served as chair or coordinator of criminal justice at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from 1975 to 1997. Dr. Chastain retired from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2011, after serving a distinguished 39 years as a professor. “We are so thrilled that Sara, his beloved daughter, has chosen to help us honor him with her generous donation to the Charles D. Chastain Endowed Professorship,” said Dr. Mary Parker, a professor of criminal justice who knew Dr. Chastain for decades. “This is not the first donation from his family to honor Charles. Sara and her mother Judy have helped support a student scholarship in his honor for a number of years, and we are deeply grateful for their continuing generosity. With her latest donation, Sara will help us further honor Charles for all he has done for all of us and will help us continue his legacy for years to come.”

Sara Chastain is donating $100,000 for an endowed fund for criminal justice in honor of her father, Dr. Charles Chastain. Photo by Ben Krain.

Some of Dr. Chastain’s most well-known projects include developing a reentry into society program for inmates at the Wrightsville Unit of the Department of Correction as well as collecting book donations from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community for the Arkansas Department of Correction libraries. “He was a fierce defender of what is right, and he took on some of the most daunting challenges, many of them considered lost causes by others,” Parker said. “He never backed down, and he never faltered in his beliefs about second chances, bringing those with less opportunity to the forefront, and his certainty that everyone had value no matter their current circumstances.” Dr. Chastain’s legacy can be seen in the many students that he helped graduate and go on to lead fulfilling lives in the community. “Both Dr. Chastain and Dr. Parker were always encouraging and supportive, eager to see their CJ students secure career jobs post-graduation,” said Greg Shapiro, a ��Vlog��ý Little rock alumnus who is now chief of police for White Hall Police Department. “They inspired me to join the Student Government Association as a representative for the former College of Professional and Public Affairs. We helped on campus voter registration drives and recruitment events. Because of their sponsorship, I landed internships at LRPD and in Washington, D.C. for the United States Senate.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock officials plan to fully endow the fund by 2027 through donations from alumni and friends of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology. For more information on how to donate to the Dr. Charles D. Chastain Endowed Professorship in Criminal Justice Fund, please contact Michael Johnson, director of development and external relations, at mdjohnson9@ualr.edu or 501-916-6442.

Law Enforcement Officer Plans to Give Back to the Next Generation of Criminal Justice Graduates

John Hill — Fri, 13 May 2022 13:30:06 +0000

Justin Williams, a longtime law enforcement officer, is working toward his goal of completing his college education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “Justin is a non-traditional student who decided to pursue higher education after 11 years of service as a police officer in Pine Bluff,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “His interest in criminal justice comes from his years of being a police officer, both municipal, and state. Justin is energetic, full of drive, and has a passion for teaching students” A law enforcement officer with 14 years of experience as a police officer and state trooper, Williams is well on his way to making the jump from police officer to professor. With just two courses left over the summer to complete his bachelor’s degree, he will begin the master’s degree program in criminal justice during the fall semester. “As I’m getting ready to graduate, I am very excited about the opportunity to join the graduate program,” Williams said. “It feels like a dream to go from a 2.1 GPA in high school to now qualify for a graduate program.” His ultimate goal is to earn his Ph.D. and then become a professor of criminal justice, where he can share his many years of experience in law enforcement with his students. “I can serve as a good reference point for students,” Williams said. “I have experience in the law enforcement community, and I can help build bridges between students, professors, and law enforcement officers. There are many people who are educated in the field, but they don’t have experience in the field. That’s an advantage to me as a faculty member. I have a good batch of knowledge that I can offer to my students. I can use my life experience of being in law enforcement to pay it forward by teaching the next generation of criminal justice students.” After graduating from high school in 1999, Williams started college at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He left after two years, having decided that college wasn’t for him at the time. After he became a full-time police officer in Pine Bluff in 2011, Williams decided to go back to school to earn his associate degree at Southeast Arkansas College. He became a state trooper in 2014. Williams transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2017 and has spent a busy five years finishing his bachelor’s degree as he juggled multiple roles. He took a sabbatical from work in February to concentrate on his education. “When he started as a work-study student in criminal justice, he had multiple responsibilities,” ten Bensel said. “He was working as a full-time police officer, 20 hours a week at work study, a student, a husband, and a father of two young boys. Regardless of the number of responsibilities, he always came to work with a smile on his face and a determination to finish his education.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Ranked One of the Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Arkansas

