Hello, and welcome to the Spring 2011 edition of the Member Profiles section of the SARAH newsletter!
In this edition, we introduce you to Angela Gover, an Associate Professor at the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, and Patricia Gavin, an Associate Professor at Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts.
We choose people to profile using a random number generator (really!), but if you have suggestions for DWC members or significant contributors to the field of women and crime that you would like to see profiled, please contact Venezia Michalsen at michalsenv@mail.montclair.edu or Alana Van Gundy at yoderal@muohio.edu. We would enjoy hearing from you!
Until next edition,
Alana and Venezia
Angela R. Gover, Associate Professor
School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver
How did you become interested in the field of women and/or gender and crime?
I did my undergraduate education at New Mexico State University and double-majored in criminal justice and psychology. When I started college I planned on going to law school but that changed when I was an exchange student at the University of Maryland for one semester (fall, 1988). One of the criminology classes I took that semester was Victimology with Susan Miller, who was a graduate student at the time. I can honestly say that until I took Susan’s class I had not felt real academic passion about any course I had taken in my majors. So, after completing Susan’s class I decided to attend graduate school in criminology and criminal justice instead of going to law school. Susan’s class initiated my interest in crime victimization and over the years my interests have focused on women and gender and crime.
How do you define yourself as a scholar/activist/educator?
As a researcher I define myself as being passionate about what I study such as violence against women and the criminal justice system’s response to intimate partner violence. As a scholar I very much enjoy working with practitioners within the criminal justice during the course of my work. As an educator I consider myself to be a teacher and mentor. I enjoy the teaching aspect of my job as much as I enjoy the research side. Just as Susan Miller impacted my career path 23 years ago I hope to inspire students’ interests in crime victimization and issue related to gender and crime. Additionally, through my teaching I hope to empower young college students to seek out healthy, non-violent relationships or to get help if they find themselves in an abusive relationship.
What are your current projects or interests?
For a few years I have been working with Colorado’s Division of Criminal Justice – with their Domestic Violence Offender Board – on issues related to standards for batterer intervention. Colorado recently implemented an empirically based treatment model for offenders who are court ordered to attend treatment. The model is unique in that it is not based on a certain number of weeks, but allows for differential treatment (and containment) depending on offender risk level. The article: “New Directions for Domestic Violence Offender Treatment Standards: Colorado’s Innovative Approach to Differentiated Treatment” was published this month in the journal Partner Abuse and discusses the treatment model in detail. Besides work with the DVOMB I am looking at reasons why battered women who have had contact with the criminal justice system decide to not seek subsequent contact from the system.
How do you wind down after a stressful day?
I don’t have a ‘process’ for winding down after a stressful day. But – the one thing that can take my mind off stress is Maya, my 21 month old daughter. My favorite time is spent with Maya and my husband Ronnie. It doesn’t matter what we do together I always have a wonderful time.
What obstacles do you feel you have overcome to be where you are today?
When I first received my Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 2000 I felt like my age and being a woman were obstacles to feeling completely comfortable in my shoes as a new scholar in the male-dominated academic community. It is likely that every woman in academia has pondered…. “Would they have said/done that if I were a man?” I feel like I have overcome both obstacles as I matured in my career and confidence, but they are still real serious issues facing young female scholars. In fact, even though the number of female scholars in criminal justice and criminology are increasing, it may be that the attitudes of college students today make it even harder for young female scholars to break through those barriers. I have been fortunate to have had so many fantastic role models among women in the DWC, which I believe has contributed to the success I have had overcoming numerous obstacles. My most recent struggle has been finding a balance between family and work now that I am a mother. Before I became a mother my entire life focus was on my career. Motherhood has taught me a lot, especially about the necessity for a life/work balance.
What would you like to be remembered for?
On a professional level I would like to be remembered as a scholar who contributed to domestic violence research in such a way that it improved prevention and response efforts by the criminal justice system.
What is one of your lifelong goals?
My personal lifelong goal is to be the best mother I can possibly be for Maya. My professional lifelong goal is to witness a significant change in society’s attitudes towards violence against women and children.
If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Gover’s work, a recent article is:
Gover, Angela R. (2011). “New Directions for Domestic Violence Offender Treatment Standards: Colorado’s Innovative Approach to Differentiated Treatment.” Partner Abuse, 2, 95-120.
Patricia W Gavin, Associate Professor
Director of Criminal Justice Programs, Anna Maria College, Paxton, MA
How did you become interested in the field of women and/or gender and crime?
My early experiences in the field left me thinking of categories. A want to understand this feeds the interest and there is still so much to understand. I am also inspired by others who share the interest.
How do you define yourself as a scholar/activist/educator?
I define myself as a combination of all three with a goal to be better at each. Each informs the other yet can serve distinct purposes.
What are your current projects or interests?
My current research project addresses the area of criminal justice education and policy. Massachusetts is fairly unique in this and provides a very rich environment for exploration.
My interests have been bringing me back to the field of victim studies, where my first experiences in the field began. So I plan for my next research project to be in coordination with the Molly Bish Center for the Protection of Children and the Elderly with which I am actively involved.
Who is your favorite person (or animal!) to spend time with, and what are your favorite things to do when you are with them?
A wonderful day is spent with my husband and three small children, outdoors in the sun, burrowed in on a snowy day, and everything in between. Every new place and experience for them is a wonder and we delight in seeing the world through their eyes. I am not an overly creative person but marvel at (and even participate in) their love of art and music…the house is often noisy and decorated with the latest projects.
How do you wind down after a stressful day?
Being home with family and keeping my hands busy. Cooking and playing with my three children can always remind me of life’s priorities and that even the smallest of problems appear insurmountable when you lack perspective. Oh, and a glass of wine with my sister isn’t a bad idea, either.
What obstacles do you feel you have overcome to be where you are today?
I feel I have been very fortunate in my life. Not that it has always been easy but I have been surrounded by such wonderful people. Perhaps you can ask me that question again in twenty years.
What would you like to be remembered for?
I would like to be remembered for having been kind and for having made a difference, somewhere, to someone.
What is one of your lifelong goals?
A lifelong goal is to travel and study different cultures and systems.