Mercer Times

Jennifer Ortiz, an associate professor of criminology, has been recognized by the American Society of Criminology (ASC) for her dedicated efforts in supporting formerly incarcerated individuals. She was awarded the 2024 Division on Critical Criminology and Social Justice Praxis Award during a ceremony held on November 14, 2024, at the ASC Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

The award acknowledges significant achievements in activism, scholarship, service, and teaching that impact justice for underserved populations. Ortiz has actively worked to support disenfranchised individuals and served as president of the New Albany Indiana Human Rights Commission for four years.

Ortiz played a crucial role in raising over $1 million for Freed From Within, a non-profit organization aiding men reentering society post-incarceration. Her academic research focuses on prisoner re-entry with an emphasis on education. "Education is the strongest factor we have to actually lower recidivism," she states.

Ortiz has presented her findings to influential bodies such as the White House Domestic Policy Council and the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau. "I do my best to try and bring all of what I’m seeing to places with people who can make change," she explains.

In her role as chair of the Division of Convict Criminology at ASC, Ortiz established initiatives like a travel scholarship for formerly incarcerated graduate students attending ASC conferences and a mentorship program pairing them with mentors to address stigma challenges. She currently mentors a student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.