Cesar Rebellon

How long have you been at George Mason University and what was your path like to get here?

I have been in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University for five years. Prior to that, I spent 18 years as a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at University of New Hampshire, including four years as Department Chair.

Can you tell me a little about your current research?

I am currently working on two theoretical projects and three empirical projects. The former concern whether wrongful conviction ironically contributes to criminogenic strain and whether the potential influence of social reinforcement on offending has been under-estimated in the mainstream criminological literature. The latter use original data to assess self-control’s malleability during adolescence, the degree to which social rewards motivate risk-taking among adolescents, and the mechanisms through which stable employment may prevent recidivism among formerly-incarcerated adults.

What do you like most about working with graduate students?

My favorite thing about working with graduate students is helping them translate their energy and academic curiosity into publishable papers while sharpening their academic abilities and gaining confidence along the way.

How would you describe your mentoring style to a prospective graduate student?

I would describe my mentoring style as informal, but intensive. I like to start by learning as much as I can about a student’s genuine academic interests and professional goals. I find that this helps me to provide individualized guidance, whether that be in the context of a graduate seminar, on assistance in conducting and disseminating co-authored work using the most appropriate methodological approaches, on guidance concerning strategic approaches to navigating the job market, or on anything else related to their professional development.

What graduate classes do you teach?

I currently teach CRIM 710: Criminological Theory and CRIM 760: Evidence-based Crime Policy.