Christopher Salvatore he/his/him

Christopher Salvatore is a Professor of Justice Studies whose work examines crime, emerging adulthood, and the life course.

His research examines how delayed transitions to adulthood, shifting social bonds, and institutional contexts shape offending, desistance, and informal social control. Drawing on longitudinal data and mixed-method approaches, and conceptual work, he has published widely on topics including the “emerging adulthood gap,” the role of social bonds and turning points, and the impact of institutions such as the military, higher education, and religion on young adults’ behaviours.

He is particularly interested in how developmental and life-course insights can be translated into more rational, humane criminal justice policies for 18–29-year-olds. In addition to peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, he has authored work aimed at both academic and practitioner audiences, seeking to bridge theory, empirical evidence, and policy design in the areas of crime, punishment, and justice reform.

Keywords: Youth Offending, Emerging Adulthood, Social Bonds, Specialized Courts.

Recent Publications: 

• Christopher Salvatore & Travis Taniguchi. (2025). Hiring and Working with Emerging Adults: Law Enforcement’s Biggest Challenge? ACJS Today, May 2025.
• Christopher Salvatore. Treatment Courts: Solving the Recidivism Problem, Carolina Academic Press, 2024.
• Christopher Salvatore. Expert Commentary Social Bonds in Treatment Courts: The Secret to Success” Drug Court Review, September 2023.
• Christopher Salvatore & Travis Taniguchi. “Pride but is there Job Satisfaction at Work? Survey Based Evidence from Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Workers in the United States,” Sexuality & Culture, October 2023.