Dr. Sanaz Alasti, Criminal Justice Program

Transcription

1 Dr. Sanaz Alasti, Criminal Justice Program Piper Award Application Career highlights include: Section A: Teaching: 1. Taught 12 different courses since 2011 at Lamar University. 2. Designed 7 new Courses designed for Lamar University since 2011: - Death Penalty - Criminal Women - Women in Criminal Justice (Graduate course) - Comparative Criminal Justice Systems - Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (Graduate course) - Juvenile Justice in International Perspective (Graduate course) - Comparative Penology (Graduate course) - Current Legal Scholarship on Capital Punishment (Graduate course) - Death Penalty Clinic 3. Consistently high teaching evaluations. See the attachment: Summary of Teaching evaluations. See the attachment: A sample syllabus.

2 Section B: Research: 1. I ve received numerous scholarships and academic honors throughout my academic and professional career. These honor include a Merit Scholarship award from Golden Gate University and Fellowship from Harvard law school. More recently, in 2013 & 2014, I received a very competitive award from the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) and Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME). Please check the CV: Awards received for excellence in the field. 2. As an internationally researcher in comparative criminal justice systems, and the role of religion in criminal punishment, I ve authored seminal research work which has appeared in various scholarly journals and books. Some of these articles have subsequently been cited by other researchers in the field, both in the US and internationally, in the course of their respective research work. I ve published my books, book chapters, and articles in English, French and Persian. 3. In addition to these citations to my published work, I ve been interviewed in various media discussing my views on legal issues and death penalty. One example is my interview with the New Yorker about the Oscar movie winner A Separation and the judicial system in the movie. Also, I have weekly interviews with the Radio and TV channels located in LA regarding the death penalty. A sample of my interviews from Law Library of Congress: A sample of my TV interviews: 8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C My published books appear in at least 84 law libraries in the US and across 5 continents, according to WorldCat online database. 5. My book Criminal Infringement of Copyright, second edition (2011) has been assigned as a required reading by faculty in Iran.

3 6. Presented at 23 professional conferences since fall, Check my CV: A representative sample of my publications, presentations & my invitations as a speaker at seminars and lectures in the field. Section C: Service & Leadership PROFESSIONAL ACHEIVEMENT - Invited to attend Counter- Terrorism Briefing hosted by Texas House of Representatives on behalf of Lamar University. - Organized an International workshop on Comparative Criminal Justice Systems in Onati, Spain, summer Consultant with Australian Government in regard to Refugee Review Tribunal, Summer Awarded Faculty Development leave, Fall Phi Beta Delta honor society member, from 2014 to present. - Nominated for 2013 Emerging Scholar award. - Invitee presenter, Spindletop Unitarian Church of Beaumont, A conversation on Death Penalty, Beaumont TX, September Invitee Lecturer, Law Library of Congress, Capital Punishment Law of Iran, Washington DC, August Appreciation award from Law Library of Congress, summer Board member, East Coast Colleges Social Sciences Association (ECCSSA), from spring Fellow, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME), from spring Scholar in residence, Law Library of Congress, Summer Invitee Lecturer, NATO School and International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences Military Operations Seminar, Italy, November 2012.

4 - Advisory Board of Persian Freedom Institute, from summer 2012 to present. Chair of the following panels: Capital Punishment: International Perspectives, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Washington DC, November Co-Chair with Jim Mann, Contemporary Issues of Criminal Justice Systems Workshop, Onati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, Onati, Spain, May Chair, Contemporary Challenges of the Middle Eastern Criminal Justice Systems & Military Operations, Onati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, Onati, Spain, May Chair, Perceptions and Errors in Capital Punishment, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference, Orlando, FL, March Chair, Economics, Interventions, and Law, Annual ASMEA Conference, Washington D.C., October Chair, The Role of Democracy in Drafting a New Constitution in the Middle East, ECCSSA Annual Conference, Herndon VA, April Chair, Cross Cultural Comparisons on Capital Punishment, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference, Philadelphia, PA, February Chair, US Foreign Policy & International Terrorism Panel, By Institute of World Politics & Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, November Chair, Serious Juvenile Offenders, Life Imprisonment, and the Death Penalty, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Chicago IL, November SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT: -Advised freshman students, Organized a panel on International Terrorism for criminal justice department, November Advised junior students, from 2012 to present. -Member: Criminal Justice Faculty Search Committee Chair: Criminal Justice Methods Faculty Search Committee Member: Criminal Justice General Faculty Search Committee 2014.

5 Students Organization: -Director, Center for Death Penalty Studies at Lamar University, from spring Center for Death Penalty Studies at Lamar University: The center for Death Penalty Studies at Lamar is striving to achieve the following aims: 1. provide information about the application of the death penalty in the U.S. and Internationally; 2. assist in developing an informed position on capital punishment; 3. produce a better understanding of capital punishment laws in Texas and Middle Eastern countries; The Center for Death Penalty Studies provides internship and research opportunities for Lamar students. Please check the center webpage and facebook page: -Advisor of Persian Cultural Association of Lamar University, from fall 2012 to present. SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY/Discipline: -Nominated for University for piper Award, Offered Spain study abroad program, summer Nominated for University for piper Award, Nominated for Distinguished Lecture Series, Nomination of Samereh Alinejad for the Nobel Peace Prize, official nomination letter has been sent to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, Fall Coordinating the following Pre-Homecoming event, fall 2014: Lamar students met with representatives of Center for Death Penalty Studies to support forgiveness in death penalty, fall 2014.

