Joshua S. Long

Joshua S. Long is an Assistant Professor in the School of Criminology and Justice Studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, housed within the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Based in the Health and Social Sciences Building (Room 467), he teaches correctional policy and criminological theory while maintaining an active research agenda. Recognized with the 2025 Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Dr. Long bridges academic rigor with practical correctional applications through collaborations with MIT's Educational Justice Initiative and the Global Community Corrections Initiative.

Dr. Long's educational foundation includes comprehensive training from the University of Cincinnati:

• Ph.D. in Criminal Justice
• Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis
• M.S. in Criminal Justice
• B.S. in Criminal Justice

His research program centers on violence prevention and risk management within correctional systems. Dr. Long investigates prison classification efficacy, restrictive housing impacts, and sex offender management through both quantitative analysis of large datasets and qualitative case studies. His work on vigilantism and prison homicides reveals complex social dynamics within carceral environments, while his evaluation of in-prison educational programs demonstrates tangible pathways for rehabilitation. Current projects examine historical prison homicide trends and biographical studies of lifers, contributing to evidence-based correctional reforms.

Dr. Long's publication trajectory shows consistent high-impact contributions, including his 2025 book Prison Homicide: Killing and Dying in Prison Today and the co-authored Avenging Child Sex Abuse (2024). His research spans prison violence mechanisms, risk assessment validity, and educational interventions, with recent work increasingly incorporating technology-based solutions for rehabilitation. The meta-analysis on HOPE programs (2024) exemplifies his policy-relevant scholarship that directly informs correctional practice.

Dr. Long's scholarly excellence is recognized through:

• 2025 Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (UMass Lowell)
• 2024 Wiley Top Cited Article recognition for correctional meta-analysis

He maintains active research funding through collaborations with MIT's Educational Justice Initiative and the Global Community Corrections Initiative. Current projects include longitudinal studies of prison homicides, evaluations of educational programming in correctional facilities, and biographical analyses of long-term incarcerated populations. Dr. Long regularly presents findings at national conferences including the American Society of Criminology and has contributed to Nordic correctional research through the 30th Nordic Sociological Association.

Through the Educational Justice Initiative at MIT, Dr. Long expands his impact beyond traditional academia into practical correctional reform. His work with the Global Community Corrections Initiative connects UMass Lowell to international best practices in community-based supervision, creating unique opportunities for student involvement in cross-cultural correctional research.