OBITUARIES
JAMES A. INCIARDI, 1939-2009
Memorial Statement
Submitted by Steven S. Martin, University of Delaware
(Posted 1/13/10)
JOHN IRWIN
John Irwin, Professor Emeritus at San Francisco State University (SFSU), passed away January 3. After a conviction for armed robbery and serving a five-year sentence in California’s prison system, he received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1968.
Irwin taught Sociology and Criminology at SFSU for 27 years. In prison he discovered that convicts were mostly ordinary human beings. This insight, not entirely appreciated by many academics that study crime and criminals, guided all of his academic and political activities. His considerable research on prisons included six books: The Felon, Prisons in Turmoil, The Jail, and It’s About Time (with James Austin), The Warehouse Prison, and Lifer. He was also one of the contributing authors to the American Friends Service Committee’s influential report Struggle for Justice.
John contributed to many community programs over the years, including Project Rebound at SFSU, and as an organizer and leader of the Prisoners’ Union in California. He received the August Vollmer award from the American Society of Criminology, and served on the Board of Directors for the JFA Institute and the Sentencing Project.
John was one of the founding members of the Convict Criminology Group. He came to ASC to see the cons and to help the group grow and prosper. We found his wise counsel and sincere friendship to be invaluable. John was proud to be a "convict criminologist" and advocate for social justice. See Convict Criminology Memorial at http://www.convictcriminology.org/index.html.
Submitted by Stephen C. Richards, James Austin, Barbara Owen, Jeffrey Ian Ross
The Sentencing Project's Memorial to John Irwin
(Posted 1/13/10)
CHARLES R. SNYDER, 1924-2009
Charles R. Snyder, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, died peacefully at his home in Denver, Colorado, on September 15, 2009. Born December 28, 1924, in Haverford, Pennsylvania, Chuck served as an officer in the United States Navy during WWII. He received his BA, MA, and PhD (1954) in sociology at Yale University, where he studied under Selden D. Bacon. After lectureships at Yale’s Center of Alcohol Studies and the University of Chicago, Chuck joined the Sociology Department at SIU in 1960 as full professor. He served skillfully as chair of the department from 1964-75, and from 1981-85. Chuck was a consummate advisor and professor -- and clever thesis committee politician -- who helped shepherd scores of graduate students through the intellectual and bureaucratic thickets of the degree process. Generations of students benefited from his broad knowledge and capacity as a demanding stylist and critical interlocutor. Chuck was a leading authority on alcohol studies. Among his published monographs is his seminal book on culture and drinking patterns, Alcohol and the Jews (1958), which Arnold M. Rose, writing in the American Sociological Review, called “brilliant research” that makes a significant advance in scientific theory. He also edited (with David J. Pittman), Society, Culture and Drinking Patterns (1962), another classic in the sociocultural literature on drinking patterns. Among other editorial assignments, he served on the editorial board of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 1957-83. As a colleague, teacher, mentor and friend, Chuck was widely appreciated for his incisive intellect, sharp wit and generosity. He had great compassion for the unfortunate, but remained stubbornly optimistic about improving the human condition. Chuck will be sorely missed by many.
Submitted by Robert P. Weiss, State University of New York at Plattsburgh
(Posted 9/22/09)
CARL E. POPE
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?n=carl-e-pope&pid=130552603
(Posted 8/7/09)
THOMAS J. BERNARD
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/centredaily/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-joseph-bernard&pid=130579429
(Posted 8/7/09)
DEAN JOHN CHAMPION
Dr. Dean John Champion, popular TAMIU professor of criminal justice, passed away Feb. 23, 2009, after a brief struggle with leukemia. Originally from California, he joined TAMIU in 2000 and was a proud graduate of Brigham Young University, where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees. His Ph.D. was earned at Purdue University. An internationally recognized scholar and prolific writer, Dr. Champion had written 40 texts and-or edited works, several published in Russian, Portuguese, Chinese and Spanish editions. A strong advocate of distance learning, he received TAMIU’s 2006 Distance Educator of the Year Award in 2006. His specialty interests included juvenile justice, criminal justice administration, corrections and statistics/methods. He was the College of Arts and Sciences Scholar of the Year 2006-2007.He is survived by his wife, Gerri K.; his son and daughter-in-law Dr. Sean (Canaan) Champion, M.D., Arkansas; stepdaughter Wendy L. Tuner, Ohio; and brother-in-law William (Sharon) Sprinkle, Virginia and three granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.The family suggests that those who wish to make a contribution in his name contribute to Laredo Food Bank or charity of choice.
