Outstanding Professional Award
Director Angelo Della Manna
Angelo Della Manna is Director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS)
where he oversees the State’s forensic sciences program, directs the work of agency
investigative, scientific and medical personnel at the central office location as well as
field offices and labs throughout the state, and is responsible for the overall comprehensive and technical training program for all agency staff.
Angelo began his 25-year career with ADFS as a Biology Section Laborer in 1993. Subsequently, he has been a Forensic Scientist (Biology Casework; 1995-2017); Chief of Forensic Biology & DNA (2002-2017); and Deputy Director (2017-2018).
In January of 2018 Angelo was appointed to the position of ADFS Director by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. At the appointment ceremony, General Marshall had this to say:
. . . Angelo brings to the position considerable experience and leadership as
both a veteran of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and a nationally recognized authority in the field of forensic science. His extensive background [with] the Department of Forensic Sciences will ensure that the vital laboratory and death investigation services provided to state and local law enforcement will continue to be of the highest caliber.
While with ADFS, Angelo has actively worked over 2,000 complex forensic cases ranging from burglary to capital murder; built a national leading forensic DNA program; assisted the Department in achieving International Laboratory Accreditation for the first time in its history; and secured and managed over $25 million in federal grant awards. He is also a qualified expert witness on forensic biology and DNA in state and federal court and certified by the American Board of Criminalistics. He is former member and subcommittee co-chair of the FBI Scientific Working Group on DNA Analytic Methods
where he helped draft and implement new Standards for the Analysis of Forensic DNA and former vice chair of the Biology/DNA Committee of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Organization of Scientific Area Committees.
Angelo has been featured on The Discovery Channel series “The New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science” and on 60 Minutes in an interview about advances in forensic DNA testing. He is also a recipient of the Southern Association of Forensic Sciences’ award for Distinguished Contribution to the Forensic Sciences for his work in forensic biology and DNA.
Angelo earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from the University of Toronto (1991) and a Master of Science in Forensic Science (MSFS) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (1993) where he was awarded an Embry Scholarship and earned the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Outstanding Educator Award
Dr. Bryan Miller, Clemson University
Bryan Miller is the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies (ADR) for the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences and a professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. He served as the 49th President of the Southern Criminal Justice Association, is a past Chair of the Drug and Alcohol Research Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and is an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Criminal Justice.
Dr. MIller earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Sociology from Virginia Tech and his Ph.D. in Criminology, Law and Society from the University of Florida. His work has evaluated drug abuse, probation practices, offender
reentry, deviant peers, and drug treatment. He has worked on projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Current projects include examining synthetic opioid trafficking networks, evaluating efforts to reduce the number of individuals with mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders in jail, evaluating treatment courts, designing law enforcement led initiatives to respond to individuals with mental illnesses, and supporting justice led programs to implement evidence-based practices to reduce substance abuse and divert individuals into treatment. He has authored over 70 articles and chapters as well as the books Emerging Trends in Drug Use and Distribution (2014, Springer) and Marijuana in America (2022, ABC-CLIO). He is the Founding Director of the Clemson University Center for Criminal Justice and Social Research (CJSR). He was a 2018-2019 Fulbright Scholar at Tampere University, Finland, a recipient of the 2019 Clemson University Research, Scholarship and Artistic Achievement Award, a recipient of the 2022 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Outstanding Mentor Award, and recipient of the 2022 College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences Award for Excellence in Research – Senior Scholar. Dr. Miller is an accomplished teacher and engaging classroom lecturer who clearly maintains a teaching philosophy of inclusiveness, receptiveness of critical feedback from students and promotion of alternative viewpoints to challenge conventional wisdom and encourage free thinking. He is also pedagogically creative and encourages students to think differently, to challenge their instincts, and to take risks in their work. In addition to work his work with his current graduate student and former graduate student mentees, he has worked closely with many junior faculty members at both Georgia Southern and Clemson University.
Tom Barker Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award
Abigail Curran, Clemson University
Abigail Curran is a senior at Clemson University. She is set to graduate in December, 2024 and has maintained a 3.93 GPA. During her time at Clemson, Abigail has served as a research assistant on multiple grants.
She has participated in original data collection and analysis as a part of her research assistantships, and undertook original data collection for her undergraduate thesis her. Her mentor, Dr. Kyle McClean, indicates “her thesis project promises to generate valuable insights and contribute significantly to
the academic literature through a reimagining of the CSI Effect for modern-day podcasts and true crime media”. In addition to her academic work, Abigail serves on the Clemson University Judicial board as well as being on the social media committee for the Office of Community and Ethical Standards at Clemson.
