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About Us

Benjamin Pearson-Nelson, Ph.D. photo of Benjamin Pearson-Nelson

Assistant Professor

  • Office: Neff 260G
  • Phone: 260-481-6531
  • E-mail: pearsonb@ipfw.edu
  • Office Hours: TR 12-1 p.m. and by appointment

Education

  • State University of New York at Albany, Ph.D., 2006, Sociology
  • Ohio University, Honors Tutorial College, B.A., 2000, Sociology/Criminology

Research Interest

Professor Pearson-Nelson’s research interests include homicide and suicide trends, sexual assault, and community corrections.  His recently published book focuses on the U.S. homicide epidemic of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

His teaching interests include statistics, research methods, and criminological theory.

Selected Publications

  • Understanding Homicide Trends: The Social Context of a Homicide Epidemic (LFB Scholary Publishing LLC, 2008).
  • Messner, Steven, Glenn D. Deane, Luc Anselin, and Benjamin Pearson-Nelson. “Locating the Vanguard in Rising and Falling Homicide Rates.” Criminology 43 (3) August 2005.
  • Tadlock, Barry, Anne Tickamyer, Deborah Henderson, Julie White, & Benjamin Pearson-Nelson."Leadership in an Age of Devolution: County Commissioners' Role in Appalachian Ohio's Welfare Reform," Public Administration Quarterly 29. Spring 2005.
  • Pearson-Nelson, Benjamin, Lawrence E. Raffalovich, and Thoroddur Bjarnason. “The Effects of Changes in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases on Suicide Rates in 71 Countries, 1950-1999. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior 34(3) Fall 2004.

Highlights of Community Service

Professor Pearson-Nelson was chosen as the IPSGA Student Organization Advisor of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 for his work with America's Renaissance.

Professor Pearson-Nelson works with both Allen County Community Corrections and Bartholomew County Community Corrections on testing program efficacy.  He is also the research chair for the Indiana Criminal Justice Partnership.

He is a member of several professional associations including the American Society of Criminology and the American Sociological Association.