Eastern Kentucky University ranks second nationally in the number of criminal justice textbooks produced by its faculty, led by Dr. Vic Kappeler, who ranks third nationally in publications.
Dr. Allen Ault, dean of EKU’s College of Justice & Safety, said the rankings are especially significant given the fact that most of the other top-ranked schools have doctoral programs.
In a study published in the Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, Eastern ranks behind only John Jay College of Criminal Justice and ahead of such revered criminal justice programs as Sam Houston State University and Michigan State University. Others in the top 10 include California State University-San Bernadino, University of Louisville, Wichita State University and Northeastern University.
Kappeler, a Foundation Professor of Criminal Justice and Police Studies, has earned three degrees from EKU. His nine textbooks are commonly used by leading universities worldwide, and he is recognized as a leading scholar in media and the social construction of crime, police deviance and police civil liability, among other related fields.
Among many other honors, Kappeler received the 2006 Cabinet for Justice and Public Safety Award for Academic Excellence and the 2005 Outstanding Criminal Justice Alumnus Award from Sam Houston, where he earned his doctoral degree.
In nominating Kappeler for the Foundation Professor honor in 2007, Dr. Michael Vaughn, professor of criminal justice at Sam Houston, called Kappeler “a true scholar who has pioneered an entire area of research in criminal justice (and) shaped the careers of countless students who have gone on to become leaders in the discipline. Dr. Kappeler is known internationally for his teaching and research on legal issues in criminal justice, corruption within criminal justice agencies, and theoretical development within law enforcement. He is the nation’s top scholar on police deviance (and) his pioneering teaching and research on civil liability is considered seminal.
“(He) represents the heart and soul of criminal justice through his unselfish devotion to the prosperity of the discipline and his unparalleled desire to ensure the success of his students.”
Rolando V. del Carmen, a Distinguished Professor of Criminal Justice (Law) at Sam Houston, added in his nomination letter, “There are only a handful of academic superstars in the field of criminal justice and Vic, by just about anybody’s standard, is among them.”
In addition to his classroom teaching, which has received raves from students and practitioners alike, Kappeler has mentored a significant number of students, helping and inspiring many of them to pursue doctoral degrees.