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B. Grant Stitt, Ph.D., Department Chairman, received his doctoral degree from the University of Arizona in 1979 and began his tenure at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1989. He has published in a variety of criminological areas including sibling structures and juvenile delinquency, the relationships of alcohol consumption and casino gambling to crime, crime and the future, and victimization due to corporate criminality. A recognized expert in the area of victimless crime, he has published a number of articles related to victimless crimes as they exist in contemporary America. Areas of interest in the field of criminal justice include entrapment, hostage situations, the insanity defense and the broader field of ethical dilemmas as they confront our criminal justice system. Dr. Stitt is the department's criminologist and in that capacity approaches the study of crime from a truly eclectic position, acknowledging contributions to the understanding of crime from fields such as behavioral genetics and biochemistry through macro-level perspectives of sociology, political science and economics. Holding that the understanding of human behavior lies in considering all perspectives, Dr. Stitt still believes that the W.I. Thomas theorem, "Situations perceived as real, are real in their consequences," may be the single most important idea in understanding why people commit crimes. 

OFFICE: (775) 784-6165

Robert Chaires, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, received his Ph.D.in Public Administration from the University of Colorado and his J.D. from the University of Denver. Prior to joining the faculty of the Department of Criminal Justice in 1991, he served 12 years on the Denver Police Department and three years as a Legal Access Attorney in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Dr. Chaires is the author and co-author of numerous articles on minority and civil rights issues in criminal justice. His teaching interests center around law, courts, and applied legal philosophy. Recently he was selected to teach in the English Seminar Program and developed the popular course "Star Trek: Visions of Justice"

J.D., University of Denver School of Law
Ph.D., University of Colorado

OFFICE: (775) 784-4515

Susan Lentz

Susan Lentz, J.D., Ph.D., received her doctoral degree in history from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and her law degree from the University of Denver. After private practice emphasizing employment relations, she was a deputy attorney general for the State of Nevada. She joined the faculty of the Department of Criminal Justice as an assistant professor in 1993. Her teaching interests include law, history, and gender issues. She has developed and now teaches courses on "Women inthe Criminal Justice System" and "Women, Violence, and Criminal Justice". Dr. Lentz's research emphasizes integrating historical knowledge of law and gender issues with contemporary criminal justice policy and practice. Her research and publications address such topics as the victimization of women, domestic violence, employment discrimination, and policy response to substance abuse during pregnancy.

J.D., University of Denver School of Law
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison

OFFICE: (775) 784-4701

Ken Peak

Ken Peak is a full professor and former chairman of the Department of Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Reno, where he was named Teacher of the Year by the university’s Honor Society. He entered municipal policing in Kansas in 1970 and subsequently held positions as a nine-county criminal justice planner in Kansas; director of a four-state Technical Assistance Institute for the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration; director of university of police at Pittsburg State University (Kansas); acting director of public safety, University of Nevada, Reno; and assistant professor of criminal justice at Wichita State University. He has authored or coauthored 21 books, including Justice Administration: Police, Courts, and Corrections Management (5th ed.); Policing America: Methods, Issues, Challenges (5^th ed.); Community Policing and Problem Solving: Strategies and Practices (5th ed., with Ronald W. Glensor); Police Supervision and Management: In an Era of Community Policing (2d ed.) (with Ronald W. Glensor and Larry K. Gaines); Women in Law Enforcement Careers: A Guide for Preparing and Succeeding (with V. Lord),and Policing Communities: Understanding Crime and Solving Problems (an anthology, with R. Glensor and M. Correia); two historical books [Kansas Temperance: Much Ado About Booze, 1870–1920 (with P. Peak), and Kansas Bootleggers (with Patrick G. O’Brien)]; and more than 50 journal articles and book chapters. He has served as chairman of the Police Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and president of the Western and Pacific Association of Criminal Justice Educators. His teaching and research interests include community policing, general policing, justice administration, victimology, and planned change. He holds a doctorate from the University of Kansas, received two gubernatorial appointments to statewide criminal justice committees while residing in Kansas

OFFICE: (775) 784-4695

Matthew Leone

Matthew C.Leone, Ph.D., Associate Professor; corrections specialist with publications on medical criminology and the problems, politics, attitudes about and social causes of jail overcrowding.

