Frank Pezzella

Frank Pezzella is an Associate Professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice within the City University of New York (CUNY) system. His academic focus lies in the Department of Criminal Justice, where he investigates the causes, correlates, and consequences of hate crimes and explores intersections between race, crime, and justice.

• Education:
  • Bachelor of Science, St. John's University
  • Master of Arts, State University of New York at Albany
  • Ph.D., State University of New York at Albany

Dr. Pezzella's research centers on hate crime victimization, particularly the physical and psychological effects on victims. He also analyzes systemic issues in criminal justice, including sentencing disparities, the use of deadly force, and the efficacy of educational practices in large criminal justice courses.

His scholarly work has examined topics like the role of religion in post-incarceration behavioral health and the criminological implications of race socialization. Journal articles and a monograph co-authored by Dr. Pezzella highlight policy challenges in hate crime legislation and victim support.

Dr. Pezzella has contributed to peer-reviewed journals such as:

• The Journal of Interpersonal Violence (bias crime injuries)
• Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice (race socialization and delinquency)
• Journal of Criminal Justice Education (pedagogy in large classes)
• Journal of Religion and Health (post-incarceration behavioral health)