John Hill — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 13:38:56 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s online criminal justice programs has been ranked one of the best in the state. The education resource website, Criminal Justice Degree Hub, ranked ��Vlog��ý Little Rock second in its list of the . “This recognition is really exciting for our faculty, staff, and students,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology. “As a school, we strive to provide the best possible education for our undergraduate and graduate students through our online and face-to-face campus programs. ” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s School of Criminal Justice and Criminology offers a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Science degree in criminal justice through completely online programs. U.S. News and World Report also ranked ��Vlog��ý Little Rock 36th in the 2022 Best Criminology Schools in U.S. News’ . The Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice online degree program is designed for students pursuing careers in law enforcement, corrections, and juvenile and adult courts. This 120-hour degree program approaches the study of crime and justice with a unique blend of research and practice. The criminal justice major will explore topics in administration, criminal behavior, and a variety of correctional and criminal issues. The courses are taught by outstanding scholars who make major contributions in the community and in their discipline. The Master of Science in criminal justice is designed to help professionals who are already working in the field develop the essential knowledge and skills needed to become an effective practitioner or supervisor in the criminal justice system. It provides students with advanced academic training, special expertise in advanced issues within the criminal justice system, supervisory and administrative proficiency, and the methodological and statistical skills necessary to understand research and new developments in criminal justice. Graduates of this program will gain applied knowledge enabling them to rise toward the highest levels in criminal justice organizations. Criminal Justice Degree Hub ranked accredited schools based on tuition rate, student satisfaction, and graduate salary.

Tusty ten Bensel Selected for Arkansas Business 40 Under 40

John Hill — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 20:15:27 +0000

Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, associate professor and director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has been selected for this year’s cohort of . Arkansas Business is thrilled to recognize 40 individuals that are making a significant impact in their companies, organizations, and community. The state’s rising stars are nominated by readers and chosen by the editors of Arkansas Business. “I am honored to be named as one of the recipients of the 40 under 40 Arkansas Business award,” ten Bensel said. “The 2022 recipients are truly impressive, and I am humbled to be among them.” As the school’s director, ten Bensel oversees five-degree programs, including an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees, one of which is fully online, as well as the state’s only doctorate program in criminal justice. She also serves as the director of the Justice Research and Policy Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, which works to cultivate, support, and disseminate research that is relevant to the State of Arkansas. The center provides data-driven research to policymakers, collaborates with state agencies, conducts program evaluations, and promotes evidence-based practices to reduce recidivism and improve public safety. With a well-known reputation for her commitment to students and dedication to the community, ten Bensel has received the 2019 Faculty Excellence Award in Research and Creative Endeavors by the former College of Social Science and Communication and the 2018 “Educator of the Year” from the Single Parent Scholarship Foundation for Pulaski County, Arkansas. Over the past few years, ten Bensel has been involved in a number of contracts and grants that involved disproportionate minority contact among juveniles in the criminal justice system in Arkansas, community surveys of crime and safety, neighborhood characteristics and reentry, and system-involved youth mentoring. In addition, she is part of a team that is collecting data on personal transformation and identity changes among those who receive training and resources from Heifer International around the world. Her current research on hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ population and Muslim population in Arkansas will enable the community to better understand their lived experiences (discrimination, harassment, and victimization). Once the projects are done and the results have been assessed, she will join a team to advocate for resources and policy reform if needed. She received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in criminal justice as well as a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is also a graduate of the Women in Education Leadership program at the Harvard Business School and president of the Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice. Profiles of the 40 honorees will be featured in a special supplement of Arkansas Business to be distributed on May 23. Presented by Bank OZK, an in-person luncheon ceremony with an interactive virtual experience will take place from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. June 8 at the DoubleTree, Little Rock. Tickets can be purchased online at .

