He earned a Joint Ph.D. (Social Work and Sociology) and M.A. from the University of Michigan, M.S.W. from University of California, Berkeley, and B.S. from Emory University. His research largely focuses on the safety and victimization of community-based, school-based, and prison-based populations. He is an award-winning instructor who received, among others, the UNC Board of Governors Distinguished Professor for Teaching Award, 2010-2011.