Rate My Professor James Golden

Dr. James W. Golden serves as Professor of Criminal Justice in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a position he has held since 2017 following tenure in 1997. He directs the Center for the Study of Environmental Criminology, previously co-directed it from 2005 to 2009, and coordinated graduate programs including the MA, MS, and PhD tracks from 2015 to 2017 as well as the online MS from 2009 to 2011. Golden's academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University in 1994, a Master of Public Administration from Arkansas State University in 1985, a B.A. in Criminology from Arkansas State University in 1981, and a B.S. in Radio-Television from Arkansas State University in 1974. Prior to his academic career, he was Senior Research Coordinator at the Criminal Justice Institute from 1995 to 1997, Detective Sergeant, patrol officer, and traffic accident investigator with the Jonesboro Police Department from 1977 to 1985, and served in the U.S. Army as a Counterintelligence Officer, course manager, and senior instructor at the Fourth Army Intelligence Training School from 1986 to 1991.

Golden's research specializations include juveniles and cybercrime, sex offenders, police productivity and performance evaluation, the use of canines in search and seizure operations, roadblocks, leadership, police recruiting and retention. He has published articles such as 'Juveniles and Cybercrime' in the Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice (2002), 'The Geographic Link Between Sex Offenders and Potential Victims: A Routine Activities Approach' in Justice Research and Policy (2001), and 'Arkansas Legislative Reforms Provide Framework For Change While Supporting Parens Patriae Philosophy of Juvenile Court' in Juvenile and Family Court Journal (2007). Book chapters include 'Predictors of Success/Failure in Correctional-Based Treatment Programs' and 'An Examination of the Reasons Why Individuals Fail to Complete a Prison-Based Therapeutic Community' in Substance Abuse Treatment with Correctional Clients (2005), and 'Defensible Space' in The Praeger Handbook of Victimology (2009). His technical reports encompass Disproportionate Minority Contact analyses for Arkansas (2013-2018) submitted to the Division of Youth Services and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Arkansas Juvenile Crime Analysis (2007), and inmate population projections for the Arkansas Department of Correction (2001). Golden has acted as trainer and consultant for the Police Executive Research Forum, Police Foundation, Community Policing Consortium, and National Sheriff’s Association. Honors include the Dean’s Leadership Academy (2006-2007) and Jesse H. Gibbs Houston Endowment Fellowship (1989-1991).