New
Criminology Program: Laurie Robinson
Laurie O. Robinson, a senior fellow in the Program on Crime Policy, and a nationally
known leader in criminal justice policy, has been named
director of the new professional Master of Science
Program in Criminology. Ms. Robinson previously served
as assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department
of Justice, overseeing the Office of Justice Programs
from 1993 to 2000.
"We
are delighted that someone of Laurie Robinson's stature
and experience has agreed to direct the professional
M.S. Program," said Dr. Lawrence W. Sherman, director
of the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology and Fels Institute
of Government, professor of sociology and chair of
the criminology department. "Her extensive knowledge
of the application of research to criminal justice
reform will help produce a new kind of change agent
for crime prevention."
Ms.
Robinson has worked for almost three decades in criminal
justice reform and innovation. Her seven years with
the Office of Justice Programs was the longest tenure
of any director in the federal criminal justice assistance
agency's 32-year history.
Under
Ms. Robinson's leadership, OJP's annual appropriation
from Congress grew from $800 million in 1993 to more
than $4 billion in 2000. She oversaw the largest increase
in federal criminal justice research spending in the
nation's history and launched major initiatives on
community policing, violence against women, drug abuse
and corrections. In 1998, Ms. Robinson established
an OJP office to help states and localities prepare
for dealing with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
Since
2001, Ms. Robinson has served as a distinguished senior
scholar at the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology. She
has directed the Center's Forum on Crime and Justice,
which sponsors educational programs on criminal justice
topics for Washington policymakers. Prior to her appointment
as assistant attorney general, Ms. Robinson led the
American Bar Association criminal justice programs
for 14 years. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown
University.
The
new M.S. program in criminology is intended for individuals
planning or already pursuing careers in criminal-justice
practice and policy, including both governmental and
non-governmental crime-prevention agencies. The M.S.
in Criminology will also be available as a joint degree
with Penn's J.D., M.G.A. and M.S.W. and by sub-matriculation
from Penn undergraduate programs. Applications for
the eight-month, eight-course program will be accepted
through July. Additional information about the M.S.
program is available at www.crim.upenn.edu or
by e-mailing Ms. Robinson at robinsol@sas.upenn.edu.