Published March 07, 2014
Dr. Robert Hanser, coordinator of the Criminal Justice Program at the University of
Louisiana at Monroe, was recently appointed as the Associate Managing Editor of “Police,
Practice & Research: An International Journal” (PPR).
The journal is published through the Routledge, Taylor, & Francis Group. PPR is a
peer-reviewed journal that presents current and innovative police research, as well
as operational and administrative practices from around the world. The journal includes
research articles from practitioners, researchers, and those interested in policing
developments, analysis of public order, and the state of safety as it affects the
quality of life worldwide.
Hanser pinpoints two key themes that he enjoyed when working with the journal. He
said, “The first theme has to do with the integration of the practitioner and the
researcher. Throughout my work in criminal justice, I have tended to blend both the
agency related aspects and the research related aspects of our field.” Hanser added,
“The other theme that I enjoy is, of course, the international scope of this journal.
Throughout my career here at ULM, I have continued to teach and research criminal
justice issues from a global perspective.”
The Associate Managing Editor is a key position in the operation of the journal and
has been described as the hub position around which journal operations commence. This
editorial position serves as the center of all communications between the Managing
Editor, Editor-in-Chief, Book Review Editor, potential authors, PPR Board of Editors,
and manuscript reviewers.
PPR seeks to bridge the gap in knowledge that exists regarding who the police are, what
they do, and how they maintain order, administer laws, and serve their communities.
In addition to his role on the editorial staff, Hanser was one of five members chosen
to judge the PPR Best Paper Competition for 2013. The competition is conducted annually,
and submissions are ranked and scored by various criteria. One paper from those published
throughout the year is chosen by the judges as the best paper, culminating in an award
and a cash prize.
According to Hanser, PPR is a refereed journal with a longstanding history and widespread
reputation within the international community of policing and crime fighting. It is
an upper tier journal, consisting of research that is held to very close scrutiny.
The review and revision process required of authors who are accepted is very rigorous;
getting published in this journal is regarded as a noteworthy achievement among academicians.
The journal works in affiliation with the International Police Executive Symposium
(IPES), an international non-profit organization that brings police researchers and
practitioners together to facilitate cross-cultural, international and interdisciplinary
exchanges for the enrichment of the policing profession. IPES encourages discussions
and writing on challenging topics of contemporary importance through an array of initiatives
including conferences and publications.
This is not Hanser’s first editorial experience with a peer-reviewed research journal.
For more than five years, Hanser has served as the Editor-in-Chief of “Crime, Punishment,
and the Law: An International Journal.”
“This journal is through Serials Publications, a publishing house that is well known
and regarded throughout much of Asia,” Hanser said. “Located in Dehli, India, this
journal showcases research from around the world that deals with multinational crime-fighting.”
Hanser received a Master of Arts in Counseling from Sam Houston State University along
with a Master of Science in Psychology from ULM.
Hanser also received a Doctorate of Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University.
Hanser joined the ULM faculty in 2003.
