Today@Sam Article

Criminal Justice and Criminology Professor Recognized by International Organization for Research

Jan. 9, 2025
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

By Kim Foster

Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice professor Danielle S. Rudes has been awarded the 2024 Excellence in Research Award by the International Corrections and Prison Association (ICPA). The accolade recognizes research that aligns with ICPA’s mission to promote effective and humane correctional policies and procedures.

“I was super happy to receive this award,” Rudes said. “ICPA’s membership is mostly practitioners who work in the corrections field. I’m standing in a room full of people that might potentially want to work with me or take the research that I’m producing seriously.”

ICPA Research and Development Network Chair Frank Porporino says Rudes is one of the most productive and practice-focused criminologists both because of her research and her insights on the ways it can be put into practice.

“Correctional services in America and internationally would be much more effective and humane if there were more scholars like Danielle,” Porporino said. “She’s insistent on tackling real and significant practice issues that touch on the lives of both staff and the clients they serve and she designs her research to be respectful of all of that lived experience while searching for realistic ways to improve policy and practice in our field.”

Doug Dretke, director of the SHSU CJ Office of Comparative and International Education and Leadership (OCIEL) also serves on the board of ICPA’s North America Chapter, and is vice chair of ICPA’s staff training and professional development network. With his personal connections to ICPA and SHSU, Dretke was pleased to see a professor from his college receive recognition for their research on an international stage.

“For Danielle to receive ICPA’s highest award for academic research that has a potential impact on continued reform and enhancing correctional systems across our world is incredibly exciting,” Dretke said. “ICPA is the only international association focused on correctional systems across the spectrum. From probation to juvenile and adult corrections in the world, it has tremendous participation with countries from all continents.”

Rudes says she hopes receiving international recognition for research will create new opportunities for all researchers in the criminal justice field, including students.

“Winning an award from a primarily practitioner organization with a small cadre of researchers matters,” Rudes said. “This award opens doors not only for me, but for SHSU and for our amazing students.”

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