Valerie Jenness

Valerie Jenness is a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), affiliated with the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, the Department of Sociology (by courtesy), and the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing (by courtesy). She has held leadership roles as Chair of the Irvine Division of the Academic Senate, Dean of the School of Social Ecology, and Interim Vice Provost of Academic Planning and Institutional Research at UCI.

Her research explores intersections of deviance and social control, hate crime, prison violence, social movements, and corrections. She has authored four books, including Making Hate a Crime and Appealing to Justice, and co-edited volumes on public policy and social movements. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Justice, and other agencies.

Recent Research Trends: Her articles focus on transgender prisoners, hate crime policy, prison grievance systems, and gender dynamics in carceral settings. Topics span from legal rights to institutionalized gender norms and policy implementation challenges.

Scientific Awards:

• American Sociological Association
• Society for the Study of Social Problems
• Western Society of Criminology President’s Award (twice)
• UCI Academic Senate Distinguished Faculty Award
• Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research

Teaching & Professional Service: Recognized as an award-winning mentor, she has served on editorial committees for journals like Annual Review of Criminology, and held leadership roles in the American Society of Criminology and American Sociological Association.