6 -Supervised Lamar students to make the following video (Forgiveness in Death Penalty): Selected On-campus Presentation: - Invited speaker by Ken & Nancy Evan, Cardinal Conversation, President s house, February 5, Invited speaker for Phycology Department, Life or Death: A Conversation on Capital Punishment, January 31, Invited speaker for STARS program, Life or Death: A Conversation on Capital Punishment, Academic Enhancement Workshop: Spotlight on Faculty Research, April 18, Attendee, Faculty Workshop of Center for Distance Education, "Quality Matters", Summer Attendee, Faculty Workshop of Center for Distance Education, Student Engagement, Summer Attendee, Faculty Workshop of Center for Distance Education, Creating Video Content Fall Attendee, Faculty Workshop of Center for Distance Education, Blackboard Training Fall 2012.

7 Section D: Student Relationships Advising Freshman students, Criminal Justice program, Advising Junior students, Criminal Justice program, from 2012 to present. Advising Graduate Students: Thesis committee member, Ghaliah Hanafi Thesis committee member, Dustin P. McAlpine Thesis committee member, Joseph Wells, work in progress Thesis committee member, Diego Snyder-Zuasnabar, work in progress Involvement of graduate students in research, creative, and scholarly activities: - Mentor to Masoumeh Hassanpour (graduate student), Penal Proportionality and the Young Offender, Paper presented at the International Society of Criminology Meeting, Vienna Austria, June Mentor to Mina Seddihfar (graduate students), Alternatives to Imprisonment: Rehabilitation and other Programs, summer This research was featured in the Justice Department Journal, and in the Student Spotlight section on the Tehran University Alumni newsletter. The paper was published as an article in the Prisons Organization Journal. - Mentor to Masoumeh Hassanpour (graduate student), The Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Practices, research project at Criminology Institute, Tehran University, summer Mentor to Hallie Gates (graduate student), Geographical Disparities in the Application, Retention and Abolition of the Federal Death Penalty with International Perspective, fall McNair mentor to Cynthia Offordile Mentor to Dustin McAlpine (graduate student), Factors Leading to Family Reunification: IN CPS Cases, Lamar University, Spring Mentor to Ghaliah Hanafi (graduate student), Death Penalty in the United States and Saudi Arabia, Fall Mentor to Amunique Love (graduate student), Individual Study. -Encouraging and helping all my graduate students to submit their proposal to the American Society of Criminology Conference, Spring 2014.

8 Co-authoring of papers/presentations with graduate students (if presented at an association meeting or submitted for publication: Publication: Mohammadreza Goudarzi and Sanaz Alasti, Juvenile Delinquency, Justice Department Journal, Tehran, Iran, fall Presentation: Masoumeh Hassanpour and Sanaz Alasti, Penal Proportionality and the Young Offender, International Society of Criminology Meeting, Vienna Austria, June Hallie Gates and Sanaz Alasti, Geographical Disparities in the Application, Retention and Abolition of the Federal Death Penalty with International Perspective, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Dallas, TX, March Justin Templain (advisor), Death Penalty in Texas and Finland, paper presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, Feb A Sample of my students comments:

9 Section E: Letters of recommendation by colleagues and experts in the field are attached: 1. Jim Mann, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Lamar University 2. David Greenberg, Professor of Sociology, NYU. 3. Mohammad Ashouri, Professor of Criminal Law & Criminology at Tehran University. 4. John Trumpbour, Research Director, Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School.

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11 Curriculum vitae - current as of September 2015 Dr. Sanaz Alasti I call upon you to remember that cruel punishments have an inevitable tendency to produce cruelty in the people Sir Samuel Romilly Dr. Sanaz Alasti, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice & Director of the Center for Death Penalty Studies Lamar University: Texas State University System P.O. Box 10026, Beaumont, Texas (409) , sanaz.alasti@lamar.edu Education Harvard University School of Law, Cambridge, MA Post-Doctoral, July 2011 Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, CA Doctor of Judicial Science, S.J.D. (Ph.D. equivalent), May 2008 With emphasis on Comparative Criminal Justice Systems Honors: Merit Scholarship Recipient GPA: 4.00 Tehran University School of Law, Tehran, Iran Master of Law (LL.M), with honors, Criminal Law & Criminology, July 2003 Class Rank: Top 1% GPA: 3.80 Activities: Successful Participation in Judgment Examination & Bar Exam Allame Tabatabaee University School of Law, Tehran, Iran Bachelor of Law, LL.B (J.D. equivalent), summa cum laude, July 2001 Class Rank: Top 1%

