Criminal Justice · Law · Business · Sports Administration
PhD·JD·MBA·Police Officer, Rsv.
Professor, author, attorney, and reserve police officer — teaching criminal justice, law, business, and sports administration online — and writing the books the field learns from.
Available for online teaching appointments — adjunct or full-time — in criminal justice, law, business, and sports administration, from the associate to the doctoral level.
Books
Books on the field's core subjects — policing, criminology, criminal procedure, criminal law, juvenile justice, and corrections — written for students, practitioners, and anyone who wants to understand how the justice system actually works.
The Pillars of Criminal JusticePractices, Policies, and ProceduresView on Amazon →
Foundations of CriminologyCrime, Theory, and JusticeView on Amazon →
Practice of Criminal ProcedureRights, Redress, and ObligationsView on Amazon →
Juvenile Justice PolicySystem, Process and ReformView on Amazon →
The System of CorrectionsInnovation, Penal Practice, and Systemic ReformView on Amazon →Pre-order
Foundations of American PolicingTheory and Justice from Patrol to Policy · Coming 2027Pre-order the eBook →
Criminal Law PerspectivesA System of Policy, Principles and ReformView on Amazon →Earlier readers for Wadsworth-Cengage — Courts and the Law (2010) and Victimology (2009) — and the full bibliography are on the curriculum vitae. Also by Dr. Ackerman: books on Parkinson's disease, policing, and the law.
Biography
George Ackerman interned in the Office of the State Attorney for Florida's 17th Judicial Circuit, researching felony cases and — once certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a legal intern — arguing motions and trying misdemeanor cases in county court. He went on to research white-collar, healthcare, and admiralty matters at Broad and Cassel, and later ran his own part-time practice in business and criminal law, admitted to the bar in 2006 and to the U.S. District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
In 2005 he completed the Miami-Dade Police Academy as squad leader, with honors, and has served as a sworn reserve police officer since 2006 — patrol, marine patrol, the detective unit, and joint juvenile-warrant operations with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and held a Department of Homeland Security certificate.
Education runs through all of it: a B.A. in criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University, a J.D. and an M.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University, master's degrees in criminal justice & psychology and in sports administration, and a Ph.D. in criminal justice from Capella University, completed with distinction and a 4.0 average. He has taught criminal justice, law, business, and sports administration online since 2006 — at the University of Maryland Global Campus, Palm Beach State College, and as a full-time associate professor at Kentucky State University — and is currently Lecturer of Criminal Justice at Northern New Mexico College. He is the author of two Wadsworth-Cengage readers, Courts and the Law and Victimology, and of a criminal justice book series, from The Pillars of Criminal Justice to Foundations of American Policing.
Teaching & areas of expertise
More than one hundred distinct courses taught since 2003, in programs from certificate to Ph.D. — nearly all of it online — with a practitioner's habit of bringing the case file, the statute, and the patrol shift into the discussion. Currently available for online teaching appointments, adjunct or full-time.
Criminology, criminal law and procedure, evidence, investigations, crime scene and forensics, corrections, victimology, juvenile justice, ethics, organized crime, white-collar crime, policing in America.
Constitutional law, contracts, torts, property, civil procedure, evidence, wills and trusts, family law, corporations, professional responsibility — including the Florida-specific bar subjects.
Introduction to homeland security, terrorism and counter-terrorism law, global terrorism, public policy and homeland security, emergency readiness and response management.
American government, the American Constitution, public administration and policy-making, politics and the law, modern constitutional theory.
Business law, business ethics, legal issues in management and human resources, organizational behavior, leadership and administration, management information systems, principles of marketing.
Sports administration, sports law, sports ethics, sports management, and sports in society — grounded in an M.S. in Sports Administration and a thesis on violence in Division I basketball.
Forensic and abnormal psychology, general psychology, behavioral criminology, deviant behavior, sociology, victimology.
Medical and legal ethics, ethics in criminal justice and in business, ethical decision-making, and the legal aspects of the fire service.
Nineteen years of online teaching, thirteen years at Palm Beach State College, a full-time associate professorship at Kentucky State University, police-academy instruction, and a current lectureship at Northern New Mexico College. Quality Matters certified for online course design. The full teaching history and course list are on the CV.
My goal is not simply to evaluate students, but to mentor them throughout their educational journey. Like the military, business, and law enforcement professions, I believe in developing individuals through leadership, teamwork, accountability, and a commitment to ensuring no one is left behind.
Having once been an online student myself, I understand the importance of accessibility, timely communication, and creating an engaging virtual learning environment.
From Dr. Ackerman's teaching philosophy
Practitioner experience
Prosecutor's office, private practice, patrol car, Coast Guard Auxiliary — the professional record behind the syllabus.
Research & publications
Dr. Ackerman's doctoral research examines how African American family members of homicide victims grieve, cope, and find support — work he continues to share with victim advocates, law enforcement, and educators.
