About Deneil

I am an experienced higher education professional who has served in various roles, including Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Lead Faculty of Criminal Justice Online Programs, and Course Quality Assurance Coordinator. Before transitioning to higher education, I served as a Business and Criminal Justice Teacher at an all-girls Catholic college preparatory high school in Philadelphia, PA. In addition, I dedicated over five years to at-risk teens and youth offenders through my employment and volunteer work in Pennsylvania and Louisiana. I am a native of the beautiful Caribbean Island of Jamaica. I served the Jamaica Constabulary Force for almost four years in intelligence, public information, traffic enforcement, special operations, and mounted patrol. I also served as a police officer in the state of Louisiana.

I earned my Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at Liberty University, a master’s degree in criminal justice at Lamar University, an MBA in General Management from Assam Don Bosco University, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Ashworth College. My research interests include the academic achievement of juvenile offenders, mental health issues in the juvenile justice system, and camera use in online synchronous learning. My scholarly work has been published in Youth Justice, Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice & Criminology, Policing and Society, and Interactive Learning Environments.

I am an avid traveler who describes myself as a digital nomad. I have lived in Jamaica, the United States, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, I have visited twenty-two U.S. states and Puerto Rico. A lover of the African continent, I have taken trips to Ghana, Kenya (3x), Nigeria (2x), Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda. I also vacationed in the world's number one destination, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, visiting the 148th floor of the world's tallest building (the Burj Khalifa) and largest shopping mall (Dubai Mall). In addition, I have visited Argentina, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Japan, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

Member, American Assoc. of Juvenile Justice Researchers & Scholars (AAJJRS)
Editor, AAJJRS Quarterly Newsletter (2022 - 2024)
APPQMR Certified, Quality Matters

HONORS/AWARDS

Outstanding Academic Achievement, Ph.D. in Criminal Justice, Liberty University