About our authors
Michael Birzer is a professor of criminal justice at Wichita State University. He was director of the School of Criminal Justice for 10 years, while specializing in police operations, police organization, evidence-based police practices and qualitative research design. He regularly consults police agencies on a wide variety of operational and organizational issues. Recently, he was the recipient of the Wichita State University President's Venture award for his proposal to bring the Wichita/Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Training Center to campus. The new state-of-the-art training center, now located on campus, provides students with many applied learning opportunities. Prior to Birzer's entry into academia, he served in policing for over 18 years, retiring at the rank of lieutenant. He earned his doctorate from Oklahoma State University, where his research focused on police training and education. Birzer believes while it is important for students to have an in-depth understanding of police research and theory, it is equally important for them to know how research and theory inform fundamental police practice.
Cliff Roberson LLM, PhD, is an emeritus professor of criminal justice at Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, and a retired professor of criminology at California State University, Fresno, California. He has authored or coauthored numerous books and texts on legal subjects and victims' issues. His previous academic positions include Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Arkansas Tech University; Dean of Arts and Sciences, University of Houston, Victoria; Director of Programs, National College of District Attorneys; Professor of Criminology and Director of Justice Center, California State University, Fresno; and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, St. Edward's University. Dr. Roberson's non-academic experience includes U.S. Marine Corps service as an infantry officer, trial and defense counsel and military judge as a marine judge advocate; and Director of the Military Law Branch, U.S. Marine Corps. Other legal employment experiences include Trial Supervisor, Office of State Counsel for Offenders, Texas Board of Criminal Justice and judge pro-tem in the California courts. His first involvement with victims issues came in 1981 when the State Bar of Texas appointed a committee on victims issues. He was fortunate to be appointed to that committee. In 1984, as director of the Justice Center, California State University, Fresno, he authorized funds to hold a training course on victims services. Years later, as a faculty member at Washburn University, he attended a conference in Kansas City on victims services. It was at this conference that the American Society of Victimology was founded and he joined as a life member.