Originally published in the Spring 2009 issue of prism, The Magazine of Texas A&M International University.
(Posted 7/9/09)
LAURA WINTERFIELD,
1947-2008
Laura A. Winterfield, 61, a criminologist and senior research associate with the Urban Institute who had also worked at the National Institute of Justice and other policy research agencies, died December 28 of cancer at her home in Columbia, MD.
Winterfield was born in Miami, FL, and spent most of her childhood in Denver, CO. She studied with Delbert Elliott receiving her PhD in sociology in 1980 at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and she completed a post-doctoral program with Professor Alfred Blumstein at Carnegie Mellon University.
After serving as a consultant to correctional and judicial agencies in Colorado, Winterfield moved to New York City in 1984, where she began a career as a policy researcher at the Vera Institute of Justice and later at the New York City Criminal Justice Agency. In New York, her research helped to advance the city’s network of alternative-to-incarceration programs and her work on crime prediction instruments helped to make the courts’ processing of juvenile offenders more efficient and just. At the Vera Institute, Winterfield carried out one of the earliest studies of juvenile offenders to explore the extent to which they went on to adult criminal careers. She evaluated the attempts by New York City prosecutors to decrease times to disposition for defendants held in pretrial custody and the Department of Probation’s Drug Treatment Initiative. Some of her research was in collaboration with her husband, Douglas Young.
Winterfield came to Washington in April 1997 to work for the U.S. Department of Justice where she was Division Chief for Justice Systems Research at the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). During her years at NIJ, she oversaw an expanding portfolio of national research on drug treatment in correctional settings and community-based crime prevention, as well as the national evaluation of the Violent Offender and Truth in Sentencing legislation. She was part of the NIJ editorial team for Volume 3 of Criminal Justice 2000, “Policies, Processes, and Decisions of the Criminal Justice System,” and served on the editorial board of the NIJ Journal.
As Division Chief at NIJ, Winterfield managed a research staff with diverse portfolios on courts, corrections, and criminal behavior. Her work with colleagues in other NIJ research divisions was marked by a tireless commitment to ensuring the policy and practice relevance of research. Her talent for articulating transparent models to link programs to outcomes made her a valued and trusted colleague in many research ventures, especially those in the area of corrections and community supervision of offenders. She was a key contributor to the agency’s work on prisoner reentry and reentry program evaluation.
During her career, Winterfield fostered partnerships between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers and worked to improve the criminal justice system through systematic research and policy analysis.
Survivors include her husband of 19 years, Douglas Young, and two children, Risa Young and Joseph Young, and a sister, Lisa Skillington.
Submitted by:
Terrence Dunworth, The Urban Institute
Thomas E. Feucht, National Institute of Justice
Christy Visher, University of Delaware
(Posted 3/2/09)
STUART HUNTER PALMER, April 29, 1924 – August 26, 2008
Stuart (“Stu”) Palmer was born in New York City where he resided until his service in the Army Air Corps during World War II where he was the Wing navigator for a squadron of B-17 bombers that flew in the European theater (1942-1945). Following World War II, Lieutenant Palmer completed his undergraduate degree at Yale University but was called back into the service (U.S. Air Force) during the Korean Conflict where he served in the Strategic Air Command facilities in Iceland from 1951-1953. He was subsequently discharged as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. He continued his education at Yale earning his Ph.D. in Sociology in 1955. Stu spent his entire academic career at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in Durham beginning as an instructor in 1955, assistant professor in 1957, associate professor in 1960 and as full-professor from 1964 to 1997. He retired as Emeritus Professor of Sociology in 1997. During his illustrious career he served three terms as Chair of the Department of Sociology creating the doctoral program in sociology in 1968. He later served as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts from1982-1995. During his tenure, he enticed Murray Straus to bring his family violence research to UNH resulting in the internationally acclaimed Family Violence Institute. He was also the inspiration for the Justiceworks Institute and the Justice Studies academic program at UNH.