Ph.D., University of California, Irvine

OFFICE: (775) 784-4681

Timothy Griffin

 Professor Griffin (also known as "Skip") received his Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 2002.  

OFFICE:    (775) 784-6114

Monica Miller

Monica Miller is an Associate Professor with a split appointment between the Criminal Justice Department and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology.  She is also an adjunct faculty at the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies and a Faculty Associate for the Women’s Studies Program.  She received her J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2002 and her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2004.

      Emmanuel P. Barthe is an assistant professor in Department of Criminal of Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).  His research interests lie in the arena of policing and situational crime prevention.  Prior to joining UNR, he taught at Kean University in New Jersey, and served as Research Director for the Planning and Research Bureau of the Jersey City Police Department.  He has a doctorate and a master’s in criminal justice from the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.    

775-849-9544

 tphubertwv@aol.com

Terry retired from the Nevada Department of Prisons in 2002 after a 25-year career in which he worked in a wide variety of correctional positions at several major correctional institutions and facilities. Terry was an Associate Warden at the Nevada State Prison at the time of his retirement. Shortly after retiring, he began teaching in the Criminal Justice Department at the University Nevada, Reno. Terry’s extensive experience in prison has made him an interesting and popular adjunct professor at the University.

 Terry’s educational background, BA/Ma in Sociology was earned after his return from Vietnam in 1970 and accomplished under the educational benefits of the GI bill. Terry is the Criminal Justice Department’s “prison expert”. The students’ evaluations reflect his ability to present both a theoretical understanding of corrections and the criminal justice system with a practical and hands-on experience that the students find as a unique and an enjoyable learning experience. Terry’s combat experience in Vietnam has led to his commitment to Veterans issues and activities in the community. In particular, Terry is quite involved in incarcerated veterans programs throughout the Nevada and at the national level. Recently, Terry has been appointed as the Chairman of the “Veterans Incarcerated Committee” of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. in Silver Spring, Md.

 Terry is also on the Board of Directors of the RidgeHouse, Inc. The RidgeHouse is a large non-profit social organization providing transitional housing and counseling services for men and women leaving prison in Nevada.

775-322-3676

dkflaw@aol.com

Doug received his B.A. at the University of Nevada in 1978, with degrees in English Literature and Political Science.  He then went on to attended J.D. Willamette University College of Law in 1981.

Doug is licensed in all Federal, U.S. Supreme and Nevada Courts.  Doug was a Special Prosecutor for the Washoe County District Attorney from 1992-1996 and has been a member of the District Judge Pro Team since 2005.

Doug has been an adjunct professor of Criminal Justice since 1983.  He currently teaches Criminal Justice 222.                                     

775-329-5900

cdenney@downeybrand.com

Craig Denney is counsel with the law firm Downey Brand LLP in Reno.  His legal practice areas are white collar criminal defense and civil litigation.  Mr. Denney is a board certified criminal trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.  He received his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University.  He received his MBA from St. Martin's College and Bachelor's of Arts degree from Ohio Dominican College.  Mr. Denney is licensed to practice law in Nevada, California, Colorado, and Ohio.  Prior to entering private practice, he served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Nevada and prosecuted organized crime, drug trafficking, computer crimes, and white collar offenses.  Mr. Denney has been adjunct faculty in UNR's Criminal Justice Department since 2005.  He teaches classes in Federal Prosecution and Organized Crime.  Mr. Denney has published articles and lectured on grand jury investigations; search and seizure law; and the federal sentencing guidelines.  Mr. Denney can be contacted at: cdenney@downeybrand.com