It’s been another whirlwind year for Jay Albanese, Ph.D., professor of criminal justice at the Wilder School. When he’s called an international researcher, it’s no exaggeration — he’s literally crisscrossed the globe to share his expertise in international crime studies. From organized crime to corruption and ethics, Albanese is on the frontlines of advancing scholarly research in crime prevention and criminal justice. 

If Albanese marked everywhere his academic travels had taken him, he’d likely run out of pins for the map. He’s given invited talks in 30 countries over more than 100 trips. For more than three decades, he’s been a leading voice in contemporary issues associated with organized crime, including human trafficking, global, environmental and social changes and corruption.

Follow Jay’s adventures on his website

“I have researched, written, published, and presented work in many places around the world, but the best part has been meeting, interacting, and working with talented people everywhere,” Albanese said. “And they are indeed everywhere.” – Jay Albanese

All frequent flier miles aside, his dedication to the Wilder School has most recently placed him in the VCU spotlight of excellence with a National/International Recognition Award. Now in its second year, the NIRA was created to honor VCU’s top talent, as recommended by their dean.

"Dr. Jay Albanese is a force in the field of criminal justice — his research and leadership continue to exude excellence,” said Susan Gooden, dean of the Wilder School. The NIRA Award is a testament to the impact of his work nationally and internationally. This recognition is well-earned and speaks volumes about the caliber of faculty we have at the Wilder School. This prestigious honor reflects Jay's extraordinary contributions to the United Nations, as well as his highly regarded research in the areas of cybercrime, criminal justice ethics, and white collar crime.”

Albanese is the author and editor of 24 books, and most recently released the fifth edition of “Professional Ethics in Criminal Justice: Being Ethical When No One is Looking," which holds a 4.5 star rating on Amazon. ” According to Google Scholar, he has authored more than 200 academic publications, which have been cited more than 5,000 times with an i10 index of 80 (total number of published papers with at least 10 citations).

At the United Nations, he serves as vice chair of the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and is a subject matter expert for the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime. He also serves as UN Liaison for the American Society of Criminology. As part of an interdisciplinary course for Chilean professionals in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, he provided guest lectures through the Justice & Society Center at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Albanese has also testified as an expert witness for the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Jay Albanese addresses the United Nations at its headquarters in New York. Courtesy photo.

“I appreciate the opportunity I have had to impact the lives of students, carry out research with public policy impacts, and perform public service to my profession, the government, and the United Nations,” he said.

When Albanese isn’t jetsetting, he’s a domestic dynamo at home on campus, mentoring doctoral students and tirelessly instructing a range of courses, including the newly minted Ethics & Decision-making in Criminal Justice. He recently received funding from the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative to study cybercrime in Virginia and its impacts on industry and citizens. 

Then, it's back on the road to lecture on global corruption at the Model United Nations annual conference in New York or transnational organized crime at the National University of Ireland. American University, Florida International University and Rutgers University, his alma mater, are just a handful of his recent rounds.

His longstanding passion for instruction earned him Virginia’s highest honor, the Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia in 2022 and the VCU Distinguished Teaching Award in 2016.

“It is also gratifying that I have been able to extend the reputation of Virginia Commonwealth University and the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Being part of a larger group effort makes the work of individuals more meaningful.”

Albanese is also the recipient of the Freda Adler Award from the American Society of Criminology and the Gerhard Mueller Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences for contributions to international criminal justice. He co-founded Criminologists without Borders, a nonprofit dedicated to informing international criminal policy through objective research.

So what’s next for this global educator? It’s never a routine travel itinerary. 

“The future always brings a mix of hope and concern,” Jay remarked. “But it’s never a matter of doing more of the same. Instead, it’s a matter of seeking out new opportunities to make contributions to knowledge, students, colleagues, and the world of policy and practice. And most importantly, I never fail to remember the intellectual and personal debts that we each owe to those who provided mentoring, encouragement, and support that contributed directly to who we are today.”