Stu was a contemporary of Robert K. Merton and Gresham Sykes and a friend and colleague of Thorsten Sellin. He was one of the first forensic criminologists to blend sociology, psychology, psychiatry, anthropology, law and government into a comprehensive perspective for the analysis of both normative and deviant behaviors. He was a student of the works of John Dollard, Neal E. Miller, Leonard W. Doob, O.H. Mower and Robert Sears, the Yale team that conceptualized Sigmund Freud’s anxiety classification into the “frustration/aggression theorem.” Palmer provided the empirical research testing this theorem with the study of murders and a control group based on ethnicity and socio-economic status resulting in a best selling book – The Psychology of Murder (1960). He was a tenacious researcher who widely used the Human Relations Area File in his cross-cultural analysis of homicide and suicide. His 12 books reflect his theoretic contributions to the social psychological and forensic analysis of human behavior. Stu served on numerous international, national and state agencies that dealt with crime, deviant behavior and crowd control and played a role in the Boston Strangler case in the 1960s. Those of us who were recipients of his tutelage as Stu’s graduate assistants received an invaluable apprenticeship in research and teaching techniques. Dr. Palmer was predeceased by his wife, Ann and their only child – Catherine.
Submitted by Laurence Armand French
(posted 10/30/08)
ELMER "HUE" JOHNSON
Carbondale, IL. - Elmer H. Johnson, 91, passed away at 7:52 a.m.Thursday,Aug. 28, 2008, in Carbondale.
He was born April 10, 1917, in Racine, Wis., to Elmer D. and
Lucinda(Hinderholtz) Johnson.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years Carol (Holmes) Johnson; daughter and son-in-law, Joy J. and John E. Boyden; daughter, Jill C. Lewis; grandson, Alexander B. J. Lewis and wife, Heidi M. Lewis; granddaughter, Suzanne J.Boyden; and great- granddaughter, Amelia A. Lewis (Mia).
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Marjorie C. Johnson and son-in-law, Richard B. Lewis.
He will be missed by his Carbondale families of the McGuires, the Schills and the Swindells.
He was a veteran of World War II and had served in the Army Air Corps from 1941 to 1946. He retired as a colonel after 28 years in the Air Force Reserve.
He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1950. His professional career started in Raleigh, N.C., at North Carolina State University in 1949. He was the assistant director of the North Carolina Prison System in charge of rehabilitation from 1958 to 1960.
He and his family moved to Carbondale in 1966 where he became the Assistant Director of the Center for the Study of Crime, Delinquency and Correction.
He has been a mentor for 40 years to Japanese graduate students at the Crime Study Center earning their MS degree from Southern Illinois University. He developed the international branch of the American Society of Criminology and was a member of numerous professional associations in both sociology and criminology.
He was a member of the board of WSIU from 1979 to 1986 and served as president in 1986. He was awarded Teacher of the Year at SIU in 1982 and honored as Distinguished Professor in 1984.
He retired from SIU in 1987. In 1990 he was the oldest Fulbright Scholar in Tokyo.
His professional writing accomplishments include nine published books and 81 journal articles in sociology and criminology.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Elmer and
Carol Johnson Criminology and Criminal Justice Library Fund,
Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Published in The Southern Illinoisan on 8/29/2008.
(posted 9/8/08)
WILLIAM P. HECK
The world lost an intelligent, caring, compassionate, non-judgmental, and very unique person when William Pipes Heck (known to many as Bill or Wild Bill) was killed in a motorcycle accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 4, 2008. William "lived large" and was a proud veteran, passionate teacher, amazing sharp shooter, great guitar player, karate black belt and avid biker who enjoyed life more in one day than many people do in a lifetime.
William was born October 26, 1951 to Berlin and Elsie Pipes Heck of Calhoun, Louisiana. From the time he was young, he was always kind and caring, and would give away his clothes or any possessions if he thought someone needed them. His zest for living was evident in his activities over the years and he always treasured his many friends he acquired along the way. Through the years, he tried to maintain contact with his childhood friends as well as those from his years working in the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office and in the Monroe Police Department, his buddies from his years in the U. S. Navy Seabees, from his Karate Clubs, and from his college years (B.A. and M.A. at Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe, LA and his PhD at Sam Houston University in Huntsville, TX). He was passionate about his work as a professor in the Criminal Justice Department at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and truly enjoyed the students there. William especially derived pleasure from playing his guitar (and writing songs like "Classical Dog" and "Mr. Blue"). He and Edi, his wife and the love of his life, always looked forward to the time they spent target shooting and riding with their motorcycle group of veterans.
