Ben Fisher

Ben Fisher is an Associate Professor of Civil Society & Community Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison's School of Human Ecology. His research focuses on school criminalization—including police presence, discipline practices, and security measures—with an emphasis on racial equity. He holds a PhD from Vanderbilt University and an MA from Penn State Harrisburg.

Key research areas include examining how school security measures impact marginalized students, analyzing disciplinary disparities, and advocating for equitable school environments. Fisher leads funded projects like the 'Nashville Longitudinal Study of Youth Safety and Wellbeing' and 'More Than Just Safety: School Security Measures and Academic Outcomes.' His work bridges education and criminal justice systems to promote systemic change.

Publications address topics such as school resource officer effectiveness, suspension consequences, and the school-to-prison pipeline. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Fisher collaborates with schools and communities to translate research into actionable policies.