David A. Harris

David A. Harris is the Sally Ann Semenko Endowed Chair and Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Evidence. He is a certified Inside Out Prison Exchange instructor, co-teaching classes with law students and incarcerated individuals at SCI–Greene County. His academic excellence is recognized by the 2023 Robert Harper Award for Teaching Excellence and the 2023 Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Public Service.

• LLM, Georgetown University
• JD, Yale Law School
• BA, Northwestern University

Harris specializes in police conduct, racial profiling, search and seizure law, and the intersection of race and criminal justice. His research examines police accountability, use of force, body cams, Taser use, forensic evidence, and resistance to scientific advancements in policing. He has authored seminal works such as Profiles in Injustice (2002) and A City Divided (2020), influencing police reforms nationwide.

Harris’s publications focus on policing ethics, legal challenges in law enforcement, and racial disparities in criminal justice. His work addresses predictive policing, judicial decisions on digital evidence, and systemic biases. Books and chapters emphasize fear-driven policing, forensic science limitations, and racialized perception, while articles analyze stop-and-frisk practices and privacy rights.

• Robert Harper Award for Teaching Excellence (2023)
• Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Public Service (2023)
• Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service (2015)

Harris actively engages in public service, advising on police reform, testifying in Congress, and supporting victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue tragedy through the 10.27 Healing Partnership. His Criminal Injustice podcast (2016–2022) featured over 150 interviews with legal experts, reform advocates, and incarcerated individuals.