William was preceded in death by his parents, Berlin and Elsie Heck, niece, Kerry Heck, and nephew, Robert Shipp. He is survived by his wife Edi, with whom he shared a home in Park Hill, OK, sons Justin Heck and Garrett Heck, and the mother of his children, Janice Feazel Downey, of Stillwell, OK, siblings: Elizabeth & Don Yielding, Charles Heck, and Kay Shipp of Monroe, LA, Berlin & Pat Heck of Broken Bow, OK, and Mary Ida Kay of Georgetown, TX.
(posted 8/21/08)
ELIZABETH PIPER DESCHENES, July 1, 1953 – April 20, 2008
Libby Deschenes, a beloved wife, daughter, sister, professor, colleague, athlete, “Hash House” runner and wonderful friend passed away peacefully on April 20, 2008 following a two- year battle with ovarian cancer. She was born to Wilson and Peggy Piper on July 1, 1953 and died at the too-young age of 54. She is survived by her husband, Raymond Deschenes, of Orange, CA. While most criminologists and other professionals know her as Elizabeth Piper Deschenes, her many, many friends knew her as Libby.
After attending Colby College and earning a Ph.D in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, she moved to California, working for several prestigious research organizations. At URSA, UCLA and the Rand Corporation, Libby developed a rigorous research agenda, including program evaluations and studies of drug users, and violent offenders.
In 1994, she made the leap to an academic employment, beginning her 14 year career in the Department of Criminal Justice at California State University, Long Beach. Libby was a true champion of student research and worked tirelessly to mentor her students. She served several terms as Graduate Advisor and shaped the careers of many students who have become professionals themselves.
With her excellent research background, Libby brought increased recognition to her department through her teaching and mentoring skills, her active research and evaluation program, and her many publications and proposals. Her recent accomplishments include expanding the department’s graduate program, overseeing the Orange County Drug Court Program, and procuring a large grant for the evaluation of repeat offenders. She brought both a rigorous understanding of advanced statistics and a practical understanding of real world needs.
Libby also contributed greatly to the profession. Many criminologists knew Libby as the editor of Crime and Delinquency, a position she held from 2002 until her illness forced her to step down. She served the Western Society of Criminology in many capacities, including President from 2002-2003.
In addition to her stellar accomplishments in academics, she was a life-long swimmer, a successful sprint tri-athlete, trail runner and an active member of the Hash House Harrier running club. In 2001, she completed the Great Wall Half Marathon. A nationally ranked Masters swimmer in 2005, she was voted Irvine Novaquatics Swim Club’s Competitor of the Year. She continually amazed everyone by her commitment to fitness and her impressive athletic drive.
A beautiful memorial service was held on a warm Sunday morning; April 27, 2008 at the Japanese Garden on the campus of CSULB. Her family and many friends spoke in moving detail, celebrating her life, her friendships and her accomplishments. These comments have been archived at the website: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/libbyd
It is important to remember that Libby was a lot of fun. She was a warm, generous friend and collaborator. Everyone who worked with her became her friend as well as her colleague. We were all lucky to know her.
A Memorial Scholarship in Libby's name is being established through the Western Society of Criminology. This fund will provide support for students traveling to WSC meetings. Contributions should be sent to:
The Elizabeth Deschenes Memorial Fund
Sue Escobar, Secretary/Treasurer
Western Society of Criminology
Division of Criminal Justice
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819-6085.
Questions regarding the Fund may be sent to Barbara Owen at barbarao@csufresno.edu.
