Dawn Cecil

Associate Professor of Criminology and Program Director

Dr. Cecil has been teaching criminology at USF-St Petersburg since August, 2002. Her primary research interest is examining media portrayals of female offenders and of prisons.  When not watching prison documentaries she is working with Drs. James McHale and Anne Strozier on a grant funded by the National Institution of Child Health and Development that examines the relationship between mothers in jail and their mothers who are caring for their children during incarceration.  Dr. Cecil also serves as faculty advisor to the Criminology Student Association.   

B.S. Criminal Justice Sciences, Illinois State University M.A. Criminal Justice Sciences, Illinois State University Ph.D. Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Maryland

Research Interests:
Prisons and prisoners in the media; female offenders in the media, incarcerated mothers and their children.

Areas of Expertise:

Media portrayal of prisons and prisoners
Media portrayal of female offenders
Incarcerated mothers and their children
Corrections
Gender and Crime

Courses Offered:
American Correctional Systems, Criminological Theories, Senior Seminars on Gender & Crime and Crime, Media, & Popular Culture.