About
Dr. Meg Chrusciel is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Her teaching and research interests include drugs and crime, victimization, policing, gender and justice, and inequality within the justice system.
Meg teaches courses on crime, law, policing, victimization, criminological theory, and public policy. In class, she spends a lot less time looking for the “right” answer and a lot more time asking why people believe what they do. She enjoys watching students work through ideas that initially seem straightforward, only to discover they are much more complicated than they first appeared. For her, learning is often less about finding certainty and more about developing the tools to think through difficult questions thoughtfully and honestly.
Beyond teaching, Meg works closely with students through internships, undergraduate research, Mock Trial, and career preparation. She enjoys helping students figure out where they want to go and how to get there, whether that means law school, graduate school, public service, advocacy work, or a career in the criminal justice system. She serves as faculty advisor for the Pre-Law Student Association and coaches the UWS Mock Trial Team.
Awards and Grants
- Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars Fellow, 2026-2027
- Next Generation Internships Grant (Strengthening Internships), Universities of Wisconsin, 2026
Publications
- Chrusciel, M.M. (2021). Gender and Mental Health Needs. In L. Carter, C. Blankenship, & C. Marcum (Eds.), Punishing Gender Past and Present: Examining the Criminal Justice System Across Gendered Experiences. San Diego, CA: Cognella.
- Chrusciel, M.M. (2020).Alcohol use, employment, and arrest: Making sense of a convoluted relationship. Journal of Drug Issues, 50(3), 341-355. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042620919353
- Chrusciel, M.M., Wolfe, S.E., Hansen, J.A., Rojek, J., & Kaminski, R.J. (2015). Law enforcement executive and principal perspectives on school safety measures: School resource officers and armed school employees. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 38(1), 24-39. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-11-2014-0115
- Wolfe, S.E., Chrusciel, M.M., Hansen, J.A., Rojek, J., & Kaminski, R.J. (2015). Procedural justice, legitimacy, and school principals’ evaluations of school resource officers: Support, perceived effectiveness, trust, and satisfaction. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 28(2), 107-138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887403415573565
- McLean, K., Wolfe, S..E, Chrusciel, M.M., & Robert J. Kaminski. (2015). Body-worn cameras in South Carolina: Law Enforcement Executives’ views concerning use, policies, and outcomes. 2015 South Carolina Law Enforcement Census.
- Chrusciel, M.M., McLean, K. Wolfe, S.E., Kaminski, R.J., & Rojek, J. (2015). Officer-involved traffic collisions in South Carolina: Exploring the issue through official records (2001-2010) and survey responses of law enforcement executives. 2014 South Carolina Law Enforcement Census.
- Chrusciel, M.M., Rojek, J., & Kaminski, R.J. (2012). Crime victim satisfaction with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, 2012. Report prepared for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Education
- 2017 – Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of South Carolina
- 2009 – Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Political Science and Psychology, University of South Carolina