justiceDNA strandProfessor Peterson's Home Page

Welcome to Professor Joseph Peterson's Home Page! This home page provides links for courses taught by Professor Peterson. To access the files, click on area of interest.

Professor Peterson received his doctorate in criminology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1971, specializing in criminalistics/forensic science. His research and publications have monitored the evolution of forensic science over the past thirty years, documenting its growing potential as well as its shortcomings. His research has explored the uses and effects of scientific evidence at key decision points in the judicial process (arrest, charging, etc.) and found that forensic evidence has its major impact at the point of sentencing. Peterson has examined the problems associated with the placement of forensic laboratories within law enforcement agencies, including chronic resource shortages, ethical dilemmas faced by scientists in maintaining their neutrality, and a reluctance by laboratories to embrace rigorous scientific standards.   He also has engaged in a number of proficiency testing studies of crime laboratories in which he assessed the ability of laboratories to correctly analyze various forms of physical evidence.  Most recently he has been funded by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics to conduct the first census of forensic/crime laboratories in the United States, in which he enumerated these public installations and collected organizational, budget, staffing, workload, and performance indicators of the nation’s forensic laboratories.

Presently, Professor Peterson is Acting Head of the Department of Criminal Justice.  Previously, he served as Director of Graduate Studies for ten years and coordinated the implementation of the Department's new Ph.D. program.  In fall term he teaches CRJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice.  His other principal teaching responsibilities include a graduate course (CRJ 540 - Process and Institutions) and a seminar in Science and Law (CRJ 480). He works closely with UIC's graduate forensic science program, located in the College of Pharmacy.
 

Previously, he was Director of UIC’s Center for Research in Law and Justice. Before coming to UIC in 1979, he directed the Forensic Sciences Foundation in Rockville, MD and the Criminal Justice Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. He also served on the staff of the National Institute of Justice in Washington, DC.