Jeffrey Shook

  • Professor

Professor Jeffrey Shook received a PhD in social work and sociology and an MSW, both from the University of Michigan; a JD from American University; and a BA in economics from Grinnell College. His primary appointment is in the School of Social Work and he holds affiliated appointments in the School of Law and Department of Sociology.

His research examines the intersection of law, policy, and practice in the lives of children and youth. Specifically, his research focuses on the transfer of juveniles to the adult criminal justice system, the administration of juvenile justice, the movement of youth across child and youth serving systems, and the experiences of youth “aging out” of the child welfare system. Jeff also is involved in efforts to end the sentencing of juveniles to life sentences without the opportunity for parole both in Pennsylvania and nationally.

Research Interests

  • Research in the intersectional area of law, policy and practice for children and youth (juvenile criminal justice system) 

Selected Funded Grants

Co-Principal Investigators: Jeffrey Shook and Sara Goodkind, Understanding Transitions to Adulthood among Child Welfare Involved Youth. Funder: Department of Human Services, Allegheny County (Primary funding from the Pittsburgh Foundation and Eden Hall Foundation

Selected Awards

Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award, University of Pittsburgh (2013)

Representative Publications

Shook, Jeffrey J., Michael Vaughn, and Christoper Salas-Wright.  Patterns of adolescent drug selling in the United States.  Journal of Criminal Justice.

Finn, J.L., Lynn Nybell, and Jeffrey J. Shook. 2013. Place, power and possibility: Transforming social work with children and youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(1159-1165).

Shook, Jeffrey J., Sara Goodkind, David Herring, Ryan Pohlig, Karen Kolivoski, and Kevin Kim. 2013.  How different are their experiences and outcomes? Comparing aged out and other child welfare involved youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(11-18).

Visser, Joanna and Jeffrey J. Shook. 2013. The Supreme Court’s emerging jurisprudence on the punishment of juveniles. Court Review Journal, 49(24-39).

Shook, Jeffrey J., Sara Goodkind, Ryan Pohlig, Lisa Schelbe, David Herring, and Kevin Kim. 2011. Patterns of mental health, substance abuse, and justice system involvement among youth aging out of the child welfare system. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 81(420-432).  

Shook, Jeffrey J., Michael G. Vaughn, Sara Goodkind, and Heath Johnson. 2011.  An empirical portrait of youthful offenders who sell drugs. Journal of Criminal Justice, 33(224-231).

Shook, Jeffrey J. 2011.  Prosecutorial decisions to treat juveniles as adults: Intersections of individual and contextual characteristics. Criminal Law Bulletin, 47(341-387).

Shook, Jeffrey J. and Sara Goodkind. 2009. Racial disproportionality in juvenile justice: The interaction of race and geography in pretrial detention for violent and serious offenders. Race and Social Problems, 1(257-66).

Nybell, Lynn, Jeffrey J. Shook, and Janet L. Finn (Eds.). 2009. Childhood, Youth, and Social Work in Transformation: Implications for Policy and Practice. New York: Columbia University Press.

Shook, Jeffrey J. and Rosemary C. Sarri. 2008. Trends in the commitment of juvenile offenders to adult prisons: Toward an increased willingness to treat juveniles as adults? Wayne Law Review, 54(1725-65).

CV

Areas of Expertise