Women to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock 2022: Molly Smith

John Hill — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:32:12 +0000

In celebration of Women’s History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling women in leadership positions who are making a difference at the university and in the community. The next Woman to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock of 2022 is Dr. Molly Smith, assistant professor of criminal justice in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology. Tell us about yourself and your background. I’m originally from Houston, Texas, although I lived overseas in Australia for a few years while I was growing up. My family has always been super tight-knit and supportive, and I’m grateful for the fact that we still talk almost every day. I received my B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where I discovered a passion for teaching, research, and working with student groups. Even though I’m a proud Texan, I absolutely love living in Little Rock! There’s such a great variety of things to do here, from outdoor activities to places to eat or meet up with friends. What is your current position and professional duties at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I’m currently an assistant professor in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology (SCJC). I teach a variety of classes in our undergraduate and graduate programs, but my favorite is Introduction to Criminal Justice because I get to introduce undergraduate students from a variety of majors to the range of opportunities that come with getting a degree in criminal justice. My research focuses primarily on human trafficking, sexual victimization, and correctional healthcare. I’ve published several articles in peer-reviewed journals over the years, including “Criminology,” “Journal of Interpersonal Violence,” and “Journal of Correctional Health Care.” Many of these publications were with graduate students. I’m very passionate about student mentorship, and I’m fortunate that my position at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock affords me the opportunity to work with both them and undergraduate students on research projects. Several of my undergraduate students have additionally won competitive state-wide Student Undergraduate Research Fellowships from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, allowing them to present the findings of their research at national conferences. In addition to research and teaching, I also am very involved with the Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice (SWACJ), which is our regional criminal justice organization. I’ve served on SWACJ’s Executive Board for four years, currently as both the First Vice President and Communications Liaison. In 2023, which will be my presidential year, I will be hosting our organization’s annual meeting here in Little Rock, and I’m really excited to show all my SWACJ colleagues everything our city has to offer! What brought you to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? When I graduated with my Ph.D. I really wanted to join a department that emphasized a balance between teaching, research, and service. I honestly didn’t know much about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock before I applied, but the more I learned, the more excited I got about potentially working here. I really enjoy the fact that the small class sizes at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock give me the opportunity to get to know my students better and develop one-on-one connections. The variety of degree programs offered in SCJC, from an associate degree to a Ph.D., means that I also get to work with students in all stages of their academic careers. As the flagship criminal justice program in the state, our school furthermore has amazing connections with government and local agencies, allowing us to work alongside stakeholders to effect real change in the criminal justice system. You’re involved in some exciting criminal justice research initiatives. Can you tell us more about your projects? I’m working on a lot of exciting research projects right now! I just published an article in the “Journal of Correctional Health Care” concerning how correctional medicine contracting structures were related to the rates of reported COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths within correctional systems across the United States. This was a joint effort with Dr. Marc Glidden, who graduated with his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2019, and is the first in a line of research that I have been working on concerning the disproportionate impact of the pandemic within correctional facilities. I’m also thrilled to be working on a comprehensive evaluation of culture and climate within the Arkansas Department of Corrections, spearheaded by SCJC’s Dr. Mary Parker. This team effort also includes Dr. Bob Lytle and Cassidy Mitchell, one of our Ph.D. students. Over the next few years we will be surveying and holding focus groups with ADC inmates, their friends/family, staff, and