Home > College of Arts and Sciences > Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice > Criminal Justice > Faculty > Dr. Shani Gray
dr. shani gray
Alpha Phi Sigma Faculty Advisor
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I received my PhD, with a major in criminal justice, in June 2005, from Indiana University, in Bloomington, IN. August 1, 2005 I began my professorship here at Valdosta State University (VSU). Having grown up in Miami, FL, I am excited to be back down south where it is warm 11½ months out of the year, sweetened iced tea is a staple, and southern hospitality abounds! Since I was five years old, I have had an interest in criminal justice. What began as I desire to always be the cop, when I played cops and robbers, transitioned to a desire to be an FBI agent, then a juvenile probation officer, and finally a criminal justice professor. As a professor, I enjoy teaching all types of criminal justice courses. However, some of my favorite courses to teach are research methods, statistics, juvenile justice, criminology and corrections. My research interests include Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) and their involvement with offenders and the criminal justice system, juvenile justice issues (i.e., juvenile waivers), mentally-ill offenders, and community corrections (i.e., the use of community service, probation, and electronic monitoring as alternative forms of sentencing). Here at VSU I am currently the faculty advisor for Alpha Phi Sigma (APS ), the VSU criminal justice honor society, and a member of the VSU African-American Male Initiative (AAMI) committee, which is an initiative, began by the Georgia Board of Regents (BOR) to address the high, high school dropout rates and low college retention rates among African-American males, in the state of Georgia. I also lead the criminal justice study abroad trip to England and Scotland, which occurs bi-annually during the summer. In the community, I am working with the Genesis Prevention Coalition to address the adolescent substance abuse problems in Valdosta, Lowndes County, and Metro Atlanta. When I am not teaching or working with community organizations, I like to use my "free time" to watch sports, play sports (especially basketball), bike, and listen to music or books on CD. I am by default a Miami fan (GO canes, dolphins, heat, panthers, and marlins), which is usually only painful during the playoffs! |