Doctoral dissertation · Capella University, 2012
A quantitative study of 149 members of a support group for families of homicide victims, examining how time since the homicide, relationship to the victim, length of support-group attendance, and coping style predict the extent of grief — and what that means for healthcare and criminal-justice professionals.
A note from Dr. Ackerman
I invite you to read and share this work with others who may find it valuable.
Throughout my career, I have remained committed to supporting victims and their families as they navigate the criminal justice system. Through my experiences in law enforcement, working alongside attorneys, teaching future criminal justice professionals, and instructing at police and corrections academies, I have continually seen the need for greater resources, communication, guidance, and advocacy for families whose lives have been forever changed by homicide.
That commitment became an important part of my academic research. My work examines the experiences of African American family members of homicide victims, with particular attention to grief, the passage of time, relationships, and support. Beyond the research itself, my goal has always been to contribute to a greater understanding of what families experience after homicide and how professionals within the criminal justice system and related fields can better respond to their needs.
As I work toward re-publishing this research, I hope it can continue to contribute to conversations about victim services, advocacy, communication, and the long-term needs of surviving family members. Please feel free to share this research with colleagues, students, victim advocates, law enforcement professionals, educators, and others who may benefit from it.
Thank you to everyone who continues to advocate for victims and their families. Their voices and experiences must remain an important part of our conversations about criminal justice.
— Dr. George Ackerman
The research papers behind this work — two journal articles, the master's thesis, and the law-school paper on the Patriot Act — are available to read or download on the curriculum vitae, along with the full publications list.
Presentations
A lecture series built on the topics of Dr. Ackerman's criminal justice books, for students, instructors, and practitioners. Each lecture pairs with one of his books.
Watch on YouTube
Newest lecture · Criminal justice
The companion lecture to The Pillars of Criminal Justice — the practices, policies, and procedures that shape the work of police, the courts, and corrections.
New lectures on each of the books are on the way. Follow the channel to see them first.
Dr. George Ackerman on YouTube →What students say
Professor Ackerman exceeds the teaching criteria for any class I have attended. Professor Ackerman is in constant contact with us via the online site or we are able to contact him on the telephone at any hour of the day.
Online student, 2008
I've taken many online courses — in fact I can say that 75% of my college career I have done it through online courses — and I have never encountered a professor such as yourself.
Introduction to Criminal Justice
You have challenged me far more than any of the professors that I have had in my past three years of schooling. I really enjoyed your class and respect your positions as a professor, police officer and lawyer.
Criminal Law student
Speaking & academic engagement
Dr. Ackerman is open to online teaching appointments — adjunct or full-time, in criminal justice, law, business, and sports administration — and speaks to universities, police departments, professional associations, and conferences on all topics in criminal justice and law, delivered virtually.
Upcoming
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center · Orlando, Florida
The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences will hold its 64th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, from March 30 through April 3, 2027. This important gathering will bring together criminal justice educators, researchers, practitioners, professionals, and students to exchange ideas and examine emerging issues across the field. Through presentations, research sessions, professional development opportunities, and meaningful discussions, attendees will be able to explore how scholarship and practical experience can work together to strengthen criminal justice education, policy, and practice.
ACJS 2027 will also provide an invaluable opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, establish new professional relationships, mentor future criminal justice leaders, and learn from people representing different disciplines and perspectives. As someone committed to educating future attorneys and criminal justice professionals, I look forward to the conversations, research, and innovative ideas that will emerge from this meeting. Conferences such as ACJS remind us that our field continues to evolve and that collaboration is essential to preparing students and practitioners to address the complex challenges facing the justice system.
Also by Dr. Ackerman
Books for practitioners, families, and students on how officers should recognize and respond to Parkinson's disease, the legal protections that attach to a diagnosis, and a caregiver's account of the journey.
Service
Outside the classroom, Dr. Ackerman founded TogetherForSharon®, a Parkinson's-disease awareness organization, in 2020, and serves on the Walk Committee of the American Parkinson Disease Association and the Marketing Committee of the Parkinson's Foundation. His applied research on policing and the law grew out of that work.
Blog
The Constitutional Basis for Search Incident to Arrest People are protected from arbitrary searches and seizures by the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution. Nonetheless, there…
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The Shifting Prison Population The growing number of elderly inmates is one of the issues facing correctional institutions. Long-term incarceration causes people to naturally age, and…
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Drones’ Expanding Use in Law EnforcementUnmanned aircraft systems, or drones, have grown in importance as a tool for law enforcement as technology continues to revolutionize the…
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Dr. Ackerman is most active on LinkedIn, publishes regularly on Substack, and posts his lectures on YouTube. Departments hiring online faculty — adjunct or full-time — and conference organizers can reach him directly by email.
Email DrGAckerman77@gmail.com — for a PDF copy of the CV, transcripts, or letters of recommendation, or to book a talk.