Submitted by:
Barbara Owen, California State University-Fresno
Jill Rosenbaum , California State University-Fullerton
(posted 6/13/08)
MARGUERITE Q. WARREN
Dr. Marguerite (Rita) Warren, a pioneering figure in personality development and a renowned scholar in the field of criminology, passed away in her home outside of Charlottesville, Virginia on March 19, 2008. She was 88 years old. Rita Warren received her doctorate degree from the University of California, Berkeley. For 11 years (1972-1983), Rita, a clinical psychologist, was a popular professor at the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany. She taught courses in the School’s nature of crime and planned change sequences that dealt with psychological perspectives of crime and its treatment. In her courses and through various funded research opportunities for her students, Rita stressed the importance of constructive research partnerships with criminal justice agencies. Rita was the first, and for most of her career, the only female professor at the School and one of very few women at the University holding the rank of Full Professor. She instituted the School’s first course on Women and Crime.
Rita is best known for her work as the Research Director of the California Community Treatment Project (CTP), a large 12-year study of youth assigned to differential treatment and therapeutic protocols on the basis of personality and developmental attributes. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, CTP was one of the first large experiments to be conducted in an applied criminal justice setting. It became well-known nationally and internationally. The research influenced later research and practice on “responsivity,” and the notion of matching offender clients to interventions intended to optimize their chances of success. The CTP model was based on a typology known as the Theory of Interpersonal Maturity (I-Level) which was formulated by Rita and colleagues from the School of Psychology at Berkley and further developed by colleagues at CTP. I-level and the CTP research also informed later research on personality and crime causation, and is still used in the United States and many other countries.
At the national level, Rita Warren worked on President Johnson’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. She served for a number of years on the Crime and Delinquency Committee of the National Institute of Mental Health. Rita was an active member of the American Society of Criminology and served as an Executive Counselor and later Vice President of the Society. She was among the early organizers of the ASC Division of Women and Crime and credited her elected positions to support afforded by the Division. In more recent years, she and her esteemed CTP colleague, Ted Palmer, established an award in their names that is given through the Division of Corrections and Sentencing.
While at the University at Albany, Rita supervised the dissertations of 12 doctoral students, many of whom have gone one to have distinguished careers in their own right. Through graduate school and throughout their careers, Dr. Warren’s students considered her a beloved mentor, known for her sound academic guidance, her wisdom about life, and her festive social gatherings.
In 1983, Rita retired with her partner, Martin Warren, to a home they built at the Monroe Institute in Virginia. Her retirement was an active one in a community she cherished to the fullest. For many years, she played a central role in research activities at the Monroe Institute. Until shortly before her death, former students and colleagues continued their relationship with Rita through visits to her retirement home and correspondence. To those who knew her, Rita will be remembered as a wise mentor, a gifted teacher, a devoted and loving friend, a principled and genuine human being, a fellow traveler, a good listener, and a gracious host.
She is survived by three daughters Laurie Grant, Lesley Grant, and Lisa Warren as well as six grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Pat Van Voorhis
Kathleen Heide
(posted 5/19/08)
C. RAY JEFFERY
On December 6, 2007, Dr. C. Ray Jeffery passed away after some years of ill health. Jeff, as he was affectionately known, was retired from the faculty of the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University, and was a past president of the American Society of Criminology. In his earlier years as a professor, he became widely known for his book on Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, which provided an innovative and unique perspective on environmental factors that contributed to crime and were infinitely malleable. This work led him to develop theories such as Defensible Space, Environmental Criminology, Rational Choice, and Situational Crime Prevention that extended opportunity theory into new territory. Jeff also paved the way for a reintegration of the social and biological sciences in the field of Criminology. Jeff was renowned for his writings and teachings on ways in which study of the brain could substantially enlighten our field; criminology had neglected its biological roots for many decades prior to his advocacy. In the face of contention and opposition from a few criminologists who feared that the “social” part of the equation would be lost, Jeff persisted in his movement toward a more rigorous, holistic, and empirically-based perspective on the causes of crime. He did not neglect any discipline that he felt could contribute to a comprehensive etiological understanding of criminal behavior; he recognized the role of the social and physical environment in brain development and function even before neurobiological studies focused on that interaction. The model that drove him was founded on a solid belief that a transdisciplinary view of behavior would lead to more effective and humane approaches to preventing and treating offender behavior. Jeff’s brilliant theorizing, countless followers (both senior colleagues and students), and numerous books and articles are testimony to the mark he has left on the field. Jeff stimulated the imagination of many criminologists over the years.
