Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt has spearheaded the creation of the Violence Reduction Initiative, a UTC research center designed to address violent crime in Chattanooga and beyond. Housed within UTC’s Criminal Justice department, the VRI represents a bold commitment to bridging the gap between academic research and real-world solutions.
Hamilton County and UTC receive $844,294 federal grant to support Recidivism Reduction Initiative
The three-year project, titled the Recidivism Reduction Initiative (RRI), is designed to improve public safety by reducing recidivism rates among justice-involved individuals in Hamilton County’s misdemeanor supervision programs. Hamilton County is the lead on the project, with UTC’s Department of Criminal Justice providing research and data analysis to assess program effectiveness and measure outcomes.
How to move up the law enforcement ladder with a criminal justice degree
Crime doesn’t pay. But a criminal justice degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga can. Just ask Lt. Adam Emery with the Chattanooga Police Department. Born and raised in Harrison, Tennessee, Emery received a criminal justice degree from UTC in 2003.