Scholarship & practice
Justice & Public Policy
Dr. Harris studies the institutions he served in. The academic work here examines policing, justice administration, leadership, and public policy from inside and outside at once.
Areas of expertise
Where the research concentrates.
- Criminal justice
- Policing & justice administration
- Public policy
- Police-community relations
- Criminal justice education
- Artificial intelligence & justice
Related lines of inquiry include leadership in complex organizations, media and criminal justice, race and justice, and organizational change inside public agencies.
The academic practice
Five ways the work reaches the field.
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01
Teaching
Undergraduate and graduate instruction in criminal justice, justice administration, policing, and public policy. Courses pair current research with case work drawn from a command-level career, and the standing invitation to students is to argue with the evidence rather than memorize it.
Course design · Graduate seminars · Student mentorship · Practicum supervision
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02
Research
Applied research on organizational leadership in justice agencies, police-community trust, race and justice, and the governance questions raised as artificial intelligence enters investigation, sentencing, and risk assessment.
Applied studies · Conference presentations · Peer collaboration · Practitioner briefings
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03
Public Policy
Analysis and advisory work on policing policy, accountability structures, recruitment and retention, and the practical implementation gap between what policy requires and what agencies can execute.
Policy review · Advisory testimony · Institutional consulting · Implementation analysis
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04
Justice Commentary
Public explanation of justice issues for general audiences — in interviews, in writing, and on Dr. Ken's Truth — with the same standard applied to every side of an argument.
Broadcast interviews · Op-eds · Panel analysis · Dr. Ken's Truth
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05
Academic Leadership
Program and curriculum leadership in justice education: aligning coursework with professional standards, building pathways for practitioners returning to study, and connecting departments with the agencies they serve.
Curriculum development · Program initiatives · Faculty collaboration · Community partnerships
Academic & institutional inquiries