volunteers to gain valuable insight that will be used to shape the future of corrections in Arkansas. Working with graduate students on research is extremely important to me, and I’m very happy that my position at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock affords me the opportunity to do this. Some of these projects include an examination of Black Muslims’ perceptions of police interactions and defunding with SCJC Ph.D. student Arsala Khan, and an analysis of the differences in sexual intimate partner violence perpetration according to sexual orientation with SCJC Ph.D. student Cassidy Mitchell. What woman has inspired you the most and why? I have always been fortunate to be surrounded by strong women, many of which have broken through gender barriers to reach great success. I would be remiss if I only mentioned one, as there are two that have truly inspired me to become the woman that I am today. First and foremost, my mother has always been a massive part of my life and one of my biggest champions. She had a thriving career as a mechanical engineer in the 1970s and 1980s, something that was relatively uncommon then, yet she chose to stay home and take care of my brother and I as we were growing up. Her sacrifice and dedication towards our personal development and fulfillment is something that has always been very inspiring to me, as it shows the true range of capabilities that we women have and the impact that we can have on others’ lives. The second person is Vicki Hollub. “Aunt Vicki,” as I like to call her, is one of my extremely close family friends and the very first female CEO of a major oil company. Like my mother, she rose through the ranks of a highly male-dominated field to achieve great success – not because she was a woman, but because of her intellect, wit, and passion for her career. She’s ranked on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list and regularly meets with the U.S. President, foreign heads of state, and other Fortune 500 CEOs; yet you would never know it if you met her. She is one of the friendliest, humblest, and most hardworking people I have ever known. It is these qualities that I want to be known for and inspire in other women as well – not just a passion for success, but also humility, compassion, and generosity. How have you adapted to working in a world with COVID-19? I think that the COVID-19 pandemic is going to have lasting implications within higher education. In particular, there has been a huge shift towards online course delivery and the implementation of new technologies in the classroom. While there has definitely been a learning curve involved in this, I think the payoff is absolutely going to be worth it. College education is now significantly more accessible than it has been in the past, and there’s a continuing push towards incorporating more student-friendly strategies in the classroom. One thing I’ve really learned in the past few years is the importance of self-care. The pandemic has been stressful for everyone, and it’s critical to remember to look out for our own well-being. For me, this has meant focusing on things that make me feel fulfilled in my personal life, such as yoga, spending time with family, keeping in touch with friends, and hobbies. I’ll admit that it’s been a struggle to incorporate wellness into my everyday routine, but this has truly centered me and made it easier to stay productive and focused while I’m fulfilling my professional duties. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders? Never apologize for being a strong and powerful woman. Generations of women fought tooth and nail for our ability to have a voice, so it’s important that we honor their struggle by using ours to better ourselves and the world. I also believe it is important to lift other women up and help them achieve their goals, no matter if those are to be a successful businesswoman, career academic, homemaker, mother, or any combination of the above. Women are capable of so much, and while achieving our own personal success is undoubtedly fulfilling, it pales in comparison to helping others achieve theirs. Name something about yourself that most people would be surprised to learn. I am absolutely TERRIBLE at math. I lived overseas in Australia for a few years while I was growing up, and I temporarily skipped a few grades due to the shift from an American school calendar (August-May) to year-round schooling (January-December). Because of this, I never formally learned how to do basic multiplication or division, which has always been funny since both of my parents were engineers and my brother is now a plastic surgeon. They’re all great at math, and one of their favorite ways of joking around with me is to ask me a basic multiplication question, such as “what is 6 x 8,” because I usually don’t know the answer. I guess the joke’s on them though, because I do a lot of math when running statistical analyses these days – granted, my trusty phone calculator is always by my side. Is there anything else you’d like to add? “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” – Estee Lauder

