John Leverso

Criminology, Gangs, Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Urban Sociology, Incarceration, Digital Social Sciences

John Leverso is a sociologist/criminologist. Drawing on the sociology of race and ethnicity, the sociology of gender, and the sociology of organizations, while using both quantitative and qualitative methods, Leverso’s work examines urban street gangs and includes theoretical frameworks for enduring gang membership and gang member masculinity maturation. Leverso’s current research agenda includes four areas related to contemporary street gangs 1) gangs in online settings, 2) interaction rituals, solidarity and hyper-surveillance, 3) gangs in the life course, and 4) the geographical correlates of street gangs. Outside of research on gangs, Leverso is also investigating the non-criminal, later-in-life consequences of youth justice involvement. Leverso has published articles in the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, the Journal of Adolescence, and the International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. He is also co-editing a volume on gangs titled The Oxford Handbook on Gangs and Society.

Leverso teaches courses related to criminology and research methods. Previously he has taught courses on Race and the Criminal Justice System, Criminology, Urban Street Gangs, and Social Statistics. At OU he will be teaching courses related to criminology, including the sociology of the urban street gang and research methods, including statistics. At OU Leverso is excited to encourage both graduate and undergraduate students in their own research pursuits and provide students with opportunities to engage with his own research as well.