Brenda Russell
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Brenda Russell is an American Psychologist with an emphasis in psychology and law and educator, recognized for her pioneering work on gender dynamics, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, and criminal justice reform. She earned her Ph.D. in Applied Experimental Psychology with a concentration in Social Psychology and the Law from Saint Louis University in 1999, following a master's and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Central Connecticut State University.
Academic Career[edit]
Dr. Russell is an Emeritus Academy Professor of Psychology at Penn State University, Berks. Throughout her career at Penn State, she has held pivotal roles, including Program Chair for the Criminal Justice and Applied Psychology Programs, where she developed innovative curricula to address evolving societal issues in psychology and criminal justice. She previously served as Program Director for the Forensic Psychology Graduate Program at Castleton University, where she also achieved tenure and helped shape forensic psychology education in the region.
Research and Scholarly Contributions[edit]
Russell's research focuses on addressing biases within the criminal justice system, particularly regarding gender, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence (IPV), and LGBT issues. A central theme is how gender and sexual orientation shape perceptions of both offenders and victims, influencing police, judicial, and public responses. By examining these biases, she aims to foster a more equitable approach to IPV cases, advocating for gender-inclusive responses that account for diverse dynamics, especially within heterosexual and LGBT relationships.
Additionally, her work explores stigma reduction, particularly in law enforcement training, to improve police interactions with marginalized communities, including sexual minorities and individuals with substance use disorders. Dr. Russell also investigates societal stereotypes surrounding female offenders, highlighting the need for fair and unbiased treatment within the justice system. Through this research, she provides evidence-based recommendations for policy reforms aimed at creating a more inclusive and responsive justice system.
To date, Dr. Russell has published seven books, more than 60 scholarly journal articles, and numerous book chapters on topics ranging from intimate partner violence to the effects of gender stereotypes in the legal system. Her influential works includes: Gender and Domestic Violence: Contemporary Legal Practice and Intervention Reforms[1] (2022), a comprehensive examination of gender-inclusive approaches to intimate partner violence, and Intimate Partner Violence in the LGBT Community: Understanding Power Dynamics[2] (2020[2]), which highlights power dynamics in LGBT relationships and calls for reform in domestic violence policies. Additionally, her second edition two-volume book Perceptions of Female Offenders: How Stereotypes and Social Norms Affect Criminal Justice Responses[3] (2023) explores the often-overlooked impact of societal norms on the treatment of female offenders within the criminal justice system.
Dr. Russell's scholarly articles appear in highly regarded journals such as Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Psychology of Men and Masculinity, Law and Human Behavior,[4] Sex Roles[5], and Journal of Crime and Justice,[6] with a notable 2019 paper on police perceptions in intimate partner violence cases earning her the Journal of Crime and Justice's Outstanding Paper of the Year award. Her research frequently examines biases in criminal justice, exploring how gender, sexual orientation, and stigma impact perceptions of offenders and victims. Her work on police perceptions and intimate partner violence has contributed significantly to policy discussions on law enforcement training and judicial responses to domestic violence cases involving LGBT individuals.
Dr. Russell also serves as an expert in various family and criminal trials pertaining to domestic violence related homicides, attempted murder, and family disputes.
Awards and Honors[edit]
Dr. Russell's contributions to research and teaching have been widely recognized. In 2018, she received the Jack P. Royer Active and Collaborative Learning Award,[7] awarded to commonwealth faculty who demonstrate innovative teaching practices to enhance student learning and facilitate student engagement in learning to advance conceptual and applied understanding and competencies. Other accolades include the Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching[8] (2017), awarded to faculty within the Penn State system for excellence in teaching and mentoring, and the 2022 Stigma of Addiction Shatterproof Innovation Showcase award.[9] She is also a fellow for the Midwestern Psychological Association.[10] Her honors underscore her commitment to advancing both educational innovation and socially impactful research.
Grants and Professional Service[edit]
Throughout her career, Dr. Russell has been awarded numerous internal and external grants for her research. Notable projects include grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, the Bureau of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial, and the U.S. Department of Education. She has led or co-authored several multi-year evaluations for the Dept of Education and Dept of Justice, including after-school programs, gang behavior in schools, and teaching curriculum. She also conducted training and evaluation designed to reduce stigma in students, laypersons and law enforcement, as well evaluating law enforcement's response to partner violence among sexual minorities and initiatives to improve community health in rural areas. Additionally, Dr. Russell serves on the University Senate, Diversity Committee, and Criminal Justice Research Center at Penn State, and has advised national and international organizations on policies regarding domestic violence and gender inclusivity.
Selected Works[edit]
- Perceptions of Female Offenders, Vol. 1 & 2[11] (2023) – Analyzes the impact of stereotypes and social norms on criminal justice responses to female offenders.
- Gender and Domestic Violence: Contemporary Legal Practice and Intervention Reforms[1] (2022) – Offers practical, gender-neutral solutions to reforming intimate partner violence laws and practices.
- Intimate Partner Violence in the LGBT Community[2] (2020) – Examines power dynamics within LGBT intimate relationships, advocating for inclusive policy reforms.
- Perceptions of Female Offenders[12] (2013) –Examines perceptions of female offenders, social norms and criminal justice response to female offenders.
