Lois V. Woods

Dr. Lois V. Woods is a retired senior criminal investigator for a district attorney's office. Her 19-year career as a law enforcement and criminal justice practitioner has included various positions, from victim advocate to chief investigator. She enjoys learning and exchanging knowledge and has published research in the Journal of Sustainable Change and the Journal of Criminal Justice and Law. Dr. Woods strongly believes in contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the criminal justice field and in encouraging and developing future scholars. She has conducted peer reviews for criminal justice and public policy journals, as well as for the US Department of Justice. Dr. Woods has also presented research on policing, the judicial process, juvenile justice, family violence, victimology, identity politics, and crisis intervention at law enforcement and criminal justice seminars and conferences, including the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the Society for Police and Criminal Psychology, and the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

Through her love for teaching, she has been privileged to have taught recruits and veteran officers at police academies and to have served as a guest instructor for the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia, facilitating evidence-based prosecution training for prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, and victim advocates. She currently serves as core faculty, where she teaches and mentors graduate and doctoral students. Her research interests include policing, crime and criminology, justice equity, juvenile justice, and the judicial system.

Education

PhD, Walden University

MPhil, Walden University

MS, Columbus State Univeristy Command College

Publications

Woods, L. V. (2020). Juvenile detention alternatives initiative, zero-tolerance discipline, and the school-to-prison pipeline. . Journal of Sustainable Change

Woods, L. V., Blackmon, K. K. (2021). Police officer political identity and their opinions of public protests. Journal of Criminal Justice and Law

Presentations

Blackmon, K. K., Woods, L. V. (2024). Policing & Polarization: Exploring the Influence of Political Divisions on Law Enforcement Leadership. Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Blackmon, K. K., Woods, L. V. (2023). Challenging the Thin Blue Line: Navigating the Intersection of Democrat Police Officers and Law Enforcement Conservatism.. Society for Police and Criminal Psychology

Woods, L. V., Blackmon, K. K. (2022). Police officer political identity and their opinions of public protests. Walden University

Blackmon, K. K., Lee, J., Smith, M. W., Woods, L. V. (2021). Using EI to Improve Relations Between Communities and Law Enforcement. . Walden University