Kevin Petersen

Dr. Kevin Petersen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He holds a Ph.D. in Criminology, Law, and Society from George Mason University (2023). Prior to his academic career, he served as a victim advocate in Roanoke County's Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. His research focuses on policing strategies, court processes, evidence-based crime policies, and quantitative methodologies. Dr. Petersen has conducted extensive studies on body-worn camera impacts, sentencing outcomes, and the efficacy of proactive policing approaches.

Recent work includes analyses of less-lethal weapons' civilian injury risks, geographic influences on policing effectiveness, and plea bargaining evidence dynamics. He teaches courses such as CJUS 2320 (Introduction to Courts) and CJUS 2370 (Research Methods in Criminal Justice). His publications appear in top-tier journals like Justice Quarterly, Criminology and Public Policy, and Journal of Experimental Criminology.

Dr. Petersen's studies consistently emphasize rigorous empirical methods and practical policy applications, contributing to evidence-based reforms in law enforcement practices and judicial decision-making processes.