- Battered Woman Syndrome as a Legal Defense[13] (2010) – A landmark work that critically examines the history, application, and implications of using Battered Woman Syndrome as a defense in court.
- Online Research Essentials: Designing and Implementing Research Studies[14] (2009) – A comprehensive guide for conducting online research with rigor and ethics.
Media and Public Engagement[edit]
Dr. Russell's expertise has been featured by media outlets including [1]NPR, [2]CNN, [3]Slate, [4]USA Today,[5]Refinery 29, [6] Deseret News, [7]Record Searchlight, and [8]UPI where she has discussed issues ranging from sexual harassment, intimate partner violence to gender and sexual identity biases in the criminal justice system. Her insights have contributed to a broader public understanding of these topics, especially in the contexts of gender, sexuality, and criminal justice reform.
References[edit]
- Yuki Noguchi: Compliment or Come-On? Confusion over how to define sexual harassment NPR[15] (Dec 18, 2017).
2. Julia Carpenter, Are older generations more tolerant of sexual harassment?[16] CNN (Nov 9, 2017) CNN
3. Rebecca Gale Survey Finds Many Harassers are under 40. We shouldn't be surprised[17].Slate (Dec 5, 2017)
4. Maria Puente Does your generation determine how you perceive sexual harassment?[18] USA Today (Nov 6, 2017)
5. Natalie Gontcharova Are there generational differences in how we talk about #MeToo[19] Refinery 29 (Jan 17, 2018)
6. Erica Evans Justice or vigilantism? Here's why some GenZ survivors of sexual assault are turning to social media.[20] (July 5, 2020).
7. Damon Arthur Fox in the henhouse: How law enforcement officers get away with domestic violence[21] Record Searchlight (Nov 15, 2019)
8. News Female offenders treated differently[22] UPI U.S. News (Jan 26, 2013)
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://global.oup.com/academic/product/gender-and-domestic-violence-9780197564028?cc=us&lang=en&
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Russell, Brenda, ed. (2020). Intimate Partner Violence and the LGBT+ Community. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-44762-5. ISBN 978-3-030-44761-8 – via link.springer.com. Search this book on
- ↑ Russell, Brenda; Torres, Celia, eds. (2023). Perceptions of Female Offenders, Vol. 1. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-42007-8. ISBN 978-3-031-42006-1 – via link.springer.com. Search this book on
- ↑ Wiener, Richard L.; Hurt, Linda; Russell, Brenda; Mannen, Kelley; Gasper, Charles (October 29, 1997). "Perceptions of sexual harassment: The effects of gender, legal standard, and ambivalent sexism". Law and Human Behavior. 21 (1): 71–93. doi:10.1023/A:1024818110678. PMID 9058574.
- ↑ Russell, Brenda L.; Trigg, Kristin Y. (April 29, 2004). "Tolerance of Sexual Harassment: An Examination of Gender Differences, Ambivalent Sexism, Social Dominance, and Gender Roles". Sex Roles. 50 (7/8): 565–573. doi:10.1023/B:SERS.0000023075.32252.fd.
- ↑ Russell, Brenda (March 15, 2018). "Police perceptions in intimate partner violence cases: the influence of gender and sexual orientation". Journal of Crime and Justice. 41 (2): 193–205. doi:10.1080/0735648X.2017.1282378.
- ↑ "Commonwealth Campus faculty receive Jack P. Royer Award". Penn State Berks.
- ↑ "Russell, Staley receive Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching | Penn State University". www.psu.edu.
- ↑ "Stigma work by researchers showcased at Shatterproof's Addiction Stigma Summit | Penn State University". www.psu.edu.
- ↑ https://midwesternpsych.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/02/MPA-Fellows-2018-and-Earlier.pdf
- ↑ Russell, Brenda; Torres, Celia, eds. (2023). Perceptions of Female Offenders, Vol. 2. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-45685-5. ISBN 978-3-031-45684-8 – via link.springer.com. Search this book on
- ↑ Russell, Brenda L., ed. (2013). Perceptions of Female Offenders. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5871-5. ISBN 978-1-4614-5870-8 – via link.springer.com. Search this book on
- ↑ "Battered Woman Syndrome as a Legal Defense - McFarland". mcfarlandbooks.com.
- ↑ "Online Research Essentials: Designing and Implementing Research Studies | Wiley". Wiley.com.
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2017/12/18/571133585/compliment-or-come-on-confusion-over-how-to-define-sexual-harassment
- ↑ Carpenter, Julia (October 12, 2017). "Are older generations more tolerant of sexual harassment?". CNNMoney.
- ↑ Gale, Rebecca (December 5, 2017). "Survey Finds Many Harassers Are Under 40. We Shouldn't Be Surprised". Slate – via slate.com.
- ↑ Puente, Maria. "Does your generation determine how you perceive sexual harassment?". USA TODAY.
- ↑ Gontcharova, Natalie. "Are There Generational Differences In How We Talk About #MeToo?". www.refinery29.com.
- ↑ "Has social media replaced the justice system?". Deseret News. July 6, 2020.
- ↑ Arthur, Damon. "'Fox in the Henhouse': How law enforcement officers get away with domestic violence". Record Searchlight.
- ↑ "Criminal justice affected by perceived female stereotypes - UPI.com". UPI.
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