Criminal Justice Speaker Series

Jim Burch - President of the National Policing Institute

Monday, March 11, 2024 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM EDT
Merten Hall, #1204

RSVP NOW CLOSED

The Criminal Justice Speaker Series is a vibrant component of the MS in Criminal Justice graduate program. The speaker series brings individuals working at the cutting edge of criminal justice issues to Mason. All members of the Criminology, Law and Society Department are invited to attend.

We are very excited to announce a talk by Jim Burch, President of the National Policing Institute.

Jim Burch is the President of the National Policing Institute (NPI), a transformative and mission-centered organization pioneering advancements in policing by leveraging science and community innovations. Mr. Burch is the fifth person to serve as president of NPI, a national, independent, and nonpartisan organization established in 1970.

Mr. Burch leads a dedicated team of over sixty professionals, encompassing both practitioners and researchers, and champions the cause of effective and professional 21st-century policing to foster safer communities and a stronger democracy. Under his dynamic leadership, NPI has experienced an unprecedented rise, significantly amplifying its reach and influence both domestically and globally, building on an astounding six-fold increase in overall funding revenues from 2015 to 2023.

Before assuming his role at NPI, Jim Burch amassed over two decades of experience within the US Department of Justice (DOJ), scaling the ranks to occupy pivotal senior leadership positions. As the Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), an office with a budget exceeding $2 billion during his tenure, he held the distinguished position of overseeing the agency's operations and management, including those of six offices led by presidential appointees and five OJP management offices responsible for financial operations, technology, communications, human resources, audit, and EEO functions. As the highest-ranking career staff member in OJP, Mr. Burch engaged with members of Congress, congressional committees, and cabinet officials and their senior staff. During his subsequent tenure as Acting Assistant Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), a federal law enforcement agency within the DOJ, his role entailed orchestrating multifaceted engagement and strategies spanning congressional, inter-governmental, and public affairs both nationally and in Washington.

Mr. Burch's career within DOJ was further underscored by his presidential appointment as Acting Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, where he directed over $500 million in annual funding and investments to bolster state and local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies across the US. His diverse roles furnished him with unparalleled insights into the intricacies, challenges, and opportunities of state and local criminal justice systems, enabling him to spearhead transformative federal criminal justice policies and initiatives.

After twenty years of federal service, Mr. Burch transitioned to the civil sector, joining NPI as Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives in 2015, where he harnessed his extensive expertise to propel NPI into a vanguard of evidence-based policing and innovation.

Jim Burch's career extends beyond his NPI presidency and federal service. He presently holds the esteemed position of Senior Fellow at George Mason University's Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, where he earned induction into the Evidence-Based Policing Hall of Fame for championing evidence-based policies in law enforcement. Mr. Burch is an Adjunct Instructor at George Mason University and has published on the topic of evidence-based policing and criminal justice improvement. His commitment to the field is evidenced by his board membership in national organizations such as the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Fund, the National Public Safety GIS Foundation, and a youth-focused civics education organization called Street Law, Inc.

Mr. Burch earned a bachelor's degree in criminology from the University of Maryland and a Master of Administration degree from Central Michigan University.

 

George Mason University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs, and activities. Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by contacting Rachel Morgan (rmorga5@gmu.edu) at least 1-week prior to the event. 

NOTES:

• Attendees can attend talk in-person or via Zoom; must denote modality on RSVP form in the comments section (speaker will be in-person).
• RSVP by end of day, Friday, March 8, 2024.
• MS students in CRIM 517 need to submit an RSVP.
• For questions about this event, please contact the CLS Graduate Program Coordinator, Brielle DeMatteo at bdematt2@gmu.edu.