Joel E. Denney, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
Office: Old Main 408C
Email: jdenney@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-2418
Professional Profile
Dr. Joel Ellis Denney joined the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice in 2022. He earned a B.S. in Applied Sociology from Texas State University in 2009, an M.A. in Sociology from the George Washington University in 2012, and a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Texas State University in 2022. Dr. Denney is currently an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at WTAMU.
Teaching and Related Service
Dr. Denney teaches courses in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Juvenile Delinquency, Administration of Justice Organizations, and Research Methods, with more being planned for future semesters.
Research and Creative Activity
Dr. Denney’s current research interests include police legitimacy and misconduct, constitutional law and civil liberties, racial and economic disparities in criminal justice, conflict theory, green criminology, and juvenile delinquency. His dissertation analyzed micro- and macro-level predictors of police legitimacy in over 40 countries. He also collaborated with the late Dr. Mitchell Chamlin in his research on the macro-level effects of social welfare programs, co-authoring an article published in the Journal of Crime and Justice.