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School of Psychology
Psychology Alumnus Named Jail Administrator of the Year
Gary Christensen, Ph.D. in Psychology, 2000 Dr. Gary Christensen, a corrections administrator at the Dutchess County Jail in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., was chosen Jail Administrator of the Year by the American Jail Association in April. Christensen supervises 208 correctional officers and 20 senior and 47 civilian staff members and oversees a $21 million annual budget.
The award is presented annually and highlights administrators who are exceptional in promoting programs that improve conditions, manage contemporary challenges of corrections leadership, promote staff training, and highlight the professional image of their respective facilities.
Christensen is especially noteworthy for his anti-recidivism initiative. “I first began researching evidence-based practice in corrections when I was working on my Walden dissertation,” he says. “As part of that endeavor, I examined outcome-driven practice within corrections, which has been recognized for significant recidivism reduction and the enhancement of public safety. My doctoral degree readied me for the complex analyses and research necessary to realize such an approach.”
Christensen ultimately designed and developed, (and now manages), the Dutchess County Jail Transition Program, which is offered within a 50- bed unit that operates as a “closed community” within the jail.
“All aspects of the program are designed to develop a comprehensive written transition plan for each offender. This individualized plan is formulated through a five-week joint effort among the offender, correctional officers, and clinicians,” Christensen says. “After three years, the program has realized about a 30 percent reduction in the rate of inmate recidivism.” Dr. Enid Schwartz ’06, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Health Psychology, presented a two-day workshop in February on “The Laughter Rx: Busting Stress Through Laughter” for the University Medical Center Bone Marrow Treatment Team in Tucson, Ariz. She also presented her research, “The Use of Humor in Coping with Breast Cancer,” at the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor in Panama City, Fla.
Dr. Greg Parks ’04, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology, had an article, “Risk Factors for Adolescent Sex Offender Recidivism: A Comparison of Three Groups Based Upon Victim Type,” published in Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. The article was based on his dissertation research. Parks is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Florida.
Dr. Josef Passley ’04, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology, participated in a weeklong roundtable discussion on child psychology at Oxford University this summer.
Dr. Jacqueline Bock ’03, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology, earned her post-doctoral certification in neuropsychology from Fielding Graduate University. Bock has an independent practice in Kenai, Alaska, and serves as the neuropsychologist on the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Diagnostic Team for Alaska’s Central Peninsula region.
Dr. Michael R. Hand ’03, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology, co-presented a seminar, “Stand Against Violence,” at the Texas Psychological Association annual conference in November 2006. Hand is in full-time private practice in El Paso, Texas.
Dr. Penny Koepsel ’03, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology, accepted the position of clinical and educational consultant for Multi-Health Systems, a publisher of psychological assessments since 1983. Koepsel provides consultant services to schools in Texas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Dr. Yangcha P. Crabb ’01, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology, recently became a licensed psychologist in the state of Nevada and is preparing for private practice. Inspired by what you just read?
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