12 GPA: 3.92 Sanaz Alasti Page 2 Teaching & Academic Experience Lamar University, Criminal Justice Department Assistant Professor Director, Center for Death Penalty Studies Courses taught: -Intro to Criminal Justice -Legal Research & Writing -Crime & Criminals -Death Penalty -Criminal Women -Comparative Criminal Justice Systems -Theoretical Foundations (Graduate course) -Juvenile Justice in International Perspective (Graduate course) -Comparative Penology (Graduate course) -Current Legal Scholarship on Capital Punishment (Graduate course) -Women in Criminal Justice (Graduate course) -Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (Graduate course) Beaumont, TX August Present September Present Harvard University, School of Law Cambridge, MA Visiting Fellow February July 2011 Project: Capital Punishment: Comparative Perspective Golden Gate University, School of Law San Francisco, CA Post-Doctoral Scholar October July 2011 Project: The Abolition of Death Penalty in International Law Heald College, Criminal Justice Department San Francisco, CA Adjunct Faculty July July 2010 Courses taught: -Legal Research -Legal Writing -Criminology -Introduction to Criminal Justice System -Introduction to Corrections -Organized Crime, Gangs & Terrorism Harvard Law School Cambridge, MA Lecture: April 2011 What is Wrong with Capital Punishment? Golden Gate University, School of Law San Francisco, CA Fulbright Symposium April 2010 Presentation: The Impact of International Law on Abolition of Death Penalty in a Time of Change: The Widening Divide between the United States and Iran Course designed: -Death Penalty: This course is intended to introduce a comparative study of the death penalty in abolitionist versus retentionist countries. It is designed primarily for use in US law schools, with emphasis on US law, but should prove instructive in other locations.

13 Tehran University, Criminology Institute Tehran, Iran Lecture: Death Penalty in the US September 2007 Sanaz Alasti Page 3 Teaching & Research Interests Death Penalty, Corrections, Penology, Comparative Criminal Justice Systems, Criminology, Victimology, Legal Research, Criminological Theories, Criminal Justice & Human Rights. Awards & Grants Research Grant, Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA, 2014). Scholar in Residence, Law Library of Congress, summer Fellowship award, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME), 2013 Fellowship, Harvard University School of Law, Teaching Appreciation Award, Criminal Justice Department, Heald College, San Francisco, Merit Scholarship, Golden Gate University School of Law, Graduate Student Award, Criminology Department, Tehran University, Top Student Award, Allame Tabatabaee University School of Law, Professional Experience Law Library of Congress Washington DC Legal Specialist June 2013, August 2013 Conducting legal research on legislation of foreign countries. This includes writing research reports on various legal topics for the United States Congress, executive agencies and the judicial branch. Habeas Corpus Resource Center San Francisco, CA Lawyer October January 2010 Analyzing the relationship between sentencing outcomes and racial characteristics in homicide cases charged and sentenced in Tulare County, CA. Death Penalty Focus San Francisco, CA Researcher January 2009-April 2009 Worked on Teaching Abolition Project a project proposing death penalty curriculum to stimulate broader exploration and discussion of capital punishment topics in law schools. ACLU of Northern California, Policy Department San Francisco, CA Death Penalty Intern January January 2009 Developed projects aimed at bringing community and media attention to flaws in the California death penalty system. Current efforts focus on highlighting the reversal reasons of death sentences in California. Golden Gate University, School of Law San Francisco, CA Research Assistant January May 2008

14 Worked on the Comparative Criminal Justice Reader Project supervised by Professor Susan Rutberg, decided on topics and syllabus of criminal justice from civil law countries to common law in the United States. Sanaz Alasti Page 4 Golden Gate University, School of Law San Francisco, CA Research Assistant September May 2007 Assisted in the projects supervised by Professor Sompong Sucharitkul in the center of Advanced International and Comparative Legal Studies. Conducted research in the field of human rights and comparative criminal justice systems. Iran Judiciary, Legal Department Tehran, Iran Researcher May August 2005 Conducted research and complied a brochure regarding new human rights achievements of Iran criminal justice system, in the fields of legislative, judicial and executive criminal policy. Iran Judiciary, Mirdamad Judicial Complex Tehran, Iran Judicial Internship January 2000-July 2001 Observed trials and procedures and provided case summaries after sentencing, reported to the judge. Prepared legal memoranda in the areas of criminal, criminal procedure, and property law, as well as worked closely with clerks to provide effective and efficient services to clients. Languages & Professional Affiliations Fluent in English, Farsi, Arabic (Criminal Law Texts), knowledge of Italian American Society of Criminology International Society of Criminology Southern Criminal Justice Association Law & Society Association Phi Beta Delta Honor Society Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa Course & Curriculum Designed Capital Punishment Curriculum for Law Schools Chatillon, France World Coalition, available at June 2009 The Death Penalty: Undergraduate Course Beaumont, TX Criminal Justice Program, Lamar University Fall 2011 Comparative Penology: Graduate Course Beaumont, TX Criminal Justice Program: Lamar University Fall 2011 Juvenile Justice in International Perspective: Graduate Course Beaumont, TX Criminal Justice Program: Lamar University Spring 2012 Women in Criminal Justice: Graduate Course Beaumont, TX

