Roberto Hugh Potter, interim chair and research director聽for the Department of Criminal Justice,聽has received the聽Peter P. Lejins Research Award聽for 2014 from the American Correctional Association.
The award is given in memory of pioneering聽researcher Peter Lejins and is聽the highest honor bestowed on a corrections researcher by the national association.
鈥淭he Lejins Award is given to an individual who has produced significant research for the correctional community and has demonstrated personal commitment and contribution to improve the profession of corrections,鈥� said James Gondles, ACA’s executive director.
Potter has conducted research and published extensively in the areas of crime and health,聽and particularly in areas where health systems and correctional systems intersect.
His聽current聽research interests include聽jail-based re-entry programs, community corrections and juvenile justice聽in the region.聽He places聽an emphasis on聽physical and mental health issues in and interventions with correctional populations.
In addition, Potter is working聽on substance abuse-related problems in criminal justice. He and Assistant Professor Jacinta Gau are collaborating on a study of efforts to reduce the impact of 鈥減ill mills鈥� in Florida聽with support from the National Institute of Justice.
The ACA presented Potter with聽the Lejins’ award聽at聽its聽Feb. 4 meeting聽in Tampa.聽In addition to recognizing his research, the ACA highlighted聽Potter’s contributions to the development of the Prison Rape Elimination Act Standards and聽a聽range of 鈥渟cience to service鈥� activities.
Potter thanked his colleagues over the years and the ACA leadership for their support of his work in bridging the academic, government and practice worlds.聽
鈥淭he greatest contribution academic- and government-based researchers can make is to translate the basic research of the university into the hands of practitioners, either as teachers or consultants to the field,鈥� he said.聽鈥淢y hope is to inspire the next generation of researchers to do this, regardless of where they happen to be employed.鈥�
Potter is a native of Florida. He earned his聽bachelor’s degree in psychology聽and sociology (’75)聽at the 海角直播 of South Florida and his master’s degree and doctorate in sociology (’77 and聽’82, respectively) at the 海角直播 of Florida.聽He has served as a researcher, educator and manager in education, nonprofit, and state and federal organizations over his work history. Potter joined the UCF faculty in 2008.