Conference

The Society for Police & Criminal Psychology is a multi-disciplinary group that encourages the scientific study of the criminal justice system and the application of behavioral science knowledge to problems in criminal justice, including law enforcement, judicial, and corrections elements. Consequently, it solicits participation from psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers, police officers, corrections personnel, social workers, and other professionals involved in the scientific study of the criminal justice system.

The 35th Annual Conference of the Society for Police & Criminal Psychology will be held at the Hilton Hartford, 315 Trumbull Street, Hartford, CT 06103, October 28-November 1, 2009. The conference program is now available.  Program in Adobe Acrobat Format   Program in Microsoft Word Format

The number for the hotel in Hartford is 860-728-5151.  A special conference rate is available for the nights of October 28 through 31.  The rate is $139/night plus tax. A kickoff dinner will be held on Wednesday, October 28.  The scientific sessions will be Thursday, October 28 through Saturday October 31. To access the reservation page that the Hilton set up for use by Society Members go to this web address: http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/HFDHHHF-SPCP-20091028/index.jhtml
Our group/convention code is “SPCP.”.

For air travel, the closest airport is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT, which serves the Hartford/Springfield MA metro area (the same airport we used for the 2007 conference in Springfield).  The hotel can arrange paid shuttle transport on Wednesday.  A taxi ride from the airport to the hotel will cost approximately $40.

The deadline for submitting proposals for this conference was July 15, 2009. 

Register for the conference by completing the form available online. The fee for members is $250 (which includes the conference fee and 2010 dues).  Members who would also like continuing education credit will need to pay $280 (which includes the conference fee, 2010 dues and a continuing education processing fee).  Students can attend the conference for $135 (which includes a discounted conference fee and discounted 2010 dues.)

If you’d like to discuss any matters related to the 2009 conference, please feel free to e-mail Peter Weiss (peweiss@hartford.edu).

Peter Weiss, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Graduate Institute for Professional Psychology
University of Hartford
West Hartford, CT
E-mail: peweiss@hartford.edu

The 36th Annual Conference will be held in Honolulu, HI during the fall of 2010.

Award and Honorarium for the Best Student Paper

The Society for Police and Criminal Psychology advocates the academic pursuit of excellence in the field of police, criminal and forensic psychology by encouraging the submission of papers in the field by current students who have an interest in research in this area. The Michael Serafino Award is given annually to the best student paper presented at our yearly conference. Papers are judged on scholarship, contribution to the fields of criminal justice and psychology, and the quality of presentation at our annual conference.

Get further information about the Michael Serafino Award

Conference History

The Society sponsors an annual conference held in October of each year at varying locations throughout the United States. The conference focuses on the interface between criminal justice and the behavioral sciences. It includes presentations on international perspectives in policing, specialized police procedures and techniques, personnel decision-making issues in criminal justice agencies, the law and criminal justice, litigation issues, inmate populations, issues in probation and parole, and other issues affecting those in the criminal justice system.

View locations and past presidents list