Academic Positions​

Michigan State University, School of Criminal Justice

Professor Emeritus (2025-current)

Professor (1998-2025); Associate Professor (1994-1998)​

University of Akron, Department of Political Science

Associate Professor (1992-1994); Assistant Professor (1987-1992)​

University of Connecticut-Hartford, Political Science

Part-time instructor (1985-1987)​

Connecticut State Community College-Asnuntuck, Prison Education Program

Part-time instructor of American Government (1986)

Other

Acting Director, MSU School of Criminal Justice (2000)​

Democratic congressional candidate, Michigan's then-8th district (2017-2018)​

Board Chairperson, Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence (2019-2024)​

Acting Executive Director, Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence (2020-2024)

 

Education

Ph.D., University of Connecticut, 1988 [Political Science] Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

J.D., University of Tennessee, 1984 [Law] Order of Coif Honor Society

M.Sc., University of Bristol (U.K.), 1981 [Sociology] Rotary Graduate Fellowship

A.B., Harvard University, 1980 [Government] National Merit Scholar

 

Awards (selected examples)

Excellence in Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching in Criminal Justice, 2024 ​

MSU School of Criminal Justice “Wall of Fame,” 2021 (lifetime achievement award)​

Zolton Ferency Activist Achievement Award, 2019 (from Lansing, MI, civil liberties activists)

​MSU College of Social Science Outstanding Teacher for 2012 ​

MSU Nominee for National CASE Professor of the Year Competition, 2004, 2014​

"Teacher-Scholar Award," 1997, Michigan State University, all-University faculty awards

​Outstanding Faculty Award, 1989-90 (presented by the Univ. of Akron Bd of Trustees)​

Outstanding Professor in the College of Arts & Sciences, 1990, University of Akron (based

on campus-wide student voting sponsored by Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society)

​

Books

 

Democracy in the United States? The Education of an Accidental Scholar-Activist.

Cornell University Press (forthcoming, 2026).

 

Evolving Constitutional Rights: The Roberts Court and Criminal Justice.

Southern Illinois University Press, 2025. (with M. A. McCall and M. M. McCall)       

 

The Supreme Court and the Development of Law: Through the Prism of Prisoners’ Rights.

Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.

 

 John Paul Stevens: Defender of Rights in Criminal Justice.  Lexington Books, 2015.

 

Law and Criminal Justice: Emerging Issues in the 21st Century. Peter Lang, 2005.

(with M. M. McCall and C. Perez McCluskey)

 

The Supreme Court, Crime and the Ideal of Equal Justice.  Peter Lang, 2003.

(with C. DeJong and J. D. Burrow)     

           

The Real Clarence Thomas: Confirmation Veracity Meets Performance Reality.  Peter Lang, 2000.

(with J. A. Baugh)

           

 The Rehnquist Court and Criminal Punishment.  Garland, 1997.    

 

The Jurisprudential Vision of Justice Antonin Scalia.  Rowman & Littlefield, 1996.

(with D. A. Schultz)

 

 Judicial Self-Interest: Federal Judges and Court Administration.  Praeger, 1995.

 

Courts and Public Policy.  Nelson-Hall, 1993.     

 

 Justice Antonin Scalia and the Supreme Court’s Conservative Moment.  Praeger, 1993.

 

Critical Judicial Nominations and Political Change: The Impact of Clarence Thomas.  Praeger, 1993.

 

Courts and the Poor.  Nelson-Hall, 1991.

           

 United States Magistrates in the Federal Courts: Subordinate Judges.  Praeger, 1990.

         

  

Textbooks

 

The American System of Criminal Justice. [8 revised editions]

Cengage, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018. (with G. F. Cole and C. DeJong). 

Wadsworth, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009. (with G. F. Cole)

 

The Changing Supreme Court: Constitutional Rights and Liberties.  West, 1997.

            (with T. R. Hensley and J. A. Baugh)

 

Constitutional Rights: Myths and Realities.  Wadsworth, 2004.