As a person, Jeff was modest and humble, even somewhat reserved. But when he spoke, he did so with conviction and unyielding passion. From the start, his life was never easy and, thus, a rough exterior and some impatience was all that some folk could see. But underneath, he was a kind, caring, compassionate man who always looked forward, seeking progress and comrades to share in that quest. I discovered my career path through what I saw in Jeff’s eyes and I have followed it all the while recognizing and appreciating his role in my own passion for the science. He is gone but his spirit will never be forgotten and his impact will be forever felt.
Written by Diana Fishbein, RTI International
Click here to read others' thoughts on C. Ray Jeffery.
(posted 2/12/08)
EUGENE V. LUTTRELL, passed away on January 1, 2008. Please click here for his obituary which appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on January 5, 2008.
(Posted 1/29/08)
HAROLD K. BECKER, Professor,
Department of Criminal Justice,
California State University Long Beach
Dr. Becker a police officer with Los Angeles Police Department for four years and a member of the U. S. Coast Guard for eight years. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from University of Southern California in 1959 and a D.Crim. from the University of California Berkeley in 1971. He taught full time at California State University Long Beach from 1963 to 2000, and one semester a year after that until he retired in 2005. He was an adjunct professor at the Center for Politics and Policy at The Claremont Graduate School from 1989 to 1996 where he taught and mentored a number of emerging Ph.D.s. One of his favorite courses was the graduate class in criminological theory where he used a Socratic method to encourage students to think about the implications of each paradigm.
Hal had eclectic interests in criminal justice. He was involved in numerous research projects on gang violence and juvenile crime prevention. He is best known for his studies of comparative policing, including three publications he authored or co-authored: Police Systems in Europe, Justice in Modern Sweden, and the Handbook of the World’s Police. In addition to publishing about police systems, he escorted a number of student study tours to Sweden and was one of the first to take students to China.
Dr. Becker was an active member of both the American Society of Criminology and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, as well as an active participant in the International Criminal Justice/Criminology section. He died on November 21, 2007, at his home in Huntington Beach of complications from cancer.
(posted 1/23/08)
PAUL CASCARANO, Retired Federal Executive
Paul Cascarano, 76, a retired Federal official who served in the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice, died August 8 of a heart attack at Reston Hospital, VA.
Mr. Cascarano joined the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, later named the National Institute of Justice, in 1968. He was named an assistant director of the agency in 1985, and was a charter member of the Senior Executive Service. Mr. Cascarano created the Institute’s training and dissemination programs to help criminal justice agencies apply research findings and promising approaches, such as the first police street crime units and the first rape crisis centers. He was responsible for initiating and supporting for many years NIJ funding for Crime and Justice An Annual Review of Research, edited by Michael Tonry and published by the University of Chicago Press. He developed regional training programs and national conferences that brought together professionals from a number of fields to address community problems. For example, in 1976, when he instituted training to improve methods for dealing with rape victims, it was often the first time that police detectives, emergency room doctors, prosecutors, and mayors’ representatives had been at the same table to work on the problem. Mr. Cascarano also oversaw development of technology programs, including standards for the testing and certification of police body armor, now worn by police throughout the country, He emphasized use of different approaches to communicating useful new information. In addition to publications that distilled research findings, he oversaw development of a series of videos, “Crime File,” which presented discussions among front-line professionals and scholars about important crime control issues. The programs, moderated by James Q. Wilson, were broadcast on public television stations. He also supervised the development and operation of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, the first automated reference data base on all aspects of criminal justice.
He retired from the federal government in 1999. After his retirement, he was a volunteer with the Travelers’ Aid Society at Reagan National Airport. Mr. Cascarano was born in Brooklyn, New York, and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from City College of New York. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954. Before joining the National Institute of Justice, he was a systems analyst at Systems Development Corporation in Santa Monica, California. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Ann, of Alexandria, two brothers, Anthony Cascarano of Alexandria, and Joseph Cascarano of Los Alamitos, California, as well as several nieces and nephews.
