David Pyrooz

David Pyrooz is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder, specializing in criminology with a focus on gangs, criminal networks, and incarceration. He holds a PhD from Arizona State University (2012) and has been affiliated with prestigious institutions like the Institute of Behavioral Science. His research spans gang dynamics, prisoner reentry, and criminal justice policy, with over $4.5M in funding from federal agencies and foundations.

Research Interests: Gangs and criminal networks, incarceration and reentry, crime trends, criminal justice policy, and life-course criminology.

Notable Achievements: Awarded the Outstanding Book Award for Competing for Control: Gangs and the Social Order of Prisons (2021), Ruth Shonle Cavan Young Scholar Award (2016), and the Provost’s Faculty Achievement Award (2018). Serves on editorial boards of Criminology and other top journals.

Grants & Projects: Includes evaluations of gang intervention programs (e.g., Denver’s Gang Reduction Initiative), studies on solitary confinement reform, and analyses of mortality risks among gang members. His work bridges theoretical criminology with applied policy solutions.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on projects like the Texas Study of Trajectories, Associations, and Reentry (LoneStar Project). Active in outreach through op-eds in Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and policy consultations.