Outstanding Masters Student
Ellee Jackson
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Ellee Jackson is working on earned her master’s in criminal justice from the University of
Tennessee at Chattanooga. Ellee has always maintained a professional, engaged approach to learning and interaction with her peers. She has distinguished herself in terms of the quality of her written and verbal communication skills, as well as her tendency to submit work in advance of deadlines rather than simply meeting them.
Indeed, Ellee has repeatedly showcased a strong propensity for independent, critical thinking and a responsiveness to constructive feedback uncharacteristic of most students.
Ellee has served as a co-investigator on multiple research projects. One project involved the construction of an original survey of college student’s perceptions of the use of deadly force by police. She was actively involved in each stage of this process, including survey development, drafting and submission of IRB protocols, survey distribution, and data entry. She also co-authored two peer-reviewed journal publications related to the study. These include: “(Mis)Perceptions of the Use of Deadly Force by Police: Exploring
the Role of Media Consumption”, which is now available online at the International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology and “Policy Preferences Related to Police Use of Deadly Force: Exploring the Impact of Social Media Consumption and College Major”, which was published in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education. Elle has also contributed to a DOJ-funded implementation of a crime gun intelligence center at the Chattanooga Police Department. This work resulted in a publication in the American Journal of Criminal Justice titled “Time in Crime: An Added Dimension to the Study of Crime Guns.”
Ellee have generated a tremendous amount of respect for her work ethic,
professionalism, and time management skills. She is an exceptional young scholar that will soon begin work on her PhD in the Justice, Law, and Criminology program at American University, where she has received a fully funded assistantship.
Outstanding Doctoral Student
Zachary Buckner, University of Mississippi
Zach began The University of Mississippi Criminal Justice Policy Ph.D. program in 2021
after earning a M.A. in Criminal Justice at The University of Mississippi and a B.A. in
Criminal Justice from Averett University. His research interests include inmate behavior and reentry policy, criminal justice system organizational issues, and developmental / life-course criminology.
Zach’s exemplary academic achievements, coupled with his
commitment to leadership and public service, make him a deserving candidate for this accolade. He has consistently demonstrated academic excellence, maintaining a high 3.88 GPA throughout his graduate education. Notably, he has successfully defended his dissertation prospectus, which focuses on the intriguing intersection of developmental life course criminology and institutional infractions. This work promises to significantly
enhance our understanding of how risk and protective factors influence behavior within correctional facilities, showcasing his ability to contribute groundbreaking insights to the field of criminal justice.
Zach’s research record is impressive. He already has eight peer-reviewed publications, and is first author on three of these. His research appears in high-impact outlets, including Crime and Delinquency, the Journal of Crime and Justice, The Prison Journal, and Criminal Justice Studies. These studies not only reflect his scholarly rigor but also his dedication to addressing complex issues within the criminal justice system. His research reflects his experience working as a probation officer, providing innovative examinations
into problems facing corrections today. His work is empirically rigorous, theoretically motivated, and policy relevant, a difficult balance to achieve.
Zach’s leadership is evident in his role as President of the Alpha Phi Sigma Mu Rho Chapter, where he has significantly enhanced the academic and service activities of the organization. His ability to lead and inspire others has been instrumental in winning multiple awards for community service projects under his leadership.
Springer Outstanding American Journal of Criminal Justice Article
“When Your School is in a ‘Rough’ Neighborhood:
What Can Shield Youth from Crime and Delinquency?”
Anastasiia Timmer
California State University
Rachel Lautenschlager
University of Denver
Olena Antonaccio
University of Miami
Ekaterina V. Botchkovar
Northeastern University
Lorine A. Hughes
University of Colorado
Student and Untenured Faculty Travel Award
SCJA has set aside funds for students (undergraduate and graduate students are eligible) and untenured faculty to receive a two-night stay at the conference hotel. Applicants must be 1) current members of SCJA at the time of application, 2) lead author on a paper or poster at the conference, and 3) available to stay for two nights at the conference hotel.
2024 Recipients:
Savannah Doherty, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Godwin Egbe, University of Mississippi
Annabelle Frazier, University of Southern Mississippi
Shelby Gilbreath, University of Mississippi
Abigail Novak, University of Mississippi
Zoee Robinson, University of Southern Mississippi
Laura Whitsett, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Ellie Yates, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga