Home > College of Arts and Sciences > Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice > Criminal Justice > Faculty > Dr. Shani Wilfred

dr. shani Wilfred

Shani Gray

Alpha Phi Sigma Faculty Advisor

Graduate Coordinator

Curriculum Vita

spgray@valdosta.edu

 

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 Alpha Phi Sigma (APS ), the national criminal justice honor society, the graduate coordinator, the departmental webmaster, and the advisor for the criminal justice online programs. In the community, I serve on the advisory board for the Loftiss Regional Youth Detention Center in Thomasville, GA.

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!