Alida V. Merlo

Professor Alida V. Merlo is a faculty member in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), affiliated with the College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs. She joined IUP in 1995 and holds a PhD in Sociology from Fordham University (1980), an MS in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University (1975), and a BA in Sociology from Youngstown State University (1971).

Her research focuses on juvenile justice, criminal justice policy, and women and the law. She has authored/co-authored influential books such as The Juvenile Justice System: Delinquency, Processing and the Law (2019, 9th Edition) and Reaffirming Juvenile Justice: From Gault to Montgomery (2017). Her work also includes book chapters and articles in journals like Journal of Criminal Justice Education and Women & Criminal Justice.

Merlo is a distinguished scholar, having received awards such as the ACJS Fellow Award, Founder's Award, and the IUP College of Health and Human Services Outstanding Senior Researcher Award (2017). She has delivered prestigious lectures at institutions like Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Southern Indiana.

She serves on editorial boards for Crime and Delinquency, International Journal of Police Science and Management, and Women & Criminal Justice. Her contributions to academia and policy reflect a commitment to advancing justice and equity in criminal justice systems.