15 Criminal Justice Program: Lamar University Summer 2014 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems: Undergraduate/Graduate Onati & Madrid, Spain Study Abroad Program: Onati International Institute for the Sociology of law & Lamar University Sanaz Alasti Page 5 Publications Books Author, History of Corporal Punishment: A Comparative Historical Perspective, work in progress [In English]. Author, The Death Penalty in the Middle East, work in progress, Submitted to Harvard University Press [In English]. Co-editor with Jim Mann, Contemporary Issues in the Criminal Justice Systems, Hart Publishing, Oxford, UK, Submitted to Hart Publishing. Author, Cruel and Unusual Punishment: Comparative Perspective in International Conventions, the United States and Iran, Vandeplas Publication, Florida, US, March 2009 [In English]. Author, Criminal Law & Criminology Dictionary, Mizan Publication, Tehran, Iran, winter 2009 [English to Farsi]. Author, Pioneer Criminologists, Mizan Publication, Tehran, Iran, winter 2009 [In Farsi]. Translator, Crime & Punishment: A History of the Criminal Justice system, Mitchel Roth (Translation), Vol. 1, Mizan Publication, Tehran, Iran, summer 2006 [In Farsi]. Translator, Crime & Punishment: A History of the Criminal Justice system, Mitchel Roth (Translation), Vol. 2, Mizan Publication, Tehran, Iran, fall 2007 [In Farsi]. Co-Translator, Oxford History of Prison: The Practice of Punishment in Western Society, Norval Morris, David J. Rothman (Translation, Collective Work) Mizan Publication, Tehran, Iran, winter 2005 [In Farsi]. Author, Criminal Infringement of Copyright, Mizan Publication, Tehran, Iran, winter 2004 (Second edition, 2011) [In Farsi]. Book Chapter Author, Juvenile Death Penalty in Islamic Countries: The Road to Abolition is paved with paradox, Edited by Peter Hodgkinson in Capital Punishment Collections: New Perspectives, Ashgate Press, London, UK, Fall 2013 [In English]. -Co-Author with Eric Bronson, Comparative Study of Death Penalty in the United States and Iran, published in Right to Life and Death Penalty in Iran, Compilation of papers presented at the UCLA Death Penalty Conference, [In English] Co-Author with Eric Bronson, Women and the Death Penalty in Iran, Edited by Raphael Chenuil-Hazan, published in On the Death Penalty in Iran, published by Swedish International Development, March [In English] Author, Death Penalty in the Middle Eastern Countries, Edited by Sanaz Alasti & Jim Mann in Contemporary Issues in the Criminal Justice Systems, Hart Publishing, under review. [In English] Encyclopedia Contribution Co- Author with Eric Bronson, Crime and Punishment in Iran, The Wiley Encyclopedia of Crime & Punishment, Available in fall 2015 [In English].

16 Co- Author with Eric Bronson, Corrections in Iran, The Wiley Encyclopedia of Corrections, Available in spring 2016 [In English]. Sanaz Alasti Page 6 Law Reviews & Journals Author, Chronological and Geographical Differences in Execution Methods, Work in progress [In English]. Author, What is Wrong with Corporal Punishment: Official and Unofficial attitudes Towards the Abolition of Corporal Punishment, Work in progress [In English]. Author, The Return of Shaming: Comparative Study of Shaming Punishments in Texas and Tehran, Work in progress [In English]. Co-author, Contemporary Middle Eastern Harshness in the Application of Death Penalty: Why Israel Is the Only Abolitionist?, Onati Socio-Legal Series, Vol. 6, Available in Spring 2016, under review [In English]. Author, Co-Author with Eric Bronson, Sex Bias in Capital Cases, Special Review on Death Penalty, ECPM Journal, October 2014 [In French]. Author, Death by Stoning: An Overview and History of Death Penalty by Stoning, Iranshahr Criminal Law Journal Series, Vol. 40, Los Angeles, November, 2012 [In Persian]. Co-Author, Rethinking Youth Justice: Interpreting the Convention on the Rights of Child, Justice Department Journal, Vol. 39, Tehran, Iran, spring 2012 [In Persian]. Co-Author, Violation of Human rights in Juvenile Justice Systems, Justice Department Journal, Tehran, Iran, spring 2012[In Persian]. Author, Comparative Study of Stoning in the Religious of Islam and Judaism, Justice Policy Journal, March 2007 [In English]. Author, Comparative Study of Cruel and Unusual Punishment for Consensual As Homosexual Acts, Annual Survey of International and Comparative Law, Golden Gate University, Volume 12, 2006 [In English]. Author, Prevention of Women Victimization, Proceeding Journal, Tehran, Iran, fall 2006 [In Farsi]. Co-Author, Juvenile Delinquency, Justice Department Journal, Tehran, Iran, fall 2005 [In Farsi]. Author, Criminal Law in Shakespearean Works, Attorneyship Journal, Tehran, Iran, fall 2004 [In Farsi]. Author, Prison Population in the United States, Prisons Organization Journal, Tehran, Iran, fall 2004 [In Farsi]. Author, Criminal Procedure in Ancient Era, Prisons Organization Journal, Tehran, Iran, winter 2003 [In Farsi]. Reports & Congressional Reports provided for the Law Library of Congress Report provided for the Library of Congress on Iran s Upcoming Presidential Election, published by In Custodia Legis, July Report provided for the Library of Congress on Global Legal Collection Highlights, published by In Custodia Legis, September 2013.

17 Law Library of Congress report, Law on Use of Water in Agriculture, August Sanaz Alasti Page 7 Selected Presentations and Workshops Capital Punishment in Authoritarian Regimes, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Washington DC, November New Face of Terrorism, Southern Criminal Justice Association Conference, Charleston, SC, September Death Penalty in the Middle Eastern Countries, Contemporary Issues of Criminal Justice Systems Workshop, International Institute for the Sociology of Law, Onati, Spain, May Women and the Death Penalty: Comparative Perspective, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference, Orlando, FL, March The Future of Death Penalty, Phi Beta Delta Colloquium, Lamar University Landes Auditorium, Beaumont, TX, March Decriminalization of Sodomy, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, CA, November Study of Inhuman Punishments for Consensual Homosexual Acts in the Middle East and West, Annual ASMEA Conference, Washington D.C., October Policing Terrorism, SWACJ Conference, South Padre Island, TX, October Capital Punishment and Super Due Process, UCLA Death Penalty Conference, Los Angeles, CA, May A Dialogue among Scholars: Social, Legal and Ethical Issues about Capital Punishment and Computer Hacking, Cardinal Conversation event by Ken & Nancy Evan, President s house, Lamar University, February, Democracy and Punishment, ASMEA Conference, Arlington, VA, November Chronological and Geographical Differences in Execution Methods, American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, November A conversation on Death Penalty, Spindletop Unitarian Church of Beaumont, Beaumont TX, September Relationship between Political Events and the Death Penalty, Southern Criminal Justice Association Conference, Virginia Beach VA, September Capital Punishment Law of Iran, Law Library of Congress, Washington DC, August Harshness in the Law of Punishment: Widening divide between Texas & Tehran, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference, Dallas, TX, March Juvenile Death Penalty in Islamic Countries, Policy studies Organization Conference, Washington Dc, February Crime and Punishment in Sharia Law, International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences Seminar, Italy Siracusa, November Juvenile Death Penalty, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Chicago IL, November Contemporary Middle Eastern Harshness in the Application of Death Penalty: Why Israel Is the Only Abolitionist? Fifth Annual ASMEA Conference, Washington D.C., October Rebuilding Criminal Justice Systems, ECCSSA Annual Conference, Herndon, Virginia, March The Death Penalty Cross-Nationally, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Washington D.C., November Workshop on Crime and Criminal Justice Reform in Global Context, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA, Spring What is Wrong with Capital Punishment? Harvard Law School Lecture Series, Cambridge, MA, April 2011.

18 The Impact of International Law on Abolition of Death Penalty in a Time of Change: The Widening Divide between the United States and Iran, Fulbright Symposium, San Francisco CA, April Death Penalty in the United States, Tehran University, Criminology Institute, Tehran, Iran, September Sanaz Alasti Page 8 Chair of Panels Capital Punishment: International Perspectives, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Washington DC, November Co-Chair with Jim Mann, Contemporary Issues of Criminal Justice Systems Workshop, Onati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, Onati, Spain, May Chair, Contemporary Challenges of the Middle Eastern Criminal Justice Systems & Military Operations, Onati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, Onati, Spain, May Chair, Perceptions and Errors in Capital Punishment, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference, Orlando, FL, March Chair, Economics, Interventions, and Law, Annual ASMEA Conference, Washington D.C., October Chair, The Role of Democracy in Drafting a New Constitution in the Middle East, ECCSSA Annual Conference, Herndon VA, April Chair, Cross Cultural Comparisons on Capital Punishment, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference, Philadelphia, PA, February Chair, US Foreign Policy & International Terrorism Panel, By Institute of World Politics & Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, November Chair, Serious Juvenile Offenders, Life Imprisonment, and the Death Penalty, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Chicago IL, November Media Interviews, Organizing Workshops/Seminars & Consultancy Academic Organizer of Contemporary Issues of Criminal Justice Systems workshop, Onati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, Onati, Spain, May Consultant with Australian Government in regard to Refugee Review Tribunal, Summer New Yorker, Interview in the New Yorker about the Oscar winner movie A Separation, and the judicial system in the movie, February Invitee Faculty, NATO School and International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences Military Operations Seminar, Italy, November Library of Congress, An Interview with Sanaz Alasti, Scholar in Residence in Custodia Legis, August 2013.

19 Weekly interviews with Radio and TV channels located in LA regarding death penalty.

20 Summary Table of F.208 results, {Faculty, Dept, College} Teaching Research Service Weighted ave of 6

21 {Faculty, Dept, College} Summary of Students Evaluation: 2014 Course Name Course # Q1 Q5 Q6 Q10 Q11 Q30 Q31 Death Penalty CRIJ Summer 2014 Legal CRIJ Research / Brief Writing Spring 2014 Comparative CRIJ Penology Spring 2014 Q1- Learning objectives explained. Q5- Assignments aided learning. Q6- Instructor available. Q10- Overall, the instructor is a good teacher. Q11- Learned a lot overall. Q30- Grades returned timely. Q31- Clear course requirement in syllabus. Quotes from students: Very intelligent, informed, and passionate about the subject matters. Has a strong desire to involve students in conversations to help students comprehend material. Dr. Alasti is excellent at gathering sources and presenting it in a clear manner so everyone can understand it. Very professional. Articulate. Down to Earth despite all her accomplishments. Was there when I needed help in the course and advice. Always gave huge encouragement. Well-rounded. Dr. Alasti helped stretched me. Dr. Alati's class was very interesting. I wanted to know the different types of punishments in Middle Eastern countires because I wanted to compare it to the U.S. She was very helpful in the information that was available to her students. She was always there to clarify any problems if any. Most of all, she wanted to know what we thought, not a no your wrong class but always, What do you think? I enjoyed the class. 2 of 6

