University News
"Why People Join Terrorist Groups or Gangs" LEJA Faculty Seminar/Panel April 26
April 20, 2010
MACOMB, IL -- Faculty members from Western Illinois University's School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA) will provide a look into some of the reasons that can contribute to individuals joining terrorist or gang organizations. The seminar/panel discussion "Why People Join Terrorist Groups or Gangs" is slated for 4-5:15 p.m. Monday, April 26 in Horrabin Hall 78 on WIU's Macomb campus; it will be moderated by Todd Lough, assistant professor in WIU's School of LEJA. More information about each of the LEJA faculty panelists is listed below.
"Why People Join Terrorist Groups or Gangs" is open free to the public, although interested individuals are encouraged to confirm attendance. For more information and/or to confirm attendance, contact Director of WIU's Homeland Security Research Program Dean Alexander at (309) 298-2120 or DC-Alexander@wiu.edu.
Panelists include:
Dean Alexander, associate professor and director of the WIU Homeland Security Research Program; expertise: Why People Join Terrorist Groups
Alexander's teaching, research and speaking activities encompass terrorism, security and legal issues. He has worked as a consultant to the State Department, World Bank, Organization of American States, homeland security firms and investment companies. He has lectured on terrorism, legal and business subjects in Chile, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. He has trained law enforcement on terrorism/extremist-related issues in Arizona, California, Illinois, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. More information about Alexander is available at wiu.edu/LEJA/Faculty_Staff/alexander.html and more information about WIU's Homeland Security Research Program is available at www.wiu.edu/hsrp/.
Terry Mors, associate professor, School of LEJA; expertise: Why People Join Terrorist Groups
Prior to joining Western Illinois University, Mors worked for the Gurnee (Chicago area), Illinois Police Department in several positions, ranging from patrol officer to commander. Mors has more than 17 years of law enforcement and private security experience and has delivered a number of presentations worldwide on a variety of law enforcement topics. More information about Mors is available at wiu.edu/leja/Faculty_Staff/mors.html.
Barry McCrary, assistant professor, School of LEJA; expertise: Why People Join Gangs
McCrary started his work in the juvenile justice field in 1984, and since then he has continued to ask one question, "How can the juvenile justice system improve treatment to meet the social developmental needs of delinquent youth?" McCrary worked for Allegheny County Juvenile Court, Community Intensive Supervision Program in Pittsburgh (PA) for more than 18 years, where he was responsible for counseling, designing, implementing and monitoring a progressive treatment program. More information about McCrary is available at wiu.edu/leja/Faculty_Staff/mccrary.html.
Anthony McBride, assistant professor, School of LEJA; expertise: Why People Join Gangs
Before arriving at WIU, McBride consulted with a charter school in Pittsburgh working in the capacity of Director of Student Services. Prior to this work, he supervised the Northern Probation Office for Allegheny County Juvenile Court. During his 16-year career with the Allegheny County Juvenile Court system, he worked in a variety of capacities, including as a community monitor at an alternative community-based program; as one of the first school-based probation officers in the county; as an assistant supervisor of an alternative community-based program for male juvenile offenders; and as a community probation officer. More information about McBride is available at wiu.edu/leja/Faculty_Staff/mcbride.html.
Todd Lough, Moderator
Prior to coming to Western in the fall of 2007, Lough worked for nine years as a Chicago Police Officer. During his tenure with the CPD, he worked in a number of different capacities, including patrol officer, gang and tactical officer, neighborhood relations officer and gang violence analyst. As a gang violence analyst, Dr. Lough worked in the Chicago Police Department's Deployment Operations Center, where he conducted a weekly analysis of street gang-related shootings in an effort to deploy department resources to combat gang violence and reduce the city's homicide rate. More information about Lough is available at wiu.edu/leja/Faculty_Staff/lough.html.
Posted By: Teresa Koltzenburg (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
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