Faculty/Staff/Student Directory

Faculty

Willard Oliver

Professor

Ph.D. Political Science, West Virginia University (2000)
M.A. Political Science, West Virginia University (1999)
M.S. Criminal Justice, Radford University (1990)
B.S. Criminal Justice, Radford University (1989)

Office: CJ Hotel Building 218
Phone: (936) 294-4173

Areas of Expertise:
Policing, Public Policy of Crime and Criminal Justice, Historical Perspectives of Criminal Justice

Biography:

Dr. Willard Oliver joined the College Faculty in 2003. His areas of expertise include policing (e.g., Police stress, small-town and rural policing, community policing, Homeland Security & policing, etc.), public policy of crime & criminal justice, and the history of criminal justice. Oliver's current research includes an analysis of the presidents' use of symbolic rhetoric in their crime speeches and their use (and misuse) of signing statements. He is currently co-authoring three books, one on homeland security, another on federal law enforcement agencies and the last one on crime, history and Hollywood, which resulted from a special topics course he has taught at SHSU. In addition to his teaching and research, Oliver serves as Historian for the Executive Board of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and is the journal editor for Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice & Criminology, the official journal of the Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice. A veteran of the Persian Gulf War: Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Oliver is a Retired Major in the Military Police Corps, U.S. Army Reserves. He is an adult leader in the Boy Scouts of America, serving as a committee member and merit badge counselor for Troop 114. Oliver is also responsible for the creation of the Texas Criminal Justice Badge, available to all Scouts in the State of Texas.