22 {Faculty, Dept, College} Summary of Students Evaluation: 2013 Course Name Course # Q1 Q5 Q6 Q10 Q11 Q30 Q31 Death Penalty CRIJ Fall Legal CRIJ Research And Writing Spring 2013 Crime & CRIJ Criminals Juvenile Justice Summer 2013 CRIJ Q1- Learning objectives explained. Q6- Instructor available. Q11- Learned a lot overall. Q31- Clear course requirement in syllabus. Q5- Assignments aided learning. Q10- Overall, the instructor is a good teacher. Q30- Grades returned timely. Quotes from students: Please see the attachment: Online Course Evaluations. She is very organized. She also delivers her message clearly and effectively. Her lectures make the topics that we discuss in class much more easy to understand. She is always prepared, and she gives students the help they are seeking. This class is a very valuable tool for any students who aspire to attend law school. As a student who plans on doing so, I believe that the skills I learned will give me an advantage in performing legal research in the future. I would love to see this course continue to be offered to Lamar students! Professor Alasti is very good at taking the time to explain in detail the material that she covers. She asks the students for questions or concerns to ensure that everyone understands, and repeats herself with no problem at all. She comes in with a smile everyday for class and greets the class with a warm welcome before she begins her lecture. She leaves comments on our tests and assignments when she grades to help us to do better the next time. Dr. Alasti is a wonderful professor! I have taken her three times throughout my college career, and every single time I feel that I have learned plenty. 3 of 6

23 {Faculty, Dept, College} Her classes are interesting, and her method of teaching is stupendous. She is just wonderful! Her teaching skills are incredible! Overall she is a spectacular professor. As far as offering helpful advice to students and being readily available to her students, she is one professor that I can always count on to help me out whenever I feel that I need guidance in class. 4 of 6

24 Summary of Students Evaluation: 2012 Course Name Course # Q1 Q5 Q6 Q10 Q11 Q30 Q31 Death Penalty CRIJ Summer Basic Legal CRIJ Research Spring 2012 Crime & CRIJ Criminals Fall 2012 Juvenile CRIJ Justice Q1- Learning objectives explained. Q5- Assignments aided learning. Q6- Instructor available. Q10- Overall, the instructor is a good teacher. Q11- Learned a lot overall. Q30- Grades returned timely. Q31- Clear course requirement in syllabus. Quotes from students: Please see the attachment: Online Course Evaluations. Dr. Alasti is probably the most qualified instructor on Lamar's campus to teach this subject matter. She is very knowledgeable on the topic and has a passion for passing on her knowledge and experience - Excellent professor. Mrs. Alasti's teaching methods are interesting and helpful. Her educational background is very knowledgeable of such subjects and she speaks of topics with ease and much understanding in a manner that is easy for student s to comprehend. She is very good in engaging students in critical thinking and discussions. Encourages students to participate in class and include their opinions on the subject matter. Sanaz Alasti is a fantastic addition to the staff of criminal justice professors at Lamar University. Her knowledge of international affairs regarding human rights and criminal justice extends beyond anyone whom I have had the privilege of studying under. She is easily accessible and always willing to help. I very much enjoyed this class, I was like most who had a generic view point in concern to the death penalty. In the completion of this class i now have a more open minded position and do believe that there are better ways of punishing criminals. 5 of 6

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26 Syllabus Lamar University, a Member of The Texas State University System, is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate, Baccalaureate, Masters, and Doctorate degrees (more details at CRIJ Comparative Penology Spring (M 5:30 8:15 pm) Room: MA 111 Instructor: Dr. Sanaz Alasti sanaz.alasti@lamar.edu Office: Office Hours Monday 1:30 pm 4:30 pm Thursday 1:00 pm 4:00 pm Course Description This course is intended to provide students with a survey of selected areas and issues in comparative penology. We begin with a historical review of the origins of punishments and then proceed to an examination of the current thinking regarding modern forms of punishment. Using a comparative historical approach, the goal in this course is to illustrate the similarities and differences in punishment responses over time and place. Moreover, the course will attempt to draw lessons from the history of penology relevant to the likely future of penology. 3 units. Student Learning Outcomes 1. Students will gain an historical perspective regarding the origins of punishment as well as the various "eras" of punishment philosophy. 2. Students will learn about current issues relevant to correctional institutions (i.e., special needs inmates, death penalty, corporal punishments, and suggestions for reform). 3. Students will engage in critical thinking and analysis of current issues relevant to penal systems Lamar University 1 of 9

