Joel Samaha is University Distinguished Teaching Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota, where he teaches Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. He received his B.A. (History), J.D., and Ph.D. (History) from Northwestern University and studied under Sir Geoffrey Elton at Cambridge University, England. Professor Samaha was admitted to the Illinois Bar, briefly practiced law in Chicago, and then taught at UCLA. In 1971, he joined the University of Minnesota, where he served as Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice Studies for four years, taught television and radio courses in criminal justice, co-taught a National Endowment for the Humanities seminar in legal and constitutional history, was named College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Teacher in 1974, and named University Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2007. Professor Samaha's works have appeared in Historical Journal, American Journal of Legal History, Minnesota Law Review, William Mitchell Law Review, and Journal of Social History. Laura B. Myers is a Florida State University Ph.D. and a Professor of Criminal Justice and Emergency Management in the Department of Applied Criminology at Western Carolina University. Her research and teaching areas include criminal justice education, criminal justice administration, ethics and diversity, theory, research methods and statistics, and emergency management. Dr. Myers is currently leading a project on regional disaster planning funded by the Department of Homeland Security and Oakridge National Labs SERRI Program totaling $171,000. Publications include the following: An edited book on criminal justice application activities for the classroom. A book chapter on active and applied learning activities. A book chapter on minority women in criminal justice higher education. Several articles on the topics of criminal justice education, courts, ethics, diversity, juvenile justice, and cybercrime in such journals as Journal of Criminal Justice Education, Journal of Criminal Justice, Justice Quarterly, and the Prison Journal. Laura also is the inaugural and current editor of the Journal of Knowledge and Best Practices in Juvenile Justice and Psychology. She presents numerous papers and speeches at national conferences and for federal agencies such as the USDA and the US Marshal Service, as well as state agencies such as the Texas Center for Judiciary, which educates state district judges. She provides continuing education and applied research for local law enforcement, probation, and correctional agencies nationwide. Larry Myers teaches courses pertaining to forensic science, criminal investigation, crime scene investigation, evidence and criminal procedure, digital evidence, cybercrime, and technology in criminal justice. In addition to serving as a sworn law enforcement officer and detective in South Carolina, Dr. Myers held several positions within the Crime Information Bureau of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Tallahassee, Florida. Prior to arriving at Western Carolina University, Dr. Myers taught criminal justice courses at universities in Tennessee and Texas. He also served as a consultant to the telecommunications industry and assisted with the development of a comprehensive web-based, wireless and wireline telecommunications system for improving community safety and justice.