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Ranked Top School for Online Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice

John Hill — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:05:10 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been ranked as one of the top universities to earn an online master’s degree in criminal justice. The education resource website, OnlineMastersDegrees.org, ranked ��Vlog��ý Little Rock 10th in its list of the “.” “The Master of Science in criminal justice is a professionally-oriented, 36-hour degree offered completely online,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “It is designed to develop the essential knowledge and skills needed to become an effective practitioner or supervisor within the criminal justice system. The online convenience of this program allows students, who are currently in the criminal justice field or have a full-time job, the flexibility to advance their education and be more marketable in the field from anywhere in the country.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Master of Science in criminal justice degree is a unique online program geared toward working professionals in the criminal justice system. It provides students with advanced academic training, special expertise in advanced issues within the criminal justice system, supervisory and administrative proficiency, and the methodological and statistical skills necessary to understand research and new developments in criminal justice. Graduates of this program will gain applied knowledge enabling them to rise toward the highest levels in criminal justice organizations. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s recognition comes at a time when enrollment in master’s degree programs is on the rise. In October 2021, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported a 7.3 percent increase in first-time graduate student enrollment in Fall 2020. First-time, part-time student enrollment rose by 13.5 percent. The CGS report cites the growth of online and hybrid learning options as a primary driver of these trends. “Our goal was to find the master’s programs that are making online learning a priority,” said Kyle Darland, co-founder of OnlineMastersDegrees.org. “Each school in our criminal justice ranking offers at least one partially or fully online master’s degree option, and for a price students can afford.” OnlineMastersDegrees.org researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and from the schools themselves.

Tusty ten Bensel named director of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Criminal Justice

John Hill — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 13:56:06 +0000

Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, associate professor of criminal justice, has recently been named the director of the��School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “I’m very excited about serving as the director for our school,” ten Bensel said. “Our school has a number of exciting things happening. We’ve got a good undergraduate base and our graduate programs were just ranked in the U.S. News and World Report. We are focused on student mentoring and community-engaged research. I feel like our school is shining, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be the director of our school.” When ��Vlog��ý Little Rock reorganized colleges in 2020, the criminal justice department evolved to the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology when the program joined the College of Business, Health, and Human Services. Ten Bensel said the school’s faculty and staff are looking forward to the future and new ideas. “We have an awesome group of faculty members in our school and they make this job so much easier,” ten Bensel said. “We are a very supportive and collaborative group and I’m excited about the news things we will do moving forward post-pandemic. We are coming together over the summer to talk about our vision, goals, and strategies for the school and to create a five-year strategic plan.” The School of Criminal Justice is home to five degree programs, including an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees, one of which is fully online, as well as the state’s only doctorate program in criminal justice. Ten Bensel, the former graduate coordinator for the School of Criminal Justice, is also the director of the��Justice Research and Policy Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, which works to cultivate, support, and disseminate research that is relevant to the State of Arkansas in the areas of juvenile and senior justice, crime analysis, environmental criminology, violence and victimization, and corrections. “My goal as the director is for our school to be the institution where Arkansas criminal justice organizations come to when they need research, evaluations, or recommendations for their programs,” she said. “We are the flagship criminal justice program in the state and I’d like ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to become the hub for criminal justice research that helps our agency partners. Our faculty and students are continuing to engage in cutting edge research to improve the criminal justice system and address the community’s most pressing issues.” As director of the school, ten Bensel is also looking forward to her role as a faculty mentor.�� “I get to work one-on-one with the faculty on their research and professional goals. That is one of the more exciting parts of my job,” she said. “Having teaching and research that impact the community is why I got into academia. Although I’m excited about leading our school, being in the classroom and helping students graduate and learn are close to my heart. I will try to hang on to those parts of my job as much as possible.” She received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in criminal justice as well as a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is also a graduate of the Women in Education Leadership program at the Harvard Business School and president of the Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock awarded $453,000 contract from Arkansas Department of Corrections to study state’s prison culture and climate

John Hill — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 16:45:59 +0000

The Arkansas Department of Corrections has awarded the University of Arkansas at Little Rock a multi-year contract of more than $453,000 to study and assess prison culture and climate in Arkansas.�� “This multi-year project, funded by existing DOC revenues, will be the first of its kind done on the State’s adult corrections system,” said Solomon Graves, cabinet secretary of Arkansas Department of Corrections. “It will not only review operational issues within the Divisions of Correction and Community Correction, along with the Correctional School District, it will study issues related to staff recruitment, retention, and the efficacy of offender programs.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock criminal justice professors Mary Parker, Robert Lytle, and Molly Smith will lead the four-year research project.�� “This is a project that I’ve been wanting to work on for a long time,” said Parker, the principal investigator. “I have more than 20 years of experience on the Board of Corrections. This research project is the next step in continuing my service to the state of Arkansas.” The study will be conducted from May 1, 2021, to April 30, 2025. The $453,805 award also provides funding for a graduate assistant, Cassidy Mitchell, who is a criminal justice doctoral student at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Our faculty in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology continues to raise the bar in community-engaged research,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “This project is a great example of how our faculty and students engage with agency partners to improve our understanding of how the criminal justice system works, specifically in corrections.” Each individual correctional unit in the Arkansas Department of Corrections has a unique history, mission, and staffing as well as varied inmate, resident, and client makeup. Each unit in the state’s system will be studied individually before larger conclusions and recommendations are made for the Arkansas Department of Corrections as a whole.