(posted 8/28/07)
INGER SAGATUN-EDWARDS passed away on April 2. You can find some articles on her at the following links:
http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_5589712?nclick_check=1
http://media.www.thespartandaily.com/media/storage/paper852/news/2007/04/10/News/Former.Dean.Remembered.In.Service-2831397.shtml
http://media.www.thespartandaily.com/media/storage/paper852/news/2007/04/05/News/visionary.Dean.Loses.Battle.With.Cancer-2824619.shtml
(posted 6/27/07)
Beloved professor of political science and criminal justice dies
Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia mourns the death of Susette Talarico, a UGA faculty member for three decades. Beloved by scores of students and colleagues, Talarico died May 23 following a 17-year bout with breast cancer.
“Susette was not only one of UGA's best faculty but also one of the university’s finest citizens, and her good works benefited students and faculty colleagues alike,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “She had a strong international reputation in legal and judicial studies, and represented UGA well over the course of many years. She will be sorely missed.”
Born on May 10, 1946, in Danbury, Conn. to Ella and Nathaniel Talarico, Susette had two siblings, Robert Nathaniel Talarico (Barbara) and her twin sister Annette Talarico Adams (Kenny).
After graduating as the valedictorian of her high school class, she joined the Sisters of Mercy for six years, during which she earned her bachelor’s degree at Diocesan Sisters’ College (St. Joseph’s College). Upon reflection, she chose to leave the convent to pursue a joint master’s and doctoral program in political science at the University of Connecticut, which she completed in 1976.
Following a brief teaching stint at St. Michael’s College in Vermont, Talarico joined the political science faculty at the University of Georgia in 1977 where she pursued her passion for teaching until retiring in 2006.
Talarico was the Albert Berry Saye Professor of American Government and Constitutional Law, Emerita and a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorat UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs. A charter member of UGA’s Teaching Academy, Talarico was known for her innovative approach to teaching and mentoring and for her contributions to curriculum development at the university—serving as the driving force in the creation of the interdisciplinary undergraduate degree program in criminal justice.
Not only was she a two-time winner of the coveted Josiah Meigs Award, Talarico was named the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences General Sandy Beaver Teaching Professor for three years and a Danforth Teaching Fellow for six years. Most recently, the UGA chapter of Phi Kappa Phi presented Talarico with its Love of Learning Award. Upon her retirement, the department of political science’s teaching award was named in her honor. The award was endowed by Talarico’s former students and generated so many contributions that its funds are also used to support public lectures and research funds for students in criminal justice and political science.
In addition to her success in the classroom, Talarico was an accomplished scholar with over fifty published articles and books focused on the study of sentencing, criminal courts and civil litigation. She served as editor-in-chief of Justice System Journal for six years. Throughout her professional career, Talarico was devoted to advancing the socialization of women into the academy. As the only tenured female professor in the department of political science for years, she played a pivotal role in mentoring junior women in the field, often times helping them with the submission of their first papers for publications. In creating a coffee hour for the women of the School of Public and International Affairs, she informally brought together female graduate students to meet and interact with female faculty members.
In May, she was awarded the 2007 American Political Science Association’s Law and Courts’ Teaching and Mentoring Award, a well-deserved honor that reflected her devotion to students.
One former student put it this way, “I graduated from UGA more than 25 years ago, I live 1,700 miles from Athens, I have no political or professional clout to speak of, yet she still sends my family a holiday card every year with a personal note. What does a card have to do with Dr. Talarico’s success as a mentor and instructor? It illustrates her true genius as an educator; she cares for you as a student, but more importantly, she cares about your development as a person.”
Commenting on her teaching, Robert Grafstein, head of the department of political science said, “Soon after she came to Athens, her energy, devotion to her students, concern for her colleagues and general public spiritedness seemed irreplaceable. But her profound influence long ago transcended the university through the impact she had on her former students far and wide. On someone’s passing, we often say she will be missed. In Susette’s case, that doesn’t begin to describe it.”
“This remarkable woman touched the lives of countless students, colleagues and friends in ways that will never be forgotten,” said Thomas P. Lauth, dean of the School of Public and International Affairs.
While known as a brilliant scholar and a dedicated teacher, Talarico will also be remembered as a loving wife and mother, a devoted sister and daughter, and a magnificently caring friend.
On December 29, 1982, Talarico married the love of her life, Rodger Taylor Carroll and on March 15, 1984, they had a son, Robert David Carroll: a great joy for both of them.
