Craig Curtis

Biography

Hailing from Meridian, Mississippi, by way of California and Washington State, Dr. Curtis came to Bradley in the fall of 1991. He has been involved in the criminal justice program since that time, serving as chairman of the program from 1997 to 2000. He has been a persistent advocate for criminal justice education at Bradley, frequently proposing increases in resources for the program. He has served as faculty advisor to the Criminal Justice Student Organization, assisted CJS students with finding internship placements, helped the best and brightest students apply to graduate school, helped students find placements in public sector agencies, and has provided career advice to a generation of CJS students at Bradley.

Teaching

His substantive interests in political science include public administration, criminal justice and public law. He teaches several courses in the department, including Introduction to American Government (PLS 105), Introduction to Public Administration (PLS 419), Public Management (PLS 420), The Politics of Regulation (PLS 421), as well as his senior seminars. He also teaches Topics in Theory (PLS 300) on an Version 1.9 Printed 10/21/2010 19 occasional basis.

Scholarship

Dr. Curtis’ research interests include police behavior and search and seizure law, specifically focusing on vehicle searches, and political control of the judiciary by the elected branches.

Service

A member of the ACJ Coordinating Committee since 1992 (serving as program chair from 1997 to 2000), Dr. Curtis has been an important force advocating for investment in criminal justice education throughout his career at Bradley. He led the initiative to craft a new Department of Criminal Justice Studies during academic year 2009-2010 and chaired the search committee that hired the founding chair of the department, Dr. Chris Williams.