Solomon Graves serves as cabinet secretary of Arkansas Department of Corrections.

The first phase will include studies on Cummins, Varner, East Arkansas, Tucker, and Tucker Max. Phase two will include Ouachita River, Wrightsville Complex, and Delta. Next, the third phase will include North Central, Grimes, McPherson, Pine Bluff units, and independent work release centers. The final phase of study will include Community Correction Centers and Probation and Parole Offices. “This has the potential to be a game-changer for the Department of Corrections. For the past decade, we have worked toward increasing our utilization of data-informed decision making,” Graves said. “Along with our newly created Quality Improvement and Program Evaluation unit, this ��Vlog��ý Little Rock partnership will give our Board and Leadership Team the type of actionable data we have only dreamed about.” The research project seeks to understand all aspects of prison life in Arkansas. To accomplish this, the research team will survey offenders, prison staff, family members of offenders, and volunteers. “We are one of the few large-scale projects that includes visitors and volunteers,” Parker said. “Families are a critical dynamic to incarceration and adding their perspective to the study gives us invaluable information on the impact of incarceration on friends and families of those incarcerated. Most people do not realize it but hundreds of volunteers work in prison providing religious programming, therapy groups, dog training, meditation, etc. for the inmate population. We will be surveying a sample of this population to gain their perspectives on what we can do better in our individual prison to improve multiple dynamics of the culture in prison.” The research team will also conduct focus groups with medical, educational programming, unit support, management, and training staff as well as probation and parole officers and staff members.

Dr. Bob Lytle��

Dr. Molly Smith

“I am very excited about this project for several reasons,” Lytle said. “For example, I’m excited about the opportunity to learn more about and help inform practices related to correctional staffing. Corrections can be a challenging field to work in, but I believe it can be equally satisfying. Corrections staff have the ability to help people in need, protect the community, and provide a public service. My hope for this project is that, over the next several years, we will be able to support efforts to improve correctional work environments and inmate management.” At the end of the study, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will provide a final report with conclusions and recommendations about each unit in the prison system, a review of the educational programming throughout the system, recommendations with corresponding best practices for DOC administration, and recommendations to improve the culture and climate throughout the system. “As far back as early 2019, the now Division of Correction began discussing the need for an external review of various elements of our prison operations,” Graves said. “With the passage of Act 910 of 2019, the benefits of this project to the entire adult corrections system began being discussed. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock immediately came to the forefront as a natural partner for this project. The Department of Corrections has utilized doctoral interns from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of Criminal Justice for several years. Additionally, multiple faculty members have conducted research projects involving our populations over the years and Dr. Mary Parker-Reed, a former Criminal Justice Department chairwoman, was a longtime member of the Board of Corrections who regularly advocated for a project of this scope during her tenure.” In the upper right photo, Dr. Mary Parker will lead the four-year research project along with fellow criminal justice professors Robert Lytle and Molly Smith.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Chastain Donates $100,000 to Create Endowed Criminal Justice Professorship in Father’s Memory at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Law Enforcement Officer Plans to Give Back to the Next Generation of Criminal Justice Graduates

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Ranked One of the Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Arkansas

Tusty ten Bensel Selected for Arkansas Business 40 Under 40

Women to Watch at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock 2022: Molly Smith

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Ranked Top School for Online Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice

Tusty ten Bensel named director of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Criminal Justice