 

Courts, Politics and the Judicial Process. Nelson-Hall, 2nd ed. 1997; 1st ed. 1993.

           

Criminal Justice in America. [10 revised editions] 

Cengage, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021. (with G. F. Cole and C. DeJong);

Wadsworth, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010. (with G. F. Cole)

 

Criminal Procedure.  Wadsworth, 2003.

 

Criminal Procedure: A Free Law School Casebook (Undergraduate Edition) 

revised and adapted from Criminal Procedure: A Free Law School Casebook by Ben Trachtenberg

and Anne M. Alexander published by CALI eLangdell® Press, 2022, and is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 International License.

 

Law and Contemporary Corrections.  Wadsworth, 2000.

 

Living Democracy (Intro. to American Government and Politics). [11 revised editions]

Soomo Learning, 2020, 2021; 2022; 2024. Pearson Longman, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015,

2017, 2019; Prentice-Hall, 2007. (with D. M. Shea and J. C. Green)

 

Politics in Constitutional Law: Cases and Questions.  Nelson-Hall, 1992.

 

Supreme Court Update: 2001. West, 2002. (with T. R. Hensley and J. A. Baugh)

 

Supreme Court Update: 1998. West, 1999. (with T. R. Hensley and J. A. Baugh)

 

Supreme Court Update: 1997. West, 1998. (with T. R. Hensley and J. A Baugh)

 

Supreme Court Update: 1996. West, 1997 (with T. R. Hensley and J. A Baugh)

           

Edited Book

​

The Rehnquist Court and Criminal Justice. Lexington Books, 2011.

(with C. DeJong and M.A. McCall)

 

Reference Book

​

Courts and Trials.  ABC-CLIO, 2003.   

​

​

COURSES TAUGHT

Graduate

 

Law & Society (Ph.D. students) [MSU]

Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (M.S. students) [MSU]

Grad Seminar in Judicial Process & Civil Liberties (M.A. students) [Akron]

 

Undergraduate

 

Constitutional Interpretation [UConn]

Criminal Law [MSU]

Criminal Procedure [MSU]

Evidence-Based Policy Making and the Contemporary Political Crisis [MSU]

Introduction to American Government [UConn, Connecticut State Community College-Asnuntuck]

Introduction to Criminal Justice [MSU]

Law and Criminal Justice Policy [MSU]

Law and the Political Community [UConn]                 

Law of Corrections [MSU]

Policy Problems in Criminal Justice [Akron]                           

The Policy Process [UConn]

Politics of Crime and Justice [UConn, Akron]

Supreme Court and Civil Liberties [Akron]     

Supreme Court and Constitutional Law [Akron]

U.S. Supreme Court and Criminal Justice [MSU]

​

Teaching Experience Inside Prisons (part-time):

​

1) Prison Education Program, Connecticut State Community College-Asnuntuck (1986),

    Enfield Correctional Institution (Medium Security)

    “Introduction to American Government”

​

2) Univ. of Washington Prisoner Counseling & Education Program (1982-83),

    Monroe Correctional Complex (Maximum Security)

    “Legal Research” and “Criminal Procedure” sponsored by the Black Prisoners Caucus

​

Pre-Career Internships (selected examples)

W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI (Summer 1983) [Program Officer/Intern]

Morgan Associates, Chartered (Law Firm), Washington, DC (Summer 1982) [Law Clerk]

Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. Health & Human Serv., Seattle (Summer 1980) [Investigator/Intern]

City of Kalamazoo, Metro Transit Dept., Kalamazoo, MI (Summer 1979) [Transit Planner/Intern]

Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Boston (Academic Year 1978-79) [Intake Interviewer]

American Civil Liberties Union, Nat’l Legislative Office, Washington, DC (Summer 1978) [Intern]

Harvard-Roxbury School Program, Boston (Academic Years 1976-78) [Tutor at Roxbury High School]

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard Univ., Photographic Archives (Academic Years 1977-80) [Student Assistant]