Janese Free

Janese Free serves as Associate Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice and Chair at Emmanuel College in Boston, MA, where she has taught since 2010. Her dynamic pedagogy extends beyond traditional classrooms through historic crime tours of Boston and curated off-campus events in Sociology, Criminology, and Crime and Justice courses.

Her educational foundation includes:

• Ph.D. in Sociology (Criminology specialization), Northeastern University
• M.A. in Sociology (Criminology specialization), Northeastern University
• B.A. in Sociology, Gettysburg College

Free's research centers on vulnerable youth populations, examining how educational systems impact life trajectories through two primary lenses: at-risk youth in alternative schooling and migrant student experiences. Her fieldwork-driven approach investigates:

• Ethnic/class biases in educational settings
• Youth violence prevention through community interventions
• School discipline policy effectiveness
• Teacher-student relationship dynamics

Her 2013-2017 publications reveal a methodological commitment to qualitative analysis of educational inequity, with recurring themes of structural barriers for marginalized students and community-based solutions to systemic failures.

Recognition for her work includes:

• Smiling Saint Award (2012) for exceptional classroom and community engagement
• Educational Event of the Year 2011-2012 for domestic violence lecture series
• Eastern Nazarene College's Excellence in Teaching Award (2003)

She actively mentors undergraduate researchers through Emmanuel College's Faculty-Student Research Funding program (2010-2017), while serving as U.S. Department of Justice consultant (2011-2012) for the Office of Justice Programs. Her Sociology Club advisement earned nomination for Advisor of the Year (2013).

Free integrates research with direct action through Haiti-focused humanitarian work, leading medical volunteer teams to King's Hospital and King's Garden Orphanage in Port-au-Prince since 1998—particularly after the 2010 earthquake—as an extension of her social justice philosophy.