Mark Fondacaro

Mark Fondacaro is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Doctoral Training Program in Psychology & Law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Center, CUNY. He holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Indiana University and a JD from Columbia Law School. His career includes roles as Associate Professor at the University of Florida, Associate Director of the Levin College of Law’s Center on Children and Families, and visiting positions at Duke University and New York University. He co-authored Juveniles at Risk: A Plea for Preventive Justice and has published extensively on procedural justice, juvenile justice reform, and criminal responsibility. His Social Justice Laboratory focuses on empirical studies addressing biases in criminal responsibility judgments. He collaborates with the NYPD on crisis intervention and de-escalation training programs for law enforcement.

Education:

• PhD, Clinical Psychology, Indiana University-Bloomington (1985)
• JD, Columbia University School of Law (1991)
• BA, Psychology, Stony Brook University (1979)

Research Interests: Professor Fondacaro’s work bridges psychology and law, emphasizing procedural justice, juvenile justice reform, and the intersection of neuroscience with legal decision-making. His studies explore how societal beliefs shape criminal responsibility judgments and advocate for preventive, rehabilitative approaches over punitive measures. He has influenced law enforcement training programs and public policy, particularly in de-escalation techniques and youth violence prevention.

Professional Contributions: His articles analyze retributive justice, mass incarceration, and the role of developmental psychology in legal frameworks. He has advised on NYPD training programs for managing emotionally disturbed individuals and led initiatives to reduce recidivism through evidence-based interventions. His research also extends to international contexts, such as restorative justice practices in Jamaica.

Labs/Teams: Director of the Social Justice Laboratory at John Jay College, which conducts applied research on bias mitigation and justice system reforms.