Elizabeth Brown
Elizabeth Brown, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice Studies at San Francisco State University and Department Chair. She holds a doctorate in Geography with a certificate in Law and Society Studies and a Master's degree in Cultural Studies. Her research examines the intersections between urban neighborhoods and crime control policies and explores how depictions of crime and disorder influence juvenile justice policy, the experiences of urban youth, and the history and persistence of poverty and white supremacy in the US. She has published articles on a diverse range of topics from trying youth as adults and public policy approaches to the gang and school violence to urban redevelopment and contemporary urban policing strategies.
The two core elements of Dr. Brown's teaching philosophy are respect and curiosity. She believes that fostering a learning environment-whether in the traditional constraints of a university classroom or in more untraditional learning environments-that encourages curiosity about the world around us is the surest way to ensure excellence in the learning environment.
Dr. Brown's research agenda grows out of an interest first developed as an undergraduate in the relationship between culture, representation, and inequality. From this, her research on the juvenile court and urban crime control seeks to examine the role that legal institutions play in creating, shaping and remaking the geographies of urban, racial and economic inequality that dominate US society.