Though her greatest love was reserved for her family and friends, Talarico also loved to sing and was known to devour books.
Talarico is survived by her mother, her two siblings, her husband and son, nineteen nieces and nephews, and fourteen great nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Susette M. Talarico Fund, which supports students and faculty in criminal justice and political science. Contributions can be made to the Arch Foundation for the University of Georgia, specifying the Susette M. Talarico Fund, and mailed to the School of Public and International Affairs, 217 Candler Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. 30602.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Writer/Contact: Joy R. Holloway, 706/410-5182, joyh@uga.edu
(Posted 5/31/07)
SIMON DINITZ , 1926-2007 Sadly, criminology has lost another giant. Simon (Sy) Dinitz, Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Criminology at Ohio State University (OSU) died on March 3, 2007. We will remember him well as: a scholar committed to scientific research on problems that matter greatly to society; a dedicated teacher who cared deeply about his students, their lives, and their families; and a fine human being who was not too self-absorbed to recognize the needs of others.
A native of New York City, Sy received his Bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University (1947), and his Master’s (1949) and Ph.D. (1951) from the University of Wisconsin. In 1951, he joined the faculty in Sociology at OSU, retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1991. At OSU, Sy helped to establish a strong and lasting tradition in Criminology. He loved teaching in all kinds of settings, and so also served as visiting faculty in departments across the country and the world. Sy authored or co-authored 16 books and over 130 articles. He advised 40 Ph.D. recipients, and used his expertise to advise the State of Ohio, the nation, and world organizations (e.g., the United Nations) on criminal justice and correctional policies.
Sy collected an array of awards. We note just a sampling here. He was the first recipient of all three of the OSU’s top honors i.e., awards for: Distinguished Teaching (1970), Distinguished Research (1979), and Distinguished Service (1996). In 1981 Sy was honored as the first faculty member to deliver the OSU Commencement Address. He is a Past President and Fellow of ASC, a recipient of the Society's Edwin H. Sutherland Award (1974), and a former editor of Criminology, then Criminologica.
Though a true scholar, Sy was first and foremost a family man. He was married for 46 years to his wife Mildred (Mim), and took great pride in the achievements of his children (Jeff, Thea, and Risa) and grandchildren.
Gifts in memory should be sent to The Mildred and Simon Dinitz Graduate Fellowship Fund, The Ohio State University, 2400 Olentangy River Rd., Columbus, OH 43210, or to your favorite charity.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of all those who had the privilege of working closely with Sy as students and colleagues,
C. Ronald Huff, University of California, Irvine
Ruth D. Peterson, Ohio State University
Frank Scarpitti, University of Delaware
(Posted 4/14/07)
EUGENE HOWARD CZAJKOSKI, 78, died Friday, February 16, 2007, at the Margaret Dozier Hospice House. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Rosalind. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Eugene H. and Rosalind D. Czajkoski Scholarship Fund, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, attention Dean Blomberg, 634 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306.
Dr. Czajkoski was an Army Veteran of the Korean War. A native of New York, he earned his doctorate in public administration (Criminal justice) from New York University in 1964. He joined the Florida State University faculty in 1966, and continued to teach in the classroom as recently as Fall of 2006. He was the chair of the department of criminology before becoming the founding dean of the School of Criminology in 1974. He remained dean until 1986. In 1987, he was awarded dean emeritus and professor emeritus status.
In addition to his active involvement at FSU and major professional associations in his field, Dr. Czajkoski served as commissioner on the Florida Supreme Court Nominating Commission; consultant for National Institute of Justice; chairman of the Governor's Council on Criminal Justice; and various other positions within the Governor's office. He was instrumental in creating DISC Village, a drug treatment center, and was on its board of directors for 35 years.
Gene had a wonderful sense of humor and was a colorful, gregarious conversationalist. His virtues were many; he was reliable, fair, loyal, prudent, trustworthy, ethical, reasonable, kind, and a truly good and decent man, who lived by the Golden Rule. He was a good friend to many and a loving, devoted husband.
Other survivors include the Rapaglia and D'Arco families and many friends, colleagues, and students.
Originally published in the Tallahassee Democrat on 2/18/2007.
(Posted 3/5/07)