27 Instructor s Biography Dr. Sanaz Alasti is recently completed her Postdoctoral research at Harvard law school. She awarded a Fellowship from Harvard law school for her research on "Comparative Study of Capital Punishment: The Internal Critique," which examines criminal justice reform in the world. She has taught the following courses: Criminology, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Introduction to Criminal Justice System, Corrections, Organized Crime, Gangs & Terrorism. She has worked at ACLU of Northern California and subsequently worked on a project analyzing the relationship between sentencing outcomes and racial characteristics in homicide cases charged and sentenced in Tulare County, CA at Habeas Corpus Resource Center. She has written numerous books and articles on various aspects of Comparative Criminal Justice & penology. She has been active in death penalty projects challenging the unfairness and arbitrariness of capital punishment and currently working on: "Teaching Abolition" a project proposing death penalty curriculum to stimulate broader exploration and discussion of capital punishment topics in law schools. Dr. Alasti received a S.J.D. (Scientiae Juridicae Doctor) from Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, California; after obtaining LL.M (Master of Laws) in criminal law & criminology, and her LL.B (Bachelor of Laws) with Honors. She has research experience in the criminal justice system of United States and comparative criminal justice systems. Course Topics History of punishment thoughts History of corporal punishments History of Capital punishment History of prisons Harsh penal systems Contemporary corporal punishments Capital punishment in retentionist and abolitionist countries Execution methods Stoning Punishments and international law Human rights and penal systems Religion and harsh punishments Pioneer penologists The future of Harsh penal systems 2012 Lamar University 2 of 9

28 Academic Prerequisites Admission to Lamar University. Course Materials Required Text Miethe, Terance, and Hong Lu (2005). Punishment: A Comparative Historical Perspective, New York: NY: Cambridge University Press. Accessibility Statement It is the policy of Lamar University to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law. Should you need accommodation, visit the Office for Students with Disabilities website at or call the office by dialing (409) Also know that I will assist in whatever way I can to ensure that this course supports the university s commitment to equal education opportunities. Academic Integrity Statement Lamar University expects all students to engage in academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach. Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in their academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action. Disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against a student accused of any form of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work which is to be submitted, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. Plagiarism shall mean the appropriation of another s work or idea and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work or idea into one s own work offered for credit. Collusion shall mean the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing work offered for credit. Abuse of resource materials shall mean the mutilation, destruction, concealment, theft or alteration of materials provided to assist students in the mastery of course materials. Academic work shall mean the preparation of an essay, report, problem, assignment, creative work or other project that the student submits as a course requirement or for a grade. Students are specifically warned against all forms of plagiarism, which include purchasing, or otherwise acquiring and submitting as one s own work any research paper or other writing assignment prepared by an individual or firm. Plagiarism is defined as, the appropriation and the unacknowledged incorporation of another s work or ideas into one s own offered for credit (82). Students seeking to avoid plagiarism should consult either the course instructor or the most recent addition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. The course instructor will complete a thorough and impartial investigation of any instance of academic dishonesty. A student found guilty of academic dishonesty will be notified in writing by the instructor of the violation, the penalty, and the student s right to appeal the determination of dishonesty and/or the 2012 Lamar University 3 of 9

29 sanction imposed. Penalties for academic dishonesty in this course will result in either a lowered letter grade or failure of the course as determined by the instructor. Privacy Policy Statement Student records maintained by Lamar University comply with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (PL93-380). Detailed information should be accessed through this link: Grading Policy and Evaluation Grading Exams 35 % Projects and Assignments 55 % Participation 10 % A grade of 90 percent or higher earns an A grade; 80 to 89 percent earns a B grade; 70 to 79 percent earns a C grade; 60 to 69 percent earns a D grade. Make-up Work Each student has the opportunity to make up one missed major in-class graded event. Drop Dates This course adheres to the add/drop standards for each term as stated by Lamar University. For more details, refer to the Lamar Academic Calendar. If the link does not work, visit Lamar University at and search the site with the term, Academic Calendar. Course Evaluation Instruction as well as student performance is subject to evaluation. Procedures for evaluation will be provided near the end of this course. mylamar Portal Students are asked to obtain a Lamar Electronic Account username and password so they can log onto the mylamar Web site. Students may get information on how to get into the mylamar Web site from the University s homepage ( by clicking on the mylamar link on the left top corner of the screen. Follow the steps to secure your mylamar username and password. Access to library resources is described on the Academic Partnership page, also available through the Lamar University 4 of 9

30 Course at a Glance: Course Requirements Students must complete the following requirements in order to complete this course: - Complete a (15-20 pages) paper. - Write a response to: For Questions by Discussion based on weekly syllabus (1 page). - Read weekly handouts. Other Activities: -Group discussions -Presenting & analyzing charts & figures -Watch & discuss the videos related to the topic -Introducing web links related to the topic Course Content Outline COURSE AT A GLANCE: Weekly Schedule Topic Areas: Assignments: Assessments: Week1- Monday January 13 -Course Overview -Course Requirement - History of Punishment Thoughts & Practice -Read chapter 1, page 1-14, and chapter 2, page (Book) -Read handout: The Early History of Correctional Thoughts & Practice 2012 Lamar University 5 of 9

31 Week 2- Monday January 20 Martin Luther King Holiday Week 3- Monday -History of Corporal Punishments -Read Chapter 2 page Read handout: Corporal Punishment January 27 Week 4- Monday February 3 -History of Prisons -Read handout: Throwing Away the Key: Imprisonment Paper Assignment Topic Due Quiz 1 Week 5 Monday -History of Capital Punishment -Read chapter 4, page (Book) February 10 -Read the handout. Week 6 Monday -Harsh Penal Systems -Read handout: Degradation, Harshness and Mercy Quiz 2 February Lamar University 6 of 9

