Jane M. Tucker, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
  • Temple University, Ph.D. Criminal Justice
  • West Chester University, M.S. Criminal Justice

Dr. Tucker joined the West Chester University Criminal Justice Department in 2011. Prior to joining the faculty WCU, Dr. Tucker taught criminal justice courses at both Kutztown University and at Temple University. Her practical criminal justice experience includes several years in private security followed by approximately 14 years of service as a law enforcement officer in both municipal and university settings. The majority of those years were spent as a police officer with the Lower Merion Township Police Department in Pennsylvania. While employed by Lower Merion Township Police Department, Dr. Tucker was trained in wide variety of specialty law enforcement topics and skills, including crime prevention, community policing, domestic violence, child abuse investigation, fatal traffic accident investigation, and hate crimes investigation. Additionally, Dr. Tucker served as a platoon investigator and a field training officer (FTO).

Dr. Tucker’s dissertation (completed in 2012) concerned the factors that influence officer willingness to use stress intervention services. She continues to be involved in research on police stress issues and serves on a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team as a peer provider. Dr. Tucker is currently the faculty advisor for the West Chester University Criminal Justice Club, Sigma Tau Omicron.

Research Interests: police stress, police organizational behavior, criminal justice policy, discretion, and victimization

Courses Taught: Introduction to Criminal Justice, Policing in America, Criminal Investigations, Forensic Science I, Investigations & Intelligence, Substance Abuse & Crime, Sex Crimes & the Law, and Management of Offenders