Brian Forst, Ph.D.

Dr. Brian Forst is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Justice, Law & Criminology at the American University. He joined the American University faculty in 1992, following three years on the George Washington University faculty. Before that, he was director of research at the Institute for Law and Social Research (1977-85) and the Police Foundation (1985-89). His research interests include terrorism; miscarriages of justice; law enforcement; privatization of policing; prosecution; sentencing; criminal justice policy and the exercise of discretion; deterrence and the death penalty; law and economics; socioeconomics of crime and justice. His research on prosecution, policing, and the deterrent effect of the death penalty is cited extensively. His has been awarded the Book of the Year award in 2006 (Errors of Justice: Nature, Sources and Remedies), Teaching Excellence Award in 2002, and the Outstanding Scholarship Award in 2008.