32 Week 7 Monday February 24 -Contemporary Corporal Punishments -Read handout: Corporal Punishment, page Paper Assignment Outline Due -Read chapter 2, page (Book) Week 8 Monday March 3 -Capital Punishment in Retentionist v. Abolitionist Countries -Read chapter 3, page (Book) -Read the handout. Week 9 Monday Spring Break March 10 Week 10 Monday March 17 -Harsh Execution Methods -Read handout: Execution Methods -Read handout: comparative study of stoning in Islam and Judaism Midterm Week 11 Monday -Punishments & International Law -Read handout: Prohibition of Cruel and Unusual Punishment under International Law March 24 -Review UN Standards, Guidelines, and International Instruments Regarding Punishments 2012 Lamar University 7 of 9

33 Week 12 Monday March 31 -Religion & Harsh Punishments -Read chapter 6, page (Book) -Read handout: Capital Punishment in the Old Testament Week 13 Monday April 7 -Human Rights & Penal Systems -Read handout: International Human Rights Perspective Quiz 3 Week 14 Monday April 14 -Depenalization of Moral Offenses -Read handout: Cruel and Unusual Due to the Status of Offender -Read handout: The Road Not Taken: Using the Eighth Amendment to Strike Down Criminal Punishment For Engaging in Consensual Sexual Acts Week 15 Monday -The Future of Harsh Penal Systems -Read chapter 7, page (Book) Quiz 4 April 21 Week 16 Monday April 28 Library Paper draft is due Week 17 Monday May 5 Presentations Paper Assignment Presentation Paper Assignment Due 2012 Lamar University 8 of 9

34 Attendance Standards Students are expected to attend all classes as scheduled, to arrive on time, and to remain until the end of each class. Absences should occur only in the event of illness or unforeseen and unavoidable situations or emergencies. All students are expected to attend classes beginning with the first day of each semester. A new or continuing student who has not attended during the add/drop period must attend the first class meeting(s) immediately following the add/drop period in order to remain enrolled in the course or courses for the semester. Additional Attendance Guidelines In order to be successful, students are strongly encouraged to attend at least 85% of the scheduled class meetings per semester. Students whose attendance falls below 80% will fail the course. Tardy or Early Departure from Class There may be occasions when students enter after a class has started or may have reason to leave before the end of a class. Students are expected to inform me in advance and enter or leave class quietly, minimizing any disruption. Academic Continuity Plan In the event of an announced campus closure in excess of 4 days due to a hurricane or other disaster, students are expected to login to Lamar University s website s homepage ( for instructions about continuing courses remotely. Instructor s Classroom Policies These expectations exist so everyone in the class understands the expectations of the instructor and the school. By practicing good classroom behaviors, students should expect that these behaviors will translate into positive workplace experiences. Phones: Food: Students can bring cell phones to class. Make sure to set it to ring silently and answer the calls in the hallway during scheduled breaks. I would recommend notifying friends and relatives to call you after class hours unless there is an emergency to minimize the disruption in class as would be expected in the workplace. No food inside the classroom Lamar University 9 of 9

35 HARVARD LAW SCHOOL Labor and Worklife Program HarvardTradeUnionProgram 25 MT. AUBURN STREET, third floor CAMBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS Dr. John Trumpbour Tel: (617) Research Director Fax: (617) September 9, 2015 To the members of the committee, Sanaz Alasti has made significant research contributions in the study of comparative criminal justice systems and on the role of religion in the punishment of crime. She is delivering to the U.S. legal community powerful insights revealing the workings of criminal justice systems from around the world. I believe I am well qualified to comment on Alasti s qualifications through my decades of academic experience at leading universities. Currently serving as Research Director of the Labor & Worklife Program at Harvard Law School, I have organized conferences focused on the economics of crime, and our program holds annual meetings with law enforcement officials from the fifty largest urban areas of the United States. I have served as guest editor of TheComparativeLabor Law & Policy Journal, which allowed me to evaluate and publish some of the most accomplished legal scholars and practitioners from around the world. After earning a PhD from Harvard University, I received the Allan Nevins Prize for Literary Excellence in the Writing of History from the Society of American Historians. In spring 2011, I became familiar with Alasti s scholarship after attending the presentation of her latest work at a Harvard Law School seminar. Focused on the role of religion in crime and punishment, she delivered an extraordinary overview of the variety of outcomes in criminal justice systems throughout the world. Some of this work will be published by one of the chief research centers at Harvard Law School. Alasti deals with controversial topics in jurisprudence systems, including the history and implementation of capital and corporal punishment. She demonstrates tremendous patience for the many different viewpoints on these matters and treats intellectual adversaries with the utmost respect. She is a model for democratic dialogue and exchange, enabling her U.S. audience and colleagues to understand how others regard our evolving institutions and practices. She notes that almost all nations believe in prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment, but then so many countries disagree about the very definition of what is cruel and unusual. Alasti has contributed breakthroughs to understanding the cultural and